Dawgs Digest May/June 2017 by Varsity Communications

DAWGS DIGEST

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DAWGS DIGEST

MAY/JUNE 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE From The Athletic Director’s Desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Behind the Scenes with Mike Hopkins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Jody Wynn takes the reins of UW women’s basketball. . . . . . . . 6 Advisory Council Gives Fans a Voice on Gameday . . . . . . . . . . . 10 For Lindsay Meggs, Husky Baseball Runs In The Family. . . . . . 12 Led by fans of all ages and demographics, the Fan Advisory Council is already having a positive impact on the Husky football gameday experience. STORY ON PAGE 10.

Catcher Joey Morgan Could Be UW’s Highest-Ever Draft Pick . . . . 18 The Shot: GymDawgs Make History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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DAWGS DIGEST VOLUME 10 / ISSUE 6 / MAY/JUNE 2017

For Information on Advertising, Please Call Scott Boone at (206) 221-3071. Dawgs Digest is published six times a year by Washington IMG Sports Marketing, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.

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DAWGS DIGEST

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK

ur coaches are the bedrock upon which our athletic programs are built. They are the solid foundation that supports our programs and provides stability for our student-athletes, bearing the weight of the hopes and dreams of all who attend the University of Washington. They ensure that we operate with integrity, that the well-being of the student-athlete is paramount, and instill pride through committed service to our community. And these same coaches are the glitter, the dazzle and flash that entices recruits, invigorates fans and fills our stands with energy and enthusiasm. To fill all of these roles requires a level of expertise on so many fronts that it would seemingly be almost impossible to find in any one person. And that’s why there are only certain, very special, people who are the right fit to coach here at the University of Washington. It is why, when I have the opportunity to fill a coaching position, I go into the search with a specific profile and skill set that I am looking for. And it is that intangible vitality — the often unsung commitment, loyalty, and dedication to the craft of coaching and developing young people — that I am looking for. Those people are few and far between, but we have them at UW. Join me in recognizing and honoring the special talents that our coaches bring to their roles

Jennifer Cohen

each and every day. The X’s and O’s of competition are an important component of their work, but it is the day-in and day-out commitment to our student-athletes’ welfare, progress, success and happiness that sets our coaches far apart from their peers. I cannot thank them enough for all that they do to make this such a very special place to be. GO HUSKIES!

WHY WASHINGTON?

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It’s a question new Husky men’s basketball coach Mike Hopkins has heard a lot in his first few weeks — and it’s one the “builder” by nature is ready to answer.

his was not the type of March madness that Mike Hopkins had become accustomed to. The newly minted head men’s basketball coach was running on adrenaline as he draped his lanky, 6-foot, 5-inch frame over a chair in a meeting room inside Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Reporters peppered him with questions, rotating through one-by-one following the press conference announcing his hiring. Between the stress of making the biggest career decision of his life, cross-country family travel and emotional goodbyes and hellos, the week had offered Hopkins several sleepless nights. Yet,

BY CARTER HENDERSON Publisher, Dawgs Digest somehow the first-time head coach’s trademark energy sparked every time he heard the question. “Coach … why Washington?” It was more than a reasonable question to ask a man who had spent the previous 22 seasons coaching at his alma mater. “I always thought ‘I’m at Syracuse to protect a legacy’,” Hopkins says. “But the building concept has always been a real passion to me.”

To understand this builder’s mentality is to know what has made Mike Hopkins special. And getting to know Mike Hopkins is something most Seattlites are still working on. The truth is, if you were one of the few Washington fans who knew who Mike Hopkins was before his UW hiring, you likely knew him as the head men’s basketball coach-in-waiting at Syracuse. If you didn’t know him, your search engine results quickly displayed a remarkable basketball journey that took place all at one institution. Hopkins first arrived in Syracuse in 1988, a gangly shooting guard who had traveled cross-

