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REST IN PEACE TYLER
Tyler Hilinski memorial service
1:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 27, 2018,
Damien High School,
La Verne, California
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Local efforts in Seattle and Yakima to honor WSU QB
Tyler Hilinski this weekend
Originally published
January 26, 2018 at 3:53 pm Updated January 26, 2018 at 4:16 pm
A local business in
Seattle is hosting a pasta dinner for Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, with proceeds
going to the Hilinski family. Anonymous WSU alums in Yakima have also donated
money to change the lights on the Larson Building to crimson and gray in Hilinski's
honor.
By Stefanie Loh Seattle Times
The
death of Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski has sparked dialogue about
suicide nationally, and his story has touched many.
On
Saturday night, Ozzies Bar and Restaurant on Mercer Street will host a pasta
dinner and raffle, with full proceeds going to the Hilinski family.
Warning signs of suicide
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have concerns about
someone else who may be, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at
1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will be routed to a local crisis center where
professionals can talk you through a risk assessment and provide resources in
your community. The more of the signs below that a person shows, the
greater the risk of suicide.
·
Talking about wanting to die
·
Looking for a way to kill oneself
·
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
·
Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
·
Talking about being a burden to others
·
Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
·
Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
·
Sleeping too little or too much
·
Withdrawing or feeling isolated
·
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
·
Displaying extreme mood swings
Source: National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline
Also
on Saturday, the exterior lights on the historic Larson building in
downtown Yakima will be changed to crimson and gray to honor
Hilinski and raise awareness for suicide prevention.
Per
a news release issued Friday afternoon, an couple who wishes to remain anonymous
made a donation to the Downtown Association of Yakima to cover the financial
cost of changing the lights on the Larson building and bring awareness to
suicide prevention.
“As
Cougar alumni, we want to bring awareness to this issue,” the anonymous donor
said in the news release. “Suicide is the second leading cause of death among
college students, and yet it’s still a topic people don’t talk about. We hope
this small action gets our community to continue the conversation.”
A
group of Cougars’ parents have also started a GoFundMe to raise money for the Hilinskis.
A
funeral service for Hilinski will be held at Damien High School in La Verne,
Calif. on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The funeral is open to the public. The majority
of WSU’s football players, coaches and staff, as well as student-athletes from
a number of other WSU athletic teams are traveling to Southern California for
Hilinski’s funeral. WSU chartered a plane to provide transportation down to La
Verne.
…………..
From WSU Sports Info
Cougs Let One Slip Away Against USC at Beasley
Friday 1/26/2018 | Women's Basketball
PULLMAN, Wash. - With the ball in hand and a chance to win
the game in the final seconds at Beasley Coliseum, Washington State (9-12, 2-7
Pac-12) could not find the magic touch as USC (14-6, 4-5 Pac-12) held on to
pull off the comeback, 73-72, win over the Cougars Friday night. For three
quarters, the Cougs found themselves in control of a back-and-forth battle with
the Trojans before turnovers in the fourth quarter became too much to overcome
for WSU. Up by as much as 10 in the fourth and by nine as late as 5:34 to go in
the game, the Cougars were unable to handle the increased pressure of the
Trojans who forced seven late turnovers against WSU which resulted in 12
points. The nine point lead for the Cougs quickly became a four-point deficit
as USC used a 17-4 run to go ahead 73-69 with one minute to play in the game.
Despite the deficit, the Cougs had their chances when Pinelopi Pavlopoulou
drilled a three from the top of the arc, her third of the game, to cut the
Trojan lead to just one with :44 seconds to play. WSU would get the stop they
needed on the defensive end but could not execute on the offensive end in the
final seconds of the game to fall just short.
Stat of the Game =
17 Cougar turnovers resulted in 26 points, including 12 in
the final quarter, for the Trojans.
Things You Need To Know =
WSU shot a season-best 50.0% (28-of-56) in the game and fell
for the third time on the year when out-shooting its opponent.
Borislava Hristova led the Cougs in scoring for the 15th
time on the year scoring 16 points.
Pinelopi Pavlopoulou scored a season-high 13 points while
tying her career-high with three three-pointers.
