Cougars Sweep Huskies in Dual Track &
Field Meet in Pullman
From WSU Sports Info
PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Washington State men's and women's track and field
teams defeated both the University of Washington teams Saturday in a
dual meet at Mooberry Track in Pullman, the first sweep of Huskies by
the Cougars since 2010.
In this 99th men's dual meet, WSU won with a score of 89-74
while in the 39th women's dual meet, WSU won 88-75. WSU leads the men's series
59-39-1 and Washington leads the women's series 21-18.
Highlights for the WSU women's team included All-America heptathlete Alissa
Brooks-Johnson with three wins in six events. She won the high jump, the 100m
hurdles and 400m hurdles with her high hurdles time of 13.73 seconds equaling
her lifetime best. Atina Kamasi won the women's javelin with a
lifetime-best throw of 175-feet 1 inch (53.36m), a mark that is the second-best
in WSU all-time records. Greer Alsop won the triple jump with a meet record
mark that equaled her PR of 41-8 (12.70m) and replaced UW's Shaniae Lakes
2012 meet record of 41-4 1/2 (12.61m). Aoife Martin won the hammer with a PR
distance of 184-1 (56.12m), which improves her sixth-best throw in WSU all-time
records.
Zach Smith's double
wins in the 100m and 200m dashes led the highlights for the Cougars men's team.
Brock Eager, recovering from a shoulder strain, won the hammer with a distance
of 218-9 (66.68m), the sixth time this season Eager has thrown a distance of
214-feet or greater. Amani Brown's second-place hammer throw of 210-7 (64.19m)
is a PR and ties for ninth-best in WSU all-time records. Chandler Teigen won
the 1500m in a time of 3 minutes 50.82 seconds, besting Husky All-American
Colby Gilbert (3:53.25). Nick Johnson captured the 110m hurdles with a PR time
of 13.97 and Christapherson Grant won the 400m hurdles with a PR time of 53.15.
THEY SAID:
Wayne Phipps, WSU
Director of Cross Country/Track & Field said, "It's super exciting. Every year I think our staff
has found a greater appreciation for this meet and how much it means to the
kids. We talked to the team before the meet to make sure everyone was on board.
We knew we were down a number of significant people but everyone went out and
competed hard. To win by 15 points on the men's side and 13 points in the women's
side, I couldn't ask for anything more, especially being at home. The men's
1500m was a key event for us. For Chandler Teigen to win over Colby Gilbert,
outstanding athlete for Washington, and Paul Ryan to come out of nowhere to get
third was absolutely important for our team. The women's long jump was another
key event for us. We weren't projected to score as much as we did; Lauren
Newman wins the event and Alissa Brooks-Johnson in one of her six events, comes
in and gets second and huge points for us. I couldn't be more proud of
these Cougs."
Atina Kamasi,
sophomore, javelin winner with PR said, "The
last two weeks have been peak weeks because this is the last meet for some of
my teammates. The practices and weight lifting was focused on this big meet. I
love throwing here. I had so many people coming and supporting me, it's always
a thrill. And I have some big throws at this track. Doing well at this meet
makes me so confident going into the Pac-12 Championships and the NCAA regional
meet and that's important."
Chandler Teigen,
junior, 1500m winner said, "For me
it's huge and for the team it's huge (to beat the Huskies). The last couple of
years the distance-distance matchup between us and the University of Washington
has been the deciding factor in the outcome of the meet so to be able to put
some points is really important to me and my teammates."
Zach Smith, senior,
double sprints winner said, "The 4x100m
relay was a season-best 40.26 which should qualify us for the NCAA First Round.
We've been trying to get our time down and with put Brandon Bains in
replacing Ja'Maun Charles who is out for the rest of the season and
we had good results today. This was my last meet here as a Coug and I was
really looking forward to it. Beating the Dawgs today was just the icing on
top. I'm looking forward to Pac-12s and NCAA Round One."
NOTEWORTHY:
· First dual wins over Huskies for WSU men's or women's team under
Coach Wayne Phipps
· The last time WSU won in Pullman was 2012 for the men and 2014
for the women.
