CougCenter: FanPosts

Two Athletes out of Hawaii - Class of 2014 (football)

2013-04-20T20:52:18Z

Drew Kell: brother Devon is at Oregon St.

6'1.5 175 lbs

40: 4.5

shuttle: 4.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUKKCIhQ2ZE Drew's Junior Season (QB)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fv2ge7ACq8 Drew's Freshman and Sophomore Years (QB, WR, DB)

Isi Holani: 1st-cousin Semisi just finished up at UW, coached by former Cougar Tai Tupai

6'2 270 lbs

40: 4.95

Bench: 285

Squat: 475

Clean: 300

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_EJZxvwTEg Isi's Junior Season (DL, TE)

www.wix.com/hilohs/football

Drew Kell: brother Devon is at Oregon St.

6'1.5 175 lbs

40: 4.5

shuttle: 4.2

6'2 270 lbs

40: 4.95

Bench: 285

Squat: 475

Clean: 300

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_EJZxvwTEg Isi's Junior Season (DL, TE)

www.wix.com/hilohs/football

Cougar Football moving out of Bohler

2013-04-11T05:42:16Z

I wanted to expand upon an idea brought up in the last Podcast about the Football Operations Building. The thought was that removing the football team from Bohler Gym would drastically enlarge the amount of space for the other sports had. This is due to the massive size of the football team compared to other Men's Sports. I also wanted to look at coaches, as moving the entire football staff would result in much more office space for other coaches.

These numbers were collected from roster lists at WSUCougars.com

Sport	Players on roster	Coaches
Baseball	36	5
Basketball	17	7
Cross Country	8	1
Golf	11	2
Track	55	5
Football	92	20
Total	219	40
% Football	42.0%	48.8%

Some notes on this:

These rosters include non-scholarship players (i.e. walk-ons, grey shirts and preferred walk-ons)
Football had a significant number of graduate assistants, hence the larger percentage of coaches.
I am not sure if any teams are stationed somewhere other than Bohler.

Seeing as how Bohler Gym also includes Women's Athletics, I also looked into the total number of roster athletes and coaches that WSU has.

	Players on roster	Coaches
Women's	238	30
Men's	219	40
Total	457	64
% Football	20.1%	31.3%

I would have expected the numbers to be equal due to Title IX, perhaps with men outnumbering the women due to walk-ons in football, which is easily the largest sport. However, I do not pretend to understand scholarships in any of the non revenue generating sports.
Men's Athletics do have more coaches, which makes sense with the large number of Graduate Assistants on the football team. This is the same reason for the larger % Football Coaches among all mens coaches. Though, I significantly doubt that GAs gett much in the way of offices.
There is overlap in coaches for the Men and Women Cross Country and Track teams. Thus, the total number of coaches is less than the sum of the Men's and Women's.
Interesting tidbit, a large minority of our Women's Tennis players are from Russia.

This is pretty enlightening to how much room the FOB will open up for non-football athletes at WSU, even more so for the coaches.

These numbers were collected from roster lists at WSUCougars.com

Sport	Players on roster	Coaches
Baseball	36	5
Basketball	17	7
Cross Country	8	1
Golf	11	2
Track	55	5
Football	92	20
Total	219	40
% Football	42.0%	48.8%

Some notes on this:

These rosters include non-scholarship players (i.e. walk-ons, grey shirts and preferred walk-ons)
Football had a significant number of graduate assistants, hence the larger percentage of coaches.
I am not sure if any teams are stationed somewhere other than Bohler.

Seeing as how Bohler Gym also includes Women's Athletics, I also looked into the total number of roster athletes and coaches that WSU has.

	Players on roster	Coaches
Women's	238	30
Men's	219	40
Total	457	64
% Football	20.1%	31.3%

I would have expected the numbers to be equal due to Title IX, perhaps with men outnumbering the women due to walk-ons in football, which is easily the largest sport. However, I do not pretend to understand scholarships in any of the non revenue generating sports.
Men's Athletics do have more coaches, which makes sense with the large number of Graduate Assistants on the football team. This is the same reason for the larger % Football Coaches among all mens coaches. Though, I significantly doubt that GAs gett much in the way of offices.
There is overlap in coaches for the Men and Women Cross Country and Track teams. Thus, the total number of coaches is less than the sum of the Men's and Women's.
Interesting tidbit, a large minority of our Women's Tennis players are from Russia.

This is pretty enlightening to how much room the FOB will open up for non-football athletes at WSU, even more so for the coaches.

WSU Spring Ball Day 6 Review

2013-04-03T05:02:22Z

Hey guys look this post is on time! Yes I know, for all 3 of you that read them. But I would like to personally thank those of you who comment, its nice to know you enjoy the posts.

Today's post comes from a different viewpoint than usual which you will find out about as you read. You can find the post here and I would love for more feedback. I've been writing a very long and drawn-out format, which has been fun, but its not very practical. I'm thinking about writing two versions from now on. One long and detailed like I've been doing, but another shorter and more like an actual sports story you would read from Christian Caple.