DAWGS DIGEST

country fresh off a California high school state championship at Santa Ana’s Mater Dei High School. He was recruited by his future mentor, Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and played sparingly in his first two seasons. However, his trademark hustle and energy quickly made him a fan favorite, and he earned a starting spot his senior season with the Orange. The unknown, undersized California kid built a legacy as a player using the same drive and determination that would serve as his calling card in the coaching business. Following a brief professional career, he returned to his alma mater as a coach in 1995. He reflects with great emotion on the opportunity that Boeheim gave him. “Jim Boeheim is a mentor, a friend and father figure to me,” Hopkins said, fighting back tears at his introductory press conference. “He was a guy who gave a guy a shot. He was a guy who gave a guy an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t.” While learning from one of the most respected basketball minds in America, Hopkins’ duties at Syracuse increased steadily over time. He was as connected and responsible as an assistant coach could be, touching all areas of the program, from recruiting, to player development, game-planning and on-court strategy. During his tenure at Syracuse, he was part of 16 NCAA tournament appearances, four Final Fours and a national championship. He was instrumental in the development of pros like Carmelo Anthony, Jason Hart and Gerry McNamara, and cultivated a broad array of national connections in the coaching business that led to an invitation to serve on the USA Basketball staff in 2006. “Mike has been a valuable part of USA Basketball men’s national team since 2006,” says Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball’s men’s national team managing director. “He has been an integral part in our preparations for competitions, and has coached USA Select Teams which were used to help prepare our national teams for Olympic and World Cup competitions.” It came as no surprise to some of the most recognizable names in college basketball that Hopkins had earned the right to lead his own program. “The University of Washington made a terrific hire,” said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “Simply, he is a winner and a championship-caliber coach. In addition to representing the school with great class and integrity, Mike will do amazing things on the court at Washington.” There he was, set to inherit one of the most coveted basketball jobs in America in less than a year. It all seemed aligned for the coach who had worked two decades for this chance. So what was it about this unique opportunity that lured Hopkins clear across the map? At his press conference, he described his thought process when his agent presented the Washington opportunity. “My dream in life was to be the best coach in the world,” Hopkins said. “Doesn’t matter if it was

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at Syracuse or not. But, at the same time, Syracuse was so special to me that I knew it would take something really unique for me to leave. The concept of building something has always been a big passion of mine. I wanted to go someplace that I thought I could be forever, and a place where I could build something that people had a lot of pride in.” When Hopkins answers the question, he talks about three criteria that would be non-negotiable for him to leave: people, potential and place. “The people I’d work for, I needed to feel like it was a team, like it was a family,” Hopkins says. “From the first time I spoke to Jen I was like, ‘Wow.’ The Pac-12 Conference is one of the best conferences in the world. If you can compete at the highest level of the Pac-12, you have the chance to win a national championship. The basketball fans here are incredible. There’s a history and deep tradition here. Seattle is one of the greatest cities in the world; a great place to raise your family.” He began to realize that this job had everything he’d been looking for. “Values have to align,” Hopkins says. “It’s critical in the success of anything you do.” That feeling was mutual for Cohen, who knew she was looking for someone with a builder’s mentality all along. “We have some work to do in this program, so we needed to find somebody who is gritty and scrappy,” Cohen says. “Somebody who knew how to stay in the process all the time so that we can build the championship culture that we all expect. He’s not going to rest until we are great here. That’s what this program needs and that’s what it deserves.” It didn’t take long for Cohen to realize the person she needed may have been waiting in the most unlikely of places. “Mike oozes with passion for this place, and for this opportunity,” Cohen says. “He sees the unlimited potential of this place and he has an unbelievable plan for it. He’s gritty, he’s tough. He’s got energy and then he’s got more energy. He’s not going to rest until we are great here. And then when we are great, he still won’t rest. That’s what this program needs and that’s what it deserves.” Hopkins describes a turning-of-the-tide moment, when he began to realize that his future as a head basketball coach was across the country, in an arena he had never set foot in. When considering the opportunity to build on a deep legacy of success in one of the most talent-rich basketball markets, Hopkins let his mind wander. “I had goosebumps as I was visualizing what we could build here,” Hopkins says. “‘What if?’ ‘What could this be?’ ‘Why not?’ Nothing in life that’s great is easy. This is not going to be easy, but it can be done. I’ve seen it. I’ve been part of it. “And I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe I could make it happen.”

