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Wazzu keeps player in one place: 6 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Helm guides Cougs through opening day of Hawaii tournament”, “Golf Cougs One Swing Back at Saint Mary's Invitational”, and “Cougs hit the road and left an impression on Boise State”. Helm walked into Hawaii's tournament opener and got exactly what you'd expect from a first day on a strange course: a mix of good swings, a few head-scratchers, and enough to keep the Cougs in the game. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every player story on Wazzu, newest first.
Helm guides Cougs through opening day of Hawaii tournament
Helm walked into Hawaii's tournament opener and got exactly what you'd expect from a first day on a strange course: a mix of good swings, a few head-scratchers, and enough to keep the Cougs in the game. If you've ever lined up a putt with the wind coming off the Pacific, you know. It's not the Palouse. The team settled in, though, and Helm's steady hand through the rotation kept things from drifting. No heroics. No panic. Just the kind of golf that gives you something to build on for the rest of the week. If you missed it, we also had the Cougs at the Saint Mary's Invitational recently, different island, different feel, same stubborn approach to getting the ball in the hole. Worth a read if you want to see how this squad handles a road trip. For now, the Hawaii tournament is still wide open. The Cougs are in the mix. That's all you can ask on day one. Go Cougs.
Golf Cougs One Swing Back at Saint Mary's Invitational
The Washington State golf team is back on the course this week at the Saint Mary's Invitational, and they've got a little momentum to work with. After a tough stretch, the Cougs are one swing back. That's the kind of phrase that means something when you've been grinding through a fall schedule that doesn't let up. They're not looking for moral victories out there in California. They're looking to stack a solid round and keep climbing. This group has shown flashes. The question is whether they can string them together when it matters. The field at Saint Mary's won't hand out anything easy, but that's the point. You go to these tournaments to find out what you're made of, and Pullman has always been a place that builds players who can handle a little adversity. If you missed our earlier coverage on the Cougs heading to the Tyson Invitational, that story gives you a sense of how this team prepares for the road. Same grit, different course. For now, the focus is on Monterey. One swing at a time. Go Cougs.
Cougs hit the road and left an impression on Boise State
Boise State fans might have expected an easy tune-up. Instead, they got a reminder that Cougs travel well. Wazzu hit the road and left an impression on the blue turf, showing up with the kind of grit that doesn't quit when the stadium noise turns against you. It wasn't pretty every snap, but that's not the point. The point is that this team walked into someone else's house and didn't back down. That matters. You can feel the season turning. The confidence is building, and it's not just on the gridiron. Over on the women's golf side, the Cougs closed out their fall season with a trip to Hawai'i, tough duty, but someone has to do it. And if you want to see where that same poise shows up in a different sport, find the piece on Owen Eshelman. That kid walked into a meeting asking "why," and the coaches noticed immediately. That's the kind of Coug we're talking about. No flash. Just substance. So yeah, Boise got a taste of what Pullman produces. Not the flash. The fight. That's the take you text your buddy. Go Cougs.
Emerson Matthews on the win, the grind, and proving it in Texas
Emerson Matthews doesn't flinch. After a win in Texas, after the grind of a road trip that could have gone sideways, he stood there and talked about proving it. Not hoping for it. Not waiting for it. Proving it. That's the kind of talk that lands differently when you've actually done the work. Matthews and the Cougs went into Texas and took care of business. The scoreboard shows the win, but the way he talks about it, the real story is the work that got them there. The long hours. The reps. The stuff nobody sees from the stands. We've been tracking this team all month. If you want the full picture of how they got to 3-1, go back and read "Volleyball knocks down Texas State, moves to 3-1 on the season." It lays out the early momentum. What Matthews is describing now is what happens when that momentum meets a team that refuses to coast. Texas is a long way from Pullman. The travel alone can break a squad. But Matthews sounds like a guy who knows exactly what he's building. Not loud. Not flashy. Just certain. He's not interested in moral victories or close calls. He wants the proof, and he wants it on the road, against a team that thought it had the home advantage. That's Cougar volleyball right now. No excuses. No looking back. Just the next win, and the next one after that. Go Cougs.
Cougs sweep Southern Utah with highlights worth the replay
The Cougs swept Southern Utah, and the highlights are the kind you actually want to rewatch. Not just because the scoreboard looked good, because the plays earned it. There was a rhythm to that match that Bohler Gym hasn't always found this early in the season, and it showed in the little things: clean passes, sharp kills, and a defense that refused to let rallies die cheaply. This is the kind of weekend that builds momentum before conference play really digs in. If you missed it, find the replay. Trust me. For those of you already thinking about what comes next, we've got you covered with "Bohler's Back in Business: Pac-12 Volleyball Slate Drops for the Cougs." It lays out who's coming to town and when you need to have your plans locked in. Because nobody wants to be the one asking for a ride to the game ten minutes before first serve. The Cougs looked like they're starting to figure out who they are. That's a good thing, because Pac-12 play doesn't wait for anyone to get comfortable. For now, take the sweep, enjoy the highlights, and get ready for the real test ahead. Go Cougs.
Another Duck lands in Pullman as Cougs snag Jamari Phillips
Another Duck lands in Pullman. That's three now, if you're counting, and the Cougs just added Oregon transfer guard Jamari Phillips. He's a 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard who saw the floor in 40 games across two seasons with the Ducks. Last year he averaged 2.7 points in 11 minutes a night. His best night? A nine-point showing against UCLA in 31 minutes. Not eye-popping, but the kid was a four-star prospect out of high school. Kansas, Arizona, UCLA, Louisville all wanted him. WSU's former staff offered him too. Now he's a Coug. Phillips is the ninth addition this spring for David Riley's rebuild. The roster is essentially a new team. Eleven players are on board for 2026-27, including the Eastern Washington transfer Casey Jones who just got back from a church mission. That's the kind of detail you only get in Pullman. They needed bodies. Twelve players left, including ten to the portal. Ace Glass is at Vanderbilt. Eemeli Yalaho committed to NC State. ND Okafor to Ole Miss. That's a lot of production walking out the door. But Riley keeps saying the incoming talent is stronger than last year's. We wrote about that in "David Riley says next year's roster has more talent walking in than last year's." Worth a read if you want the full picture on how he's thinking about this. Phillips won't carry the offense by himself. But he's another Power 4 body with upside. And for a program that lost basically everyone, that's a start.