· UW women's 4x400m relay team won with a meet record time of
3:40.07, erasing the 1999 meet record time of 3:41.13 run by WSU's Attrina Higgins,
Whitney Evans, Randi Smith and Ellannee Richardson
· Cougars tallied 23 PRs at this meet: 12 by women and 11 by men
· The WSU multi-events competitors will be at the Pac-12 Combined
Events Championships May 5-6 at Stanford while the rest of the team
will compete at the Pac-12 Championships May 12-13 at Stanford
ADDITIONAL COUGARS
SCORERS FROM WSU-UW DUAL MEET:
WOMEN
100m - Regyn Gaffney (1st - 11.69), Tierney Silliman
(2nd - 12.07)
200m - Tierney Silliman (2nd - PR 24.46), Regyn Gaffney
(3rd - season-best 24.47)
400m - Stephanie Cho (2nd - PR 55.35)
800m - Zorana Grujic (2nd - season-best 2:08.94)
1500m - Vallery Korir (3rd - 4:30.66)
5000m - Vallery Korir (1st - 16:37.66)
3000m Steeplechase - Devon Bortfeld (2nd - 11:03.56), Pia
Richards (3rd - PR 11:32.84)
High Jump - Lindsey Schauble (3rd - 1.56m/5-1 1/4)
Pole Vault - Molly Scharmann (1st - 3.98m/13-0 3/4)
Long Jump - Lauren
Newman (1st - PR 5.88m/19-3 1/2w), Alissa Brooks-Johnson (2nd - PR 5.88m/19-3
1/2)
Triple Jump - Oyinlola Akinlosotu (2nd - PR
12.34m/40-6), Brittni Williams (3rd - 11.60m/38-0 3/4W)
Discus - Kaitlin Krouse (2nd - 46.16m/151-5), Chirsshnay Brown
(3rd - 40.70m/133-6)
Javelin - Madelyn Sirmon (2nd - PR 47.24m/155-0)
MEN
100m - Brandon Bains (2nd
- 10.77)
200m - Ethan Gardner
(3rd - PR 21.61)
400m - Jake Ulrich
(3rd - season-best 47.76)
800m - Justin Janke
(2nd - season-best 1:51.30)
1500m - Paul Ryan (3rd
- 3:53.46)
110m Hurdles -
Christapherson Grant (2nd - PR14.29), Abu Kamara (3rd - season-best 14.46)
400m Hurdles -
Kennan Schrag (3rd - 1:00.090
3000m Steeplechase -
Kyler Little (2nd - 9:09.63)
High Jump - Peyton Fredrickson (1st - 2.08m/6-9 3/4), Keelan Halligan
(2nd - 2.03m/6-8), Beau Sheeran (3rd - 2.03m/6-8)
Long Jump - Martin Moldau (1st - season-best
6.88m/22-7), Sam Brixey (2nd - season-best 6.69m/21-11 1/2)
Triple Jump - Robby Flores (1st - PR 15.17m/49-9 1/4), Jeremiah
Stone (3rd - season-best 14.18m/46-6 1/4)
Shot Put - Tyler Jackson (2nd - 15.79m/51-9 3/4)
Discus - Tyler Jackson (2nd - PR 52.52m/172-4), Wyatt Meyring
(3rd - 44.59m/146-3)
Hammer - Wyatt Meyring (3rd - PR 60.16m/197-4)
Javelin - Cole Smith (2nd - 65.41m/214-7)
:::::::::::::::::
WSU's
Falk, Madison drafted on final day
By Dale Grummert, Lewiston Trib. (Josh Grissom
of the Tribcontributed to this report.) Apr 29, 2018
In their
news release about new quarterback Luke Falk, the Tennessee Titans playfully
mentioned he'll have a place to stay when he reports to the club.
His
sisters, Alexa and Natalee, who compose the country-music duo called Falk, live
in Nashville, where the Titans are based.
Next goal
for Kid Brother: Establish his own roots in Music City.