THE HOPKINS FILE

Born: Laguna Hills, Calif. High School: Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.) College: Syracuse (1989-93) Coaching: Syracuse, Asst. Coach (1996-2017)* * includes nine games as interim head coach in 2015

Family: Wife, Tricia; sons Michael Jr. and Grant; daughter Ella. FUN FACT: Teamed with future NBA first-round pick LeRon Ellis to lead Mater Dei to the 1987 California state title. After Kentucky, where Ellis had enrolled out of high school, was placed on probation, Hopkins made his first-ever recruiting pitch, convincing Ellis to join him at Syracuse, where they would help lead the Orange to the Sweet Sixteen a year later. DID YOU KNOW? He may have been born in California and spent the last 30 years of his life back east, but Mike Hopkins has some serious Northwest, Husky roots. Hopkins’ father grew up in the Laurelhurst neighborhood — right in the shadow of Husky Stadium — and graduated from Roosevelt High School before attending UW, while his mother was raised in Seattle before moving to Wenatchee. As a child, the Hopkins family would often take vacations to Lake Chelan. “I was in the car with my son taking an Uber back to the hotel and (the driver) asked where we’re from,” Hopkins said in a recent interview with 710 ESPN. “I looked at my son and I said, ‘I’m from Seattle.’ I got a lot of pride and I’m so darn excited to be here and to represent the area and be the head coach of the University of Washington.”

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DAWGS DIGEST

The

Perfect

Fit

Jody Wynn is a selfproclaimed square peg, but in UW women’s basketball, she’s found a perfect fit.

BY MARK MOSCHETTI For Dawgs Digest

ody Wynn wasn’t shy about making the point: When it comes to coaching basketball, she’s very much a peg of a certain shape. So when the call came about the top job at the University of Washington, one of the first things she wanted to make sure of was that she wouldn’t be asked to squeeze into a hole of a different shape. “We were like, ‘Are you sure? Do you want us to come up?’ Wynn said of the initial conversation she had with athletic director Jennifer Cohen and senior associate athletic director Shondell Reed. “We’re kind of square and we’re not about a lot of flash. “It’s one of the best women’s basketball programs in the land and the No. 1 conference in the country,’’ Wynn added as she told that story during her introductory press conference in Alaska Airlines Arena on April 17. “But coming into our meeting initially, we thought we might not fit.” Cohen and Reed had no such doubts. That’s a big reason why, just 11 days after the April 3 announcement that coach Mike Neighbors was leaving Montlake to return to his home state of Arkansas as head coach of the Razorbacks, Wynn was chosen as the new coach of the Huskies. “Jody and Derek (her husband of almost 17 years and her assistant coach for 18) and their entire staff saw this place as their destination,” Cohen said before formally introducing Wynn. “They knew how special this place was – just

like we know. They were really happy where they were. But they saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come and build a legacy here at Washington.” The 43-year-old native of Brea, Calif., arrives from Long Beach State, after stops at Pepperdine (assistant coach from 1996-2003) and Southern California (senior assistant/recruiting coordinator/head of scouting from 2004-09). The 49ers were coming off an 8-21 season when she arrived on campus in 2009. Just four weeks before coming to Seattle, Long Beach capped a 23-11 campaign with a Big West Conference Tournament championship and its first trip to the NCAAs since 1992 – a gap of 25 years. “Long Beach State is an incredible university and an amazing women’s basketball community,” Wynn said of her eight years there. “They wanted us to stay. “(But) when we came up here and met (with Cohen and Reed), we just instantly knew this was different – wow, this was special,” she added. The rest of the 49ers staff will join the Wynns at Washington. That includes UW alum Michelle Augustavo, a native of nearby Bothell and a two-year team captain during her playing days with the Huskies (2007-09). She just finished her first year with Wynn. Paul Reed, having completed his third season as an

