Ron Stone Jr. and Simon Samarzich named to pre-season award watch lists

Washington State juniors Ron Stone Jr. and Simon Samarzich were each named to award watch lists on Monday. Stone was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch list while Samarzich was named to the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch list.

The Rotary Lombardi award is given out yearly to the most outstanding offensive or defensive lineman that best exemplifies great character and discipline. He is the latest Coug to be named to the watch list since Hercules Mata’afa was named to it in 2016. To be eligible for the award, players must line up within 10-yards of the ball from left to right or be a linebacker that lines up no more than five yards back from the line of scrimmage. He joins 77 other athletes and is one of eight from the pac-12.

Stone has been familiar with watch lists this pre-season as he was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List which is given to the Defensive Player of the Year and the Bednarik Award Watch List that is given to the outstanding defensive player in college football. He was also named to the preseason All-Pac-12 first-team last week. He is coming off a 2021 All-Pac-12 first team season in which he tallied 63 tackles, five sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick.

Samarzich became the first player to be named to the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List in Washington State history. The award is given annually since 2019 to the best overall long snapped in college football. He is one of 25 members and one of four members on the watch list from the Pac-12.

In order to be considered for the award, the player must be a senior (Samarzich is a fourth year junior that was given an extra year of eligibility due to covid) and start in 75% of their teams games, and snap on punts and placements. They must also demonstrate a strong mentality, athleticism, and speed, accuracy and consistency in their snaps.

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Football:

Ron Stone Jr. Named to Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List

Washington State EDGE Ron Stone Jr. was named to the 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, the Rotary Club of Houston announced Monday.

Simon Samarzich named to Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List

Washington State long snapper Simon Samarzich was named to The Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List, Bernies Book Bank announced Monday.

United Airlines Is Offering College Football Fans Flights To Away Games

United will add one direct round-trip flight between Spokane, Washington, and Madison, Wisconsin.

Basketball:

Cougars to Face Baylor in Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge

Washington State University men’s basketball will play Baylor University as part of a quadruple-header in the second-annual Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge, Sunday, Dec. 18, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, the Pac-12 Conference announced Monday.

Baseball:

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