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Report:
Pac-12 will possibly change conference scheduling model for better matchups
By
Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star June 4, 2018
The
Pac-12 is reportedly considering a change that would bolster marquee matchups
in the conference schedule for the 2018-19 season, a source told Fan Rag
Sports' Jon Rothstein.
Last
week, head coaches voted on projected standings to create a model where the top
teams in the conference would more likely play each other twice.
Per
Rothstein, the Pac-12 will have "travel partners" and listed below
are the reported coaches rankings for the upcoming season.
USC/UCLA
Oregon/Oregon State
Arizona/Arizona State
Washington/Washington State
Stanford/Cal
Colorado/Utah
The
top pair, USC and UCLA, would then have to play the top three seeds in a
home-and-home series with standalone games against the last four, being the Bay
Area schools, Colorado and Utah.
For
instance, last season Arizona played the LA schools once in Tucson, and all
three teams finished in the top four of the Pac-12 and were projected to finish
in the top half of the conference prior to the season. The new model would
ensure the preseason coaches rankings would structure the top teams to play
each other twice during the regular season.
UA
head coach Sean Miller applauded the Pac-12's ambition to discuss possible
scheduling changes during last Thursday's press conference. Miller addressed
the possible increase in conference games from 18 to 20.
"I
don't believe 22 could ever happen, I believe 20 could. We're looking at the
pluses and minuses of it and a lot has been talked about, but no decisions have
been made," Miller said. "We're talking about a lot of things as a
conference scheduling, but the fact that we're talking about it a lot of things
and the month is May and June is great."
:::::::::::
June
05, 2018 / Men's Golf
KEVIN
TUCKER RETURNS TO COUGAR MEN’S GOLF PROGRAM AS ASSISTANT COACH
Tucker
participated in back-to-back NCAA Regional Championships as a golfer at
Washington State from 2006-10.
By:
Washington State Athletics
PULLMAN,
Wash. – A two-time NCAA Golf West Regional Championship participant as a
student-athlete at WSU, Kevin Tucker returns to Washington State University as
the assistant men's golf coach, head coach Dustin White announced Tuesday.
"We
are excited to have Kevin back in Pullman," White said. "His success
as a Coug and at the professional level will bring a great deal of knowledge
and experience to the program. He is a
great fit for Cougar Golf and will be a big asset in recruiting and player
development. The guys will enjoy
learning from and being around Kevin and see what it takes to be
successful. We share the same vision for
where we want to go and look forward to accomplishing a lot of great
things."
As
a member of the Cougar golf team from the fall of 2006 to the spring of 2010,
Tucker became just the second Cougar in school history to be invited to the
NCAA West Regional Championships as an individual as a junior in 2008-09. He
returned to the regional championships as a senior (2009-10), becoming the
first Cougar in school history to receive multiple individual postseason
invitations. He was also a two-time All-Pacific-10 conference honorable mention
honoree (as a junior and senior), becoming just the third Cougar in school
history to garner multiple postseason accolades. Throughout his WSU career,
Tucker compiled nine top-10 and 26 top-25 tournament finishes.
"I'm
excited to be a part of the WSU Men's Golf Program again," Tucker said.
"I look forward to working alongside Dustin to prepare the team for the
highest level of competition."
A
2010 graduate of WSU, Tucker spent the last seven years playing professional
golf while working at various golf clubs. He competed on the PGA Tour Canada
for four years from 2011-14, notching his best finish at the 2013 ATB Financial
Classic where he tied for second. He also spent two seasons on the All-American
Tour in Phoenix from 2011-13 and one season on the Dakotas Tour in 2016, where
his best finish was also second in a playoff loss, at the 2016 South Dakota
Open.
Tucker
worked at various prestigious golf clubs including the Estancia Club in
Scottsdale, Ariz. (2012-16), Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo.
(summer of 2015), and Scottsdale National Golf Club from 2016-18.
A
native of Kennewick, Wash., Tucker graduated from Kennewick High School in
2006. His wife, Ellen Kellie, is a 2011 graduate of Washington State
University.
……………..
Runway
realignment $20M over budget
Officials
say land acquisition contributed to increase
By Scott Jackson, Moscow Pullman Daily News
6/5/2018
Pullman-Moscow
Regional Airport's runway realignment project will cost about $22.5 million
more than initial estimates, but officials say only a small piece of that pie
will fall to local partners.
One
major contributor to the hike was the cost of land acquisition.
