team
Wazzu keeps team in one place: 18 stories so far. The section currently leads with “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 team 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.
Wazzu golf wraps Day 2 in Hawaii with steady second-round play
The Cougs are keeping it steady in Hawaii. Through two rounds of the Wazzu golf trip, the team has put together a solid, no-drama day of play on the islands. No wild swings, no collapses, just clean second-round work that keeps the momentum going. That's the kind of golf that wins trips home with something to show for it. We know the scoreboard matters, but this is also about the grind. Getting through a second round without losing your head in paradise is its own kind of win. The conditions are gorgeous, sure, but the palm trees don't make the putts for you. So far, so good. If you want more on how our guys handle the pressure, check out our earlier piece on "Boenning Holds Steady in Top 10 Through Second Round at Saint Mary's." Same steady hands, different fairway. The travel is the fun part. The scorecard is the work. Right now, the Cougs are handling both. Go Cougs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Second-half avalanche buries Duquesne as Cougs roll 48-7
That first half felt like a team still shaking off the bus. The Cougs looked tight, a little sloppy, and Duquesne hung around long enough to make you wonder. Then the second half started and the avalanche buried them. 48-7 is the kind of score that looks routine on paper but was earned in a flood of explosive plays and defensive pressure that simply would not let up. The Dukes came to Pullman ready to scrap. The Cougs took their best shot, adjusted at the break, and then just steamrolled. This is the kind of win that tells you more about the second half than the first. When a team can flip a switch that cleanly, it means the coaching staff found the right words and the players locked in. If you want to hear how that adjustment happened straight from the guy calling the plays, our piece with Kirby Moore breaks down exactly what it took to get there. It pairs well with this one. The Cougs handled business. No drama, no excuses, just a second-half beatdown that left no doubt. That is the standard in Pullman. Go Cougs.
Cougs grind through another round in Wisconsin, no fluff, just golf
Three rounds in the books at the Badger Invitational, and the Cougs are still grinding. No dramatics. No late-round heroics. Just steady golf in Wisconsin, where the wind probably did what Wisconsin wind does and the scores reflect a team that keeps its head down. Washington State is sitting where they earned it, and that's fine. Not every trip needs a trophy to be worth the miles. This is the kind of week where you remember that golf is a grind sport. You show up, you play your ball, and you see where you land. The Cougs landed in the middle of the pack, and if you've been following along, you know this team doesn't flinch. They'll take the reps and move on. For more on how they got there, check out "Cougs settle into ninth at the Badger Invitational, no drama." It's exactly what it sounds like. No hype, just the scorecard. Meanwhile, the rest of the fall schedule is filling in. The Boise trip is already in the rearview, and Duquesne is coming to Pullman for the first home test of the season. That one will have a little more noise. But for now, it's fairways and greens in the Midwest. The Cougs keep working. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore Breaks Down the Offense After Arizona
Kirby Moore sat down after the Arizona game and didn't sugarcoat anything. He broke down the offense the way you'd expect from a guy who spent his Saturday watching his unit grind through a Pac-12 road game. No excuses. Just film, mechanics, and what needs to click. That's the kind of talk Pullman actually respects. Moore walked through the adjustments, the reads, and the moments where the Cougs either hit or missed. It wasn't a victory lap. It was a coach who knows the margin between a good drive and a stalled one is smaller than a play call sheet. If you watched that game and wondered why certain routes looked open but the ball didn't go there, Moore answers that. He doesn't hide behind jargon. This is the stuff that doesn't make the highlight reel but makes the difference in November. If you want the full picture from Tucson, we already had a piece on the things that won't show up in a box score. Moore's breakdown fits right next to it. Read them together. That's where the real story lives. The offense is still finding its rhythm. Moore knows it. The players know it. But hearing him talk through it, you get the sense he trusts what he sees. That matters more than a clean stat line. Go Cougs.
Coug women's golf packs the clubs and heads for Tacoma
The Coug women's golf team is trading the Palouse for Puget Sound air, packing up the clubs and heading to Tacoma for their next tournament. You don't haul gear across the state unless you think you've got something to prove, and this group has been quietly putting together a season that deserves attention. Pullman doesn't produce many fair-weather athletes, and these golfers are no exception, they grind through wind, mud, and early frost without complaint. Now they get a chance to show what that grit looks like on a course that isn't fighting them back. It is good to see the program getting some run. Golf doesn't always grab the headlines around here, but the work these players put in is as Coug as anything on the turf. Tacoma is a decent trip, not a bus ride to Moscow, and it gives the team a chance to reset after some tough competition. For those of you who can't get enough of the Xs and Os, we've got you covered elsewhere on the site. If you want to hear about the other side of the ball, our piece on "Kirby Moore breaks down Fresno State tape on this week's Cougar Football Hour" is worth your time. Two different sports, same Coug standard. Go Cougs.