PULLMAN, Wash. (June 25, 2024) – Washington State University President Kirk Schulz has removed the interim tag and named Anne McCoy as the WSU Director of Athletics, it was announced Tuesday. McCoy, who spent the last three months as Interim Director of Athletics, officially becomes the 15th person to lead Cougar Athletics and the first woman to hold the position. Cougar Athletics will introduce McCoy to media and community members July 16 at the Alger Family Club Room at Gesa Field, with more details to follow.
 
"Anne's experience within college athletics, her reputation among her peers, and most importantly, her passion and commitment to WSU, make her the perfect fit to move Cougar Athletics forward as our next director of athletics," said Schulz. "Her accomplishments over the past months, and throughout her more than two decades as a college administrator, reflect on her leadership, vision, and ability to unite Coug Nation. We are fortunate to have Anne leading Cougar Athletics."
 
McCoy is no stranger to WSU, serving a variety of roles on the senior administrative team since arriving in 2001 as associate director of athletics for internal operations. McCoy, who was hired by former Cougar Athletic Director Jim Sterk, has risen within the athletic department. Most recently, she served as senior deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator (SWA) before assuming the interim director of athletics title in March of this year.
 
"Washington State University is an amazing and special place that has been a huge part of our family for over 23 years. It is home," said McCoy. "Serving this institution with its tremendous history is an honor and one I don't take lightly. I'd like to thank President Schulz and the Board of Regents for entrusting me to lead this talented group of coaches, staff and student-athletes. It is an opportunity unmatched anywhere in the country and there is no place I would rather be than WSU."
 
Throughout her time on WSU's senior leadership team, McCoy has been actively involved with all facets of the department, having a role in all head coaching hires since her arrival, including all current head coaches. McCoy has played a role in each area of Cougar Athletics during her tenure and served in a supervisory capacity for every WSU sport.
 
"Anne McCoy is the perfect person to lead WSU Athletics into the great unknown!," said WSU Faculty Athletic Representative Nancy Swanger. "Her institutional knowledge, loyalty to the university, and natural ability to build strong relationships is just what is needed. She will not shy away from fierce conversations and will lead with transparency and inclusiveness of all relevant stakeholders—first and foremost being the student-athletes on this campus. Most importantly, it will never be about Anne and that matters now more than ever."

Most recently, McCoy served as WSU's interim director of athletics since late March of 2024. In the span of three months in the interim role, McCoy secured the hiring of WSU Men's Basketball Head Coach David Riley, Head Swimming Coach Russ Whitaker and Head Women's Golf Coach Kevin Tucker, extending the contract of Women's Head Basketball Coach Kamie Ethridge, secured a home for baseball and women's swimming through affiliate membership with the Mountain West Conference for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, and was involved with the Pac-12 Conference' securing a media rights agreement with the CW Network and FOX for the 2024 football season.
 
Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould added: "There is no one more equipped to provide Washington State with the leadership necessary to navigate the changing landscape of college athletics than Anne McCoy. I have had the pleasure of knowing Anne for nearly 25 years and have witnessed firsthand her passion for delivering a quality student-athlete experience and building nationally-competitive programs. Her long-standing tenure with WSU puts her in a unique position to make an immediate impact and build upon the impressive track record of success she has already demonstrated on the Palouse. I look forward to partnering with Anne to forge an exciting future for the Cougs!"
 
Prior to serving in the interim role, McCoy served as senior deputy director of athletics where she was charged with supervising all aspects of WSU's day-to-day operations. McCoy is also the athletic department liaison to WSU's Compliance and Civil Rights office on all matters relating to Title IX. 
 
In 2023, McCoy received the Chancellor's Awards for Leadership, an honor bestowed to top leaders at WSU. McCoy has been active on national and conference committees throughout her time at WSU, most recently, concluding an appointment as the liaison to the Pac-12 Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coaches.
 
