News for CougGroup 5/31/2018

WSU Athletics budget balancing plan relies on more money from students, donors, ticket sales and TV

From Pullman Radio News 5/31/2018

Washington State University Athletics is hoping for a new student-approved fee, increases in giving and ticket sales and more TV revenue to help balance its budget. 

A new state law requires collegiate athletics to receive regents approval for budgets and deficit reduction plans when those departments run in the red.  Cougar Athletics multiyear budget shortfall is estimated to total 68 million dollars at the end of this fiscal year which expires June 30th. 

New Cougar Athletics Director Pat Chun revealed his budget balancing plan Thursday.  It calls for deficit spending to end in fiscal year 2023. 

The proposal to the WSU Regents includes several assumptions predicting a nearly 30% increase in revenue. 

The new dollars are projected to come from a mandatory student fee for athletics that would require student approval, a 40% increase in donations, a 20% increase in money from ticket sales and a 25% increase in revenue from media rights including more dollars from the Pac-12 Network. 

A previous effort to get students to approve an athletics fee never made it to the ballot under former AD Bill Moos 2 years ago.

Revenue from the Pac-12 Network has been below expectations.  Meanwhile contributions to the Cougar Athletic Fund have reached a record level at nearly 6.5 million dollars so far this fiscal year, while ticket revenue is up 10%. 

Chun’s proposal doesn’t include spending cuts, noting that WSU Athletics has the smallest budget in the Pac-12 and is consistently one of the least expensive departments among the nation’s Power 5 conference schools. 

Cougar Athletics annual budget shortfall has already been reduced by several million dollars down to an estimated 9 million.  Once the department gets out of its annual budget shortfall Cougar Athletics will still have to pay back an 85 million dollar accumulated debt.  Officials don’t have a plan yet for how long it will take for the department to pay that off. 

Officials note that the debt was caused by spending on athletics facilities over the past several years and a decrease in institutional support.  Chun’s budget and annual deficit reduction plan is scheduled to go the regents for approval next week. 

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WSU athletics commits to balanced budget by 2023

May 31, 2018 from WSU News

WSU football experienced record ticket sales during the 2017-18 season.

PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University announced today that its athletics budget will be balanced in five years. This plan will be presented to the WSU Board of Regents on Friday, June 8 by Athletic Director Pat Chun and Chief University Budget Officer Joan King.

The effort relies on increasing revenue 27 percent by Fiscal Year 2023 while continuing to contain expenses. This approach will slow the rate of debt accumulation over the first four years, which is expected to reach a projected total of up to $85.1 million by FY 2022. Plans call for the program to achieve a balanced budget by FY 2023 with an anticipated $200,000 surplus.

The athletics department is committed to first getting its budget balanced, then building up reserves and finally repaying central reserves.

“We are not here to make excuses,” said Chun. “We are here to move forward, take fiscal responsibility and provide a world-class student-athlete experience.”

Detailed financial information about the department and its budget strategy can be found at https://regents.wsu.edu/meeting-dates/.

Under a new state law, public colleges and universities with intercollegiate athletics programs that experience operating deficits at the end of any fiscal year must develop deficit-reduction plans. Those plans must be approved by the college or university governing boards, which also will be required to approve any expenditures or budget transfers exceeding $250,000. Additionally, the plans, along with financial statements from the three prior fiscal years, must be conspicuously posted and publicly accessible.

WSU athletics already has the lowest annual operating expenses of any athletics program in the Pac-12 and consistently spends less than any other program in a Power 5 conference.

Much of WSU’s athletics debt is connected to investments made in improved facilities over the past several years, including a $61 million football complex. During the same time, though, institutional support began decreasing as the University struggled with the national economic downturn.

Chun noted that encouraging signs are returning.

Contributions to the Cougar Athletic Fund reached record levels this fiscal year, currently at $6.4 million and climbing. Ticket sales for WSU football also are setting records but continued growth is constrained by having the smallest stadium capacity in the Pac-12.

The department also is pursuing several other strategies for boosting revenue that will be finalized in the near future.

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WSU football

Washington State outlines plan to balance athletics budget, reach $200,000 surplus by fiscal year 2023

UPDATED: Thu., May 31, 2018, 10:46 a.m.

