GoHuskies March 2024

Meet new Husky football helmsman JEDD FISCH

The University of Washington has named national Coach of the Year Finalist Jedd Fisch its new Head Football Coach, it was announced Jan. 14 by UW Director of Athletics Troy Dannen.

"In seeking a new head coach, we wanted to move quickly but thoroughly and sought out a coach who would build on our foundation, bring energy to the program, has a track record of success, is an elite recruiter and was someone who young men wanted to play for," said Dannen.

"We found all of those characteristics and more in Jedd Fisch. It became clear through our conversations that he shares our values and our vision for UW Football, and he is the right coach at the right time as we transition to the Big Ten Conference. On behalf of the Husky Family, I want to welcome Jedd, Amber, Zaylee, Ashlee and Kendall to Seattle, and I cannot wait to see what comes next."

Fisch comes to UW following three years at the University of Arizona, taking the program from one win in his first year in 2021 to 10 wins in 2023, including an Alamo Bowl victory. He garnered national acclaim this season, named as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and the

Dodd Trophy, presented annually to the nation's top head coach.

"It is truly an honor to join The University of Washington and do my part in carrying on the tradition of a storied football program and world-class university," said Fisch. "The unbelievable success of the Huskies the last two seasons demonstrates what UW is capable of and I cannot wait to compete for Big Ten and national championships with tremendous young men and an outstanding coaching staff that we will assemble. I am grateful to President Cauce and to Troy Dannen for their confidence in me and I'm thrilled to be a Husky. Our work has already begun."

Prior to Arizona, Fisch served as the quarterbacks coach with the New England Patriots under Head Coach Bill Belichick. He previously served as an offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach or assistant with the Los Angeles Rams, UCLA, the University of Michigan, Jacksonville Jaguars, the University of Miami, Seattle Seahawks, the University of Minnesota, the Denver Broncos, the Baltimore Ravens, and as a quality control coach with the Houston Texans.

He got his start at the collegiate level serving as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida under Steve Spurrier. In addition to Belichick and Spurrier, other mentors include Pete Carroll, Brian Billick and Jim Harbaugh.

Fisch is a native of Livingston, N.J., and graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Criminology in 1998. He earned his Master’s degree from the University of Florida.

For information on advertising, please call Brandon Forbis at (206) 695-2562 Go Huskies Magazine is published four times a year by Huskies Sports Properties, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department

GO HUSKIES MAGAZINE

Huskies Sports Properties, 2825 Eastlake Ave E Suite 320, Seattle, WA 98102

All material produced in this publication is the property of Huskies Sports Properties and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from Huskies Sports Properties and the University of Washington Athletic Department Please send all address changes to the attention of Tyee Club at University of Washington; Box 354070; 202 Graves Building; Seattle, WA 98195-4070 or by email at huskies@uw edu

EDITOR: Dick Stephens

EDITORIAL SUPPORT: Charles Beene & Steve Hamilton

WRITERS: Bob Sherwin, Mark Moschetti & Bart Potter

PHOTOGRAPHERS: UW Athletics

ADVERTISING:

Brandon Forbis (206) 695-2562 — brandon forbis@HuskiesSportsProperties com ART DIRECTOR : Robert Becker

Football & Men’s Basketball Flagship Radio Station: 93 3 KJR FM Seattle Sports Radio

Stocked with proven talent, Huskies look to build on 2023 success in their last Pac-12 season

BY BOB SHERWIN • FOR GO HUSKIES MAGAZINE

When it comes to recruiting high school baseball players, University of Washington Coach Jason Kelly — much like all the nation’s collegiate head coaches — has more than three strikes against him.

“It’s hard to manage a roster,” said Kelly, the Huskies second-year head coach. “It’s always been a difficult landscape.”

It also doesn’t help that baseball is not a full-ride college sport. Colleges are limited to 11.7 scholarships for a 30-plus player roster. It means most recruits get only partial financial help, as programs must break up that 11.7 allotment into quarters, thirds and (rarely) half scholarships.

In addition, high school players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft have until Aug. 1 to decide whether to go pro or go to college (it used to be June). College training camps start Aug. 15, which doesn’t give much leeway for coaches who struggle to fill out a roster or even a lineup based on the short-notice decisions of 18-year-olds. And after just two seasons, a 21-year-old sophomore is eligible for the draft again.

“Our focus is recruiting Northwest players, developing them and keeping them,” said Kelly.

Continued on page 8

COACH JASON

KELLY

AIVA

ARQUETTE

Kelly and his staff have maintained that focus. UW’s program traditionally loads up with players from Washington and Oregon (a combined 23 last year). One player left via the transfer portal, while two new players arrived.

