Totally agree. I think June is at a distinct disadvantage here.

But, I’d like to put in a nice word for June. For a year at the Tacoma News Tribune, I was the UW women’s basketball beat writer. It was the worst season I have ever had the misfortune to witness — the team was 8-22 overall, 4-14 in the Pac-10. They figured out ways to lose. It was painful to cover.

It was the first losing season in the program’s history, and even then there were grumblings that the Huskies were not completely satisfied with her performance. Just like anyone who coaches the football team will be measured against Don James, anyone who coaches that women’s basketball program will be measured against Chris Gobrecht, who’s a demigod in those parts.

Anyway, to make a long story short(er), June was wonderful through it all. She always made time for me, always made her players available to me, and she and her players were some of the nicest people I ever met or worked with in sports journalism. She even got me a nice little gift with a hand-written card thanking ME for covering the team that year. (Can you imagine a coach doing that?) Of course, the gift was a UW t-shirt, which I promptly gave my dad, but it was the thought that counts.

Anyway, June Daugherty really is an awesome person. I have a feeling she’s probably going to get upset, given our soft spot for the big Aussie, but I thought I’d throw in a good word for her.

Oh, and the year after that miserable campaign? She took basically the same squad to the Elite Eight, losing to Jackie Stiles and Southwest Missouri State.

But I voted for her because she was willing to come to WSU and rebuild the program after so many years with the Huskies. She’s also a class act, a wonderful person and completely giving of her time wherever she’s needed/wanted. Remember the story of her helping Paul Wulff with visiting recruits’ moms? Yup… got my vote.