The former
Washington State QB was left waiting until the sixth round of the NFL draft
Saturday - not an auspicious start to his pro career. But he's accustomed to
impressing people at his own deliberate pace.
The Titans
selected the former WSU walk-on with the 25th pick of the sixth round, after
the Green Bay Packers had taken Cougar offensive lineman Cole Madison in the
fifth.
No other
WSU or Idaho players were chosen in the seven-round draft, but a few of them
will likely get free-agent opportunities. According to multiple reports, WSU
defender Hercules Mata'afa and Idaho quarterback Matt Linehan have agreed to
free-agent contracts with the Minnesota Vikings. Three other Cougar defenders
also hooked up with teams: Frankie Luvu with the New York Jets, Daniel Ekuale
with the Cleveland Browns and Dylan Hanser with the Atlanta Falcons.
Falk, the
all-time leader in Pac-12 passing yardage, was projected as a fourth- or
fifth-round pick, but eight other quarterbacks were snapped up before the
Titans made him the 199th overall choice in the three-day draft.
Only two
QBs were taken in the fourth and fifth rounds.
Falk
watched the TV coverage of the draft, according to a Titans news release.
"I am
not going to lie - it was a pretty grueling process," Falk was quoted as
saying. "When I finally got the phone call and saw my name up on the TV,
it was nothing but gratitude. I am so grateful."
As the
Titans pointed out, being picked No. 199 worked out fine for Falk's hero, Tom
Brady, who went to the New England Patriots in that position in 2000.
He will
join forces with former rival quarterback Marcus Mariota, who starred at Oregon
and has started 42 games for Tennessee. They have the same agent, Chase
Callahan.
Other
quarterbacks on the Titans roster are eighth-year pro Blaine Gabbert;
second-year man Tyler Ferguson, who signed as an undrafted free agent last May;
and Alex Tanney, who spent last season on injured reserve. Falk appears to have
a solid shot of claiming a backup role this year.
Titans
coach Mike Vrabel hired a new offensive coordinator in January, Matt LaFleur,
who later put Falk through a workout at the quarterback's home in Logan, Utah.
"I
think it is great (going to Tennessee), with coach LaFleur coming out, and
being able to meet staff and coach Vrabel," Falk said. "I love those
guys and I think it will be a great fit. I am excited to get out there and get
working and doing whatever I can to help the team."
Titans
general manager Jon Robinson said Falk "was a guy that was kind of
sticking out at the top of our board as a guy, and quarterback is a premium
position in this league. To add a guy like him who has had a really productive
college career, and with his work ethic and his mind set at that position, a
guy to work with, come in here and compete on the 90-man roster for a spot. I
am really excited to add Luke."
Falk,
6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, is the first WSU quarterback selected in the draft
since Alex Brink was taken in the seventh round by the Houston Texans in 2008.
He is the highest-drafted Cougar QB since Ryan Leaf was the No. 2 selection by
the San Diego Chargers in 1998.
Madison,
6-5 and 308, was the first choice of the fifth round and became the
highest-drafted Cougar offensive lineman since Scott Sanderson was chosen in
the third round by the Tennessee Oilers in 1997.
He was a
fixture at right tackle for the Cougars but will probably switch to guard as a
pro. The Packers have a history of drafting tackles in the middle rounds and
turning them into effective guards.
"It's
obviously a more physical position," Madison said of the guard spot in a
Packers news release, "but I'm a more aggressive guy by nature, so I fit
right in. I think I'm a nice guy when it comes to it, but ultimately I'm not
afraid to get my hand a little dirty. Playing this position (offensive line),
you've got a screw a little loose at least."
Going
undrafted was surely a disappointment to Mata'afa, the WSU defensive lineman
who earned consensus All-America honors last year and decided to relinquish his
senior year to turn pro. NFL talent evaluators like his toughness and quickness
but found it difficult to gauge his upside. At 6-foot-2 and 254 pounds, he'll
need to convert to linebacker or edge rusher, taking on duties at which he's
untested.
He will
seek a roster spot on a Vikings team coached by former WSU defensive
coordinator Mike Zimmer.
