Wazzu Weekly Sept. 9, 2022

Cougs dominate holiday weekend, Serena Williams caps tremendous career

The+WSU+special+teams+unit+lines+up+for+an+extra+point+during+an+NCAA+football+match+against+Idaho%2C+Sep.+3%2C+at+Martin+Stadium.

KELLY LIM

The WSU special teams unit lines up for an extra point during an NCAA football match against Idaho, Sep. 3, at Martin Stadium.

SAM TAYLOR, Evergreen sports co-editor

Cougar Football Saturdays are back, baby! And so is another edition of Wazzu Weekly.

WSU volleyball, football and soccer each went undefeated over the weekend all right here in Pullman and the cross country teams teed off their season at the Colfax Invitational. Transfer students such as volleyball’s Laura Jansen and football’s Daiyan Henley impressed in their first Pullman performances.

In the wider world of sports, Serena Williams played her final professional tennis match, marking the end of a legendary career. Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm lost in the WNBA playoffs marking the end of Bird’s phenomenal career as well.

The Seattle Mariners hold a 99% chance to make the MLB playoffs, according to FanGraphs.

Below you will find links to the best news and columns from your dedicated Daily Evergreen sports section in this week’s Wazzu Weekly.

Cougs prepare to head ‘on Wisconsin’

TREVOR JUNT, Evergreen reporter • Sept. 8, 2022

WSU will play Wisconsin for the first time in 15 years on Saturday. The last time the Cougs played the Badgers was Sept. 1, 2007. In that game, the Badgers won 42-21, Michael Bumpus, Seattle Sports Radio…

COLE QUINN
WSU running back Nakia Watson (25) runs down field during an NCAA football match against Idaho, Sep. 3, at Martin Stadium.

More on WSU football:

Cougars beat Idaho 24-17 in gritty Battle of the Palouse

Transfer student-athletes find immediate success

Week one chaos in Pac-12 football

Junt’s Hunch: WSU football 2022 season preview

 

Volleyball looks to extend winning streak 

BRANDON WILLMAN Evergreen reporter • Sept. 8, 2022

WSU volleyball (5-1) looks to continue its three-game win streak this weekend as they travel to Fairfield, Connecticut to compete in the Fairfield Invitational. Following their performances of the…

KHOI VU
WSU’s Argentina Ung (12) sets the ball for middle blocker Magda Jehlarova (15) during an NCAA volleyball match against CSU Bakersfield, Sep. 2, in Bohler Gymnasium.

More on WSU volleyball:

Cougar Challenge overwhelming success for volleyball 

Transfer student-athletes find immediate success

Soccer seeks fourth-straight win

JAKE HULL, Evergreen reporter • Sept. 8, 2022

WSU soccer (3-1-1) is set to host the Cal Poly Mustangs Sunday where WSU looks to stay undefeated at home. Kickoff is set for noon at the Lower Soccer Field. All time, WSU is 1-2 against Cal Poly with…

COLE QUINN
WSU midfielder Sydney Studer heads the ball during an NCAA women’s soccer match against Denver, Sep. 5, at Lower Soccer Field.

More on WSU soccer:

Soccer extends unbeaten streak to four after two weekend wins

Coug cross country tees off season at home invitational

Hayden Stinchfield • Sept. 6, 2022

The WSU cross country Invitational at the Colfax Golf Club was held Thursday kicking off the season close to home against University of Idaho Vandals. The men’s team did not win their half of the…

DEX ALTAVILLA
WSU’s Brian Barsaiya (left), Kelvin Limo (middle), and Leif Swanson (right) race across Colfax Golf Club, Sep. 5.

Columns

Transfer student-athletes find immediate success

Brandon Willman Evergreen reporter • Sept. 8, 2022

Changing schools can be incredibly difficult, especially when you are a student-athlete entering a completely new atmosphere and culture. However, three transfer athletes for…

ANH NGO
Transfers Daiyan Henley (left), Laura Jansen (center) and Cam Ward (right) each made immediate impacts for their team over the holiday weekend.

Week one chaos in Pac-12 football

TREVOR JUNT, Evergreen reporter • Sept. 8, 2022

What in the world is happening in Pac-12 football? College football is probably the hardest sport to predict, so many wild things happen each Saturday. In no way could I have predicted what happened…

GRACIE ROGERS
Week one for Pac-12 football was wild with Oregon and Utah ending their hopes at a National Championship before they started and USC looking like a contender.

The women’s Tennis GOAT calls it a career

BRANDON WILLMAN Evergreen columnist • Sept. 8, 2022

Seventy-three singles titles. Twenty-three doubles titles. Two mixed doubles titles. Four Olympic gold medals. The most singles grand slam titles by anyone during the open era. Most consecutive weeks ranked…

STELA SZABOOVA
Serena Williams is the GOAT of tennis with73 singles titles, 23 doubles titles, two mixed doubles titles and four Olympic gold medals but her impact extends beyond the court.

 

NCAA playoff expansion will not fix football

Hayden Stinchfield • Sept. 8, 2022

Since the current playoff system was put in place in 2014, college football fans have been wanting expansion, to make the Playoff National Championship into a system similar to the NFL or NBA. On September…

Julio is here to stay

SAM TAYLOR, Evergreen sports editor • Sept. 8, 2022

I love Julio Rodriguez and you should too. Julio is the perfect blend of everything that makes baseball brilliant. His youthful energy, contagious smile, appreciation and service to the fans, precision…

ANH NGO
Julio Rodríguez has been nothing short of a superstar for the Seattle Mariners and singed what could be the most lucrative deal in American sports history in August.

The NFL has a culture problem

Brandon Willman Evergreen columnist • Sept. 1, 2022

STELA SZABOOVA
Under Roger Goodell’s watch, the NFL has been criticized for a lack of severe punishments in response to instances of sexual assult committed by players.

Gallery:

That is all for this week. Thank you for reading and Go Cougs!