By Theo Lawson

PULLMAN – Washington State has set in motion a plan to help the school’s athletic department climb out of a projected $85.1 million deficit and not only become solvent, but reach a $200,000 surplus by the fiscal year of 2023.

The budget strategy, contingent on increased revenue and record donations to the Cougar Athletic Fund, will be presented to the WSU Board of Regents at a retreat at the Willows Lodge in Woodinville from June 7-8.

WSU will ask that the Board of Regents approve the school’s 2018-19 athletics budget, approve the plan for reducing the operating deficit in future years and allow necessary transfers to cover the deficit balance at the end of the 2018 fiscal year.

Athletic director and Pat Chun and WSU Chief University Budget Officer Joan King will discuss the athletics budget with reporters on a conference call this afternoon.

The plan is dependant on increasing revenue numbers by 27 percent come fiscal year 2023, in addition to containing athletic expenses.

“We are not here to make excuses,” Chun said in a school press release. “We are here to move forward, take fiscal responsibility and provide a world-class student-athlete experience.” 

WSU plans to first get its budget balanced, then shift its focus to building reserves and repaying central reserves.

The athletic department is already working with the lowest annual operating expenses in the Pac-12 and WSU consistently spends less than any other Power Five conference program in the country.

The debt can largely be traced to the commitment former AD Bill Moos made to enhancing WSU’s athletic facilities – most notably the addition of a $61 million football complex. Economic downturn at the time also didn’t help, slicing institutional support received by the athletic department.

But the school has noticed a major upswing in Cougar Athletic Fund donations and currently reports a record sum of $6.4 million. Gate sales at home football games have also hit record numbers and are up more than $5 million from fiscal year 2010, though ticket revenue is limited by stadium capacity and Martin Stadium’s capacity is the lowest in the Pac-12.

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Read Evergreen coverage about WSU Athletics’ plan to balance athletics

https://dailyevergreen.com/32634/news/athletics-budgets-27-percent-increase-in-revenue-record-ticket-sales-higher-fees

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Former WSU football player sent to jail for beating up his girlfriend in Moscow

From Pullman Radio News

The former Washington State University football player accused of beating up his girlfriend in Moscow has been sent to jail.  The Moscow Pullman Daily News is reporting that 20 year old Grant Porter was sentenced to 15 days in jail and placed on probation for a year Wednesday in Latah County Second District Court.  Porter pleaded guilty to simple misdemeanor battery after initially being arrested for domestic battery.  He was taken into custody in November after his girlfriend told Moscow Police that Porter assaulted her inside her apartment.  Porter also threatened to kill her if she told police.  The defensive back was initially suspended from the Cougar football team following his arrest.  WSU's Sports Information Director says Porter was dismissed from the team this Spring.  He never played in a Cougar football game.  Porter’s conviction and jail time is in stark contrast to an honor he received in May of last year.  He received the Lifesaving Award from Pullman City Council for preventing a suicide attempt.

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Clanton, Sunitsch Earn All-Pac-12 Accolades

From WSU Sports Info

SAN FRANCISCO – Washington State designated hitter Blake Clanton and pitcher Scotty Sunitsch were each named All-Pac-12 Conference honorable mention as voted on by the league’s coach, the conference office announced Thursday.

Clanton, a senior from Clinton, Okla., led the team in hits (56), RBI (35), on-base percentage (.430), and was ninth in the Pac-12 in batting average (.350) and fourth in slugging (.644). Clanton was second on the team in doubles (13) and home runs (10), and finished the season reaching base in the final 15 games. He led the team with 18 multiple-hit games and 10 multiple-RBI games and was the first Cougar to post double-digit home runs and doubles in the same season since Taylor Ard did so in 2012.

In league play, Clanton was eighth in the Pac-12 with a .345 batting average, fifth with a .655 slugging percentage, tenth with 40 hits and sixth with six home runs. Earlier this season, Clanton set a WSU single-game record with four doubles in the win over Santa Clara. Clanton also received the WSU Rob Oviatt and David Lang Strength and Conditioning Award given out at the WSU Senior Awards Banquet for possessing a great commitment to training and showed leadership while showing overall improvement in the weight room.