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Continued from page 6 assistant, also will make the trip north. “Michelle has a big part in teaching us about the culture here and the university and all that it offers,” Wynn said. “It really is great to be able to bring her home.” Her teams, as she put it, play with “grit and grind” – from tip-off to final buzzer. “They will play hard for 40 minutes. We like to play 94 feet offensively and defensively,” Wynn said. “We like to give the girls freedom. We usually create a team full of versatile kids who can do a little bit of everything. We like kids who dive on loose balls and take charges. “Yeah,” she added, with a glance and a grin toward some of the UW players attending the press conference, “You’re going to take charges, if you haven’t already.” Wynn knows she’s coming into a program that went to the Final Four last year and the Sweet 16 this year, but is graduating, among others, National Player of the Year and WNBA overall No. 1 draft pick Kelsey Plum, and WNBA second-round draft pick Chantel Osahor. “Those are some big shoes to fill,” she acknowledged. “But it’s not going to be one. It’s going to be all. We have an equal-opportunity system – let’s call it that for right now. We’re excited to have a clean slate with the young women and to work with them on and off the court to develop relationships and trust.” That Wynn can coach with her gritty style, leading a program that is now very much a part of the national conversation, and in a locale that is wildly supportive of women’s basketball, ultimately erased any doubts about fitting in here. “Our values aligned so well (with what the Huskies were seeking), and I can’t tell you enough how comforting that is,” she said. “We’re here today because of that. It was difficult to (leave Long Beach). But we’ve worked for a new opportunity, and why not at such a wonderful place like Washington? “I’m just so thankful and fortunate all at once.”

Jody Wynn turned around a Long Beach State program that won just eight games the year before her arrival, leading them to a Big West Conference title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017.

THE FAN ADVISORY COUNCIL PAGE 10

DAWGS DIGEST

Is Giving Fans Of All Backgrounds a Voice on Gameday

hen Lee Rossini’s new bride dragged as strong as it seemed to Rossini that first day nearly 22 BY BRIAN BEAKY him to his first Husky football game years ago. Editor, Dawgs Digest in 1995, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Which is why when Rossini saw a call to action last “I had never seen such a rabid fan base before, and summer from the University’s athletic department, which certainly not one that could impact the game the way Husky fans could,” he recalls. “I was seeking to create a Fan Advisory Council to take fan input on the gameday experiwas hooked.” ence, he felt he had to be a part of it. Over the next two decades, the Rossini clan — which would grow to include two “I thought it was such an amazing gesture from the athletic department to listen daughters, also soon indoctrinated into the Husky family — would become some of the to their customers,” he recalls. “I jumped on the opportunity, and was very appreciative program’s most rabid supporters, buying season tickets, tailgating before every game, to be selected!” and doing their part to ensure that the Huskies’ home-field advantage remained just “Creating a Fan Advisory Council just made sense for us,” says Brian Bowsher, UW’s

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Chief Marketing Officer. “It allowed us to give the fans a voice, and helped us to have another perspective when devising strategies to improve the overall gameday experience. And the response was incredible.” Applications were posted online and emailed out to both season-ticket holders and single-game ticket buyers last summer. More than 400 applications were returned, leaving Bowsher and his staff with the job of sorting through each and every one to identify 12-15 fans who would best represent the Husky fanbase at large. “We really tried to get a cross-section of all demographics,” Bowsher says. “Male, female, young, old, alumni, non-alumni, season-ticket holders, single-game buyers, fans who attend with families, fans who attend with friends, tailgaters, bus riders, club seat holders, nose-bleed sitters, Western Washington, Eastern Washington, you name it. We wanted as diverse a range of viewpoints as we could find.” While Rossini was among the 400 applicants, the 47-year-old UW Business School grad and former Microsoft executive went above and beyond to show his commitment to the cause, creating a Powerpoint presentation about ways to improve the gameday experience and showcasing it for athletic department staff. Roughly two months after the initial applications were sent out, the final group of 12 fans — including Rossini — gathered in Husky Stadium for their first official meeting. At their very first meeting, the council settled on five principles to guide their decision-making process: • Loud and Energetic: We will encourage noise and energy in support of the Huskies, to create a menacing environment for opponents. • Collegiate: We will be intentional about creating memorable experiences for students and guarding against over-commercialization. • Honoring History: We will celebrate the successful teams, figures and traditions that have made Husky football great. • Shared & United: We will create and embrace opportunities for shared connections, emphasizing collective participation. • First-Class: We will provide a safe, organized, family-friendly experience that is detailoriented, thoughtful, tasteful and respectful of opponents. After just one meeting, the Council had already come up with several ideas, including playing an intro video for the defense to intimidate opponents and fire up the crowd for the first defensive possession of the game, showing other games in progress on the video board during pre-game warmups, and featuring out-of-town scores on the ribbon boards throughout the game — all of which were immediately put into effect. The Council also provided input on the mix of band and recorded music, specific song selections, the types of promotions run during timeouts, and the creation of new traditions. The council has continued to meet throughout the offseason as well, with even more ideas to be implemented in 2017. “It’s so fun to see today’s athletic department filled with die-hard Husky fans,” Rossini says. “They dreamt up this idea, quickly created it and proceeded to work directly with us to evolve the gameday experience every single week. They are truly one of us and genuinely open to all of our ideas. I can’t wait until next football season!” Bowsher says that Council members were asked to commit to a 1-2 year term, with plans to solicit new members on a regular basis, to ensure a fresh influx of ideas. “We really want to show that we care about fan input,” he says, “and make sure that we’re actively soliciting feedback to ensure that our gameday experience is the best it can possibly be for our fans.” That’s a good start, but Rossini has even bigger plans. “The council’s primary purpose is to make the Husky gameday experience in the best in the nation,” he says, before taking Bowsher’s goal one step further. “My personal mission, though, is to push us to find unique ways to make Husky Stadium the epicenter of college football itself.” To learn more about the Fan Advisory Council, or to make sure you’re notified the next time applications are sent out, contact Brian Bowsher at bowsher@uw.edu.

