Spokesman.com
Continuity pays off as Cougar women return every starter for the first time since the portal exodus
For the first time since the transfer portal gutted the roster two years ago, Kamie Ethridge is bringing every starter back. That matters. Six players walked out the door after the 2022-23 season, forcing a full rebuild. Now? Zero starters lost. Even a sixth player who started 20 games is sticking around. That is the kind of quiet win Pullman doesn't always get credit for.
Last season ended 9-25, the worst record of Ethridge's nine years. But the Cougs won four of their last five. That finish is the only taste worth remembering. Ethridge knows it. She spent the spring fishing in the international pool instead of panicking through the portal. Nine of 12 players are from outside the U.S., Italy, Slovenia, France, Argentina. It is not the old recruiting map, but it is working.
The new 5-in-5 eligibility rule adds pressure. Freshmen can't sit and develop without burning a year. Ethridge is honest about the risk: players get impatient and leave. Her answer is culture. She wants players who buy in, not just show up. So far, retention says the message is landing.
If you want to see how the other side of the program is holding up, check out "The Cougs are playing for pride this week, not a bowl bid." Different season, same fight.
Go Cougs.
