Washington State’s football program finally got to show off the finished product Wednesday night, and the first impressions inside the remodeled Cougar Football Complex locker room were loud, fast and unmistakably positive.
The six-month overhaul of the 12,000-square-foot space cost $3.6 million and was funded by nearly 70 donors who got a first look at the room through a streamed walkthrough. If the players’ reactions were any measure, the project landed exactly the way WSU hoped it would.
Quarterback Caden Pinnick summed it up for the donors on the Zoom feed: “Incredibly blessed,”
Once the players filed in, the room’s new look and feel did the rest. Rap music was pumping through the sound system, LED strip lighting flashed overhead, and the players reacted like they’d walked into something they couldn’t quite believe.
Some threw their arms up. Others put their hands on their heads.
All of them headed straight for their lockers.
The gratitude came quickly and repeatedly. Players leaned toward the donor feed to say thanks, make heart signs or press their hands together in appreciation.
“The locker room is lit man,” said one. “This is amazing,” said another.
“We love it. We appreciate it.
This is going to help us so much,” said yet another. “Thank you so much,” said many.
Coach Kirby Moore kept his message simple: “I can't thank you enough. We're excited to get the season started.
I appreciate all of you. Thanks so much.”
The team will officially move in over the next few days, with fall camp set to open Aug. 6. WSU opens the season in Seattle on Sept. 6 against Washington.
The renovation went all the way down to the studs, and the finished space now has an exposed, industrial look because no ceiling was put back in. That extra height gives the room a bigger feel.
The layout also changed, with wall adjustments creating more space for a player lounge and media area. The barbershop, one of the room’s signature features, stayed put.
The locker arrangement is different, too. The 120 units now sit in a U-shaped rectangle in the middle of the room, with semi-circles along the side walls.
The old setup was more broken up, more like a series of pockets. WSU AD Jon Haarlow said when the project began that the new design was meant to create a more communal gathering space and make it easier for staff to address the whole team.
The locker room had been on the school’s facilities wish list for about three years, and the push intensified after the Taylor Sports Complex indoor practice facility opened in 2024. Demolition started Jan. 26, and WSU officials told Cougfan.com the project finished under budget and exactly on time.
The renovation was handled by Quality Contractors, Design West Architects and AECOM, with the locker units supplied by Longhorn Lockers, a company that builds customized, high-tech lockers for NFL and college teams.
Single-game tickets to Cougar home games went on sale this week. Washington State will host Duquesne, Arizona, Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State and Oregon State.
In Other News...
WSUs Defensive Ends Are Turning Fall Camp Into A Real Opportunity
Washington State came out of spring with a clearer picture on the edge, where Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk looked like the two most established options heading into fall camp. Both arrive with college experience already on their rsums, McLain from Idaho and Zunk from Vanderbilt, and both showed enough during spring practices to suggest they can bring some pass-rushing presence to a spot that needs it.
The bigger question now is how much help the Cougars can find behind them as camp unfolds. Michael Hughes, Eduwa Okundaye and Malachi Wrice are in the mix for depth, and the next few weeks will determine whether Washington State has a solid rotation or just a pair of ends carrying most of the load. For a position group built around opportunity, fall camp is where those roles can start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Swimming Doubles Down After A Breakthrough Season
Washington State Swimming is banking on continuity after a breakthrough first season, elevating Jackie Mudd to associate head coach as Russell Whitaker looks to build on last years momentum. Mudd made an immediate impact in Pullman, helping guide the Cougars to a second-place finish at the Mountain West Conference Championships and an undefeated dual-meet run, a strong sign that the programs recent rise is about more than a one-year spike.
Mudd arrives at the new title with a background that fits the job, bringing prior college coaching experience from Colorado School of Mines along with a resume that includes work with USA Swimming. For a program trying to turn a standout season into something more lasting, the promotion signals confidence in the staff structure already in place, even as the next step for the Cougars is still being written. [Read more 🡒]