WSU Athletics announced yesterday that both women’s basketball head coach Kamie Ethridge and men’s basketball head coach David Riley have been extended through the 2030-31 season.
The extensions for both coaches reflect their successes so far in their WSU careers. Both were previously under contract through the end of 2030, and both have agreed to add an additional year to their contracts.
Ethridge was hired by Wazzu in 2018 and turned around the women’s basketball program. She led the team to a historic three-year stretch from 2021-23. Despite finishing with the seventh, third and seventh seeds in the Pac-12, WSU pulled off a rare three-peat, winning the Pac-12 tournament three years in a row.
Washington State head coach Kamie Ethridge yells instructions to her bench after a tough play.
Washington State head coach Kamie Ethridge yells instructions to her bench after a tough play.[/caption]
Ethridge is currently preparing for her first West Coast Conference tournament as the third seed. It is a position she has been in before, and she has proven herself as one of the best big-game coaches in the NCAA.
In addition to her tournament success, she has secured four straight winning seasons on the Palouse, building a winning culture.
Riley is in his first season as the men’s basketball head coach. He was hired to replace Kyle Smith and took over a team that had lost all but two of its players despite winning a game in the NCAA tournament.
Riley built the team up with transfers and freshmen, guiding them to a 13-3 record to start the year, their best start since 2008 when they also went 13-3. From there the team scuffled, but Riley has secured a winning season at 18-13 and is the sixth seed in the WCC.
Newly signed head coach David Riley arrives for his press conference, April 4, in Pullman, Wash.
“We have a great foundation that we’ve built here in year one,” said Riley. “There’s gonna be a lot of fun times, a lot of good wins.”
Senior forward Ethan Price has started every game that Riley has coached at the Division 1 level. He was a freshman at Eastern Washington University when Riley was hired, and has been with him every step of the way so far. With Price graduating soon, Riley will have to find new leaders to step up. Price does not think it will be a problem.
“He’s had so many great players come through,” said Price. “I don’t think Coach Riley’s success is down to me, obviously I like to think I’m a little part of it, for sure, but he’ll be just fine … there’s gonna be success at Washington State for many years.”
Fellow senior Dane Erikstrup, who has played under Riley for the past three years, said Riley was like family to him.
“You spend more time with him than you do with anyone else in your life,” said Erikstrup. “I have a feeling in the next two to three, (WSU) can be running this conference, so I think they’ll do great.”
Riley has acknowledged throughout the season that he is not a perfect head coach, and still has a lot of room to grow.
“I just gotta get better,” said Riley after the Cougs loss to Saint Mary’s in January. “I just feel like we’re learning a ton … there’s times, including today, where I just feel like I’ve let these guys down. If I had made a couple more adjustments … you’re learning a lot.”
He knows his strengths and weaknesses and knows how he can improve, a sign of a good coach.
With both Ethridge and Riley locked down for the next six years, the Cougars now head to Las Vegas for the WCC tournament, which begins on Saturday for the men and Sunday for the women.