If I have time I'll try that out Thursday. Also if you are so inclined you could subscribe to my blog posts by clicking the "Home" button and then clicking "Follow." Please note that this will subscribe you to all my ramblings, not just the WSU related posts, so I wont blame any of you for ignoring that option. I'll continue to post links to my WSU related material here on Cougcenter via fanposts regardless. That is unless Nusser or someone kicks me off. I hope to write on something other than Spring Practice soon.

Thanks again for your time everybody. Go Cougs!

Hey guys look this post is on time! Yes I know, for all 3 of you that read them. But I would like to personally thank those of you who comment, its nice to know you enjoy the posts.

Thanks again for your time everybody. Go Cougs!

Are we experienced?

2013-04-03T00:40:34Z

Mark posted a piece from Ted Miller the other day that indicated that the Cougars ranked 8th in starting experience. I found this surprising in that I, as I think most of us on CougCenter do, consider the Cougars to be a "young team." And if the 2011 coaching press conferences taught us anything, it would be that young teams just face a slew of issues from game time changes to travel schedules to on-field inexperience. My initial impulse was to try to find some way to really break this down to get a more in depth understanding of this. As one commenter, HitKing69, indicated, nearly all of the teams listed in the Top 10 had longstanding traditions of sucking, or, in the case of Auburn and Colorado, are not in the in the midst of their glory. There just has to be more to the story than the Cougars being a team with a lot of returning experience.

The more I tried to develop a hypothesis as to what might explain the Cougars being at the top of the charts, I realized that it would be a fool’s errand, because there are many factors that put certain players into starting roles. Some have earned starting roles by their play in practice and on the field, while others have lost starting roles for the same reason. Injuries (and alleged injuries circa 2012-present) also play a very prominent role in pushing players in and out of the lineup. Also, starting does not necessarily reflect total experience. There were several players with 10+ appearances in non-special team situations, but little to no starting experience. However, starting experience does say something, because it does give context to the situation in which a player is appearing, so I think this is a useful thing to look at.

As I began to put the data together and gather information from the individual players, I realized that each player has a specific story that may not be encapsulate by their total starting contribution to the whole. For example, Jared Byers has started four games, but none of them at his current position. Then, of course, there are the redshirts (medical and non-medical), transfers, etc. And there is Ricky Galvin, who has medical redshirted, switched positions, and allegedly missed several games due to injury last season. Each player has a story and to me sports are about stories and too often this is convoluted by statistics that by and large only take into consideration central tendencies. The Stanford game, Utah game, and Apple Cup were all games in which the Cougars compiled statistics, but there are only a few common modes that can be identified from those games. In any case, I conducted the following descriptive breakdowns to see if there are any interesting statistics or conclusions to be made. Miller lists 359 starts with 44 being on special teams. I am assuming those starts come from den Bleyker, Bowlin, and Furney. I don’t include them in the analysis, although each of them brings a lot of experience and skill at their position. All 305 offensive/defensive starts are accounted for.

Starting Experience in General;

Players with at least 1 start: 34

Offense 149 (from Miller’s report)

Defense 166 (from Miller’s report)

Players with < 5 starts: 9

Players with 5 - 10 starts: 14

Players between 11-19 starts: 8

Players between > 20 starts" 3

The Cougars are returning 34 players with starting experience. On any given Saturday this fall, I only expect them to start 22. This is a very positive sign. It indicates that there will be a lot of competition and depth on the roster this year and players that should redshirt can redshirt. There does seem to be a reasonable amount of balance on both sides of the ball with roughly 54.4% of starting experience on the defensive side and 45.6% on the defensive side. While the Cougars have a lot of different players contributing to their starting total, only a total of 11 have started more than 10 games and 3 above 20. That means that fewer than 1/3rd of all players bring starting experience to the Cougars have a season’s worth of starts under their belt. Of course, several players’ starts on the list have come at the expense of other players’ starts. Players with 10 starts or fewer make up for 119 of the Cougars 305 starts or 39%. On the other hand, there are only three players with 20 starts (Bucannon, Fullington, and Washington), who combine for 82 starts or roughly 27% of the total.

Starting Experience by season

2009: 2 (< 0%)

2010: 27 (8.9%)

2011: 76 (24.9%)

2012: 200 (65.6%)

This really stands out in that nearly 65.6% of all returning starting experience took place during the 2012 season under Mike Leach’s first year with only roughly 1/3rd of all starts having occurred during the Wulff era. This is basically the story that shows that the Cougars’ experience is new experience, as a significant amount of experience that the team holds was gained within a single year. Of course, this had a lot to do with injuries and players beating one another out during last season. Regardless, a lot of players found themselves in the situation of being in the starting lineup and dealing with the preparation that comes with a starting role.