Airport
Executive Director Tony Bean said the initial budget for land purchases was $12
million, but the actual cost ended up being about twice that.
Other
factors that drove up cost include unforeseen difficulties in site excavation
and preparation, and $5 million in additional costs in drainage - due in part
to a price hike on pipes.
"The
premium on pipe went up 20 percent just immediately right after the hurricane
season, and it's still up there," Bean said.
Ultimately,
the price for the project went from initial estimates of about $120 million to
a current estimate of $142.5 million.
With
the project about 70 percent complete and one major piece of it left to bid
out, Bean said the current figure is expected to be far closer to the actual
cost of the project.
“Any
time you start a project, you try to protect for the things that you don’t
know, but you never know everything up front,” Bean said.
The
Federal Aviation Administration has committed to supporting 91.88 percent of
the new cost, and the airport will be responsible for an 8.12 percent local
match from its partners.
With
$11.48 million already collected from those partners, Bean said that leaves
just over $146,000 in additional matching funds that must be collected.
“Over
the next three years, we need to raise a $146,410.40,” Bean said. “When you’ve
already got commitments for $11.4 million, finding the other $140,000 — that’s
not very difficult.”
With
just 30 percent of the project left to go, Bean said he expects the runway to
be operational by Oct. 10, as planned.
He
said the final item left to bid out to potential contractors is the
construction of a new taxi-way.
Mead
& Hunt Engineer Jeremy Lee said budgeting for that portion of the project
was intentionally conservative in order to cover any unexpected inflation in
cost.
“We’re
still carrying an escalation and contingency in our unit prices,” Lee said.
“We’re still protecting against the future a little bit. We haven’t assumed
that we have a final price for the project.”
Bean
said in the final phase of the project, the entire airport will have to shut
down for almost a month next year while crews work quickly to pave, install
drainage and set up the new instrument landing system. Bean said the shutdown
will last from Sept. 8, 2019, until Oct. 3, 2019, with commercial service
resuming Oct. 10, 2019.
:::::::::::::::::::::
Gonzaga
basketball
Few
Good Men adds former Eagle Jacob Wiley, ex-Cougar DaVonté Lacy
By
Jim Meehan Spokane S-R
Few
Good Men, the Gonzaga-centric entry in The Basketball Tournament, has added a
few great players well known in the Inland Northwest and beyond.
FGM
bolstered its roster with former Eastern Washington standout Jacob Wiley and
ex-Washington State Cougar guard DaVonté Lacy. They join ex-Zags Matt Bouldin,
Steven Gray, Sam Dower Jr., Drew Barham, Casey Calvary, Blake Stepp and Connor
Griffin in the $2 million, winner-take-all summer tournament.
Few
Good Men is juggling its roster to work around former Gonzaga standout Kevin
Pangos’ late July wedding, roughly the same time frame as TBT’s round-of-16
games. Griffin and Barham are expected to play in the opening weekend, but
won’t be available for the second round because they’re in Pangos’ wedding.
“Kevin
was a four-year Zag and four-year starter and his reach of friends is huge,”
Few Good Men third-year general manager Jordan Piscopo said. “It’s been a fun
challenge. Essentially we’ve had some guys that said if they can’t play the
second weekend, it’s what’s the point of playing the first weekend.”
Wiley
is expected to join Few Good Men if they advance to the second round. The 2017
Big Sky Conference MVP played in five games this season with NBA Brooklyn on a
two-way contract. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 6.6 minutes in five
appearances.
Wiley
played 16 games for Brooklyn’s G-League team in Long Island, averaging 7.6
points and 3.6 rebounds. He was released in January and has seen limited time
with Ludwigsburg, a pro team in Germany’s first division.
Lacy
was a four-year starter at WSU. He averaged 19.4 points as a junior. He
contributed 16.9 points as a senior in 2015 and was first-team All-Pac-12. The
Tacoma native is the Cougars’ all-time leader with 249 3-pointers.
Lacy
put up 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds this season for German pro
team Ehingen. He also has pro experience in Austria in 2015-16.
Former
Zag Rem Bakamus helped Piscopo, Stepp and ex-Gonzaga great Dan Dickau assemble
the roster.
“Rem
knew DaVonté pretty well through the basketball community and same thing with
Jacob,” Piscopo said. “We started with Zags and went from there. DaVonté was an
awesome early get. Jacob is like a Swiss Army knife, he can guard ‘2’ through
‘5’, which is huge in this (tournament).”