Linehan
has more direct ties to the Minnesota club, which employed his father, Scott
Linehan, as offensive coordinator and receivers coach from 2002 to '04.
KSTP-TV
reported that Linehan would join the Vikings for rookie camp next month.
Linehan
was one of the top quarterbacks in the Sun Belt Conference during his time at
Idaho, finishing his four-year career with 10,769 yards passing and 62
touchdowns while boasting a 62.4 completion percentage. He was on pace to
surpass the program record for career passing yards - set by Doug Nussmeier in
1993 with 10,824 - but a hand injury ended his senior season with three games
to go
:::::::::::::::
5 things
Tennessee Titans fans should know about their new QB, WSU’s Luke Falk
By
Stefanie Loh, Seattle Times
April 28,
2018 at 1:46 pm
Luke Falk
is a Tom Brady fan, but can you name his favorite essential oil? Here's what
you should know about the Cougars' newest NFL quarterback.
Washington
State’s Luke Falk became the 11th Cougars quarterback to get selected in the
NFL Draft when the Tennessee Titans took him in the sixth round, with the 199th
overall pick — the same slot Tom Brady went back in 2000.
In three
years as WSU’s starting quarterback, Falk set a litany of school and Pac-12
records.
Here are
some things fans of the Titans should know about him.
The
Basics:
Falk (6-4,
215 pounds) grew up in Logan, Utah and is the first player from Logan High to
be selected in the NFL draft since Washington picked former Utah State tight
end Chris Cooley in the third round in 2004.
Falk was
lightly recruited coming out of high school, in large part because he had to
sit out his junior season at Logan High after transferring back to Utah from
Oaks Christian in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
He was
initially slated to play at Cornell, but seized the chance to walk on at WSU
because he’d always wanted to play at the FBS level. He earned the backup
quarterback job behind Connor Halliday as a redshirt freshman in 2014, then won
the starting job in fall camp before the 2015 season.
Falk is
widely credited with being one of the main architects that helped WSU go from
being the doormat of college football to a Pac-12 title contender.
Fun Facts:
1 – He’s a
huge Tom Brady fan, believes in TB12 methods, and takes fanatical care of his
body.
Whenever
the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, Falk prefers to watch the game by himself
because he likes to watch Patriots QB Tom Brady. His admiration for Brady stems
from how he identifies with Brady’s underdog roots — he was a sixth round draft
pick, Falk was a walk on at WSU — and respects his work ethic.
Like Brady,
Falk is fastidious about his health. He’s known to track his sleep patterns,
takes lots of ice baths, and believes in natural medicine. Going into his
senior season at WSU, the Cougars strength and conditioning staff had to
practically beg him to eat a little less healthfully because they wanted him to
gain some weight.
2 – His
nickname is “The Messiah of the Palouse” or, for short, “The Messiah”
WSU fans
sometimes refer to Falk as “The Messiah.” The moniker came courtesy of his
former receiver, Gabe Marks, who first used it to describe his quarterback at
Pac-12 media day in 2016.
3 – He
uses the essential oil Frankincense before games
Falk likes
to put some Frankincense essential oil under his nose before he begins an
offensive drive. He believes the scent gets him going and calms his down. Falk
also uses other essential oils — which he gets from his oldest sister, Alexa, a
sales rep for an essential oil company.
4 – His
two elder sisters, Alexa and Natalee, are aspiring musicians based in Nashville
Falk, 23,
is the youngest of three siblings. His older sisters, Alexa and Natalee,
formerly formed a country music duo called “Falk.” They’ve since split up to
pursue solo music careers.
WSU
Quarterback Luke Falk’s sisters Alexa and Natalee of the duo “Falk” perform
before the game vs Colorado Saturday night in Pullman
Alexa
recorded a song dedicated to Falk and the Cougars in 2017, and it was played at
WSU’s home football games.
5 – Falk
met his fiancee, Mallori Lindberg at WSU
Lindberg,
from Woodinville, is a former WSU cross country athlete. She’s now a certified
personal trainer and fitness instructor. Falk proposed to Lindberg last
December.
