Hall of Fame
Laurie Niemi, who came to Washington State from Clarkston High School, was one of the all-time great Cougar linemen when he donned a Cougar uniform from 1946-48. Niemi capped his career by being named to the International News Service All-America first team at tackle, winning the J. Fred Bohler Award for inspirational play and participating in the East-West Shrine and Hula Bowl games. That same season he was an all-conference and all-West Coast first-team selection. Following college he played professionally for the Washington Redskins for five seasons after being a second-round pick in 1949, and was a two-time All-Pro selection (1951-52). Niemi returned to WSU in 1957 as an assistant coach under Jim Sutherland and remained until he joined the staff of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1961. Three years later he came back to WSU to work with Bert Clark for four seasons before his death in 1968. That season the Cougar football program initiated the Laurie Niemi Award, given annually to the senior who best shows the courage, spirit and attitude of the Cougar great. In 2007 he was inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.
