sports
sports at Wazzu is a file of 26 stories. The newest of them: “No drama, no letup: Cougs handle business in exhibition win”, “Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs break down 2026 WBB at Media Day”, and “Boenning Cards a Steady Round, Cougs Land Mid-Pack in California”. The Cougs walked into Beasley Coliseum on Saturday, handled the exhibition opponent, and walked out with a win. Kamie Ethridge stood at the podium at Media Day and talked about the 2026 team like someone who has seen enough to know what she has. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every sports story on Wazzu, newest first.
No drama, no letup: Cougs handle business in exhibition win
The Cougs walked into Beasley Coliseum on Saturday, handled the exhibition opponent, and walked out with a win. No drama, no letup. That's the kind of night you want to see from this squad. It wasn't a game that will end up on a highlight reel, but it didn't need to be. The effort was there. The focus was there. Against a team that came to play, Washington State did exactly what it was supposed to do: take care of business and keep building. We've been watching this team figure itself out all season. The defense has had its moments. The offense has had its questions. Nights like this one don't answer everything, but they do show a team that's putting in the work. That matters. If you missed the trip to Fort Collins, go back and read "Wazzu's effort was there in Fort Collins, even if the win wasn't." It puts this performance in the right context. The Cougs didn't get the result they wanted that night, but they didn't fold. They came home, got back in the gym, and showed up ready. That's the stuff you want to see. That's how you build a team that can handle a Pac-12 road trip north or a showdown with a tough opponent. One game at a time. No shortcuts. Go Cougs.
Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs break down 2026 WBB at Media Day
Kamie Ethridge stood at the podium at Media Day and talked about the 2026 team like someone who has seen enough to know what she has. That is the part that sticks. Not the hype. The honesty. She broke down where the Coug women are, and where they need to go, and she did not waste words doing it. This is a team that has earned the right to be direct. They have held steady at No. 13 in the national rankings, still the top of the West. That is not an accident. That is a program that has built something real in Pullman, the kind of thing you feel when you walk into Beasley and see the same faces in the stands year after year. Ethridge is not selling anything. She is telling you what she sees. That is the difference between a press conference and a conversation with another Coug. If you want to stay in the weeds on where this program sits nationally, we have you covered with "Coug Women Hold Steady at No. 13, Still Top of the West." It is a good companion piece for a long winter afternoon. For now, take Ethridge at her word. This team is not done. Go Cougs.
Boenning Cards a Steady Round, Cougs Land Mid-Pack in California
Boenning carded a steady round, and the Cougs landed mid-pack in California. That's the kind of honest result you can respect. No heroics. No collapse. Just solid golf from a team that knows what it's doing. Mid-pack against a field in California is nothing to apologize for, and it beats the alternative by a long shot. The Cougs have been getting work in. If you've been following along, you saw them head to Everett for a neutral-court game, and you watched them grind through the Hawaii tournament. The golf team is doing the same thing: putting in the reps, staying steady. That's how you build something that lasts. We like seeing the Cougs out there, competing, representing. It's not always about the trophy. Sometimes it's about the round. And this was a good round. Go Cougs.
Boenning Holds Steady in Top 10 Through Second Round at Saint Mary's
Boenning is still out there doing what he does. Through two rounds at Saint Mary's, he's held his spot in the top 10. That's not easy on a course that can eat a round if you lose focus, and it's exactly the kind of steady performance you want to see from a Coug who's clearly finding his rhythm this season. The rest of the team is grinding through a deep field in California. It's a long tournament, and mid-pack is not where anyone wants to finish, but there's a lot of golf left. If you missed the early action, check out "Boenning Cards a Steady Round, Cougs Land Mid-Pack in California" for a closer look at how day one set the table. This is the kind of weekend that tests more than just swing mechanics. It tests patience. It tests whether you can wake up on day three and still trust your hands. Boenning is showing that trust so far. For a program that's been stacking competitive weekends back to back, that matters. Keep an eye on the final round. And if you're a Coug who has ever stood on a tee box wondering if your third shot will cooperate, you know exactly what's at stake. Go Cougs.
