A Grip on Sports: In elevating Anne McCoy as athletic director, WSU made the right choice for the right reasons

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The winds are up on the Palouse. Symbolic tornados have buffeted the region the past few years, not only fracturing the athletic department, but also blowing apart the only conference most Washington State followers have ever known. This despite the Cougars doing everything they could to hold the line, including building debt so deep they may never be able to pay it off. Into this rides Anne McCoy. One has to ask. Why?

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• We know the answer, of course. We wouldn’t have posed it without that knowledge. It is who Anne McCoy is. Has been always. In all ways.

You might not know the newest WSU athletic director – school leader Kirk Schulz pulled the interim title and thrust the veteran administrator into the crucible permanently Tuesday – well enough to make that assessment, but we do. And it’s a good thing.

Let’s use a football analogy to explain what McCoy has meant to Cougar athletics since she came to Pullman in 2001.

Everyone knows the names of the quarterbacks. The receivers. The running backs. But the offensive linemen? They toil in obscurity, doing every little thing they can to ensure the success of the team. Publicity? Acknowledgment? Save that for the stars. The line makes everything work.

Tucked away in a small office in Bohler, McCoy has played a lineman’s role in the Bohler Athletic Complex for more than two decades. Quietly. Efficiently. Effectively. Helping Cougar coaches and athletes reach their potential. Making them feel wanted, valued, supported. All the while developing skills that will be needed to lean into the winds buffeting college athletics the next decade.

The consensus has always been the best hire former WSU athletic director Jim Sterk made in his tenure was basketball coach Dick Bennett and his son Tony. But the hire Sterk made with the longest-term ramifications was McCoy.

They worked together at the University of Maine long ago. When Sterk returned to the Northwest and the challenge of Portland State in 1995, he hired McCoy away from the Black Bears. Five years later, when he moved up to Washington State, he made sure McCoy joined him there.

We can attest there is a generation of Cougar coaches and athletes who are thankful he did. Through a variety of responsibilities under a variety of athletic directors – McCoy not only worked for Sterk but Bill Moos and Pat Chun as well – McCoy supervised a variety of sports, doing the behind-the-scenes work that allows for success – if not recognition. Respect, sure. Gratitude. Appreciation. But not much recognition.

As the department began to fracture under the fund-raising obsessed Chun’s tenure, in many ways McCoy held the place together. Her presence as solid as the bricks that make up the foundation of Bohler. And when Chun left for the school across the mountains, McCoy stepped in and kept the place on track.

It hasn’t been easy. But when you’ve come to call a place home, it’s what you do.

How has McCoy been rewarded? With the biggest challenges ever presented a WSU athletic director. That’s not debatable. Between now and, well, whenever, the Cougars have to chart a new path without a sexton or a clear view of the stars. But one thing is sure. They have someone in charge who will be guided by a compass calibrated over years of supporting and valuing the people who make Washington State athletics special. Will that be enough?

That’s a question to which we don’t know the answer. There may be enough outside McCoy and the Cougars’ control to undermine every ounce of strength.

Unless the goal is to do what’s best for Washington State’s athletics and its future. That’s what McCoy has done for more than two decades outside the spotlight. We’re betting the bright lights won’t change her perspective, effort or vision.

But at least the office should be nicer.