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TURNING FOR

Home Head coach Lindsay Meggs and son Jack, a Husky outfielder, look to make the most of their final season together at UW

Jack Meggs

Joe Meggs

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ashington baseball coach Lindsay oldest, was quieter — more reserved and steady. Despite Meggs has always strived to create a their differences, both became natural leaders and were BY ALLYSON AHERN family environment on the teams he’s coached — he just voted captains by their teammates. never expected to actually coach his own family. One of the best parts of coaching his sons is that That’s been the case, though, for Meggs in each of his eight years at UW, where Meggs had the opportunity to watch them interact with their teammates and ultifirst son Joe (2010-13) and later son Jack (2014-17) have donned the purple and gold. mately earn respect on their own. Going into this last season, he is embracing the final Meggs may never have intended to coach his own sons, but with Jack’s graduation chance to be involved in all aspects of their lives. now just a few weeks away, he’s realizing that, for the first time in his UW career, he’ll “(The best part is) just being able to see what, in my opinion, quality kids they have to adjust to not having them in the dugout. are,” he says. “I get to see them around their teammates, I get to see them out so“I find myself thinking about it more, but there’s not really anything out of the cially, I get to see them as students.” ordinary that I’ve done or we’ve done,” Meggs says. “I think it’ll kind of sneak up on me as we get going.” Before the whole journey began, Meggs decided to do his homework. He was wary f course, all of this talk about “one final ride” with his sons was nearly moot. in the beginning, never having coached either of his sons — or his daughter, Kelly — in After being selected First Team All-Pac-12 last season, Jack considered leavany sport. So, he reached out to one of his good friends, Ritch Price, the head baseball ing a year early to play professional baseball. However, after not hearing his name coach at Kansas, who coached three of his own sons. What he learned from Price was called in the 2016 MLB draft, Jack decided to return for his senior season. It wasn’t that it could be either the worst or the best experience of his life. what he planned, but Jack mentioned his entire family as the reason he was able to “He said it was more about how the kids handled it,” Meggs remembers. “How get through it and begin focusing on what lay ahead. your children handle it will really kind of determine “We’re all a pretty close-knit family and we’re how it affects you, and that’s really been the theme each other’s biggest supporters,” Jack says. “So having for us.” them in my corner and being able to talk to them, that The elder Meggs praised his sons for their ability helped me get over it faster. It was great.” to handle the ups and downs that come with being a From his dad’s perspective, Jack’s experience with college student-athlete. Although the way they both the draft differed from other players. Although scouts handled the dynamics were different, he couldn’t say advised Jack to be ready to get a call on the last day, enough about how tough both of his sons remained they took into account the other options he had. As through the process of playing for their father. Every the son of a baseball coach, scouts mostly likely asstep of the way, they took the challenges in stride, and sumed Jack wouldn’t accept a late-round pick when the mental and emotional strength of the sons althe alternative was the chance to play one last year lowed their father to focus on finding the right balance for his dad. when it came to being a coach and a father. “The typical parent would help him out the door It’s finding that balance that has proved to be the and say go do it,” Meggs explains. “But because I have most challenging part of coaching his sons. Initially, a little different perspective, I think [the