She has completed positions on several other national and conference committees, including being Vice President of the Pac-12 Executive Committee and serving on the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament and Nominating Committees, the Pac-12 Diversity Leadership Initiative, the Pac-10 Senior Woman Administrator and Television committees, the Pac-10 Budget, Finance, Compliance and Enforcement committee and past chair of the NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Committee.
 
Prior to arriving in Pullman, McCoy spent five years on the staff at Portland State University, beginning in 1996 as associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, and was promoted to senior associate director of athletics in 1998. At PSU, she managed all internal staff and the daily operations of the department, representing the director of athletics as needed. McCoy also supervised men's and women's golf, cross country/track and field, and women's volleyball, soccer, tennis and softball.


From 1989-95, McCoy served in several capacities at the University of Maine, lastly as associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator. At Maine, she supervised men's basketball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming and softball in addition to the athletic business office, ticket office, retail store and cheerleading staff and operations. She took a similar administrative position at Saint Louis University for the 1995-96 academic year.

A Wisconsin native, McCoy earned a bachelor's degree in sports management in 1989 from the University of Massachusetts. While an undergraduate, she worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins professional hockey organization, expanding the club's season ticket base. McCoy also served an internship as the assistant athletic business manager at the University of Connecticut.

McCoy and her husband Brian have two children, daughter Taylor, a former swimming student-athlete at Washington State who holds two school records, and son Jake, a highly recruited high school swimmer who will attend Tennessee in the fall of 2025.
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Lisa Keohokalole Schauer, Chair, WSU Board of Regents:
"Anne has been a steadfast leader in Cougar Athletics for more than 20 years. Her commitment to developing our student-athletes and supporting our coaches makes Anne the absolute right leader at this important time at WSU."
 
Tony Bennett, Former WSU and current Virginia Men's Basketball Head Coach:
"Anne McCoy is one of the more special athletic administrators I've worked for. She isn't good, she's excellent. During my and my father's time at Washington State, she got things done and helped us move the basketball program forward in many different ways. If I were a coach, I would be ecstatic to have Anne to help me in leading a program. Anne knows what it takes and is a fierce competitor while being kind and compassionate. She values the student-athlete experience and also supports her coaches. This is a great day for Washington State Athletics."
 
Duane Brelsford, President and Managing Partner, Corporate Pointe Developers LLC
"I am pleased to hear that Anne McCoy will remain at WSU in her new role of Athletic Director.  WSU has endured a flood of recent exodus, and to provide some desperately needed stability, and most importantly, to have someone with the deep experience from back office to the front that Anne provides, is very rare and important. Anne brings with her the needed passion for WSU, along with years and years of experience since she arrived with the Jim Sterk regime. Anne is dedicated to WSU as well as the Pullman community. And finally, I have seen Anne's strength (while being involved in a number of committees and boards) that is desperately needed to guide WSU and the Pac-12 through these next tumultuous two years as we build the Pac-12 brand back to it prominence. Anne's commitment and longevity to WSU is historically among the best. Thank you Anne for your continued commitment and dedication to WSU's success."
 
Jim Sterk, Former WSU and current Western Washington Athletic Director:
"I am so excited for Anne, Brian, Taylor and Jake. This is a great day for them and all of WSU.  Anne has been instrumental in a lot of WSU's success over her tenure. It is definitely her time to lead WSU Athletics. Anne is so dedicated, impressive and knowledgeable. It is exactly what the Cougars need right now. I was so impressed with Anne when I first met her in Maine, I hired her two more times. When I needed her expertise at Portland State and then Washington State, she came and played a huge role. At WSU, Anne and her family found their long time home."
 
Jack Thompson, WSU Athletics Hall of Fame Member:
"I've talked with many former and present Cougar players, coaches and athletic administrators and I don't believe there is a more universally loved AND respected person than Anne McCoy. Anne knows the Cougar culture and is passionate to take our athletic department to the next level. In her time as Interim AD she has accomplished a great deal and now is her time to move the department forward. I'm excited to support Anne and our athletic program in any way I can! Go Cougs!"