Hall of Fame Weekend Gets a Top-25 Test for the Cougs
The Cougs are about to find out exactly where they stand, and they're doing it in front of a packed house of alumni. Hall of Fame Weekend is already a special return to Pullman, but this year it comes with a top-25 test attached. That changes the feel of the whole thing. We know the women's team is sitting pretty at No. 13, still the top dog out West. If you missed that update, go find "Coug Women Hold Steady at No. 13, Still Top of the West" on the site. It pairs well with the weekend ahead. The men's side is the one with something to prove here. A ranked opponent coming to town during a weekend built for nostalgia? That is the kind of pressure that either breaks a team or shows you what it's made of. It is easy to get swept up in the pageantry of the Hall of Fame ceremonies. The stories, the faces, the memories. But the guys on the floor have to lock in and play their game, not the one the visitors want to play. A win here means more than a notch on the schedule. It says the program is back in the conversation. This is the kind of weekend that reminds you why you keep coming back to the Palouse. The town, the people, the big game under the lights. Go Cougs.
Cougs keep rolling on the Spokane River this season
You don't need a calendar to know it's spring on the Spokane River. The Cougs are back on the water, and the rhythm feels right. Rowing is one of those sports that doesn't shout for attention, but the results speak for themselves. Washington State's crew has been putting in the work, and this season is shaping up like they mean to make some noise before the last shell is racked. If you've been following along, you already know the defense has been setting the tone elsewhere. Trent Bray's squad brought the heat in Corvallis, and that kind of edge travels well. The crew team might not share a practice field with the football program, but the same competitive streak runs through Pullman right now. It's a good time to be a Coug who likes watching athletes earn it. For deeper coverage, check out "Bray's defense brings the heat, and a little revenge, to Corvallis." It's a good read on how that side of the ball is finding its teeth. For now, the river is the thing. No hype needed. Just oars hitting the water and a program that keeps showing up. That's the Coug way. 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.
Reverse Sweep Complete: Volleyball Punches Back at Boise
Boise State had the Cougs on the ropes. Wazzu volleyball dropped the first two sets on the road Wednesday night, staring down what looked like a clean sweep the other way. Then they decided they weren't done. The Cougs punched back, hard, rattling off three straight to complete the reverse sweep and walk out of Boise with the win. That kind of grit is what you remember when the schedule gets long. You can catch the full travel details and what the team had to say in our earlier piece, "Cougs hit the road and left an impression on Boise State," for the drive-by-drive. For now, just know this: they got punched, they stood up, and they finished it. That matters more than the final line score ever could. It is exactly the kind of fight you want to see before the Pac-12 slate tips off, speaking of which, keep an eye out for the women's basketball tip times we published, because the whole athletic department seems to be finding its stride right now. This volleyball squad is playing like they know something we don't. Go Cougs.
Cougs get their tip times for Pac-12 women's hoops slate
Tip times are out. That means we can finally start planning our February weekends around the Beasley Coliseum instead of pretending we'll get anything done on a Saturday afternoon. The Pac-12 women's hoops slate is here, and the Cougs have actual times to circle. No more guessing. No more refreshing the conference site like it's a job. We know when to show up. The schedule itself is what it is. Conference play is always a grind, and the Pac-12 is not going to hand anyone an easy path. But there's something about having the tip times locked in that makes it real. You can look at a Tuesday night in January and know exactly where you'll be. That's the stuff. That's the rhythm of a season. And sure, we've been through a lot lately. The Beavers and Cougs made their rivalry official, which still feels like the right kind of weird. There's also been plenty of talk about the new Pac-12 and who's rising while others slide. That's all fair. But for now, this is about the women's team and the road ahead. They've got a slate. We've got a calendar. The rest will sort itself out on the court. So mark the dates. Set the reminders. Grab the crew. Cougar basketball is coming back, and we know exactly when to be there. Go Cougs.
Jane LaRiviere on Gonzaga Week and what's next for WSU rowing
Jane LaRiviere doesn't sugarcoat Gonzaga Week. She knows what it means for WSU rowing, and she's not shy about saying this is the kind of test that tells you what you're made of. The Cougs have been putting in the work on the Snake River, and now they get to see if that translates against a program that doesn't take days off. LaRiviere is the kind of coach who will tell you the scoreboard matters, but she'll also tell you the process matters more. That's a good thing, because Gonzaga doesn't roll over. What comes next for WSU rowing is the part that should get Cougs paying attention. This isn't a one-week blip. LaRiviere is building something that lasts, and the depth she's talking about suggests the program is past the point of hoping for a good race. They expect to be in it. If you're looking for more on what's ahead for Cougar sports, our piece on Korey Schroeder behind the mic for Boise State and Fresno State gives you a different look at what game week prep sounds like from the booth. Two sports, same kind of focus. For now, the oars are in the water and Gonzaga is on the schedule. That's enough. Go Cougs.