Sunitsch, a senior lefthander from Federal Way, Wash., led the Cougars in wins (6), strikeouts (74), innings (84.1) and produced the second-lowest ERA (3.74). Sunitsch was named National Pitcher of the Week and Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week in early April after throwing a no-hitter at Oregon. Sunitsch struck out nine in the 7-0 win to record the 25th no-hitter in school history and first solo nine-inning no-hitter since 1976.

In conference play, Sunitsch tied for eighth in the conference with four wins, tied for seventh with 62.1 innings, was sixth with 57 strikeouts and went six-plus innings in six of his 10 Pac-12 starts. Sunitsch finished his Cougar career fourth in WSU history with 85 appearances and tied for tenth with nine saves.

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FOOTBALL:

WSU learns kickoff times, television selections for four 2018 games

UPDATED: Thu., May 31, 2018, 2:19 p.m.

By Theo Lawson

Spokane S-R

PULLMAN – Some more late nights will be on the horizon for Washington State football fans.

WSU learned times and television networks for four additional football games on Thursday, when the Pac-12 released its early 2018 TV selections, and at least two of those will keep the Cougars and their fans up past 10 p.m.

Following the Sept. 1 season opener at Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium, a 12:35 p.m. PDT kickoff that will be televised by CBS Sports Network, the Cougars return home on Sept. 8 to play San Jose State in a Pac-12 Networks game that’s slated to kickoff at 8 p.m.

WSU then plays host to Eastern Washington on Sept. 15 in a game that will begin at 5 p.m. and also air on the Pac-12 Networks.

Next, WSU travels to Los Angeles for a primetime ESPN showdown with USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium. The Cougars and Trojans will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday Sept. 21.

FOX will once again air the annual Apple Cup rivalry game between WSU and UW – a 5:30 p.m. game that will be played on Friday Nov. 23 at Martin Stadium.

Times and television networks for home games against Utah (Sept. 29), Oregon (Oct. 20), Cal (Nov. 3) and Arizona (Nov. 17), in adition to road games against Oregon State (Oct. 6), Stanford (Oct. 27) and Colorado (Nov. 10) haven’t been set.

All remaining television selections and times will be made 6-12 days in advance of a given game.

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Former ASWSU President Jordan Frost WSU student regent

Former ASWSU President Jordan Frost will serve as the next WSU student regent after being selected to the role by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.

By IAN SMAY, Evergreen

May 30, 2018

Gov. Jay Inslee has selected former ASWSU President Jordan Frost as the next WSU student regent.

Frost announced his new role on Facebook Wednesday evening after Gov. Inslee informed him of selection that morning.

“I screamed and jumped up and down and kind of freaked out,” Frost said. “I was very excited.”

Frost said he sees the role as an opportunity to give back to the WSU community and to continue to make an impact.

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News for CougGroup 5/30/2018

From WSU Sports Info Wed, May 30, 2018 at 2:57 PM

Robert Franks to Return to WSU for Cougar Men’s Basketball senior season

The forward announced today that he has withdrawn from the NBA Draft.

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University forward Robert Franks announced today that he has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to Washington State for his senior season.

Men’s basketball student-athletes are afforded the opportunity to put their name into the NBA Draft process, but maintain their collegiate eligibility as long as they don’t hire an agent, and declare by April 22. Players who have not hired agents have until May 30 to make a final decision to return to school or remain in the draft. The NBA Draft will take place June 21.

“We are glad that Robert got the opportunity to test the NBA waters,” WSU head coach Ernie Kent said. “We are excited to have him back for his senior season and continue to contribute to this program.”

Franks led WSU and ranked seventh in the Pac-12 with 17.4 points per game, along with a team second-best and Pac-12 15th-best 6.6 rebounds per game. A native of Vancouver, Wash., Franks shot .405 (66-for-163) from beyond the 3-point arc. At the conclusion of the season he was named the Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year and all-conference honorable mention after nearly tripling his point total from his sophomore year in which he averaged 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in just 16.4 minutes per outing. His .854 (105-for-123) free throw percentage led the league and ranks 60th nationally and he set the school single-game record with 10 3-pointers in WSU’s victory over California, Jan. 13.

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Little, Teigen Named to Google Cloud Academic All-District First Team

From WSU Sports Info

PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State student-athletes Kyler Little and Chandler Teigen have been named to the 2017-18 Google Cloud Academic All-District 8® Men’s Track/Cross Country First Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.