A
partnership between TBT and Hoopfest is bringing a four-team West Region pod –
Few Good Men, Team Utah (Utes alumni), Gael Force (Saint Mary’s alumni) and Air
Force Bomb Squad – to Lewis and Clark High School on June 29-30 during Hoopfest
weekend. Pairings haven’t been announced.
“We
have good balance,” Piscopo said. “We don’t have guys that necessarily play
just one position. We have four ballhanders and scorers. We have shooters
across the board and can really spread the floor out.”
The
roster is a work in progress and could be adjusted in the coming weeks and
certainly if FGM advances, Piscopo said. The Hoopfest pod is the earliest of
TBT openers, nearly a month before the Super 16 in Atlanta.
TBT
teams are allowed a maximum of 15 players. It costs $1,000 to add a player
after June 1, $2,000 heading into the second week and $3,000 for the
semifinals.
Former
Gonzaga guard Jeremy Pargo, who helped Few Good Men reach the Super 16 the last
two years, has joined three-time defending champion Overseas Elite. FGM hoped
Pargo would return, but he’s living in Miami and has connections to Overseas
Elite, which is playing in the South Region.
Austin
Daye, a lottery pick after leaving Gonzaga following his sophomore season, is
playing with Team Challenge ALS for the second straight year.
::::::::::::::::::
Pac-12
Networks distribution chief Alden Budill on the sports ‘beachhead,’ the
expanding media day, why she left Oprah and more
By
JON WILNER
San
Jose Mercury News
Originally
posted 5/30 and updated 5/31/2018
*
The latest in an occasional Hotline series on Pac-12 Networks executives.
Previously: president Mark Shuken (parts one and two) …
Budill
was an executive for a major media company and living in Manhattan Beach in the
summer of 2016 when a headhunter asked if she had any interest in joining the
Pac-12 Networks.
Clearly,
that’s a hard pass — perhaps even a hard pass with a roll of the eyes and
slight chuckle.
At
the time, Budill was the Vice President for Distribution Strategy at Discovery
Communications, where her primary focus was the Oprah Winfrey Network. She had
no personal ties to Pac-12 executives, no background in sports media and
oh-by-the-way a 10-minute walk to the ocean.
The
Pac-12 Networks, on the other hand, were struggling to secure eyeballs and
revenue, lagging their peers in the Big Ten and SEC and losing the narrative
across the college football media world.
Why
leave Oprah to get rebuffed by DirecTV?
But
instead of dismissing the inquiry immediately, Budill let it cook. The more she
researched the opportunity, the more enticing it became.
In
fact, the less-than-stellar narrative shadowing the networks was part of the
appeal: Budill became convinced she could make a difference working for a small
company in a hot field (live sports) with content that carried a personal
connection.
Budill
grew up in the Bay Area, attended Stanford games as a kid and had her car radio
permanently tuned to KNBR.
“My
west coast fan DNA runs really, really deep,’’ she said recently. “So on the
selfish side, how awesome to have front-row seat to all that? Because it’s so
proximate and so poignant, I really believe in the fan loyalty and what it
means to figure out how to tap into it.
“I
was under no illusions that it would be easy. I did my diligence. I could see
there was a chance to make a difference and a challenge that was worth
tackling.”
Budill
accepted the offer and, in the late summer of 2016, became the Pac-12 Networks’
Head of Distribution. Her responsibility, according to the conference’s news
release: “Overseeing worldwide distribution of all Pac-12 Networks content
across all platforms.”
She
abandoned Manhattan Beach heaven, moved back to the Bay Area and stepped into
the crosshairs of thousands of frustrated Pac-12 fans.
Three
of those frustrated fans, it turns out, were her cousins.
“They’re
all Bay Area natives, and all three went to Arizona,’’ she recalled with a
laugh. “So the day the announcement came out about me taking the job, they
said, ‘Awesome, we can’t wait for DirecTV!’
“I
said, ‘Hold up a minute, guys. I’m going to find solutions for you. Be patient.
I’ll find a way to get you the content.’’’
Described
by current and former Pac-12 employees as “one of the smartest people in the
building, “always approachable” and “just good people,” Budill is a Harvard
graduate with a master’s from Stanford. She leads a six-person team charged
with strengthening relationships with current partners and with, ahem, finding
new ones.
Her
story … her motivation for leaving Oprah behind and joining the Pac-12 … sheds
light on a side of the networks often shoved aside by the scrutiny on the
modest revenue and subscriber count.