The Cougs came up with 18 assist on 28 made baskets led by
Chanelle Molina who tied her career-high with seven helpers. She added with
points to go with one block and one steal.
USC put three in double-figures with Aliyah Mazyck scoring
25 points while Kristen Simon added 24 points to go with 13 rebounds and Minyon
Moore chipped in 14 points to go with seven assist and eight steals.
In all, the lead changed hands 12 times in the game, the
last coming with 2:22 to play when USC took the lead for good.
WSU finishes out its home weekend against the LA schools
Sunday against No. 13/12 UCLA. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the Pac-12
Network.
……………
NFL Draft Watch: Washington State’s Hercules Mata’afa offers
defensive versatility
Fri., Jan. 26, 2018, 6:46 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane S-R
This is the first of a five-part series on Washington State
NFL Draft prospects. Quarterback Luke Falk, offensive linemen Cody O’Connell
and Cole Madison and wide receiver Tavares Martin Jr. will also be featured.
PULLMAN – When the Associated Press published its postseason
All-Pac-12 Conference teams in early December, Hercules Mata’afa left such an
impression on voters that many of them gave him extra credit.
Mata’afa not only earned first-team honors at his natural
position, defensive tackle, but voters came to a consensus that the Cougars’
pass-rusher warranted the same recognition at defensive end.
Mata’afa’s next employer might not need him to play either.
The Lahaina, Hawaii, native called it a career after three
years at the college level, electing earlier this month to bypass his senior
season at Washington State and skip on to the NFL, where many believe Mata’afa
can still excel as a pass-rusher – albeit at a position other than the one he
grew comfortable in at WSU.
The decision to forgo another full season of college
eligibility is often one fraught with question and criticism, unless your name
ends with Darnold, Rosen or Barkley. How does Mata’afa, a 6-foot-2, 252-pounder
who’s played nothing but defensive tackle, show professional scouts he can
adapt to a new position at the next level?
Thirteen more college games wouldn’t have done that for him,
per se, but extending his career in Pullman would’ve afforded Mata’afa the
opportunity to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl – or a similar game – and show a
gallery of NFL evaluators he’s able to translate his skills to different
position.
“If he’d returned for his senior year, he’d be doing just
like what Luke Falk is doing,” said Rob Rang, a Senior Analyst at
NFLDraftScout.com. “Going to a Senior Bowl like that, then you would get a
little bit more of an opportunity to see him practice in a different position,
and therefore his projection to the NFL would be a little bit easier.”
On the other hand, Mata’afa would be hard-pressed to
replicate his All-American junior season – there were 22.5 tackles for loss,
10.5 sacks, 45 tackles and two forced fumbles – and the 2018 class of
pass-rushers is not a particularly challenging one, Rang believes. So
Mata’afa’s timing could serve him well.
“And so I thought he was kind of striking while the iron’s
hot on both fronts,” Rang said. “… The biggest question about Mata’afa is going
to be about his size – and he’s not going to get significantly bigger by coming
back for a year – and there’s also the injury question, so I think it was an
understandable decision.”
Rang lists Mata’afa as the fifth-rated defensive end
prospect – Rang’s position-by-position ranking system can be found on
NFLDraftScout.com – which would translate to a late first- or early
second-round pick in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft (April 26-28).
But Rang doesn’t anticipate Mata’afa a true defensive end
role at the next level. In college, he played with a hand in the ground and
brushed away offensive linemen with instinct and a lightning-quick first step.
Mata’afa won’t lose either of those traits at the next level, but the offensive
guards and tackles promise to be bigger and more agile, and there’s not much
more bulk Mata’afa can add to a frame that most consider “undersized” in the
pro ranks.
Rang estimates that Mata’afa’s “first-step quickness is as
good as anybody in the entire country,” which could allow him to slide forward
to the line of scrimmage on third downs or clear passing situations.
Mata’afa’s toolbox could allow him to play a traditional
linebacker role. Some analysts think his pass-rushing savvy would translate
best to an outside, or Rush linebacker role, but Rang said Mata’afa could also
thrive playing on the interior.
“I also think he does look like a very instinctive player,”
Rang said, “and he looks like a good athlete and the few times I’ve seen him
really have to flip his hips and change direction and run the opposite way.”