Little is a junior from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, majoring in Mathematics and has achieved a 4.00 grade point average. Little placed sixth in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2018 Pac-12 Track & Field Championships and has a lifetime-best time in that event of 8 minutes 59.85 seconds.

Teigen is a junior from Anatone, Wash., majoring in Biological Systems Engineering and has achieved a 3.96 GPA. During the 2017 cross country season, he earned All-Pac-12 Second Team and All-West Region honors, and led the No. 27 WSU men's team to a 24th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Teigen was 11th in the 1500m at the 2018 Pac-12 Track & Field Championships and eighth in the NCAA West Region quarterfinals. He will compete in the NCAA Championships 1500m semifinals next week in Eugene. His lifetime-best 1500m time is 3:43.13, run at the Stanford Invitational earlier this year.

The 2017-18 Google Cloud Academic All‐District® Teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. WSU is a member of District 8 which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai’i, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Canada.

Little and Teigen are two of the 10 men selected as First team Academic All-District 8 honorees (listed below), all of whom advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® Team National ballot, where first, second and third team selections will be announced next month.

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From WSU Sports Info

COUG Football center Frederick Mauigoa Named To Rimington Trophy Watch List

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State junior center Frederick Mauigoa was named to the 2018 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List, presented annually to the most outstanding center in Division I College Football, the Rimington Trophy Committee announced Wednesday.

Mauigoa is one of 57 centers named to the list and is one of 10 from the Pac-12 Conference. Riley Sorenson was named to the same watch list prior to the 2016 season. Mauigoa started all 13 games at center last season, anchoring the line that blocked for the nation's second-best passing attack.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only two-time winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.

For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com. Since its inception, the seventeen-year old award has raised over $3.6 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.

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From Vince Grippi, Spokane S-R

Grip on Sports: The NCAA does the right thing and grants WSU’s Lewis another season

Wed., May 30, 2018, 7:24 a.m.

There’s an old adage about good things happening to good people. Sometimes it is true. Sometimes not. It’s about 50/50. Read on.

 On the plus side, the NCAA granted Washington State’s Robert Lewis a sixth year of eligibility to play football.

And that’s a bit surprising.

Surprising because the sixth year is usually only granted when a college athlete loses two seasons to injury. That’s not what happened in Lewis’ case.

The slot receiver from inner-city Los Angeles was one of Mike Leach’s first recruits at WSU. Yes, Lewis has been around that long.

He entered Washington State after grayshirting and then – and here’s the key point – redshirted as a freshman to get bigger and stronger. At 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds in high school, it seemed like the appropriate thing to do.

It was. But in most cases the NCAA dings you for it down the road if an injury ever occurs.

As it did just before last season was set to begin.

Lewis tore his ACL in a scrimmage a few days before the opener, costing the Cougars their most experienced receiver and, seemingly, ending Lewis’ college career.

After three seasons, he had started 22 games, caught 117 passes for more than 1,200 yards and had been in the end zone six times. Not bad numbers. But it looked at that point as if you could etch them in stone.

But lo and behold, the NCAA did the right thing. It will let Lewis play next season as he works on his second WSU degree. It makes sense, but when has the organization always done things that make sense?

Lewis initial redshirt year, way back in 2013, may not have been due to injury, but was needed at his size to prevent injury later on. When he stepped on the Pullman campus he just wasn’t big enough. The 20 pounds of muscle he added over the years was crucial in his development.

And, yes, I know he was injured anyway last August. But freak ACL injuries aren’t what Lewis – or anyone – tries to avoid by adding strength and muscle. Those will happen with no rhyme or reason. It’s the daily wear and tear, the hit after hit, that demands as much muscle as possible. It’s a way to survive in the world of college football.

Robert Lewis survived. He did well. And, thanks to the right decision, he will get to play once more.

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Potential legalized gambling in Colorado a growing concern for University of Colorado athletic director Rick George

Supreme Court ruling opens the door for sports gambling

By Pat Rooney BuffZone.com writer

POSTED:   05/29/2018 01:50:32 PM MDT

A recent ruling by the Supreme Court clears the way for legalized sports betting throughout the nation. The University of Colorado is already looking into

This is no bluff. Odds are, legalized gambling is on the horizon in Colorado.