Cougs test the legs against the nation's best in Wisconsin
There's a certain kind of fun in finding out how far you can push yourself, and the Cougs are about to get a full lesson in that this weekend. Washington State heads to Wisconsin to test the legs against the nation's best, and it's exactly the kind of challenge that tells you what a team is made of before the season really settles in. Nobody is pretending this will be easy. The Badgers have a reputation for turning their home pool into a grind, and the Cougs are walking in with eyes open. But that's the point. You don't learn much from swimming against folks you already know you can beat. You learn when the water gets rough and the competition doesn't let up. This is a chance to see who steps up when the spotlight is brightest, and for a squad still finding its rhythm, that's valuable no matter what the scoreboard says. We've already seen flashes of what this group can do. The early work in the Head of the Snake opener set a solid tone, and the home pool slate started with a clean sweep against Seattle U, with Whitaker leading the way. Those results matter, but they were warm-ups. This is different. This is a measuring stick, and the Cougs aren't shying away from it. Win or lose, we'll know more about this team after this one. That's the fun part. Go Cougs.
Cougs set the tone early with a solid Head of the Snake opener
The Head of the Snake opener isn't just a nice way to start a tournament. It's a statement. Cougs came out and set the tone early, which is exactly what you want when the matches stretch across multiple days and the margins get thin. You don't win these regionals in one afternoon. You win them by stacking good days, and starting with that kind of punch makes everyone else in the bracket take notice. It's the kind of start that carries weight. When you're grinding through day three and day four, that early momentum is what keeps the energy up. We've already seen the payoff in the singles wins and the three straight victories that followed. This group isn't just showing up. They're competing with purpose. And it's worth noting the other big news out of Pullman right now. The football team is making a change at quarterback, turning to Owen Eshelman after six games. Different sport, same idea: sometimes you need a spark to reset the tone. The tennis team found theirs on the court. The Cougs on the gridiron are hoping Eshelman provides that same jolt. For now, the racquets are doing the talking. A solid opener sets the table. The rest of the tournament is about keeping that foot on the gas. If they keep playing like this, the deep runs will take care of themselves. Go Cougs.
West Region's top spot finally belongs to our Cougar women
The West Region's top spot finally belongs to our Cougar women. That's not a headline we get to write every season, and it's one worth sitting with for a second. For a program that has spent years grinding in the shadow of bigger names and sunnier climates, this is the kind of win that changes how people talk about you. It's not just a ranking. It's a statement. You don't luck into being the best in the West. You earn it, match by match, point by point, often without the crowd noise or the primetime slot. These Cougars did the work when nobody was watching, and now they've got the region's attention. That's the kind of story that makes you proud to be a Coug, whether you're still in Pullman or reading this from a coffee shop two time zones away. If you want to see how this team builds on that momentum, check out our coverage of the soccer squad finding its rhythm against Fresno State. Different sport, same grit. Go Cougs.
Coug doubles squad owns the Northwest Regionals, no qualifiers needed
The Cougar doubles squad rolled through the ITA Northwest Regionals without needing a single qualifier. That is not a typo. That is a statement. You don't stumble into that kind of weekend. You earn it. And this group did, match after match, leaving no doubt who the best team in the region was. No play-in rounds. No scrambling for a spot. Just straight-up owning the bracket from the first serve. This follows a pattern we have seen all fall. The Cougs gave Colorado State everything they could handle, just not a win earlier this season, and that fight carried over. They snuck into a tie for second out in Tacoma, and that'll play. But this regional title is different. It is clean. It is decisive. It is the kind of result that makes you wonder what happens when they get a full spring schedule in front of them. Pullman does not always get the headlines in tennis. That is fine. The Cougs do not need them. They just need a court, a ball, and a chance to prove it. They proved it this weekend. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore talks Utah State, and the quiet work that wins in Pullman
Kirby Moore doesn't raise his voice to explain what wins in Pullman. He just points to the work that doesn't make the highlight reel. Talking Utah State this week, Moore broke down the kind of quiet, repetitive stuff that turns a good Cougar team into a tough one. That's the part of the season that doesn't get a headline, but it's the part that keeps you in games when the crowd gets loud and the road gets long. It's easy to forget, in the middle of baseball midweeks and volleyball preps, that football is still grinding through its own kind of spring. Moore's approach fits Pullman. No flash. Just film, fundamentals, and the kind of patience that only makes sense if you've spent a winter in that town. He knows what Utah State brings. More importantly, he knows what his guys have to bring back. If you're the type who tracks every pitch, we've got you covered with "Cougs Hit the Road for a Pair of Midweek Ballgames in Texas." Different sport, same kind of under-the-radar work that builds a season before anyone notices. Moore would probably approve of the overlap. Go Cougs.
