Washington State University Athletics
WSU Athletics Announces 2026 WSU Athletic Hall of Fame Class
March 31, 2026 | WSU Athletics
PULLMAN, Wash. (March 31, 2026)Â - Washington State University will induct two individuals and five teams into its Athletic Hall of Fame, Oct. 23-24, 2026, WSU Interim Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow announced Tuesday.
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The 2026 WSU Athletic Hall of Fame class includes football student-athlete Lee Blakeney, volleyball Head Coach Cindy Frederick, along with the 1976 Baseball team, the 1981 Football team, the 1985 Women's Cross Country team, the 1996 Women's Volleyball Team and the 2006 Women's Rowing team.
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"The WSU Athletic Hall of Fame represents an elite group of individuals and teams that have reached the highest levels of athletic achievements, and the 2026 class certainly belongs alongside the best in school history," said Interim Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow. "This year the class of five teams and two individuals have brought pride and distinction to not only themselves, but to the university as well. We are excited to celebrate their accomplishments this fall in Pullman."
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The honorees will join the current 237 individuals and teams in the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame. The induction dinner will be held Friday, Oct. 23 at Beasley Coliseum with the 2026 class also being recognized at the Washington State-Boise State football game at Gesa Field the following day. More details surrounding Hall of Fame Weekend will be released throughout the coming months. For additional information on induction weekend, contact the Cougar Athletic Fund at athletics.caf@wsu.edu.
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The list of seven inductees/teams comprising the 2026 class includes:
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Lee Blakeney (football, 1980-84): Earned four varsity letters during his time in Pullman and finished WSU career with 524 tackles, first in program history and fourth in Pac-10 history at the time…remains seventh in conference history…three-time All-Pac-10 selection…helped WSU to 1981 Holiday Bowl, first bowl game for WSU in 50 years…senior season posted 153 tackles, second all-time for single-season at WSU…concluded WSU career by playing in 1985 Hula Bowl All-Star Game.
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Cindy Fredrick (volleyball, 1989-2003): Compiled a 278-192 (.591) record in her 15 seasons at WSU…left WSU with more wins than any coach of a women's sports program in school history…led WSU to nine NCAA tournaments, including Elite Eight appearances in 1996 and 2002, and a Sweet 16 showing in 1997…twice led WSU to final ranking of No. 7 nationally…named Pac-10 Coach of the year in 1995 along with AVCA District VIII Coach of the Year…posted seven 20-plus wins seasons and 10 winning seasons, both program records.
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1976 Baseball: Compiled a 43-15 overall record en route to WSU's fourth, and most recent, appearance at the College World Series…43 wins were a program record…won final 10 games of regular season to win Pacific-8 North Conference title…WSU hosted and won NCAA West Regional, defeating Cal State Fullerton in final…pitchers Bob Sherwood and Eric Wilkins each threw no hitters that season while the Cougars had six players earn All-Pac-8 North first team honors…WSU had four players drafted off the 1976 team.
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1981 Football: The 1981 team posted an 8-3-1 record, reaching the 1981 Holiday Bowl, the first bowl game for WSU in 50 years…marked most wins by a WSU team since 1930, when the Cougs went 9-1 and played in 1931 Rose Bowl…Cougars began 1981 season 6-0-1…Head Coach Jim Walden was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year while tight end Pat Beach and safety Paul Sorensen received first-team All-America honors…team had 12 players eventually selected in NFL drafts and seven in CFL drafts.
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1985 Women's Cross Country:  Led by Head Coach Jessica Cassleman, WSU finished tied for seventh at 1985 NCAA Championships…remains the best finish in program history…during the season, captured three meet titles leading into to postseason competition…finished second at the 1985 NorPac Championships, which were hosted in Pullman…finished behind Oregon at Nor Pac's and District's before finishing ahead of them at NCAAs…top five runners placed in top 69 at NCAA Championships.
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1996 Volleyball: The 1996 volleyball team posted a 27-6 record, 14-4 in Pac-10 play, setting a program record for most regular-season wins (25)…it became the first WSU women's team to advance past the NCAA second round as it reached the NCAA Elite Eight, also a first for the program…the magical season included wins over Stanford and UCLA for the first time in program history and a final coaches poll ranking of #7…senior Sarah Silvernail was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year and was a first-team All-America selection while Stephanie Papke earned second-team honors.
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2006 Rowing: Team finished fourth at the NCAA Rowing Championships, the highest national finish by a women's sport in WSU history…finished second at Pac-12 Championships, the highest finish in school history…varsity eight boat recorded 10 first-place finishes during season, the most in school history…varsity eight also defeated Washington three times during season…Sarah Waterfield was a first-team All-America selection while Jody Thomas was named to the second team…head coach Jane LaRiviere was named the Pac-10 and West Region Coach of the Year.
