Arctic Pinkies: Senior night, Nanook JV wins, varsity places second
Community members and visiting teams packed the Nanook’s den last Friday, October 16 for day two of the Arctic Pinkies volleyball tournament – and for senior night celebrations for Jocelyn Nichols-Takak and Sage Gregg.
Many tears were shed as the girls thanked their teammates, families and community. In addition to the Nome seniors, seniors from every school that attended were called out and down to the floor and given candy necklaces.
Nichols-Takak and Gregg said it felt weird to already be seniors. “Crazy, like we waited four years,” said Gregg.
Teams from Utqiagvik, Bethel, Kotzebue and Lathrop High School in Fairbanks played in the demanding three-day tourney. The Nanook JV team took the win over Bethel, and Nome players Hannah Harrelson and Holly Gray were named to the all-tourney JV team.
Nanook varsity took second in the championship match against the Barrow Wheelers from Utqiagvik. Clary Ruud was named to the all-tourney team.
On Friday night, the varsity Nanooks battled it out against Kotzebue in an intense down-to-the-wire match. In the first set, the Nanooks handily took the win, 25-15.
Next, Kotzebue won in an intense 23-25 set. In the final point of the set, spectators prematurely celebrated a Nanook point before a referee called the point for Kotzebue, ended the set 13-15.
Nichols-Takak and Gregg said it was tough to lose on their senior night but remained optimistic for the next day’s matches. “We’ll get them tomorrow,” said Nichols-Takak.
Gregg said they tried a variety of strategies to defeat Kotzebue. “We tried like three different rotations. First one was so me and Jocelyn could play all the way around and get playing time,” she said. “The second one we switched it up a little bit and switched our middles. And then the third one we went back to the first one just because it worked better the first time.”
“It’s as really down to the wire, and we made them work for it,” said Head Coach Gigi Durden in an interview after Friday night’s game. “I think that this will be going to be a really good rematch when you see them in the bracket play.”
Arctic Pinkies brings in teams from all over the state for competition, but it also raises funds for breast cancer patients. Pink paper volleyballs lined the walls of the gym, each symbolizing donations. This year, the tournament raised $2,205 for Julie Knodel.
“This event’s a really good thing for the community, and it means a lot,” said Durden. “So yes, we’re here to play volleyball and have a good time, but we’re also trying to remember and honor those that have fought.”
Coming up, the Nanooks have a free weekend and then will travel to Utqiagvik for the Barrow Invitational October 29-31, and then will travel again to Utqiagvik for regions November 6-7.
2026 Arctic Pinkies Awards
JV
1st Place - Nome JV
JV ALL-TOURNEY
Kotzebue: Taya Skin, Naomi Nordlum
Bethel: Lucy Neufeldt, Claire Lee
NBHS: Holly Gray, Hannah Harrelson
Varsity Tournament
1st Place: Barrow Whalers
2nd Place: NBHS
ALL TOURNEY
NBHS: Clary Ruud
BRHS: Gabrialla Murat
BARROW: Flo Unatoa, Georgianna Fischer
LATHROP: Lainey Benson
KOTZEBUE: Malia Pirtle
MVP: Adrianna Miguel - Barrow