Five outstanding legends of Washington State University sports were inducted into the WSU Sports Hall of Fame in September.
Alissa Brooks-Johnson (women’s track and field, 2013–18): Brooks-Johnson’s competitive fire was sparked in the tiny Washington town of Doty, and continued as a top heptathlete at WSU. “I’m a competitor and always going to be up for a challenge,” she says. “I love being the underdog. It fills my drive.”
Alissa Brooks-Johnson ’18 (Courtesy WSU Athletics)
Micaela Castain (soccer, 2010–13): Castain led the Cougar soccer team to NCAA tournament appearances and victories with humility, courage, and skill. “The mark of anybody in life is can you leave it in a better place than you found it,” former soccer coach Matt Potter says. “She left a footprint there.”
Micaela Castain ’14 (Courtesy WSU Athletics)
Don Collins (men’s basketball, 1976–80): Collins delighted fans and WSU students at Friel Court throughout his basketball career with steals, slam dunks, and athletic moves. As part of coach George Raveling’s squad, he was second in career scoring at WSU, along with a number of honors. “I believe that Donald was put on planet Earth to play the game of basketball,” Raveling says. “Donald loved the game. And he manifested his love by the way he played.”
Don Collins x’80 (Courtesy WSU Athletics)
DeWayne Patterson (football, 1990–1994): The Sackmaster, a defensive end in the early 1990s, was “a tremendous leader. He had a knack for rushing the passer,” says his coach Mike Price. He used that knack to wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
DeWayne Patterson x’94 (Courtesy WSU Athletics)
Mike Leach (football coach, 2012–19): Colorful coach Leach passed away December 12, 2022, but his spirit continues to live on through his stories. “I’d say 80 percent of what we talked about had nothing to do with football,” says Bill Moos, former WSU athletics director who hired Leach. On the field, Leach brought high-flying offenses and multiple bowl appearances.
Mike Leach (Courtesy WSU Athletics)
Read stories about the student-athletes and former coach Leach.