As the year comes to a close, it feels like the right time to take stock of where Washington State stands and reflect on the year that was.
University Leadership
President: Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell — Year 1
Interim Athletic Director: Jon Haarlow
Not immediately hiring a permanent athletic director after longtime and beloved Coug Anne McCoy was relieved of her duties didn’t seem unusual at the time. The coaching staffs appeared stable, and there was no obvious urgency. That changed quickly when Jimmy Rodgers departed for Iowa State, forcing interim AD Jon Haarlow into the middle of a high-stakes coaching search and requiring him to play a central role in another important hire for the football program.
I don’t yet know a great deal about President Cantwell beyond her public appearances, interviews, and background, but I have tremendous respect for her résumé. Her visible involvement across all areas of the university—not just athletics—has been encouraging, and I have confidence in her ability to elevate WSU on multiple fronts.
Enrollment & Academics
Pullman Campus Enrollment: 16,248 students
This represents nearly a 20% decline from pre-COVID levels in 2019, when enrollment stood at 20,976. While enrollment largely stabilized this year—dropping by only about 200 students year over year—notably, the University of Washington has experienced growth during the last few years. Reversing this trend must be a priority, as enrollment affects every level of the institution.
U.S. News Best Colleges Ranking: #192
Notably Behind: University of Washington #42, Gonzaga #102, San Diego State #117, Oregon State #143, Colorado State #151, Seattle U #151, University of Idaho #183
4-Year Graduation Rate: 41%
Median Salary (6 Years After Graduation): $53,510
Acceptance Rate: 87%
Notable Nationally Ranked Programs:
- #17 Agricultural Sciences
- #40 Nursing
- #77 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program
Athletics Overview
Baseball: 18–36 | Coach: Nathan Choate — Year 2
It was a difficult season for baseball, posting the program’s fewest wins (excluding the COVID-shortened season) since 2019. A respectable 12–9 home record was overshadowed by a brutal 3–23 mark on the road.
Men’s Basketball: Coach David Riley - Year 2
- 2024–25: 19–15
- 2025–26: 4–8
Year two under David Riley has not started as brightly as year one, when Cedric Coward flashed NBA lottery-level potential. Competitive losses to ASU and USC offered some hope, but there’s no way around it—this is the bleakest the program has looked since the Ernie Kent era.
Women’s Basketball: Coach Kamie Ethridge - Year 7
- 2024–25: 21–14
- 2025–26: 1–11
Last season’s team made a run to the Sweet 16 of the NIT and finished third in the WCC. This year has been drastically different. With a 1–11 start and nearly matching last season’s loss total already—including a 35–112 loss to LSU at the Paradise Jam—the struggles have been stark. That said, Kamie Ethridge has earned significant trust over her tenure, and this feels more like an unfortunate anomaly than a systemic issue.
Football: 6–6 | New Coach Kirby Moore
The football season has been thoroughly documented elsewhere, so I won’t rehash it here. What felt like the beginning of a promising era under Jimmy Rodgers quickly gave way to uncertainty once again. What should not be forgotten is the fun that this season was. 6-6 is no standout mark but for the amount of turnover on the roster and the competitive losses should be remembered as a positive season. Looking to the future, Kirby Moore is an engaging communicator and should bring energy to the program, but as always, results will ultimately define his tenure.
Soccer: 7–7–5 | New Coach: Chris Citowicki
After an eight-year run at Montana, Citowicki took over one of WSU’s most consistently successful programs. The 2025 season produced the fewest wins since 2010, but expectations remain high as the Cougs prepare for the new Pac-12.
Volleyball: 17–11 | Coach: Korey Schroeder — Year 2
Schroeder delivered modest improvement in year two, finishing fifth in the WCC. Following legendary coach Jen Greeny’s departure to West Virginia, stabilizing the program was priority number one—and that appears to be happening.
State of the Union
Apologies to the many deserving teams and athletes not mentioned here.
The reality of being left out of conference realignment—and the resulting loss of Power Four status—has created a prolonged sense of unease across WSU athletics and the university as a whole. Coaches have departed for larger programs, star athletes have left for better financial opportunities, an AD did the unthinkable and jumped to Washington, and the last two years have often felt less like progress and more like survival in many ways.
To borrow from Bill Pullman in Independence Day, this feels like a moment of defiance: “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive!”
The upside? Any remaining bandwagon fans are long gone. When you see someone wearing WSU gear in public, offer a proud “Go Cougs!”—because they’re still here too. And after what has felt like a journey through the Gotthard Base Tunnel (the longest tunnel in the world, over 35 miles long in Switzerland!), there is finally light ahead in the new Pac-12 conference.
Enrollment challenges, academic metrics, and athletic performance all show room for improvement—but stability is coming. The return to a conference, new rivalries, fresh road trips for the die hard fans, and a renewed sense of normalcy are just around the corner, just hang in there a little bit longer Cougs.
Go Cougs!