“It
was not a decision that was entered into lightly,’’ she said. “I moved my
family and left a great gig.
“I
had always worked for really big companies (Disney, Discovery). To come into an
organization that is relatively small, relatively nimble, where the work I do
personally and team I lead and influence I can bring — it can have a direct and
tangible impact.
“On
one hand, it’s ‘Oh, god, that’s really scary.’ On the other, it’s, ‘What a
great opportunity to do something that can really leave a mark.’
“There’s
the live element of content that, more than ever, is the thing people
congregate around and talk about in real time. And you also have all of the
stories and humanity that goes along with that.”
Distribution
for an established network like the Pac-12, which turns six in August, is more
long game than short. Budill’s accomplishments thus far range from the palpable
(carriage on fuboTV, expanded distribution on Cox and Charter) to the nuanced:
Strengthening relationship with existing partners in advance of the expiring
carriage contracts early in the 2020s.
“I
have a lot of respect for the operational discipline it takes to put forth 850
live events a year,’’ she said, referring to the Pac-12 Networks’ annual
broadcast total. “There’s this incredible tonnage, and figuring out how to make
the most of that is fascinating.
“I
checked out the content and did the research on the quality and the product. I
would stand the Pac-12 Networks up to companies with more resources and longer
track records.”
As
for DirecTV and her frustrated cousins, Budill did indeed find a solution:
Sling.
“Would
we love to have DirecTV? Absolutely,’’ she said. “But our focus is on that slow
and methodical build of value across our portfolio of partnerships — and doing
that in parallel with evolving our content strategy to create a compelling
product.”
Budill’s
personal story occupied only a portion of our conversation on all things Pac-12
Networks. Her answers were understandably brief on questions of contracts and
partnerships but expansive — and deeply enlightening — on the media landscape.
In
fact, Budill offered one of the most thoughtful statements-of-mission for the
Pac-12 Networks that I’ve heard in many years. (See the question about
misconceptions at the bottom.)
Highlights
from the interview …
***
How would you frame the value of live sports against the larger media
landscape?
“In
a lot ways, sports is one of the most valuable beachheads in the media
industry. That’s not to say sports is immune from the headwinds impacting a
variety of networks out there.
“I
see two things: Aggregating an audience in real time, and sports is kind of the
last and best way to two that; and when you look at true brand and network
loyalty, sports is really uniquely positioned for that.
“Look
at the way purveyors of scripted content have to compete out in the
marketplace: It’s harder and harder to bolster a network brand. Consumer
loyalty, in my opinion, is increasingly to shows and specifics pieces of
content more than to any network’s brand.
“A
diehard viewer of ‘Billions’ might cycle in and out of Showtime when that is or
isn’t on the air, but that’s not the case with sports. People are loyal to
their sports and to their teams and to the rising fortunes of what’s going on
in the landscape.”
***
What feedback have you received from distributors in your 20 months with the
Pac-12 Networks?
“In
regard to potential partners, it’s been very positive. We’re coming to the
table with an amazing tonnage of live sports, and that’s an incredibly
compelling thing to consider.
“We’re
also a smaller decision to make. If a particular network is looking to add tonnage
to a potential offering, we’re an option for them to consider.”
***
Is there room for the Pac-12 regional networks to grow their base, or are they
maxed out?
“I
would refer you to way Fubo carries us. Fubo carries the national in its base
package and then all six regionals in their sports add-on.
“All
of the new players in the marketplace have the ability to gear themselves to
what the audience needs.”
***
Might the Pac-12 expand its streaming deals before football season?
“I
don’t think I can get that specific, but like I said earlier: A big part of our
business is expanding our roster. But I’m not going to handicap it.”
***
Fans have been told that retaining 100 percent ownership allows the networks to
be nimble, but how has that served the fans? Several key streaming services
don’t carry the Pac-12 Networks.
“If
you look at what Hulu and YouTube do carry … we certainly are not alone among
the networks not on those services. And let’s remember that it’s super early.
Most of them have launched in the past year. They’re trying to figure out what
they want to carry.
“There
will be a tremendous amount of evolution in how those product offerings take
shape and what’s the portfolio of content, and we’re just at beginning.”
***
Is there a misconception about the networks in the media narrative?
“If
I’m really being honest, it is sometimes painful to be consistently faced with
the ‘Oh, they’re so challenged’ narrative.
“The
Pac-12 Networks have turned a significant operating surplus every year, they’ve
delivered on the mission to elevate the sports that never had been broadcast
before, and they’ve represented those student athletes in a caring way.