Starting Experience by class

Sophomores: 10 for 58 starts (19%), starts per eligibility year 58

Juniors: 12 for 76 starts (24.9%), starts per eligibility year 38

Seniors: 12 for 171 starts (56%), starts per eligibility year 57

In terms of players with at least one start, the Cougars are incredibly balanced between their classes. However, it is somewhat remarkable to see that sophomores only have 18 fewer starts than juniors. The seniors make up the bulk of the starting experience with 56%, but remember that 82 of those starts come from three players. And only two of the players, Fullington and Bucannon were consistent starters last year, whereas Washington started fewer games than he did as a freshman and sophomore. The Cougars have a very strong core of experienced players that are young and heading into their second year and this seems to be balanced by some pretty good experience that comes from senior players. It is worth noting that many senior starts have come from JC transfers such as Gauta and Sagote who were brought in last year by Leach’s staff to fill immediate needs.

Starting Experience by position:

Quarterback: 1 starter with 6 starts, avg. 6

Running back: 2 starters with 4 stars, avg. 2

Wide Receivers: 8 starters with 48 starts, avg. 6

Offensive Line: 5 starters with 76 starts, avg. 15.2

Defensive Backs: 6 starters with 90 starts, avg. 15

Linebackers: 7 starters with 48 starts, avg. 6.85

Defensive line: 5 starters with 33 starts, avg. 6.6

Here is where looks might be a little deceiving. By looking at these numbers, one might come to the conclusion that the Cougars might be particularly strong in the offensive line and defensive backfield, but these are places where change have been anticipated and alluded to for some time. Fullington accounts for 42.2% of starting experience on the offensive line and the return, while Bosch and Rodgers combine for 25 starts of which 24 occurred last year. The shakeup ad defensive back began last year with both Washington and Horton decreasing in starts. So while there is experience in the backfield, there are major question marks about the roles of players that saw significant time in 2011 and 2012.

Conclusion:

The statistics pretty much tell us what we already knew. The Cougars have a core of young players that began to come of age next year who will look to apply the lessons of a tough season If not for 15 or so minutes of incredible football to finish the season, I think that Coug fans would have carried a much lower morale heading into the 2013 campaign. Yet, for all the tribulation that came with the 2012 season, the Cougars gained a lot of experience that should serve them well in the year to come. The team is balanced in its experience with a lot of older experience to blend in with newer experience. This is a great scenario for any sports team at the pro or college level: a young team with some experience complimented with some solid veteran experience. I look at this a lot like building a house, before the cornerstone is laid, you have to get all the trash off the lot and build a foundation. I think the 2012 season accomplished this and the 2013 season will start to see a very nice structure take form.

Finally, I want to post the data set I created on Excel for everybody to look at. I also encourage anybody that would like to do some other forms of statistical analysis to feel free to use this set. As soon as I hit the PowerBall, I hope to devote a considerably more time to CougCenter compiling data sets and doing analysis on Cougar sports. Still, it’s nice to take a few hours away from the monotony of gainful employment.

Player	Class	PO	starts09	starts10	starts11	starts12	Total
Brett Bartolone	SO	WR	.	.	.	9	9
Matthew Bock	RSJR	DL	RS	0	0	5	5
Elliot Bosch	RSSR	OL	RS	0	0	12	12
Deon Bucannon	DB	DB	.	8	11	11	30
Jared Byers	RSSR	LB	2	1	2	0	4
Teondray Caldwell	SO	RB	.	.	.	3	3
Anthony Carpenter	RSSR	DB	RS	0	0	7	7
Cyrus Coen	JR	LB	.	.	1	11	12
Xavier Cooper	RSSO	DL	.	.	RS	9	9
Henry Eaddy	RSSO	WR	.	.	1	RS	1
Gunnar Ecklund	RSSO	OL	.	.	RS	7	7
John Fullington	SR	OL	.	6	12	12	30
Rickey Galvin	RSJR	WR	.	RS	6	3	9
Ionane Gauta	SR	DL	.	.	.	12	12
Matt Goetz	RSSR	OL	.	.	9	5	14
Connor Halliday	RSJR	QB	.	RS	1	5	6
Damante Horton	SR	DB	.	.	11	6	17
Casey Locker	RSSR	DB	RS	0	2	10	12
Gabe Marks	SO	WR	.	.	.	8	8
Marcus Mason	JR	RB	.	.	0	1	1
Logan Mayes	JR	LB	.	.	0	3	3
Darryl Monroe	RSSO	LB	.	.	RS	12	12
Isiah Myers	JR	WR	.	.	0	5	5
Eric Oertel	SR	LB	.	0	0	1	1
Toni Pole	RSJR	DL	.	RS	3	2	5
Bobby Ratliff	RSJR	WR		RS	4	5	9
Jake Rodgers	RSJR	OL	.	RS	1	12	13
Justin Sagote	SR	LB				10	10
Chester Su'a	JR	LB	.	.	4	2	6
Taylor Taliulu	SO	DB	.	.	.	2	2
Destiny Vaeao	SO	DL	.	.	.	2	2
Nolan Washington	SR	DB	.	12	7	3	22
Dominique Williams	SO	WR	.	.	RS	5	5
Kristoff Williams	RSJR	WR			2	0	2