The staff also have done well in player development, as six Huskies were drafted by MLB after last season, including right-handed pitcher Kiefer Lord, taken with the 86th pick by Baltimore. He’s the highest drafted Husky since 2015.

Despite the obstacles, the 2023 Husky team enjoyed success. The Huskies finished with a 35-20 record (17-12 in the Pac-12) and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for just the 12th time in school history. The 35 wins were the most since the 2014 team won 41.

It was the fourth NCAA appearance for Kelly with the Huskies. He was former head coach Lindsay Meggs’ pitching coach (2013-19) and helped the team advance to regionals in 2014 and 2016. Then in 2018, UW advanced to its first and only College World Series appearance. Kelly left after the 2019 season to serve as Arizona State pitching coach and then one season in the same role for LSU. He replaced Meggs last season.

This is another decidedly Northwest (and West Coast) Husky team, which opened the season Feb. 16 at Long Beach State. There are 24 Washingtonraised players on the roster, two from Oregon, 10 from California and one each from Arizona, British Columbia, Hawaii, Florida and Japan.

The strength of the 2024 team is the infield, particularly up the middle. Junior shortstop Cam Clayton, from Lake Oswego, Ore., hit .325 last season, with a .545 slugging percentage, 11 home runs, 42 RBI, 54 runs and a team-leading 21 doubles.

“He’s the star of the program. We’re lucky to have him back,’’ Kelly said. “He was a draft-eligible sophomore and was getting a ton of phone calls (to possibly draft) in the third to seventh round. He decided to come back. He wanted one more year with this group, make another run at it and get better.’’

ENGMAN

At second base, Long Beach, Calif. sophomore Sam DeCarlo “should have been an All-American last year,’’ Kelly said. DeCarlo hit .268 with 35 runs, 33 RBI and seven home runs.

Jeter Ybarra returns to first base. The junior from San Jose, Calif., hit .290 last season and has put on muscle, which should improve his power numbers.

Third base will be patrolled by Aiva Arquette, a sophomore from Hawaii. Kelly said Arquette has potential to be a tough out, but last season was limited by injuries. He had a hand injury followed by season-ending shoulder surgery and played in just 12 games. Of his 11 hits, five were home runs.

The Huskies need to replace catcher Johnny Tincher, an 11th-round draft pick by Cleveland. He hit .310 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI last season. Kelly said the catching job is among “four good choices”: sophomore Colin Blanchard, redshirt freshman Colton Bower (a WSU transfer), freshman Carson Ohland from Maple Valley, Wash., and senior Jake Leitgeb, coming off shoulder surgery.

“Infield is a steady place for us,’’ Kelly added.

Outfield, however, is a wide-open space, light on experience. The Huskies lost two veteran outfielders to the draft — Will Simpson (15th round to Oakland) and Coby Morales (18th round to the Yankees) — who combined for 30 home runs and 110 RBI.

Junior A.J. Guerrero, from Fife, Wash., is expected to start in left field and hit in the critical third spot. He led the team with a .345 average last season and had eight home runs and 38 RBI.

Junior Braeden Terry, from Bellevue, Wash., hit .346 in 45 games for Everett Community College last season and “is the leader in the clubhouse” for the centerfield spot, Kelly said. Cooper Whitton, a sophomore from San Diego, along with senior Luke Rohleder and junior Kyle Fossum, both from Sammamish, Wash., will push for playing time in the outfield.

Continued on page 10

This is another decidedly Northwest (and West Coast) Husky team, which opened the season Feb. 16 at Long Beach State. There are 24 Washington-raised players on the roster, two from Oregon, 10 from California and one each from Arizona, British Columbia, Hawaii, Florida and Japan.

LUKE ROHLEDER

KYLE

FOSSUM

Kelly, a former pitcher for three colleges and pitching coach for five, took focus on the 2024 pitching staff as it was an element he wished to build up. He said the staff has more depth and arms returning from injuries.

The college game needs just three primary starters since the games are generally played on the weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Kelly envisions Jared Engman, a senior from Kent, Wash., (3-5 with a 5.91 ERA) and Calvin Kirchoff, a 6-foot6, 220-pound righthander from Sammamish, filling the first two spots. Kirchoff (2-0 with a 7.46 ERA) was bothered by a preseason finger injury a year ago but should be fully recovered this season.

The third (Sunday) starter could be among three sophomore candidates: Sam Boyle from Vancouver, Wash. (5-0, 5.71 ERA), Spencer Dessart, a transfer from Middlebury College, or Grant Cunningham from Seattle Prep. One will start with the other two heading to the bullpen.