The Pac-12 was the Pac-10 when former Arizona standout Tedy
Bruschi made the transition successfully. The 6-1, 240-pound Bruschi wreaked
havoc for the Wildcats’ “Desert Swarm” defense, accumulating 52 career sacks
over his four-year career. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick shifted
the former UA star to inside linebacker after picking him up in the 1996 Draft
and Bruschi spent a large part of his 12-year career as a pass-rushing
specialist who learned how to covering opposing receivers and the other
intricacies that come with being an NFL linebacker.
“I think that Mata’afa has that potential to be able to play
that inside linebacker role,” Rang said, “not just on the outside, though I do
think he can play that role as well.”
Mata’afa’s best game last season came on the road at Utah,
where he compiled three sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and
fumble recovery in the first half of a win over the Utes. Rang was in
attendance for the next game – a blowout loss to Washington the Apple Cup that
perhaps was Mata’afa’s only true stinker in 2017. He had just two tackles
before an illegal hit on Huskies quarterback Jake Browning yielded a targeting
ejection, forcing Mata’afa to miss the rest of the second half of the Apple Cup
and the first half of the ensuing Holiday Bowl.
The nationally televised game, against a reigning College
Football Playoff semifinalist, for a berth in the Pac-12 title game was a
perfect showcase especially for Mata’afa and his NFL-bound teammates.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing because it did look like the
frustration got the better of him on that play he got ejected,” Rang said. “But
at the same time, I think the people that like him are going to say, ‘Hey this
is a kid, this is his passion.’ You’d almost rather him make a mistake by being
too aggressive rather than the opposite.”
Mata’afa did more than enough to pad his highlight reel
leading up to that point.
“I think guys that make big plays as frequently as he does
will certainly be drafted,” Rang said.
Other reviews on Mata’afa have been mixed. Jonah Tuls, an
NFL Draft Analyst for NDT Scouting LLC, considers the WSU D-lineman is a
“slam-dunk first-round EDGE defender,” while Pro Football Focus’ Austin Gayle
says that Mata’afa’s size is a “legitimate concern” but his “effort and
first-step quickness are things of beauty.”
////////////////
SOCCER'S WINTER SOCCER ACADEMY READY TO GO
WSU Cougars will host six winter sessions at their academy.
From WSU Sports Info
Cougar Soccer Academy Sign Up
PULLMAN, Wash. - The Washington State women's soccer team is
set to begin the winter session of the Cougar Soccer Academy with six different
dates lined up. The academy will run Jan. 22 and 29 as well as Feb. 5, 12, 19,
and 26.
The goal of Washington State Cougar Soccer Academy is
toprovide U6–U14 soccer players a developmental bridge between recreational and
select soccer. The Cougar Soccer Academy curriculum was designed by our WSU
coaching staff to equip players with the necessary tools for development. With
over 30 years of youth soccer experience, our coaches will challenge academy
players to grow technically and help them set new standards for training and
development as they move to select soccer and beyond. Members of the WSU
collegiate soccer team will be on hand to demonstrate various aspects of the
academy program. Academy members will receive and Cougar Soccer Academy
t-shirt, and will need to bring their own ball.
Cougar Soccer Academy will last for 1 hour. All players will
begin with a 15 minute technical session followed by 45 minutes of game play
and tactical situations. The cost per play is $90.
There is still time to join the academy, SIGN UP NOW:
………..
January 26, 2018 / Women's Swimming from WSU Sports Info
SWIMMING COUG SENIORS LEAD COUGARS PAST OREGON STATE
PULLMAN, Wash. - For the sixth straight year, the Cougars
recorded a victory over Oregon State, claiming a 163-74 win at Gibb Pool
Friday. The Cougars placed first in every event, while four Cougars had two
individual wins each.
Seniors Anna Brolin, Rachel Thompson and Talisa Wibmer
combined to post three individual and two relay wins. Thompson led the way with
two individual wins, clocking in at 24.16 in the 50 free and 51.55 in the 100.
Brolin took first in the 100 fly with a time of 56.29. All three seniors were
members of the winning 400 free relay team, after Wibmer touched the wall to
close out the meet. Alongside teammate Chloe Larson, the trio swam to a
dominating 3:31.07 finish in the event - nearly five seconds ahead of the
second place team.