scouts] were Meggs struggled to be fair and treat them the same as leery of [picking Jack late in the draft], and I think that any other player; he was constantly concerned that his played into it.” sons wouldn’t be accepted by their teammates, or that Similar to most parents, though, Meggs used accusations would fly that he was showing favoritism. what he knew about his son and kept Jack’s best From firsthand experience, however, Jack knows interests in mind when giving him advice about the his dad found a way to make it work. While the elder draft. He ultimately knew what would be a good fit Meggs is tough on his teammates, half of the time, for his youngest son. Jack is the one getting it the hardest. He is able to go “We knew if he was drafted, he wasn’t going to be into the locker room and be just a player without being targeted as the coach’s son. drafted high and we talked a lot about how much he loves the team concept,” Meggs “It’s the best of both worlds,” Jack says. “I think guys know how to separate us says. “Minor-league baseball is purely about development and not about winning. He when we’re on the field and know that it’s not personal.” is really into the team concept, wants to win and likes to win.” For Coach Meggs, it only worked because he realized early on that it was naïve to While Jack enters his final collegiate season, his older brother, Joe, is also still pretend he wasn’t coaching his sons. He was honest with the fact that he couldn’t be actively involved in the program. He currently works as the Director of Baseball Opcompletely impartial when it came to either Joe or Jack. erations, a position that, according to Lindsay, is a perfect fit. “I got on board a while ago,” Meggs says. “I can either fool myself into thinking “It has to be such a catchall thing when you’re drawing up a profile for somebody I’m treating them exactly like I’m treating everybody else or I need to treat everybody that you’d like to be in that position,” Meggs says. “You want it to be someone who else like they belong to me.” played for you, who played at the institution where he’s going to work, who was a This new attitude made him a better and more well-rounded coach. He is now more player of substance — meaning somebody who had a key role — who was a good patient and understanding about the kinds of distractions or issues that occur off the student, who had a chance to play professionally, and who knows enough about this field, because he saw what his sons went through. He appreciates that he is more com- campus that they’re dialed in and can hit the ground running.” passionate, and that his coaching style improved, because he’s had his sons around. Joe is thriving in this role because he is detail-oriented and can account for some Meggs also knows that both Joe and Jack have earned everything they’ve ac- of the areas his father isn’t best suited for. His job description ranges from handling complished. Jack is the youngest, and fulfills what you might expect from that role. According to his father, Jack is louder than his brother and likes to be the center of attention, the result of a constant effort to catch up with his older siblings. Joe, the Continued on page 14

“I can either fool

myself into thinking

I’m treating [my sons]

exactly like I’m treating

everybody else,” Meggs says, “or I [can] treat everybody else like

they belong to me.”

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Continued from page 13 travel details and budgets, to talking to current players about being a student-athlete. Like Jack in the locker room, Joe earned this position because of the value he brings to it, not because he is the coach’s son. “In that position, you have to have somebody who you trust, who’s talented, who’s smarter than you, and who can clean up your messes,” Meggs says. “And that’s what I have, so it’s been great.”

An outfielder, Jack Meggs has proven to be one of the Huskies top talents, winning All-Pac-12 honors in 2016 and leading the team in hits through the first 26 games this season.