“Because
of our mission, we’re obligated to be very cautious in the way we create
content. The fact that we’re able to do that and stand up such a good product
and deliver an operating surplus — to me, that’s a success story.
“Would
we all like to be making more money? Of course. But I don’t see it as, ‘We’re
challenged.’ I see it as, ‘Wow, we have this amazing foundation to build from,
to evolve into the next phase.’
“When
you look at the trends in the industry, the narrative is that ratings are down,
that TV is done. That’s not true. With linear TV, with people on their couch
looking at the big screen, yes that’s down. But if you look at total content
consumption and factor in mobile and tablets, it’s up.
“The
media day is expanding, so that’s an opportunity, and it’s incumbent on us and
every programmer to find a business that is going to cultivate fans on the
platforms where they live and make them viewers of our content.
“The
‘Pac-12 is challenged’ narrative — I understand why it exists, but I don’t see
that from where I sit. I see lots of opportunity.”
:::::::::
Some
of …
“Seen
& Heard on Planet Coug”
By
Cougfan.com 6/.4/2018
IF
YOU LIKE STATS you’ll love the analytics from SportSource on Washington State
football over the last three seasons. On average trips to the end zone,
defensive mayhem and several other categories, WSU rates highly indeed among
Power 5 teams.
There’s
quite a bit here, including the No. 2 percentage forcing a turnover and No. 7
in defensive mayhem (percentage of plays forcing a sack, TFL, interception or
gained fumble). Here’s the full rundown.
THERE
ARE 89 DAYS left before the Football season opener at Wyoming. While Wyoming’s uniforms leave something to
be desired, the 2018 Cowboys defense looks loaded and the offense should be
better than last year despite QB Josh Allen’s departure. Some think this will
be Craig Bohl’s best team ever in Laramie, hands down. Washington State needs to come out strong on
the road on Sept. 1. Kickoff is 1:30 pm
Mountain/12:30 pm Pacific (TV: CBS Sports Network).
CAL
AND USC Football have two of the most difficult three-game stretches in the
Power 5 this season, ESPN’s Chris Low writes.
WSU makes up part of each. For Cal, “The telltale stretch includes the
state of Washington double whammy: No. 6 Washington at home and then a trip to
Washington State the very next week.”
For USC, “After opening the 2018 campaign against UNLV, USC travels to
No. 14 Stanford and No. 22 Texas in back-to-back weeks. And then on a short
week, the Trojans come back home to face Washington State on a Friday.”
ACCORDING
TO Pro Football Focus, the guy who made the most tacklers miss on receptions
among 2019 draft-eligible running backs is the Cougs' James Williams (33). He’s followed by Iowa State’s David
Montgomery (23), Central Michigan’s Jonathan Ward (21) and UW’s Myles Gaskin
(12).
FUTURE
COUG QB Gunner Cruz, a day after he verballed to Wazzu, led Casteel High to a
first-place finish at ASU’s 7x7 Passing Camp.
CBSSPORTS
SAYS Washington State has the fifth-best odds at 14-to-1 to win the Pac-12
title, behind UW, Stanford, USC and Oregon. Click here for its odds to win the
Pac-12 title.
SEASON
RV PASSES for the football season went on sale June 4, 2018, for CAF Rankings
1-249, according to the CAF Twitter handle, and will continue through June
13. For more information, including the
RV Map and to purchase, click here and here or call the ticket office at
1-800-GO-COUGS.
THE
MLB DRAFT gets underway tonight. Rounds
1-2 are Monday, followed by rounds 3-10 on Tuesday and rounds 11-40 on
Wednesday. Pitcher Scotty Sunitsch might be the first Cougar off the board on
Wednesday, if you believe the speculation on the web. WSU baseball has had five seasons since 1995
with fewer than 20 wins, including two of the last three.
………………………..
Inspiring
journey brings new dean to WSU
June
4, 2018 from WSU College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences
To
hear him tell the story, André-Denis Wright might have left college to chase
the dream of a career in professional football had his mother not laid down the
law. “She was a woman of color, raising a son by herself, and she made it very
clear that furthering my education was not only her expectation, but the only
option I had. I would graduate from university. Period. The end.”
That
decision to stay in school marked the beginning of a journey that would lead
the incoming dean of Washington State University’s College of Agricultural,
Human and Natural Resource Sciences not just around the world but into the
unexplored reaches of modern molecular biology. His work using next-generation
sequencing and bioinformatics has helped researchers examine the gut microbiome
of animals, including humans, to better understand the interactions between gut
bacteria and their hosts.
