The Western Washington University men's and women's basketball teams opened the NCAA Division II West Regional basketball polls sitting atop their respective divisions.

The polls, which were released Wednesday, Feb. 20, will eventually help determine which five at-large teams will join the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Pac West and California Collegiate Athletic Association champions in the West Regional and where the regional will be held.

The WWU men's team is 24-0 overall and ranked No. 2 nationally. The Vikings are one of three GNAC teams in the poll, joining No. 3 Seattle Pacific and No. 8 Alaska Anchorage. Cal Poly Pomona (19-1) is ranked second.

Western will be at Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday, Feb. 21, and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Feb. 23, before wrapping up the regular season at home against Simon Fraser on March 2.

The WWU women's team is 19-3 overall and ranked No. 8 nationally. The Vikings are one of four GNAC teams ranked in the poll, along with No. 3 Simon Fraser, No. 7 Northwest Nazarene and No. 8 Montana State Billings. Chico State (19-3) is second in the poll.

Western will host Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday, before heading to Saint Martin's on Feb. 28 and Western Oregon on March 2.

The women's GNAC tournament is scheduled to start March 6, in Lacey, with the men's to follow a day later. The regional begins Friday, March 15.

MEN'S WEST REGION POLL

1. Western Washington

2. Cal Poly Pomona

3. Seattle Pacific

4. Dixie State

5. Grand Canyon

6. Cal State San Bernardino

7. Chaminade

8. Alaska Anchorage

WOMEN'S WEST REGION POLL

1. Western Washington

2. Chico State

3. Simon Fraser

4. Cal State Monterey Bay

5. Grand Canyon

6. UC San Diego

7. Northwest Nazarene

8. Montana State Billings