Washington State University Athletics

Paul Sorensen’s time in a Cougar uniform may have been brief; having arrived in Pullman following two seasons at Diablo Valley College, but his impact was lasting. Sorensen was an All-American defensive back for the Cougars from 1980-81, amassing 149 tackles and five interceptions. As a senior he helped lead Washington State to an 8-3-1 record and a berth in the Holiday Bowl, the Cougars’ first bowl game in 50 years. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native made 68 tackles as a junior and finished fourth on the team with 81 tackles to go along with four interceptions during his senior season. During that final campaign, he earned First-Team All-America honors from Football News and the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and second-team honors by The Sporting News. He also tied a school record with three interceptions against Arizona, after which he was named Sports Illustrated’s Defensive Player of the Week. A two-time Pacific-10 Conference All-Academic selection, he garnered first-team All-West Coast accolades by UPI and the Pac-10 Conference, and honorable mention Academic All-America honors as a senior. Following his WSU career, Sorensen went on to play in the East-West Shrine Game and Japan Bowl before being selected in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Sorensen spent parts of two seasons with Cincinnati and San Francisco before injuries ended his career in 1983. He graduated from WSU in 1983 with a marketing degree and remained active in college athletics following his professional career, serving as the marketing and promotions director for the Spokane Cougar Club Foundation, as well as being a color analyst for Cougar football and Eastern Washington University.