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The WSU Athletic Hall of Fame was chartered in 1978 at the directive of then-WSU President Glenn Terrell and WSU Athletic Director Sam Jankovich. To learn more about the individuals in the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame, please visit wsucougars.com or click HERE.
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The 2026 WSU Athletic Hall of Fame class includes football student-athlete Lee Blakeney, volleyball Head Coach Cindy Frederick, along with the 1976 Baseball team, the 1981 Football team, the 1985 Women's Cross Country team, the 1996 Women's Volleyball Team and the 2006 Women's Rowing team.
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"The WSU Athletic Hall of Fame represents an elite group of individuals and teams that have reached the highest levels of athletic achievements, and the 2026 class certainly belongs alongside the best in school history," said Interim Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow. "This year the class of five teams and two individuals have brought pride and distinction to not only themselves, but to the university as well. We are excited to celebrate their accomplishments this fall in Pullman."
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The honorees will join the current 237 individuals and teams in the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame. The induction dinner will be held Friday, Oct. 23 at Beasley Coliseum with the 2026 class also being recognized at the Washington State-Boise State football game at Gesa Field the following day. More details surrounding Hall of Fame Weekend will be released throughout the coming months. For additional information on induction weekend, contact the Cougar Athletic Fund at athletics.caf@wsu.edu.
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The list of seven inductees/teams comprising the 2026 class includes:
Â
Lee Blakeney (football, 1980-84): Earned four varsity letters during his time in Pullman and finished WSU career with 524 tackles, first in program history and fourth in Pac-10 history at the time…remains seventh in conference history…three-time All-Pac-10 selection…helped WSU to 1981 Holiday Bowl, first bowl game for WSU in 50 years…senior season posted 153 tackles, second all-time for single-season at WSU…concluded WSU career by playing in 1985 Hula Bowl All-Star Game.
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Cindy Fredrick (volleyball, 1989-2003): Compiled a 278-192 (.591) record in her 15 seasons at WSU…left WSU with more wins than any coach of a women's sports program in school history…led WSU to nine NCAA tournaments, including Elite Eight appearances in 1996 and 2002, and a Sweet 16 showing in 1997…twice led WSU to final ranking of No. 7 nationally…named Pac-10 Coach of the year in 1995 along with AVCA District VIII Coach of the Year…posted seven 20-plus wins seasons and 10 winning seasons, both program records.
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1976 Baseball: Compiled a 43-15 overall record en route to WSU's fourth, and most recent, appearance at the College World Series…43 wins were a program record…won final 10 games of regular season to win Pacific-8 North Conference title…WSU hosted and won NCAA West Regional, defeating Cal State Fullerton in final…pitchers Bob Sherwood and Eric Wilkins each threw no hitters that season while the Cougars had six players earn All-Pac-8 North first team honors…WSU had four players drafted off the 1976 team.
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1981 Football: The 1981 team posted an 8-3-1 record, reaching the 1981 Holiday Bowl, the first bowl game for WSU in 50 years…marked most wins by a WSU team since 1930, when the Cougs went 9-1 and played in 1931 Rose Bowl…Cougars began 1981 season 6-0-1…Head Coach Jim Walden was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year while tight end Pat Beach and safety Paul Sorensen received first-team All-America honors…team had 12 players eventually selected in NFL drafts and seven in CFL drafts.
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1985 Women's Cross Country:  Led by Head Coach Jessica Cassleman, WSU finished tied for seventh at 1985 NCAA Championships…remains the best finish in program history…during the season, captured three meet titles leading into to postseason competition…finished second at the 1985 NorPac Championships, which were hosted in Pullman…finished behind Oregon at Nor Pac's and District's before finishing ahead of them at NCAAs…top five runners placed in top 69 at NCAA Championships.
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1996 Volleyball: The 1996 volleyball team posted a 27-6 record, 14-4 in Pac-10 play, setting a program record for most regular-season wins (25)…it became the first WSU women's team to advance past the NCAA second round as it reached the NCAA Elite Eight, also a first for the program…the magical season included wins over Stanford and UCLA for the first time in program history and a final coaches poll ranking of #7…senior Sarah Silvernail was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year and was a first-team All-America selection while Stephanie Papke earned second-team honors.
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2006 Rowing: Team finished fourth at the NCAA Rowing Championships, the highest national finish by a women's sport in WSU history…finished second at Pac-12 Championships, the highest finish in school history…varsity eight boat recorded 10 first-place finishes during season, the most in school history…varsity eight also defeated Washington three times during season…Sarah Waterfield was a first-team All-America selection while Jody Thomas was named to the second team…head coach Jane LaRiviere was named the Pac-10 and West Region Coach of the Year.
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The WSU Athletic Hall of Fame was chartered in 1978 at the directive of then-WSU President Glenn Terrell and WSU Athletic Director Sam Jankovich. To learn more about the individuals in the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame, please visit wsucougars.com or click HERE.
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