Junior Josh Emanuels from Bellevue should hold down the closer role for the Huskies. He made 28 appearances with six saves, a 4.68 ERA and a 3-2 record. He’ll be backed up by a pair of hard throwers: junior Gianluca Shinn (who Kelly said, “has made the biggest strides of anybody on the staff,’’ throwing in the mid-90s) and freshman Ethan Unruh, a 6-6, 200-pounder from Woodinville, Wash., who can touch 93 mph.

Another bullpen stalwart, junior Reilly McAdams from Seattle’s Ingraham High, has had injury issues, most recently a broken finger. He should return by early March.

This is the final Pac-12 season for the Huskies as they head to the Big Ten next season. Kelly said Washington and the West Coast will continue to be the program’s fertile recruiting territory, “but I think we’re going to push east a little bit.’’ He added that when you look at the expanded 14-school Big Ten, “we are a warm weather school in that conference.’’

UW is already setting up for the next transition season by adding another coach, former big-leaguer Jason Ellison (Texas, Cincinnati), who spent the past decade as a nationwide MLB scout. The Huskies also signed a 12-player recruiting class (seven from Washington, five from California) that includes A.J. Beltre, son of newly elected Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre.

JETER YBARRA

GIANLUCA

JOSH

SAM

REILLY MCADAMS SHINN

BOYLE

EMANUELS

BY BART POTTER

UW softball team blends winning attitude, elite talent and a selfless culture in their bid for a return to the College World Series

• FOR GO HUSKIES MAGAZINE

Brooklyn Carter

Dawgs DIAMOND

2024 SEASON PRE VIEW

By any measure, the Washington Husky softball program has a winning culture.

Defining “culture” in collegiate softball — and establishing it — might be elusive for some programs. For the Husky players who spoke for their teammates at a preseason news conference in February, it’s pretty simple: It means I’ve got your back, and you’ve got mine.

There is no better example of the concept for this team than a critical NCAA Regional game last May in Husky Softball Stadium. The short version: Washington defeated McNeese State, 7-6, after trailing 6-0 heading to the top of the seventh inning.

Freshman ace Ruby Meylan started the game in the circle for the Huskies. Six runs, all earned, on eight hits — an uncharacteristic four innings.

Enter Brooke Nelson, a part-time first-baseplayer with 28.1 innings of spot relief pitching under her belt all season. She held McNeese scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings and then, after the Huskies got crazy busy with a seven-spot in the top of seventh, Nelson shut down the Cowgirls again in the bottom.

At the February news conference, Nelson remembered thinking, “If you can get seven runs for me, I can get three outs for you.”

The victory in the rubber match of three games in two days against McNeese sent the Huskies to the Super Regionals, where they won two straight to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the eighth time in Coach Heather Tarr’s 19-year tenure at UW.

Continued on page 14

“Our core values are always the same,” junior shortstop Rylee Holtorf said. “We have a foundation as a program that Coach Tarr has instilled in us.”

It’s a culture.

“Our core values are always the same,” junior shortstop Rylee Holtorf said. “We have a foundation as a program that Coach Tarr has instilled in us.”

Tarr, a native of Redmond, Wash., has become the winningest coach of any sport in Washington history with a 800-300-1 record, a .727 winning percentage that ranks 10th among active Division I softball head coaches.

Washington opened the 2024 season with four games at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in early February in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, defeating Nebraska, Utah Valley and Iowa State. The Huskies only loss came to top-ranked and threetime defending national champion Oklahoma, 4-3, in eight innings.

This month — after 19 neutral-site games in far-flung locales to start the season — the Huskies return home to open their Pac-12 schedule with a three-game series March 8-10 against Arizona State at Husky Softball Stadium.

For this edition of the Huskies, Tarr hopes to expand the versatility of her pitching staff around Meylan and appears to have the arms to do it.

Last year, Meylan earned the trust of a veteran Washington team and assumed the lead Dawg role in the circle. She finished 18-7 with a 2.14 ERA, spinning 204 strikeouts in 180 innings, and was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) third team All-American and first team All-Pac 12.

She’s bumped her velocity into the 70s working with Husky assistant coach Lance Glasoe and had a chance to work with all-time Husky great Danielle Lawrie, the indomitable pitcher on Washington’s 2009 national championship team. She also got to pick the brains of coaches for Team USA as part of the Japan All-Star Series team last August.

Few programs can claim a No. 2 pitcher with credentials to match Husky senior lefthander Lindsay Lopez of San Tan Valley, Ariz. In 2023, after transferring from Arizona State, Lopez was 14-3 in 94.2 innings with a 3.25 ERA. At ASU in 2022, she earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors with a 13-5 record and 2.12 ERA.

Nelson, from Bonney Lake, Wash., will get her innings in the circle, too, while her role at first base will expand in her graduate student season.