And that means a few more headaches for athletic director Rick George and the entire University of Colorado athletics department.

In a landmark ruling two weeks ago, the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 26-year old rule that barred state-sanctioned sports gambling in all states not named Nevada.

The decision opened the door for legalized gambling across the nation, with officials from states like New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, among a handful of others, making near-immediate noise about generating fresh heaps of tax revenue via legalized gambling.

So far, no such decrees have echoed from the state capitol in Denver. Yet given the resounding success of using legalized marijuana to fatten state coffers, chances are it is only a matter of time before fans can readily plunk down wads of cash on the Broncos, Rockies, or, yes, even the Buffaloes. If and when a Colorado gambling bill passes, George expects CU to be ready for the fallout.

"It's a discussion point that we'll have as we go through the summer and get into the fall," George said. "Right now, there are no laws in our state. But we'll certainly look at it. We'll be very diligent and we'll have to be to make sure we protect the integrity of the competition. We need to do a great job of educating our student-athletes and our fans."

One of the inevitable ramifications of legalized gambling will be the added hurdles and loopholes collegiate athletes will have to dodge — particularly football and basketball players. As one example, CU men's basketball coach Tad Boyle has a constant concern over how the influence of agents will affect his players. Now he can add the potential influence of high-end gamblers to his list of concerns.

The Supreme Court voted down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act two weeks ago, clearing the way for legalized sports betting throughout the

The Supreme Court voted down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act two weeks ago, clearing the way for legalized sports betting throughout the nation. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images North America)

Additionally, state legislature may eventually make it easy for an 18 or 21-year old person to lay down money on his or her favorite team. Or perhaps even their own team. Hitting the ground running in terms of educating future student-athletes on the nuances of legalized gambling and the potential ramifications regarding NCAA eligibility will become a growing priority for George and his staff in the coming months.

"We've got to be very proactive in our messaging and our education with our student-athletes. And we'll do that," George said. "We'll make sure to ramp up the efforts even though I don't foresee anything in Colorado at least at the start of this year — and how long it will take a bill to pass and all that, we just don't know — but in the meantime if other states adopt that we want to educate our student-athletes, our staff, on this very subject.

"I don't know all the things that are going to go along with this. As we start to look at this, there will be a lot of conversations with peers around the country who may be a little more advanced than we are. Just trying to understand the issues and what we have to tackle. We certainly want to protect our student-athletes and we want to protect the integrity of the competitions."

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Matthew Jockers of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will become dean of the WSU College of Arts and Sciences on Aug. 13

Story from Evergreen May 29, 2018

WSU named Matthew Jockers as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences today after months of searching for a new leader for the school.

Jockers comes to WSU from the University of Nebraska, where he served as an associate dean for research and partnerships and a professor of English in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, according to a WSU press release by Provost Dan Bernardo. Jockers was also the director of the Nebraska Literary Lab.

 “I am incredibly honored to be joining Washington State University,” Jockers said in the release. “I am excited about the diverse range of people and disciplines in the WSU College of Arts and Sciences.”

He will begin his term as CAS dean on Aug. 1, replacing interim dean Larry Hufford, according to the release.

 “Matthew Jockers has the perfect skill set to lead the next chapter in the evolution of the College of Arts and Sciences,” Bernardo said in the release. “He has extensive industry experience and possesses a strong record of scholarly accomplishment.”

WSU said last October they wanted to fill the vacancy by the middle of spring 2018.

Jockers’ research focuses on 19th and 20th century Irish and Irish-American literature, according to the release.

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News for CougGroup 5/29/2018

WSU Football: Cougs get big boost with WR Robert Lewis awarded sixth year!

By Barry Bolton Cougfan.com

WASHINGTON STATE received a big boost on Wednesday. Wide receiver Robert Lewis has received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, WSU SID Bill Stevens confirmed to Cougfan.com.

Lewis, a fifth-year senior last season, missed all of the 2017 campaign after tearing his ACL towards the end of fall camp.

Lewis redshirted his first season at Washington State in 2013. It is believed he was dinged up during all or most of that season, which would be the opening needed to apply for a sixth year.  Receiving a sixth year requires missing most or all of two seasons due to medical injury or hardship. Cougar middle linebacker Peyton Pelluer was awarded a sixth year back in January.