Wright’s
research has earned him international renown — he has served as an external
scientific reviewer for the governments of Canada, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Scotland, and Switzerland. In the US, he has served on several national boards
and review panels including the USDA, NSF, and NASA. Among the practical
applications of his research is the development of diagnostic tools for the
prevention and early detection of colon cancer.
Even
in this bacterial world only visible under a microscope, the influence of his
mother is ever present. In May 2000, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal
cancer. After rounds of chemotherapy and a brief remission, she passed away in
2002. Cancer is largely a disease in which early detection affords better
outcomes and watching his mother’s courageous battle strengthened Wright’s
resolve to develop a better diagnostic tool, one that can detect disease at its
earliest stages. His pioneering research in the microbial communities in the
rumen of cattle and sheep was the perfect segue into the human gut microbiome.
By
using DNA markers, Wright pioneered technology that can identify microbial
changes in the human colon during the onset of colorectal cancer, Crohn’s
disease, and diverticulosis, and although there is still more research to be
done before a reliable test is available on the market, his work has paved the
way. In 2008, the ciliated protozoan, Apokeronopsis wrighti, was named after
Dr. Wright in recognition of his contributions to microbiology.
And
though he won’t be the first to admit it, leadership seems to come as naturally
to him as scholastic excellence. The skills he developed as a captain in the
Canadian Air Force CIL Reserve have served him well in a multitude of
professional capacities and appointments — from his early days as a project
leader at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in
Australia to Director of the University of Arizona’s School of Animal and
Comparative Biomedical Sciences.
Wright’s
colleagues throughout his career say that he is that rare blend of humility and
intellect, applying his formidable energy to make life better for those around
him. His commitment to empowering others
creates partnerships and builds bridges. It’s a legacy that will serve CAHNRS
and WSU well as we continue our commitment to excellence in research,
education, and outreach. It’s a legacy that any mother would be proud of.
…..
June
5, 2018 / WSU Men's Golf
KEVIN
TUCKER RETURNS, NOW WSU MEN’S GOLF ASSISTANT COACH
Tucker
participated in back-to-back NCAA Regional Championships as a golfer at
Washington State from 2006-10.
From
WSU Sports Info
PULLMAN,
Wash. – A two-time NCAA Golf West Regional Championship participant as a
student-athlete at WSU, Kevin Tucker returns to Washington State University as
the assistant men's golf coach, head coach Dustin White announced Tuesday.
"We
are excited to have Kevin back in Pullman," White said. "His success
as a Coug and at the professional level will bring a great deal of knowledge
and experience to the program. He is a
great fit for Cougar Golf and will be a big asset in recruiting and player
development. The guys will enjoy
learning from and being around Kevin and see what it takes to be
successful. We share the same vision for
where we want to go and look forward to accomplishing a lot of great
things."
As
a member of the Cougar golf team from the fall of 2006 to the spring of 2010,
Tucker became just the second Cougar in school history to be invited to the
NCAA West Regional Championships as an individual as a junior in 2008-09. He
returned to the regional championships as a senior (2009-10), becoming the
first Cougar in school history to receive multiple individual postseason
invitations. He was also a two-time All-Pacific-10 conference honorable mention
honoree (as a junior and senior), becoming just the third Cougar in school
history to garner multiple postseason accolades. Throughout his WSU career,
Tucker compiled nine top-10 and 26 top-25 tournament finishes.
"I'm
excited to be a part of the WSU Men's Golf Program again," Tucker said.
"I look forward to working alongside Dustin to prepare the team for the
highest level of competition."
A
2010 graduate of WSU, Tucker spent the last seven years playing professional
golf while working at various golf clubs. He competed on the PGA Tour Canada
for four years from 2011-14, notching his best finish at the 2013 ATB Financial
Classic where he tied for second. He also spent two seasons on the All-American
Tour in Phoenix from 2011-13 and one season on the Dakotas Tour in 2016, where
his best finish was also second in a playoff loss, at the 2016 South Dakota
Open.
Tucker
worked at various prestigious golf clubs including the Estancia Club in
Scottsdale, Ariz. (2012-16), Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo.
(summer of 2015), and Scottsdale National Golf Club from 2016-18.
A
native of Kennewick, Tucker graduated
from Kennewick High School in 2006. His wife, Ellen Kellie, is a 2011 graduate
of Washington State University.
#