n addition to his sons, Meggs’ daughter, Kelly, has also excelled athletically, first at UC Irvine and later at Washington. Despite receiving some initial contacts from Husky softball coach Heather Tarr, Kelly chose to follow her basketball dreams from high school to UC Irvine, where her mother, Teresa, had family in the area. Lindsay and Teresa worked around the Husky baseball schedule to support Kelly as much as possible, traveling down the coast to watch games and visit family. That effort became a lot easier in 2015, however, when Kelly moved back to Seattle to attend a one-year grad school program. Hearing she was back in town, Tarr reached out one more time, to see if Kelly would be interested in playing out her final season of eligibility in the purple and gold. Kelly jumped at the opportunity, creating a perfect situation for the whole Meggs family. “I could go to practice here, do my thing, then walk over there and watch the end of their practice or catch a game,” Meggs describes. “So that was a lot of fun.” Through all the challenges of coaching his sons and trying to support his daughter as best as possible, one thing remained steady — Meggs’s wife, Teresa. “My wife has held everything together,” Meggs says. “She’s the rock in this whole thing. I don’t know that she’s had a day off in 30 years and that’s pretty remarkable.” When the family moved from Indiana, Meggs sometimes worked 14-hour days at the start of his UW career. Teresa sold their old house and found new schools for the kids. She always understood the nature of the job, because her dad was a high-school football coach. For Lindsay, her positive attitude and support means everything. Now, she’s widely recognized around the program because of her dedication to the players and their families. Not only does she attend every home and away game, but she also tries to make the transition easier for families who are sending their kids away from home. Although Meggs isn’t always comfortable with how close his wife is to the parents of players he makes coaching decisions about, like everything else, she handles it with ease. “She finds a way to make those families feel like we are a family out here,” Lindsay says. “At one point in time we handed our daughter off to a coaching staff that was a three-hour plane ride away and trusted them. So she knows what they’re going through. I think that eases their anxiety about kids being away from home.”

lthough coaching his sons wasn’t part of Meggs’ plan, the trajectory of the Huskies program certainly is. “We’re all pretty impatient around here, but I feel like we are in a good spot,” he says. “Whether it’s where we thought we would be or not, it’s where we should be. We’ve pushed most of the right buttons.” Since taking on the role of head coach, a new ballpark has been built, the team GPA is higher than ever and the Huskies have the second-best winning percentage in the Pac-12 over the last three years. The next step in Meggs’ mind is to get to the College World Series. Although this is always the ultimate goal, both father and son agreed that it means just a little more with Jack being on the team one last year. “I want to get this program to Omaha with my dad and change the culture,” Jack says. “I’m very excited that I get that opportunity.” Another development Meggs is excited about is the support the program receives from devoted Huskies fans. The team’s annual First Pitch Dinner sold out for

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Continued from page 14 the first time. “I think our players were a little caught off guard by that,” Meggs acknowledges. “Baseball at the college level is not generally recognized as a revenue-producing sport, so a lot of times it can kind of get lost in the shuffle.” Due to the nature of college baseball and the amount of games played, some games draw smaller audiences while others bring in capacity crowds. But the remodeled Husky Ballpark, set in front of one of the most picturesque backdrops in college baseball, has improved the environment and encouraged fans to buy in more often. As Meggs has grown in his role and developed his players to understand the culture he wants to create, the fans have grown along with them. “As time goes on, the fans are becoming more savvy, more into the game and more aware of the things we’re trying to do,” he says. As Meggs prepares for his final season coaching his youngest son, he will try to soak in everything that makes it a positive experience. In particular, he gets one last chance to experience pride as both a father and a coach. “I think the most important job in this world is being a good parent, and so you’d like to feel like some of the decisions you make and some of the time you put into that is reflected by the way your kids behave,” Meggs says. “And I think both my boys have done a good job of that. So that really makes me feel good.”

Of his final season, Jack Meggs says: “I want to get this program to Omaha with my dad. I’m very excited that I get that opportunity.”

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B E A V L L R S U C

Spurned by his home-state school, Joey Morgan has become one of the nation’s top collegiate catchers at Washington