Starting Experience in General;

Players with at least 1 start: 34

Offense 149 (from Miller’s report)

Defense 166 (from Miller’s report)

Players with < 5 starts: 9

Players with 5 - 10 starts: 14

Players between 11-19 starts: 8

Players between > 20 starts" 3

Starting Experience by season

2009: 2 (< 0%)

2010: 27 (8.9%)

2011: 76 (24.9%)

2012: 200 (65.6%)

Starting Experience by class

Sophomores: 10 for 58 starts (19%), starts per eligibility year 58

Juniors: 12 for 76 starts (24.9%), starts per eligibility year 38

Seniors: 12 for 171 starts (56%), starts per eligibility year 57

Starting Experience by position:

Quarterback: 1 starter with 6 starts, avg. 6

Running back: 2 starters with 4 stars, avg. 2

Wide Receivers: 8 starters with 48 starts, avg. 6

Offensive Line: 5 starters with 76 starts, avg. 15.2

Defensive Backs: 6 starters with 90 starts, avg. 15

Linebackers: 7 starters with 48 starts, avg. 6.85

Defensive line: 5 starters with 33 starts, avg. 6.6

Conclusion:

Player	Class	PO	starts09	starts10	starts11	starts12	Total
Brett Bartolone	SO	WR	.	.	.	9	9
Matthew Bock	RSJR	DL	RS	0	0	5	5
Elliot Bosch	RSSR	OL	RS	0	0	12	12
Deon Bucannon	DB	DB	.	8	11	11	30
Jared Byers	RSSR	LB	2	1	2	0	4
Teondray Caldwell	SO	RB	.	.	.	3	3
Anthony Carpenter	RSSR	DB	RS	0	0	7	7
Cyrus Coen	JR	LB	.	.	1	11	12
Xavier Cooper	RSSO	DL	.	.	RS	9	9
Henry Eaddy	RSSO	WR	.	.	1	RS	1
Gunnar Ecklund	RSSO	OL	.	.	RS	7	7
John Fullington	SR	OL	.	6	12	12	30
Rickey Galvin	RSJR	WR	.	RS	6	3	9
Ionane Gauta	SR	DL	.	.	.	12	12
Matt Goetz	RSSR	OL	.	.	9	5	14
Connor Halliday	RSJR	QB	.	RS	1	5	6
Damante Horton	SR	DB	.	.	11	6	17
Casey Locker	RSSR	DB	RS	0	2	10	12
Gabe Marks	SO	WR	.	.	.	8	8
Marcus Mason	JR	RB	.	.	0	1	1
Logan Mayes	JR	LB	.	.	0	3	3
Darryl Monroe	RSSO	LB	.	.	RS	12	12
Isiah Myers	JR	WR	.	.	0	5	5
Eric Oertel	SR	LB	.	0	0	1	1
Toni Pole	RSJR	DL	.	RS	3	2	5
Bobby Ratliff	RSJR	WR		RS	4	5	9
Jake Rodgers	RSJR	OL	.	RS	1	12	13
Justin Sagote	SR	LB				10	10
Chester Su'a	JR	LB	.	.	4	2	6
Taylor Taliulu	SO	DB	.	.	.	2	2
Destiny Vaeao	SO	DL	.	.	.	2	2
Nolan Washington	SR	DB	.	12	7	3	22
Dominique Williams	SO	WR	.	.	RS	5	5
Kristoff Williams	RSJR	WR			2	0	2

Incredibly Late WSU Spring Ball Day 4 Review

2013-04-02T06:33:52Z

Ok, so I realize Day 4 was last Thursday and there has been another practice since that day. I had a rough couple of days and I dont have deadlines or do this professionally so give me a break. I should have the next couple of practices up by the night of so be on the lookout for that!

You can find my post here. I just realized there arent any images in it yet, so I'll go back and add those when I can. Also as a side note I was sick that day and didnt stay afterwards to talk to any players, so there wont be any interviews at the end of the post.

At this point I am just trying to fill up the word count so the website will let me post the fanpost. Everyone in Pullman enjoy the weather this weekend? I know I did. One of the many reasons this post is coming to you so late.

As usual comment for any advice, concerns, things for me to look for in the future, questions to ask after practice etc. Thanks for taking your time to read my stuff and Go Cougs!

Traveling to Auburn Alabama

2013-04-02T04:15:03Z

I am going into my senior year at Washington State and for my birthday my dad is taking me to the auburn game. Is anyone on this site going? If so, where are you sitting? I know it is early but I want to get everything squared away. Where is the visiting section at Jordan-Hare stadium? Anyone tailgating before the game? I will be flying into Atlanta and driving to Auburn, will have limited tailgating but would love to have some beers with any cougar fans I meet. Any information would be great help. Thanks!

