It is so great to be back! I am certainly enjoying the feeling of walking down the mall, seeing friends practically everywhere I go and getting into the swing of a new semester.

Check out deputy sports editor Trevor Junt and I’s welcome letter here: What to expect from the sports section — letter from the editors

Another thing you and I should not take for granted is our incredible basketball squads. Many expected women’s head coach Kamie Ethridge’s team to do well after two straight NCAA Tournament bids and expectations were fairly high for fourth-year men’s head coach Kyle Smith despite the fact that he lost most of his starting lineup from last season but both teams have delivered.

The men are fresh off of their biggest win in program history, a dominant 74-61 win over No. 9 (then No. 5) Arizona.

The Cougs are for real, pay some attention

The women struggled at home without their team leader Charlisse Leger-Walker but nearly defeated Utah after trailing by as much as 20 near halftime to come back to tie the game in the final minutes.

Charlisse Leger-Walker continues to dazzle as one of the best players in the nation and will be key as the Cougs head to Oregon over the weekend.

There are some new faces in the Cougar football complex this semester thanks to a wave of transfers, early 2023 recruitment signings and new coaches including new offensive and defensive coordinators. Learn more about those new coordinators including an OC who led a top-10 NCAA Division-I offense at just 27 years old last season and the DC with local ties to the inland northwest fresh off an SEC job.

First pitch for WSU baseball is one month away. What can Cougs expect from head coach Brian Greene’s 2023 squad?

 The Kansas City Current drafted WSU soccer’s Mykiaa Minniss Thursday night in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer Leauge Draft.

Former WSU soccer star Elyse Bennett was traded by the Kansas City Current to the OL Reign in Seattle in a return to the pacific northwest. Although she will return to the pacific northwest, she leaves the team her former college teammate Minniss will join.

Could Klay Thompson join a new team next year? Which Cougs are in the NFL playoffs? Find out how Cougars are doing in the pros in the latest Pro Cougs Tracker here.

Featured Stories:

A career recognized; Jen Greeny WIAA Hall of Fame class of 2022 Greeny will be recognized for her standout play at Davenport High School and WSU.

The new essential worker in sports business: digital content creators The future of sports media will be driven by digital content creators. Meet some of the people who are blazing the trail here at Wazzu and beyond.

The NFL has a bigger culture problem: The reaction to Damar Hamlin’s shocking injury was overwhelmingly positive but some inhumane responses present a larger issue of the lack of sympathy given to players undergoing physical and mental health struggles.

Local soccer officials face abuse A lack of willing referees has much to do with the abuse referees face from youth players and parents.

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