Fresno State gets the edge but the Cougs fought until the final whistle
Fresno State got the final edge, but the Cougs made them earn every bit of it. That's the kind of fight you want to see from a team that refuses to fold, even when the scoreboard isn't kind. This wasn't a game where Washington State got pushed around and waved the white flag. They scraped, they clawed, and they left everything on the field. If you were watching, you saw a group that believed they could win until the very last whistle blew. That matters. A loss is a loss on the schedule, sure. But the way a team loses tells you more than the way it wins sometimes. This one tells you the Cougs have grit. They are not the kind of team that gets rattled when things get tight. They are the kind that makes you work for it. For a deeper look at how the team processed that final whistle, go check out "Kirby Moore and the Cougs Talk Fresno State After the Final Whistle." It gets into the mindset you saw on the field. For now, take this: the Cougs didn't get the result they wanted, but they reminded everyone what they are made of. That is not nothing. That is the foundation of something better. Go Cougs.
Cougs on the grass: WSU soccer finds its rhythm against Fresno State
The grass at the Lower Soccer Field is starting to feel like home again. WSU soccer has found its rhythm against Fresno State, and for a program that has spent the last few seasons searching for its footing, that matters. This isn't about style points or tournament résumés yet. It is about a team that looked comfortable, connected, and like they finally trust what they are building. Cougs on the grass is a good look. We have been writing a lot about how Washington State is finding ways to tell its own story better, check out our piece on Wazzu tapping FanWord AI to tell more Coug stories if you want to see how that plays out across the department. This soccer team is writing its own chapter right now, one shift at a time. You do not need to overthink this one. The Cougs showed up, played clean, and handled business against a Fresno State side that did not make it easy. That is the kind of win that does not make national noise but keeps a locker room believing. No grand pronouncements here. Just a solid afternoon of Cougar soccer and a team that looks like it knows what it wants to be. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore and the Cougs Talk Fresno State After the Final Whistle
Kirby Moore didn't walk off the field in Fresno looking for style points. He walked off with a win, and that's the part that matters most to a Coug. Moore and the team sat down after the final whistle to talk about what went right, what went wrong, and what nobody saw coming. The conversation was direct. No coach-speak. No dancing around the fact that Fresno State made them earn it. Moore pointed to the moments where the Cougs kept their heads when the noise got loud. That's not nothing. On the road, in a stadium that doesn't love you, staying steady is half the battle. If you want the full breakdown on how the Cougs cleaned up the little things and left with a W, we've got you covered there too. That piece digs into the details Moore touched on in the presser, the execution stuff that doesn't show up on a highlight reel but wins games in September. What sticks from this conversation is the tone. Moore sounds like a guy who knows his team is still cooking. Not done. Not perfect. But headed somewhere. That's the kind of coach you want on the bus home. Go Cougs.
Cougar Women's Golf packs the clubs and heads to Wisconsin
The Cougar Women's Golf team is trading the Palouse for the Dairy State. They're packing up the clubs and heading to Wisconsin, which means we get to watch our golfers tee it up on a course that isn't fighting a wind advisory from the Snake River. Good for them. Good for us. You don't see a lot of Pullman teams making a Midwest swing in the middle of spring, but this squad has been quietly putting in work. Golf is one of those sports where you can be miles from campus, literally and figuratively, and still feel the Coug in the room. Or on the fairway. Whatever. We've been running a good stretch of coverage lately, and if you missed it, go find "Cougs on Deck: The 2026 Baseball Class Is Signed and Sealed." That one pairs nicely with this. Different sport, same kind of quiet confidence. No hype. Just Cougs showing up. For now, keep an eye on the scoreboard from Wisconsin. These women don't travel that far to sightsee. They're going to compete, and they're going to do it the way we do, steady, specific, and a little bit stubborn. Go Cougs.
