The Thanksgiving season always brings a chance to slow down and appreciate the athletes who make WSU athletics feel special. This year, even with the ups, downs and reloading phases across multiple programs, a handful of Cougs have stood out, not just because of their stats, but because of the identity they bring to Pullman. Here are the top five athletes to be thankful for.
- Keira Mitchell
Keira Mitchell has brought grit and technical skill to the Cougar soccer program. After redshirting her freshman year due to injury, she returned in 2025 ready to contribute, making her first collegiate start early in the season. She made things happen, notching her first assist in a tight match at Idaho. She knocked in a goal against Pacific in the last game of the season. Her background is just as compelling: raised in a competitive club system with Albion SC Colorado, she’s used to pressure and high expectations. That experience shows she carries herself with maturity, and gives the Cougs a real presence on the back line and brings the Cougar Spirit.
- Tómas Thrastarson
Meanwhile, on the hardwood, Tómas Thrastarson has quietly become one of the most promising young pieces for WSU men’s basketball. The Iceland native did not just come to Pullman; he made an instant impact. In his freshman season, he played in over 30 games and even earned All-WCC Freshman team honors. Thrastorson put up 19 points against St. Thomas, showing he can carry the offense. It’s not just scoring with him, though; his size, basketball IQ, and improving all-around game make him a foundational piece as WSU looks to climb.
- Zevi Eckhaus
He did not just walk into a starting spot; he had earned it the hard way. After three seasons at Bryant, where he set records and earned all-conference honors, he transferred to Pullman in 2024 and became a stabilizing presence under center. After losing the starting job to John Mateer in 2024, he gained the fans’ trust playing in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl after Mateer transferred to Oklahoma. Eckhaus was then put back on the bench when the new head coach, Jimmy Rogers, came. Eckhaus stuck it out and earned the starting job halfway through the season.
This year, his experience has paid off in big games. Eckahaus’s leadership has stood out this season, leading the Cougs in rushing yards and touchdowns. His poise, leadership and dual-threat ability remind Cougar fans why they believed in him and why the fans chanted “We want Zevi” earlier on.
- Evans Kurui
Evans Kurui might quietly be redefining distance running at WSU. As a freshman, he excelled, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors while posting some of the fastest times in Cougar history. On the track, he is climbing the WSU record books: in the indoor 5,000-meter race, his time ranks among the very best ever posted by a Cougar athlete. He’s balancing elite-level performance with academic success. Kurui brings victory back to the Cougar legacy.
- Emily Lundgren
Emily Lundgren has been the number one athlete for the Cougars. She holds numerous WSU records. Lundgren has become one of the brightest stars in WSU swimming, and it’s easy to see why. She put together one of the best years any Cougar swimmer has ever had, winning Mountain West Swimmer of the Year last season, breaking multiple school and pool records, and qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the 100 breast, 200 breast and 200 IM. Her biggest accomplishment came on the national stage, where she finished No. 6 in the NCAA final of the 200 breaststroke, the highest finish ever by a WSU swimmer in that event. She also dominated dual meets, piling up more than 50 career individual wins and leading WSU relays to new program best times. Lundgren has been a highlight reel of swimming and has led the Cougs to victory.
