Washington State announced earlier this year that Steve Gleason will be the lone Hall of Fame inductee this year, and that he would be honored during a home game this season.

Well, it's been apparent that the game would be the Apple Cup since it's been the Cougars' only remaining home game for a few weeks now. But now we know precisely when it will happen, thanks to a press release today from WSU Athletics. Gleason will be honored between the first and second quarters on Saturday. WSU Team Gleason (which is distinct from the New Orleans-based Team Gleason organization) is doing some cool things with technology to help people with ALS and will have a presence at the game to raise ALS awareness.

The school's release is after the jump.

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Washington State to Induct Steve Gleason into Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday

 

PULLMAN, Wash. – Cougar great Steve Gleason will be inducted into the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame in an in-game presentation Saturday, WSU Director of Athletics Bill Moos announced Tuesday. 

 

In an unprecedented move, Gleason will be the sole member of the 2014 class and will be recognized in between the first and second quarters of this year’s Apple Cup.

 

“Steve is a tremendous Cougar and his induction Saturday night into the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame is well deserved,” said Moos. “With a sold-out Martin Stadium for the Apple Cup, I can think of no better setting to highlight Steve’s accomplishments than in front of a fan base that has admired him for so many years.”

 

Gleason was a four-year letterwinner in both football and baseball during his time at Washington State (1995-99). On the football field he was a two-time team captain, garnered All-Pacific-10 Conference honors three times and finished his career with 282 tackles, ninth-most in school history. As a member of the baseball team Gleason served as team captain his senior year and his 12 career triples were tied for third when he left.

 

Academically Gleason was a four-time Pacific-10 All-Academic selection for football, including first-team honors his junior and senior seasons. As a senior he was also a GTE Academic All-District VIII First Team selection and received WSU’s Beulah M. Blankenship Outstanding Student-Athlete award and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board Outstanding Senior Award.

 

Gleason went on to play in the NFL for seven seasons (2000-07), all with the New Orleans Saints. As a player he may be best remembered for blocking a punt that resulted in a touchdown in the Saints first game in New Orleans’ in nearly 21 months following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. 

 

Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 and since that time he, along with his foundation, Team Gleason, has been a global leader in raising awareness and improving the lives of those affected by the disease. 

 

Gleason will join the current 177 members of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame. 

 

The hall of fame was chartered in 1978, at the directive of then-WSU President Glenn Terrell and WSU Athletic Director Sam Jankovich.

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