Lewis’ return means even more 2018 firepower for an inside receiver position that was already strong coming out of spring ball, with Kyle Sweet, Renard Bell, Jamire Calvin, Travell Harris and others in the fold.

Lewis has appeared in 37 games and started 22 in the slot (2014-16).   He earned his criminal justice degree last spring and is working towards a second degree in political science.

Lewis first delayed enrollment in 2012 to bulk up before became a regular part of the receiving rotation in 2014. He earned a starting role in 2015 and 2016 and among his crimson highlights, scored the winning TD against Oregon in 2015 in double OT.

In three seasons on the Palouse, Lewis has racked up 117 receptions and 1,254 yards with 6 TDs.

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Washington State wideout Robert Lewis gets another year of eligibility

By Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

Washington State wide receiver Robert Lewis has been granted a sixth year of eligibility.

The NCAA approved Lewis' waiver on Tuesday, allowing him to participate during the 2018 season. Lewis has started 22 games for the Cougars, recording 117 receptions for 1,254 yards and six touchdowns. He redshirted in 2013 before entering Washington State's wide receiver rotation for the next three seasons. Lewis suffered a knee injury before the 2017 campaign and did not play.

Washington State returns running back James Williams, the team's receptions leader in 2017, but loses top wide receivers Tavares Martin, who was dismissed from the program, and Isaiah Johnson-Mack, who received his release from the program in December.

Lewis, a native of Watts, California, has completed his bachelor's degree and is pursuing a second degree.

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Derek Bayley repeats as Idaho amateur match play champion

Mon., May 28, 2018, 2:05 p.m.

By Jim Meehan Spokane Spokesman-Review

Derek Bayley, who recently concluded his collegiate career at Washington State University, collected another Idaho Golf Association men’s amateur match play championship.

Bayley, a product of Lakeland High in Rathdrum, repeated as champion with a 6&5 win over Auburn’s Graysen Huff on Monday at TimberStone Golf Course in Caldwell. Bayley beat Huff 4&2 in the 2017 final.

Bayley torched the front side in 29 strokes. He was 7 under in a six-hole stretch that included two eagles. He holed out from 75 yards for eagle on the 284-yard par-4 sixth to halve the hole with Huff, a former Eagle High standout who nearly made a hole-in-one.

After closing out the match, Bayley finished out the back side to see if he could break TimberStone’s course record. Bayley made birdies on 14, 15 and 17 to finish at 11-under 61 and match the record.

Bayley won five matches in a three-day span, including a 6&5 win in his opener and an 8&6 quarterfinal victory. Bayley defeated Notre Dame’s Hunter Ostrom, a former Bishop Kelly standout, in 19 holes in the semifinals.

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Golden State’s Klay Thompson reaches fourth consecutive NBA Finals

The former Coug will have a chance to win his third championship ring

By Nick Nordi

Coug Center May 29, 2018

Former Washington State Cougar Klay Thompson helped secure the Golden State Warriors their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals on Monday night with a 101-92 win over the Houston Rockets.

Thompson and the Warriors will start their quest for their second straight championship on Thursday evening at 6:00 pm PT when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers who have been their opponent in those four years.

Thompson, who came up huge in game 6 on Saturday, tallied three fouls in the first four minutes of the game on Monday. After sitting the rest of the first quarter he led the team in the second quarter when he scored 10 of the Warriors 24 points. He kept his composure the rest of the game and only picked up one more foul in the third quarter and finished the game with 19 points.

In his previous three Finals appearances against the Cavaliers he has averaged 19.3 points in his 35.5 minutes per game. So far this season he has averaged 20 points and just over 7 rebounds in his 34.3 minutes per game.

This is the sixth consecutive season that the Cougars have had a former athlete in the NBA Finals. Aron Baynes, who is currently on the Boston Celtics, went 1-1 in the Finals in 2013 and 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs.

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(In story below, note, overall rankings included No. 88 Pullman.)

Spokane, Cheney hoop fans receive high marks in WalletHub rankings

UPDATED: Tue., May 29, 2018, 4:01 p.m.

By Jim Meehan  Spokane S-R

A round of applause for basketball fans in Spokane and perhaps a standing ovation for Cheney.