Lady Cougs have a 2013 Signing Class of One

2013-04-01T22:55:24Z

Ivana Kmestovka via grfx.cstv.com

The Washington State Women's Basketball team announced their only recruit for the 2013 signing class on November 15th, 2012.

The one recruit is forward Ivana Kmetovska, she is from Skopje, Macedonia and played for her home country at the U18 European Championships during the summer of 2012. During the summer she averaged 11.7 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 2.6 assist per game. Kmetovska has been playing basketball for several years now and is a crucial get for Coach Daugherty.

The Cougs were one of the worst rebounding teams in the conference last season; in fact they had a rebounding margin of -3.5 (that's good for 10th in the Conference). By getting the 6-2 forward, Coach Daugherty is continuing to add more length to the program; that length should lead to more rebounds and second chances for the Cougar offense.

Here is the official press release regarding Kmetovska;

Nov. 15, 2012

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State Women's Basketball Head Coach June Daugherty announced Thursday that Ivana Kmetovska has signed a national letter of intent to join the Cougars in 2013-14.

Kmetovska, a 6-2 forward out of Skopje, Macedonia, averaged 11.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 2.7 apg while playing for Macedonia at the U18 European Championships this past summer. Kmetovska has also been selected to the U16, U20 and U18 national teams.

Kmetovska also helped her U13 and U14 club teams to national championships and was named the team's best scorer for the U14 team after scoring 40 points in the championship.

"Ivana is an outstanding and talented forward who has been a standout player internationally for the Macedonia National Team," Daugherty stated. "She is an extremely versatile player who possesses a variety of skills in the paint and on the perimeter."

Ivana Kmestovka via grfx.cstv.com

The Washington State Women's Basketball team announced their only recruit for the 2013 signing class on November 15th, 2012.

Here is the official press release regarding Kmetovska;

Nov. 15, 2012

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State Women's Basketball Head Coach June Daugherty announced Thursday that Ivana Kmetovska has signed a national letter of intent to join the Cougars in 2013-14.

Kmetovska, a 6-2 forward out of Skopje, Macedonia, averaged 11.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 2.7 apg while playing for Macedonia at the U18 European Championships this past summer. Kmetovska has also been selected to the U16, U20 and U18 national teams.

Kmetovska also helped her U13 and U14 club teams to national championships and was named the team's best scorer for the U14 team after scoring 40 points in the championship.

"Ivana is an outstanding and talented forward who has been a standout player internationally for the Macedonia National Team," Daugherty stated. "She is an extremely versatile player who possesses a variety of skills in the paint and on the perimeter."

WSU Spring Ball Day 3 Review

2013-03-27T03:46:12Z

I wrote a review of WSU's first spring practice and received positive reviews so I decided I would keep to the detailed format. I know its not something I could write for a paper or news outlet but I think its a unique writeup of what goes on during practice and if you love little details like me, this should be great.

I'd like to thank those that commented on my first post! It was great to hear positive feedback, I really appreciate it.

To read my review for Day 3 of spring practice head here. I apologize for any errors, I'll continue to edit it over the course of the night. I wanted to get it up asap for people to read. If you like interviews, you can hear Leach, Halliday and Apodaca's thoughts post practice at the end of the post.

Please comment with any feedback, questions youd like me to ask post practice, specific players or things to look for during practice, or whatever else. Thanks and Go Cougs!

I'd like to thank those that commented on my first post! It was great to hear positive feedback, I really appreciate it.

Please comment with any feedback, questions youd like me to ask post practice, specific players or things to look for during practice, or whatever else. Thanks and Go Cougs!

Three WSU women's basketball players earn Pac-12 all-academic honors

2013-03-27T02:13:32Z

After another tough year on the court for the Women's basketball team, it was good to hear that three of the players on the squad had earned all-academic honors. All three of the players who earned all-academic honors were honored at senior night.

Those three players are, Ireti Amojo (RS Jr.), Carly Noyes (Sr.), and Katie Grad (RS Sr.).

Katie Grad and Carly Noyes earned second team honors with a 3.80 and 3.49 GPAs, respectively; Amojo garnered an honorable mention with a 3.25 GPA. For Noyes and Amojo, this is the second time they have earned this award; as for Katie Grad, she has the rare distinction of earning this honor for all four years she was on the court. All three easily earned all academic honors. To earn all academic honors, the athlete must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and be a starter or significant contributor to their respective squads.

Katie Grad actually graduated last may with a degree in kinesiology; she is currently working towards a master's degree in Sports Management. The other two athletes (Noyes and Amojo) are going to graduate this May. As for Amojo and Noyes, they are graduating this May and will graduate with degrees in communications and elementary education.

Noyes finished out her career as one of the best players in program history. She leaves WSU with the career records in games played (25), games started (119), and blocks (158).

Here is the official release from the WSU Athletic Department:

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Washington State University had three women's basketball student-athletes receive Pac-12 Conference All-Academic accolades, conference commissioner Larry Scott announced Tuesday.

Redshirt-senior guard Katie Grad and senior center Carly Noyes each garnered second team honors while redshirt-junior guard Ireti Amojo received honorable mention.