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WSU: Before we delve into the rest of the news today, including a link to Greg Woods’ news story on McCoy’s appointment, we want to send you away. To Ashley Adamson’s guest column on John Canzano’s website. If you are a Pac-12 fan, read it. It is as good as anything we’ve read on the end of the Network and the conference. … Yes, Greg has the McCoy story. Don’t miss it. … Nor should you skip reading John Blanchette’s story on former WSU hurdler CJ Allen (fixed from earlier), who is trying to make the U.S. Olympic team in a bunched field of 400-meter hurdlers. … As NBA free agency is set to begin, one has to wonder where Klay Thompson will end up. Many people associated with the league certainly do. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Monday including more football recruiting news from Washington, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona. … The Oregonian’s football numbers countdown continues. We can pass along No. 67 and 66 for Oregon. … Arizona State isn’t expected to be all that good in the Big 12. … As the four former Pac-12 schools enter Big Ten basketball play in the fall, who has the chops to compete? Jon Wilner focuses on Oregon. … USC may have two players drafted by the NBA, including Bronny James, who doesn’t seem as talented as other prospects. … Adem Bona might give UCLA a pick. … Arizona has a couple players hoping to be selected. … Cal may have one too. … Utah wants to keep women’s basketball coach Lynne Roberts forever. Or 2030, which seems like it. … Colorado is looking for a new cross country coach. It may be hard to find one who will bring the school more success. … Oregon State has a new Hall of Fame class. … Finally, we wish we could be at the introductory press conference for new Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle just so we could ask “a selfish question.” What a debacle.

Gonzaga: Will Anton Watson somehow hear his name called tomorrow night during the NBA draft’s second round? If he does, the Zags’ streak of producing draft picks will continue. We are sure the first-round streak ends tonight, though. Theo Lawson delves into the likelihood Watson will be picked…. Elsewhere in the WCC, a player Watson and GU dominated in their meetings last season, USF’s Jonathan Mogbo, seems to be a good bet to be drafted. We’re not a scout, but what we saw, he and Watson play a similar way though the on-court battles seemed to show Watson was better at most things.

Idaho: Around the Big Sky, we stumbled into Hero Sports’ stories on a few Big Sky football teams it has ranked in the FCS’ top eight. Four in fact. Montana, Montana State, Sacramento State and, of course, the Vandals.

Preps: We have another can’t-miss story to pass along. Greg Lee caught up with B-basketball and Gonzaga legend Tammy Tibbles recently, as the Creston High star is headed to the Hooptown Hall of Fame. The depth of this story is spectacular. … Last night also was the annual Spokane Youth Sports Awards downtown and Dave Nichols was there with this coverage.

Indians: Dave also has coverage of the Indians’ 14-7 loss at Everett, their first of the Northwest League’s second half. … In other NWL action Tuesday, Eugene handled visiting Tri-City 6-2 and host Vancouver shut out Hillsboro 2-0.

Mariners: Please baseball gods, make it stop. We beseech thee. In the name of all that is good and just, let this Mariners’ roadtrip end with a win. Any type of win. The rest of the season can wait. End this madness. Today. We’ll wait to see if we add an “amen.” Until the last game of the nine-game march through perdition. The getaway game in Tampa, one that starts here at 9:10 a.m. on Root. And the radio. Will George Kirby step up? How about the middle of the lineup, whoever Scott Servais and the front office decide should occupy it? The defense? Can the M’s find a way to stave off the disaster of a 2-7 trip with one more run than the Rays? Finishing 3-6 doesn’t sound great, sure, but when you’ve already ensured that’s the best possible finish, it sounds a heck of a lot better than the alternative. Cross your fingers. Sacrifice a spam lamb to the gods. Turn three times in a circle fast, spit into the air and chant something eerie sounding. Do whatever. The season might depend on it. … Last night’s game was tight for about 15 minutes. OK, more than that. But the final score was 11-3 and it was that bad. … Bryan Woo is headed to the injured list once more. … We found the third part of The Athletic’s series on missing bats fascinating, as we’ve always been attuned to baseball’s history.

Seahawks: The Hawks’ training camp schedule is ready to go.

Kraken: Has Seattle become a hockey town? Maybe?

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• Once again we want to warn you we won’t be here tomorrow. Our oldest and dearest friend, the guy who helped us navigate the perils of high school and who stood next to us as we embarked on the life-long journey known as matrimony (and vice-versa), is visiting. In reverence to tradition, we have to arise early and drive slowly to the donut shop, where we will proceed to ingest copious amounts of grease bars, as we used to call them. If there were an In-N-Out anywhere within spitting distance, we would make a pilgrimage there as well. Alas, that has to wait until we visit him in Southern California. Until later …