Gonzaga has ranked among the nation’s top collegiate programs for decades and that was largely reflected in WalletHub’s ranking of the 291 best and worst college and/or NBA cities for basketball fans.

Spokane checked in at No. 1 among best-performing college teams – a metric calculated by average winning percentage over the last three seasons – followed by Lexington, Kentucky; Tucson, Arizona; Dallas and Lawrence, Kansas.

Spokane generally received strong marks in numerous other categories but was just 237th in stadium capacity, based on the McCarthey Athletic Center’s 6,000 seats divided by city’s population.

Spokane was No. 13 for midsized cities, trailing No. 9 Provo, Utah, and No. 12 Eugene, and No. 80 overall, the latter based on 21 metrics.

Los Angeles was No. 1 overall, followed by Boston; Oakland, California; San Antonio and Salt Lake City. Portland was No. 18.

Cheney, home of an Eastern Washington basketball program with three 20-win seasons and one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four years, came in at 57th overall, just behind Stillwater, Oklahoma, and two spots in front of Syracuse, New York.

Cheney was No. 22 in the small-city category.

The overall rankings included No. 62 Provo; No. 73 Eugene; No. 83 Seattle; No. 88 Pullman; No. 94 Moraga, California; No. 254 Moscow, Idaho, and No. 255 Missoula.

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WSU wine researchers working to improve the color and taste of rosés

Tue., May 29, 2018, 5 a.m.

By Mike Prager Spokane S-R

Most people think of rosé wine as a pink drink.

Those who love rosé and admire its appearance in the glass will tell you it is something different.

A good rosé often is closer to salmon or coral in color – distinctly not pink although pink is OK.

Achieving consistency in color and flavor is apparently the challenge for top winemakers.

Kristina Mielke van Loben Sels, wine director at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars in Spokane, said she tried to make a rosé from the Italian sangiovese grape, but wasn’t pleased with the outcome, so she used that wine for blending instead of marketing it as a rosé.

Now she has plans to make rosé from pinot noir grapes out of the acclaimed Conner Lee Vineyard north of Pasco. It should be released in early 2019, she said.

“I love dry rosés. They are wonderful this time of year,” she said. Her color preference is coral. “You’ve got to preserve that gorgeous color,” she said.

To help winemakers, a pair of Washington State University wine researchers is coming up with techniques to achieve consistency in color and flavor as part of the university’s outreach to the growing wine industry.

Rosé is normally sold in clear glass bottles so color is the first thing consumers see when they make a purchase, Jim Harbertson, an associate professor at WSU Tri-Cities, said. “I would say what sells dictates the market.

Making that good first impression is critical. “There is a lot in psychology that goes into perception,” he said.

Rosé is made from dark-skinned grapes. In the initial fermentation, the juice is left to soak with the dark skins from two to 48 hours to impart color into the wine, but not too much color. The length of time on the skins depends on what the winemaker is trying to achieve, Harbertson said.

According to the WSU news service, Harbertson has become “an expert in the science of pink-esque pretty” for the viticulture and enology program at the university.

For years, one of the most popular rosés has been white zinfandel, which shows a pinkish hue but has been frowned on by wine aficionados for being too sweet, cheap and of lesser quality.

Rosé can be made from numerous types of grape varieties, including Grenache, sangiovese, syrah, mourvedre, cinsault and pinot noir, even obscure European varietals.

“There is no right or wrong answer to what someone likes,” Harbertson said. “Consumers like variety.”

As the years go on and consumers become more sophisticated, Washington winemakers have responded by offering more rosés.

But not all of them.

Michael Haig, winemaker at Lake Roosevelt Wine Company, grows the Bordeaux varietals of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot at his family’s estate on the south shore of the lake. He said he would never try to make a rosé from those grapes because they are intended to be used in dark red wine. That said, he is always a fan of well-made rosés, especially those from Spain.

The website for Townshend Cellar on Green Bluff features a photo with two glasses of brut rosé sparkling wine, a longtime favorite of wine drinkers locally. Winemaker Michael Townshend said he is planning to make a still rosé from Grenache or sangiovese from the Willard Vineyard.

“Everyone is into rosé this time of year,” he said during a wine and food event Wednesday in Spokane. “Rosé is magnificent in the right place.”