To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average and be either a starter or significant contributor.

Grad caps her career with her fourth career all-academic accolade while owning a 3.80 GPA. Noyes and Amojo each pick up their second career academic honor after producing GPA’s of 3.49 and 3.25, respectively.

Grad graduated with a degree in kinesiology last May and his currently working towards a master’s degree in sports management. Amojo and Noyes are set to graduate this May with degrees in communications and elementary education, respectively. Noyes finished her WSU career with school records for games played (25), games started (119) and blocks (158).

Those three players are, Ireti Amojo (RS Jr.), Carly Noyes (Sr.), and Katie Grad (RS Sr.).

Noyes finished out her career as one of the best players in program history. She leaves WSU with the career records in games played (25), games started (119), and blocks (158).

Here is the official release from the WSU Athletic Department:

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Washington State University had three women's basketball student-athletes receive Pac-12 Conference All-Academic accolades, conference commissioner Larry Scott announced Tuesday.

Redshirt-senior guard Katie Grad and senior center Carly Noyes each garnered second team honors while redshirt-junior guard Ireti Amojo received honorable mention.

To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average and be either a starter or significant contributor.

Grad caps her career with her fourth career all-academic accolade while owning a 3.80 GPA. Noyes and Amojo each pick up their second career academic honor after producing GPA’s of 3.49 and 3.25, respectively.

Grad graduated with a degree in kinesiology last May and his currently working towards a master’s degree in sports management. Amojo and Noyes are set to graduate this May with degrees in communications and elementary education, respectively. Noyes finished her WSU career with school records for games played (25), games started (119) and blocks (158).

WSU Spring Ball Day 1 Review

2013-03-22T07:22:03Z

I'm told that there is some basketball tournament going on right now, but I've been distracted by the fact that football is back on the Palouse. For those of you itching for some football to read about you can head to my write up of the days practice here. I dont profess to be a particularly gifted sports writer and I would love some feedback and constructive criticism. I plan on covering all of spring ball so if any of you are craving some extra reading material on something as mundane as practice (which I find fascinating and love watching) then my posts will be the place for you.

I also covered some after practice interviews with Leach and Halliday and that audio will be at the bottom of the post.

Thanks everyone, I hope its a decent read.

I also covered some after practice interviews with Leach and Halliday and that audio will be at the bottom of the post.

Thanks everyone, I hope its a decent read.

The Women's Basketball Program, and Coach June Daugherty, Have Reached a Crucial Point.

2013-03-19T01:35:43Z

June Daugherty has struggled to produce wins throughout her tenure as a head coach of the Women's basketball program. It's left a lot of fans wondering if she is the person to take the Cougs back to the NCAA Tournament. Early on, the team struggled mightily against one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country; in fact, The State of Women's Basketball has the Lady Cougs schedule as sitting ranked as the 19th most difficult schedule.

Despite the fact that the Cougs closed out the season playing the best basketball this program has seen in a couple of years.

That being said, there are still a lot of questions that have yet to be answered about the state of the program and the women in charge of it; one such question is the ability program to get to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history Better yet, can the program get to a point where it is consistently a threat to get into "The Dance"?

There is a feeling among a chunk the fan base that Coach Daugherty is not going to be able to take this program to the next level; that she did a fantastic job of reviving a program on life support and now it's time to move on and get someone else to take the core that Daugherty built and take it to the NCAA Tournament. After all, in her six years at Washington State she has accumulated a 56-129 (.303) record; here is her record before the 2012-2013 season.

As we move into the 2013-2014 season, it's really show me time for the program, for Coach Daugherty. This is it only the most talented team in Daugherty's tenure; it is also one of the deepest teams in program history. There really is no reason for this team not to finish in the top five in the conference next season, and win a couple of games in the WNIT.

When you have Freshmen Lia Galdeira (14.3 PPG) and Sophomore Tia Presley (13.3 PPG) leading your team on the court there is a reason to have high expectations heading into next season. This team is poised for great things in the next couple of seasons. It would be a shame for them not to be able to live up to the talent on the roster; it could mean that June Daugherty is probably not the one to take this program back to the tourney.

Despite the fact that the Cougs closed out the season playing the best basketball this program has seen in a couple of years.

WSU Women's Basketball; The Season Recap And A Look at How The Underclassmen Played.

2013-03-13T20:37:12Z

Early on in Conference play I wrote this piece on my blog analyzing how Coach June Daugherty was using the underclassmen at that point in the season. For those of you who are not inclined to go take a look at what I wrote; I concluded that Daugherty had decided that this season was about developing the underclassmen and focusing on the overall future of the program, not winning this season.

This young team had shown its youth throughout the early part of the season, they lost games they probably shouldn't have lost (at Minnesota, vs. Wisconsin) and won games they probably shouldn't have won (at Gonzaga, vs. #20 Ohio State). That being said, something changed in the second half of their game in Seattle against UW. The team began to look like a team that was Coached by June and Mike Daugherty.