Some of
Falk’s records and awards
Pac-12:
Career pass attempts (2,055), career pass completions (1,404), career passing
yards (14,486), career touchdown passes (119), career total offense (14,08
yards), career total plays (2,306).
WSU:
Career passing yards (14,486), career total offense (14,086), career
completions (1,404), career touchdown passes (119), career wins by a QB (27),
career completion percentage (68.3)
Awards:
2017 Burlsworth Trophy winner, 2017 semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award,
2015 Sun Bowl MVP, 2017 All-Pac-12 HM, 2016 All-Pac-12 second team, 2015
All-Pac-12 first team
::::::::::;;
Kamie
Ethridge aces first press conference as Washington State University new women’s
basketball coach
By Samuel
Mustari
Greeley,
Colo., Tribune
April 17,
2018
Kamie
Ethridge — as expected — made a good first impression Tuesday as the new
women's basketball coach at Washington State University.
Somewhat
unexpected, Ethridge was surprised by her first impression of her new team,
which made contact with her before she ever stepped on the WSU campus Monday
night.
The
Cougars — all seven on the current roster — sent Ethridge an email as she was
en route to Pullman, Wash., stating "Coach, when you close things, new
things open up … new opportunities, new adventures and new relationships."
"All
seven of them signed it," Ethridge said after being introduced as the
women's coach at WSC Tuesday afternoon, just a few days after leaving the
University of Northern Colorado to accept the WSU job.
"It
(the email) hit me hard," Ethridge said. "Out of the mouths of babes.
I'm thrilled I'm (their) next coach and I'm excited to go forward."
Ethridge,
53, is the eighth women's head coach in WSU history. Her contract is for six
years with an annual salary of $400,000.
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Ethridge
spent the last four seasons leading UNC, finishing the most successful season
in school history that included a trip to the NCAA postseason tournament.
Very
similar to Ethridge's introductory press conference at UNC four years ago, she
was welcomed with open arms by a room full of WSU administrators, including
president Kirk Schulz, who was the president at Kansas State University when
Ethridge was an assistant coach at KSU.
The seven
WSU roster players — Johanna Muzet, a 6-foot junior guard from Lyon, France;
Chanelle Molina, a 5-foot-9 junior guard from Kailua Kona, Hawaii; 6-foot-4
senior center Marisa Kostourkova, of Lisbon, Portugal; Celena Molina, a
5-foot-9 redshirt freshman guard from Kailua Kona, Hawaii; Alexys Swedlund, a
5-foot-11 senior guard from Rapid City, S.D.; Jovana Subasic, a 6-foot-4,
redshirt sophomore forward from Sabac, Serbia; and Borislava Hristova, a
6-foot, redshirt junior foward from Varna, Bulgaria — were also at the press
conference.
"They
need a name," Ethridge joked.
Asked what
her impression of the roster was, Ethridge said "first, they blew me away
(with that note). It brought me back to reality. Second, the fact they're
working hard and still training. … They've been on an island on their own and
they're committed. They said they want to be good and they're challenged and
they want to get started.
"They
want to start yesterday," Ethridge added. "We'll hold them to that.
We'll give them every opportunity to do that. I love everything about them
right now. They've not only impressed me, but (also) a lot of people in this
athletic department on how they've handled everything."
The
Cougars changed coaches before the regular season ended when then-head coach
June Daugherty stepped down for health reasons.
It took
WSU athletic director Patrick Chun (hired in January) and his staff less than a
month to search and find Ethridge, whose resume reads like a "Who's
Who" in women's basketball, including being an NCAA champion at the
University of Texas, a gold medalist on the 1988 United States Olympic team and
a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2012.
"She's
a Hall of Famer in the sport of basketball, but more important, a Hall of Famer
person," Chun said, when introducing Ethridge. "From our values
standpoint, she fits right in. She has a passion for developing players. We
won't take a back seat to anyone in this conference, or in this country."
Added
Ethridge: "I'm proud to be a part of Cougar nation."
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