Rosé’s popularity started growing maybe a decade ago, led at first by trendy types in large urban areas.

Over time, consumers have discovered that a chilled bottle of rosé goes well during warm weather. Grocers already know that as summer approaches, it is time to put more rosés on the shelves.

Many drinkers consider rosé a perfect patio wine. And to stay true to good entertaining, rosé should be served with a variety of foods such as cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, grilled vegetables, salmon, shellfish, salads, olives, chewy breads or light pasta.

“Rosés are so food-friendly. I just love them,” Mielke van Loben Sels said.

Sparkling rosés like the one from Townshend are always a popular choice. There are any number of bubbly rosés imported from Europe and widely available in the U.S.

Harbertson said consumers generally expect a lighter flavor in rosé if the color is lighter. A darker color signals a fuller body in the taste. The color essentially is a clue to what’s inside the bottle, he said.

But getting consistency can be tricky. Bottling causes the color to lighten by as much as 60 to 70 percent. Time in the bottle allows the wine to regain color, he said.

The problem of consistency paired with flavor was brought to Harbertson’s attention by a winemaker who was having issues. The winemaker urged Harbertson and graduate researcher Caroline Merrell to work on the problem.

They discovered that by proper management of sulfur dioxide used in winemaking, the vintner can approach consistency. They also found that spectral and other analysis helps in the blending process. Using more science in the winemaking is a key to rosé success, Harbertson said.

Mielke van Loben Sels said that means using lighter amounts of sulfur, which is typically applied to control fermentation in winemaking.

Across Europe and especially in France, winemaking is governed by a multitude of laws and rules. American winemakers on the other hand are not shackled by a wine bureaucracy, giving them more freedom to be creative, Harbertson said.

Linda Weiford of WSU News said there is even a National Rosé Day on the second Saturday in June. She said one vintner is offering kegs of it for sale.

For many wine drinkers, the color of rosé is the magical thing. Not always pink, it could be a rouge like colors offered at makeup aisles. Other ways to see rosé might be as a blush, berry jam, strawberry, melon or cerise.

WSU’s Weiford came up with one of the more creative rosé hues – ballet slipper pink.

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From Cougfan.com

NEW WSU WOMEN'S basketball coach Kamie Ethridge is making serious tracks in her first month on the job.

She’s signed three players to join Cherilyn Molina in the 2018 recruiting class that arrives on campus this summer and has filled all but one spot on her staff.

The new signees are:

5-10 MICHAELA JONES (Wymore, Nebraska)

"Michaela is a multi-dimensional guard that had a tremendous high school career,” says Ethridge. “She is an aggressive guard that can score at the rim, has a fantastic mid-range

game and can shoot the three. Michaela will bring a tough, competitive and 'run through the wall' disposition to the floor …”

5-11 SHIR LEVY (Ness Ziona, Israel)

"Shir is a dynamic wing player that has tremendous perimeter skills,"says Ethridge. "We love her ability to shoot the three and slash to the basket. Her size and length will be great assets in the Pac-12.  Shir, will come to WSU with a mature game since she has completed her military duty for Israel while playing in their top Division of basketball.”

6-0 ULA MOTUGA (Loganholme, Australia)

"Ula brings a versatile game that we value," says Ethridge. "She has the ability to play any number of positions. Primarily, we envision her as a stretch-4 player who will play in pick and roll and pick and pop situations that will allow her to showcase her range, hands, IQ, and power."

The four members of the recruiting class, plus seven returnees, mean Ethridge has three more recruiting slots still available. She could save them for the 2019 recruiting cycle, which would then give her five slots in that class as the 2018-19 Cougars include just two seniors in Maria Kostourkova and Alex Swedlund.

ETHRIDGE ALSO IS FILLING UP HER coaching staff. Laurie Koehn, an Ethridge assistant at Northern Colorado and a prolific 3-point shooter as a player at Kansas State when Ethridge was an assistant there, is the associate head coach. She played 11 years of pro ball.

Jackie Nared, who spent last season at Oregon and two at Washington before that, is coming on as an assistant coach with a major focus on recruiting, and Katie Shepard, coming from Ethridge’s Northern Colorado staff, will be the video coordinator.

Kate Werner is the lone hold over from Daugherty's staff, as director of operations. Ethridge has one assistant coaching spot to fill.

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