As a result, the Cougs proceeded to go 5-8 down the stretch in conference play (this includes the Conference tournament); and only two of those games was clearly out of reach from the opening tip (both were vs. Stanford). They produced a four game win streak, secured the programs fourth ever victory in the conference tournament, and ended multi-year losing streaks to the Arizona schools.

It was an impressive season for the Women's basketball squad and it was driven by their nine underclassmen (three sophomores, and six freshmen):

#	Name	Yr.	PPG	MinPPG	FG%/3PT%/FT%
03	Lia Galdeira	Fr.	14.8	26.7	.357/.268/.769
05	Tia Presley[1]	So.	13.3	28.2	.452/.283/.730
10	Alexas Williamson	Fr.	2.0	11.4	.425/.231/.500
11	Dawnyelle Awa	Fr.	2.6	16.9	.329/.138/.727
12	Taylor Edmondson	Fr.	3.9	14.3	.286/.224/.769
21	Jordan Kelley[2]	So.
23	Shalie Deenshaw	So.	2.7	12.6	.315/.000/.792
30	Whitey Tinjum	Fr.	1.8	2.2	.455/.286/.667
34	Mariah Cooks	Fr.	5.7	12.2	.378/.273/.632

If not for a torn ACL, Tia Presley was probably head for an All-Pac 12 Point Guard. Despite Coach Daugherty's high level of player rotation, Presley managed to earn nearly 30 minutes a night and put up ridiculous numbers. She and Lia Galdeira are probably two of the most talented players in program history; and both have already established themselves as this team's leaders going forward.

Tia's injury forced Freshmen Dawnyelle Awa and Mariah Cooks into more prominent roles than they had earlier in the season; by January 18th, Cooks had averaged 9.1 minutes per game with 4.3 points per game and Awa had averaged 10.1 minutes per game with 0.8 points per game. Those two players provided depth for this program that has not been there in over a decade.

Awa and Cooks not only took up Presley's minutes, they also produced. The fact that there wasn't a significant drop in on the floor production (after Presley's injury) is one of the reasons the team was able to take advantage of the Beavers, Wildcats, Sun Devils, and Trojans on their four game winning streak.

In other words, it seems like the Daugherty's are at the helm of one of the deepest teams in program history. These next couple of seasons are going to be able to determine whether or not they are the ones who are going to get this program to its second NCAA Tournament appearance ever.

[1] Tia Presley tore her ACL during the home Oregon State game on January 27th.

[2] Jordan Kelley is on the official roster, just not the stat sheet.

It was an impressive season for the Women's basketball squad and it was driven by their nine underclassmen (three sophomores, and six freshmen):

#	Name	Yr.	PPG	MinPPG	FG%/3PT%/FT%
03	Lia Galdeira	Fr.	14.8	26.7	.357/.268/.769
05	Tia Presley[1]	So.	13.3	28.2	.452/.283/.730
10	Alexas Williamson	Fr.	2.0	11.4	.425/.231/.500
11	Dawnyelle Awa	Fr.	2.6	16.9	.329/.138/.727
12	Taylor Edmondson	Fr.	3.9	14.3	.286/.224/.769
21	Jordan Kelley[2]	So.
23	Shalie Deenshaw	So.	2.7	12.6	.315/.000/.792
30	Whitey Tinjum	Fr.	1.8	2.2	.455/.286/.667
34	Mariah Cooks	Fr.	5.7	12.2	.378/.273/.632

[1] Tia Presley tore her ACL during the home Oregon State game on January 27th.

[2] Jordan Kelley is on the official roster, just not the stat sheet.

Why are Cougar fans afraid of winning?

2013-03-05T23:14:24Z

(A comment by 92Coug in the recap article following WSU's recent loss to UW in Seattle received a significant amount of response from CougCenter readers. Opinions varied, but were widely positive from what I could tell. I initially began writing a reply directly to the comment, but found my thoughts were extending beyond what I felt was fair as a reply.)

Mostly, I think the comment serves as an interesting jumping off point in investigating how we, as Cougar fans, identify with a usually-losing athletic identity (see: Chicago Cubs). As I understood it, much of the responding discourse focused on a few core themes: Camaraderie, Loyalty, Patience, and Expectation. These themes frame how we identify ourselves as WSU fans, but they are viewed as rare and often fragile virtues, which could easily be lost if WSU becomes perennially successful. (There was also a superb reference to Austin Powers, which stands alone.)

Once a Coug, Always a Coug

The phrase "Once a Coug, Always a Coug" rings true to most anyone that spends a part of their life on the rolling hills of Pullman. It's something we take incredible pride in. I've heard it compared to the patriotism one feels for their country. There are superlative quotes abound in Crimson lore of the sense of community felt by students (and alumni) of WSU.

One of the most beautiful ways this sentiment is realized is through story-telling between generational gaps. This was apparent in the reminiscent retelling of favorite memories in the previously-referenced comments thread. Sharing memories from different vantage points, all about a common passion, is a powerful literary device. It builds camaraderie, which in turn builds upon the already existing identification with the school.