Naomi White's Week Was a Problem for Pac-12 Offenses, and the Conference Noticed
Naomi White spent a week making Pac-12 pitchers look like they were throwing beach balls in a windstorm, and the rest of the conference had to notice. When a hitter gets that locked in, it stops being about one game or one series. It becomes a message, and the message was loud and clear: figure this out or go home. White's production wasn't just a stat line; it was a statement, and it's the kind of week that turns a good season into a special one. You don't pitch around a player like that without paying for it, and you don't pitch to her without watching the ball leave the yard. Either way, the Cougs were the ones smiling. What makes this run even better is that it didn't happen in a vacuum. The team is clicking, and you can feel the momentum building across the athletic department. If you want to see that same energy carry over to the course, check out our piece on Cougar Women's Golf packing the clubs and heading to Wisconsin. It's a different kind of competition, but the focus and grit are the same. For White, the pressure is on now. Pac-12 pitchers are going to adjust, and they're going to come at her with their best stuff. But that's the fun part. She just proved she can handle it, and honestly, we're here for the encore. Go Cougs.
Three Coug freshmen got their first taste of Kansas State: and the lesson was loud
The first time you step on a Power Four opponent's floor as a true freshman, you find out fast what you're made of. Three Coug freshmen got that lesson in Manhattan, and the scoreboard says Kansas State won by 14. But the tape says something else. Those first few minutes? That's the part that matters. Seeing the speed, the size, the way a veteran team moves without thinking, that's the real education. And for a program that's still building its identity under this staff, the question isn't whether they lost. It's whether they learned. We'll have more on the X's and O's soon. If you want to see how the coaching staff is breaking down that fight, go read "Kirby Moore on K-State: What the postgame tape reveals about Wazzu's fight." It's the kind of film-room honesty that tells you more than any box score. For now, the take is simple: these three freshmen got baptized. That's not a bad thing. You don't grow in Pullman without a few hard Saturdays. The Cougs didn't fold. They took the hit, and they'll be better for it. Go Cougs.
A letter that found a Coug you never knew you needed
A letter from Barbara A. Petite x'76 landed in our mailbox, and she's right: Catherine Roberts Frasier is a Coug we never knew we needed. The Spring 2026 magazine pulled her story out of the archives, and Barbara calls it exactly what it is, proof that this alumni magazine is the best one out there. We agree. That kind of digging, that kind of pride in the people who built this place, is why we keep turning pages. Jeff Hardesty '97 English, Ed., '18 EdD chimed in too, remembering Gay Selby's truthisms about superintendent-board relationships. The Spring 2026 issue honored Selby, and Jeff says those lessons still ring in his ears daily. That's the kind of impact that doesn't fade when you leave Pullman. It follows you. And while we're on the subject of research that matters, a new WSU study on cannabis ads shows how they're shaping young adults' ideas about sex and intimacy. It's the same sharp curiosity that unearthed Frasier's story, just applied to what's happening right now. We don't stretch stories here. We don't have to. The real ones are good enough. Go Cougs.
Cougar Golf Opens Fall Season with a Solid Start in Wisconsin
The Cougar golf team packed its clubs, flew to Wisconsin, and came back with something to build on. That is the honest read on the opening weekend of the fall season. No trophies. No headlines. Just solid golf from a group that looks like it wants to be in the mix by spring. The Badger Invitational is not a glamour stop. It is cold, flat, and full of teams that do not care about your travel distance. Wazzu showed up anyway and played steady. Ninth place is not going to hang in the trophy case, but it is a foundation. For a program that spends the fall figuring out its rotation, that matters more than a shiny result. You do not win in October. You build. If you want the full breakdown of the rounds, the scores, and the grind, we have you covered with "Cougs grind through another round in Wisconsin, no fluff, just golf." The golf coverage does not waste your time. It tells you what happened and why it matters. The BECU pod on two WSU athletics staffers is worth your ear, too. Different kind of depth, same Coug pride. This team is young. It is learning. And it is doing it far from home, on a course that does not owe them anything. That is the kind of start you can trust. Go Cougs.
BECU pod goes behind the scenes with two WSU athletics staffers
BECU's latest pod isn't another highlight reel. It takes you behind the desk with two WSU athletics staffers, the people who keep things running while the rest of us watch the scoreboard. That's the kind of content I actually want to hear. Pullman works because of the people who stay late, answer emails at odd hours, and figure out how to get 85 guys on a bus. This pod gives them the mic. We don't always get to see that side. Most of the coverage is about the players, the coaches, the final play. This one is about the operation. It's a reminder that Cougar athletics doesn't run on talent alone. It runs on people who treat it like a calling, not a job. I'm glad BECU is telling that story. If you want more from this week's Cougar coverage, check out "Kirby Moore breaks down Fresno State tape on this week's Cougar Football Hour." It pairs well with this pod. One looks at the game plan. The other looks at the people making the plan possible. Go Cougs.