rouched behind the plate, Joey Morgan doesn’t hesitate to call for a curveball

when needed. That the 20-year-old junior is calling those pitches for the University of Washington is the result of his dealing with a real-life curveball. Because he did, it is the Huskies who are benefiting from the services of one of the most talented college catchers in the country – a player who ultimately might wind up going higher in June’s Major League Baseball draft than any other in UW history. “I have zero doubt that he can catch in the big leagues someday,” says Tanner Swanson, a Washington assistant coach who works with the team’s catchers. “The ceiling for him is through the roof. He has all the tools and all the ability.” The irony of it all – a delicious irony for Husky fans – is that Morgan hadn’t planned to play in purple. He was going to wear the green of Pac-12 rival Oregon, just 95 miles west of his hometown of Sisters. But with the calendar quickly flipping toward time to report in the fall of 2014, Morgan became the odd man out in Eugene. “They had more catchers than they thought. I think they over-recruited a little bit,” he says. Just like that, Morgan was a catcher without a home plate. “At the time, I thought, ‘Well, I guess I’m going to have to go to a junior college and hopefully work my way back up to that level and maybe someday get that opportunity again,” he says. “Someday” didn’t even take a week. Almost immediately, Morgan got a call from Washington assistant Donegal Fergus, letting him know that a last-second roster spot had just opened. Would he be interested? “It just happened to work out. I was actually the last guy on the roster,” Morgan says. “My first time on campus was a little less than a month before I had to report.” Curveballs aside, Morgan had a learning curve to conquer once he arrived at Montlake. “Defensively, I felt I had success right away. Offensively, it took a little while,” he says. “It always does for someone coming from a smaller high school to the Pac-12. It’s a tough transition.” As would be expected, he was making that transition as a reserve. The No. 1 catcher on UW’s roster was talented

BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR DAWGS DIGEST sophomore Austin Rei. He had earned a place on the All Pac-12 team and the All Pac-12 Defensive team as a freshman in 2014. But, just five games into 2015, Rei went down with a hand injury. That made Morgan the man behind the mask. “You’re the backup to a guy who ended up being a third-round draft pick and is a really good player,” Morgan says, “But at the same time, you have to prepare

An All-Pac-12 recipient in 2016, junior Joey Morgan is on the short list for the Johnny Bench Award this season, given to the nation’s top catcher.

as if you’re the starter, especially at the catcher’s position. You can go down at any given moment – it’s a high-injury position. “But I wasn’t rattled by it.” Morgan made his mark, throwing out 17 of 32 runners attempting to steal – one of just two regular catchers in the Pac-12 to throw out more than he allowed. He also had seven multiple-hit games and fashioned a seven-game hitting streak. “I knew Joe wouldn’t hurt us – he would at least be

serviceable,” Swanson recalls. “What we all learned was that he was way beyond serviceable – he was good. He makes every play, and he’s as consistent a player as I’ve been around from a defensive standpoint.” Rei returned for the final month of that 2015 season. Just two weeks later, he was chosen by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the MLB amateur draft. (He is beginning the 2017 season with Salem [N.C.] of the highClass A Carolina League.) That opened the door for Morgan to become the No. 1 catcher in 2016. He played in all 56 games, starting 50, and earned a place on the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, which goes to the country’s top collegiate catcher. In 2016, Morgan threw out nine of the 36 runners who attempted to steal on him, hit .263 with a team-leading 12 doubles and 11 multi-hit games, and reached base in 43 of his 50 starts. “On the offensive side, things just started clicking for me,” Morgan says. “I just kept trying to improve, mature a little bit, take a better approach at the plate, and keep getting stronger.” Through the first 30 games of 2017, Morgan is better than ever. He has thwarted 10 of 13 steal attempts and is batting .361 with 12 doubles and 24 RBI. Once again, he is on the Johnny Bench Watch List. Junior Noah Bremer, one of the veterans on this spring’s young pitching staff, is especially appreciative of the poise Morgan brings to every game. “You see it a lot when he takes trips to the mound to calm guys down,” Bremer says. “For me, it gives me the opportunity to really focus on my pitch and not worry about holding runners on as much.” Inevitably, talk turns to this year’s draft, set for June 12. Will Morgan surpass Tim Lincecum (10th overall in 2006) as the highest-ever Husky selection? He’s not ready to find out quite yet. “It’s obviously hard not to think about it,” Morgan says. “When I was a kid, growing up and watching baseball, I always dreamed of being a big leaguer. I grew up, got to high school, then my dream was to play in the Pac12. Right now, it’s to get to Omaha (for the College World Series in June). Then, it’s to get into pro ball, and then to be a big leaguer. “You keep moving your goals up.” Joey Morgan will keep handling those curveballs, too ... whether they’re on or off the diamond.

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HISTORIC GYM DAWGS

Hailey Burleson (Junior, Asheville, N.C.) competes on the beam during the 2017 NCAA Gymnastics Seattle Regional. Burleson and the Huskies advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1998 behind the leadership of Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Elise Ray.

Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES

To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit www.HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com

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