Much is made of the unflappable loyalty of Cougar fans. Of course we're biased, but there is certainly a sense of loyalty amongst us all. As fans - at least the fans that frequent a blog like CougCenter - most of us are possibly loyal to a fault. Maybe it's because we haven't been "spoiled" by repeat visits to top-tier bowl games or Sweet Sixteens. Maybe it's because the Cougars haven't won the Rose Bowl in almost 100 years (take that, Brown!) or any bowl in 10 years. Maybe it's because the Cougar Football team is coming off a series of five seasons with a cumulative record of 11-49. Or it could even be the dreadful trend the men's basketball program is following since their last NCAA Tournament appearance just five years ago.

Whichever way you slice it, there have been copious opportunities for any and all fans to wipe our hands clean and say, "Screw it. This isn't worth it." But we don't. We dig in for the long haul. That is a powerful expression of loyalty.

Loyalty is driven by patience. We are patient when we're told that a program needs to undergo a rebuilding process. We're patient as we watch our teams flounder, trusting that the leadership in place will "right the ship," ultimately delivering us to a higher level of success. We're patient in believing that hard-working, dedicated, and respectful people should get rewarded. It's only fair. (Spoiler: sometimes life isn't fair.)

"I'll take fifty percent efficiency to get one hundred percent loyalty." -Samuel Goldwyn (not a Cougar)

However, being patient and loyal is not the same as being accepting. Yes, Cougar fans have a history of supporting programs with lesser resources and talent. There is something admirable to be learned by sticking with programs through the lowest of lows. Winning seasons do have a "better taste" after withstanding years and years of poor performance. But I think the mentality of accepting failure because everyone worked hard and tried their best is misguided.

You can fill a Cougar team with a bunch of highly respectable, lovely people and I will root for them because they represent my alma mater. I will be delighted and proud to say that they are model student-athletes and fine citizens. But at the end of the day, what is the most influential ingredient in the creation of that improved taste? Winning. I will always be proud to be a Coug, but I refuse to let that pride make content with losing.

Expecting more is not a bad thing. It will not strip us of the qualities from which we develop our pride in the first place.

There seems to be a prevailing sense of fear that a perennially successful program will lose the ability to produce figures we can identify as "True Cougs." Repeated success will not diminish the camaraderie built by Cougars everywhere over pitchers at The Coug or walks up Terrell Mall. Winning consistently will not repudiate the generational story-telling or spoil the eagerness of driving across the state for a weekend in Pullman.

We will never become snobby or pretentious because that would be an undeniably un-Coug thing to do.

If anything, winning will just create more opportunities to make more memories and create more passion for the Palouse than ever before; passion that carries the same foundation in loyalty, camaraderie, and community. How could that possibly be a bad thing?

Once a Coug, Always a Coug

"I'll take fifty percent efficiency to get one hundred percent loyalty." -Samuel Goldwyn (not a Cougar)

Expecting more is not a bad thing. It will not strip us of the qualities from which we develop our pride in the first place.

We will never become snobby or pretentious because that would be an undeniably un-Coug thing to do.

Fun topic...Maybe.

2013-03-05T00:14:44Z

I know that we have only signed 24 LOI's and that we were going to save one spot for flexability and that it sounded like they might be persuing a guy or two. Just wondering if anybody has heard anything additional about that remaining spot? I think with the new rules you can only sign 25 max so I don't believe you can save it and sign 26 next year correct? Just wondering if maybe one of the 3 "commits" we still have might use the spot?

WSU women have a crucial road trip coming up

2013-02-13T05:49:19Z

The Cougs wrapped up a two-game home stand against the Southern California schools; they beat the Trojans and lost to the Bruins. Now they head on the road for four games against the Oregon and Mountain schools.

This trip has the Cougs playing three teams that are in the bottom of half of the conference, and one team that is in the national top-25 polls. As for the Cougs, they are sitting right in the middle; they are also playing their best basketball of the season, and a 3-1 road trip isn't completely out of the question. That being said, a 0-4 road trip is also within the realm of possibilities, especially with a squad as inexperienced as Washington State's is at this point in the season.

Right now the Cougs are sitting at 9-14 5-7 and sixth in the conference. If they can finish this road trip at 3-1, they would end up at .500 in Conference play; and guarantee, at worse, a 8-10 finish in Pac-12 play. That is an obvious improvement over their 5-13 finish in conference last season. There is also the fact that this squad is very young; of its 15 players, six are freshmen and three are sophomores. An 8-10 finish in conference play would not only guarantee a solid seed heading into the Conference Tournament in Seattle. It could be a great launching point for next season.

For these reasons among others, this road trip is huge, not just for the decent seeding in the conference tournament but for the future of this program. This season could very well end up marking the turning point of the women's program; and make them a legitimate threat in the Pac-12.

Of course, now that I've written this post the Cougs are going to lose out.