Reflecting on my favorite WSU athletic moments as an undergraduate

The 2017 Spring Commencement gets underway in just TWO days and as an undergraduate student who will be walking across the stage that afternoon, I'm bummed out that my time in Pullman is coming to an end.

There were a variety of reasons of why I chose Washington State University four years ago to continue my education. The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication was the main one; I'll be receiving my B.A. in journalism and media production with an emphasis in broadcast news. Other reasons include the city of Pullman itself, the WSU community, the strong alumni network, and the fact that I was far away from home where I had my independence but close enough to get home within a day (shout out west side) all played major roles on why I became a Coug.

Of course, going to a Division I, Pac-12 school with 15 intercollegiate teams was another factor I considered when narrowing down schools.

Below I've listed some of my favorite memories and moments from the past four years while attending WSU games.

September 20, 2014: Oregon Ducks 38, Washington State Cougars 31

I know, it's weird to start this list off with a loss. However, this was one of the most fun losses I've ever seen in person. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out. I was in the Crimzone for this game and Martin Stadium was completely sold out. A 7:30 p.m. kick-off meant the weather wasn't the most pleasant, but there's something about playing under the lights. Anyway, for 35 minutes WSU went nose-to-nose with No. 2 Oregon at the time. While Marcus Mariota was shredding the Cougars defense, somehow Connor Halliday and the offense would match the Ducks point for point. Of course, a blatant missed PI call left us wondering if WSU actually could have won, but it was a promising sign for a team that started off the season with losses to Rutgers and Nevada. It was a tease, though, as they finished 3-9 on the season (those bums).

January 15, 2015: Washington State Cougars 108, Oregon Ducks 99 (OT)

In Ernie Kent's first season at WSU, the Cougars started off 2-1 in conference play with wins at Washington and California before returning home to host the Ducks and Beavers. As naive students, we thought WSU could sustain this hot start despite having virtually no Pac-12 talent compared to the rest of the conference. I remember this game going into overtime and Oregon had Joseph Young who was really feeling it that night; he scored 32 points in 44 minutes that night. And I remember just GIVING it to him from the student section. The Cougs eventually won and they'd finish 7-11 in conference in Kent's first seson, a respectable start at the time.

November 7, 2015: Washington State Cougars 38, Arizona State Sun Devils 24

This was a special game for me because it was Dad's Weekend and I got to take my dad up into the press box as I was working for WSU Athletic Communication that semester. Although we had to keep straight faces up there, it was a very cool experience for him and me both. The Cougs got down 14-0 early and it looked like it was going to be 17-0, but ASU turned the ball over on downs in the red zone. From there it was ALL Cougs. Most importantly, the team looked sharp and focused after the disappointing Stanford loss the week before.

March 2017: Women's Basketball NIT Run

I've supported the women's team throughout all four years and have had the opportunity to befriend a handful of people on the team. With all the injuries this season, it felt like WSU would lose its first NIT game, just like in 2014 and 2015. But no, the wins started to pile up and before you know it, they were in the Final Four playing Georgia Tech down in Atlanta. It was a fun ride and I can't wait to see how the team looks next season if everybody stays healthy.

Just a few more notes...

• The football team went 26-25 in my four years here, one game above .500. Compared to my predecessors from the mid-2000s, I feel fortunate to be here during a time when the football team turned a corner and can't wait to see what lies ahead for them. That being said...
• I'll be taking 0-4 in Apple Cups to the grave with me. You guys couldn't win one Apple Cup for us? Bums.