Freshman Emily Cook entered the meet as the tenth fastest
freshman in the NCAA and fastest freshman in the Pac-12 in the 100 back. Cook
added the Gibb Pool record to her resume with a first-place time of 54.51; and
now holds both the school and pool records in the event.
Clothilde Peseux finished with a first place finish in both
the 100 breast and 200 breast. Her time of 1:03.17 in the 100 breast was
seventh fastest in program history, while her time of 2:17.29 in the 200 breast
was tenth fastest in program history. Ryan Falk and Jasmine Margetts each added
two wins, as Falk clocked in a 4:58.78 in the 500 free and later added a
season-best time of 10:19.17 in the 1000 free. Margetts claimed the the 200 fly
for the fifth time this season and later recorded a season-best time of 2:04.29
in the 200 IM.
Freshmen Alba Fores and Taylor McCoy also added wins. Fores
took first in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.65 while McCoy won the 200 back
with a time of 2:00.44.
The Cougars will travel to Utah Feb. 10 for their final
regular season meet. The meet is set to begin at 10 a.m.
///////////////
WSU launches Spanish language website — lost in translation
no more
JANUARY 25, 2018
By Linda Weiford, WSU News
PULLMAN, Wash. – Retail giant Amazon recently launched a
Spanish language website. Meanwhile, the Latino pop song “Despacito” made
history for being the most streamed track of all time. Two examples of the
escalating visibility of Español in the 21st century.
Now comes a third.
In what may be the first among U.S. public colleges,
Washington State University has rolled out a fully translated student financial
services website in Spanish.
WSU Spanish translation team: far right, Brian Dixon,
assistant VP of WSU’s student financial services, with his team of students and
a staff member who translated the website into Spanish. Left to right: Jose
Alejandro Garcia, Alejandro Brito, Ramiro Mora, Carmen Kroschel. (Photo by
Robert Hubner, WSU Photo Services)
WSU Spanish translation team: far right, Brian Dixon,
assistant VP of WSU’s student financial services, with his team of students and
a staff member who translated the website into Spanish. Left to right: Jose
Alejandro Garcia, Alejandro Brito, Ramiro Mora, Carmen Kroschel. (Photo by Robert
Hubner, WSU Photo Services)
“In our research of university financial aid websites, we
didn’t find any that had been completely translated. As far as we know, we are
the first in the country to do this,” said Brian Dixon, WSU assistant vice
president of student financial services.
More than 40 million native Spanish speakers live in the
United States, and another 11.6 million people are bilingual — many of whom are
children of Spanish-speaking immigrants, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Increasingly, these children are enrolling in U.S. colleges.
In seven years, the number of Hispanic undergraduate
students attending WSU more than doubled, increasing from 1,405 Hispanics in
2009 to 3,512 by fall of 2016, equating to roughly 14.1 percent of WSU’s
undergrad students. With this in mind, Dixon and his team set out to create a
website that spoke their language.
“In Hispanic culture, parents and family are big
participants in the financial decision-making process. We felt it was important
that they have easy access to the same helpful information as English
speakers,” he explained.
The newly finished site goes beyond answering commonly asked
questions and guiding viewers through the financial aid process.
“It also conveys the message that you are included, you are
respected,” said Dixon.
Some universities provide partially translated websites with
links to Google Translate. Not wanting to divert users to a mechanized
translation platform, WSU created a site fully translated by humans.
Among them is staff employee Ramiro Mora.
“We kept expanding the website’s content until it completely
matched the English version,” said Mora, communications advisor with student
financial services. As a result, limited English users no longer struggle to
interpret information and instructions, he said.
“Frustrated parents would call our office and say, ‘My
student wants to go to WSU. I’m having trouble following the process on your
website,” he recalled. “I’m happy to say, this is no longer happening.”
WSU student Carmen Kroschel, pursuing a master’s degree in
Spanish, helped translate the website, as did undergraduate students Jose
Alejandro Garcia and Alejandro Brito. Those two, along with Mora, belong to a
generation of young college-educated American citizens whose parents emigrated
from Mexico.
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