Freshman Sidne Peters brings gaudy high school numbers from Santa Fe, Texas, where in 2022 she posted a 0.80 ERA with a 23-5 record and 290 strikeouts.

Continued on page 16

Rylee Holtorf

Brooke Nelson

Dawgs

2024

SEASON PRE VIEW

The year-over-year version of “we have your back” for the 2024 team means picking up for the big loud pop missing from the middle of the lineup, where departed All-Pac-12 performers Bailee Klingler, Sami Reynolds and Madison Huskey (who doubled in the eventual winning run in the epic McNeese game) drummed out a combined 31 home runs and 124 RBI for a 44-win Husky team.

And while Holtorf’s 141 at-bats in 2023 are easily the most among returning players, the small sample size at the college level is no indicator of these Huskies’ offensive potential. For authority on that, ask the pitchers.

Said Lopez, “As a pitcher, I have been noticing (in scrimmages) they’ve been getting tougher and tougher to get out.”

“I think you have a core group of girls that have been waiting their turn,” Nelson said, “ready to show the world who they are and what Husky softball is.”

“It’s a new fresh lineup,” Meylan said, “a speedy lineup.”

Ink in the elite speed of Brooklyn Carter for the leadoff spot. The sophomore centerfielder from Inglewood, Calif., averaged .277 and finished second in the Pac-12 with 28 stolen bases in 52 games (24 starts) as a freshman. In Puerto Vallarta, she had seven hits to lead the Huskies and stole six bags.

Team leader Holtorf, of Peoria, Ariz., will slot in at second or third in the order and play a sterling shortstop. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive first team, and her .277 batting average in 2023 was a 50-point uptick from her freshman season.

Junior infielder Kinsey Fiedler, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., hit .277 in 46 starts in 2023, with five homers and 18 RBI in 119 at-bats. She also smacked a homer against Iowa State in Puerto Vallarta in February.

The Huskies are looking for big things from graduate transfer infielder Jillian Celis (Corona, Calif.), who had a decorated career at San Diego State, including Mountain West Conference tournament MVP in 2023. She hit .343 with 10 homers and 48 RBI for the Aztecs’ Super Regional team last season.

Freshman catcher/DH Jadyn Glab hit a home run and drove in six runs in Puerto Vallarta. She was the state 5A player of the year in high school in Dubuque, Iowa.

Catcher is a deep position on this roster, with sophomore Sydney Stewart of San Jose (.261, 10 RBI in 2023), junior Olivia Johnson of Pearland, Texas (.207), junior transfer Haley Winckler (.389/32 RBI at Bellevue Community College) and Glab able to hunker down behind the plate.

Alana Johnson, a junior utility player from Summit, Miss., hit .238 with 22 RBI (tied with Holtorf for the most on the current roster) in 24 starts last year. She knocked in five runs in Puerto Vallarta and hit a homer against Iowa State.

Senior outfielder Avery Hobson, of Belton, Mo., transferred from Oklahoma State before last season and hit .298 in 20 starts.

Nelson, in her fifth year in the program, said the Huskies got a taste of the College World Series in Oklahoma City, where they won their first game but lost the next two. They want more.

Holtorf said, “The goal is not just to get back to Oklahoma City but to win the last game in Oklahoma City.”

It’s a belief system she shares with her teammates. It’s a culture.

“I’ll stand by it,” Nelson said. “I think we have one of the best cultures in the country.”

AveryHobson

Olivia Johnson

Alana Johnson

Lindsay Lopez

Ruby Meylan

‘All-Around’ Artistry

QUESTIONS

BY MARK MOSCHETTI • FOR GO HUSKIES MAGAZINE

Walk into a University of Washington gymnastics meet, and it might take a few moments to spot Skylar Killough-Wilhelm. The Husky star senior could be anywhere.

That’s because she’s usually everywhere.

Killough-Wilhelm is the only UW athlete who competes regularly in all four events every meet: vault, uneven parallel bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. That has been true for the past two years and it’s true again this year as the Huskies head into the prime portion of their schedule.

The regular season winds up on March 15. The Pac-12 Championships are March 23 in West Valley, Utah, followed by the regionals April 3-5 at a site to be determined. The NCAA National Championships are April 18-20 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Poised to play a big role in how far the team goes is Killough-Wilhelm. From the start of her college career in 2021, she has been an all-arounder. In fact, she was the first UW freshman to go all-around since 2014, and just the fifth Husky to go all-around in her first college meet.

Through mid-February, Killough-Wilhelm had set a new allaround career high of 39.575 points (Feb. 5 at Stanford) and tied her balance beam career high of 9.925 three times.

In this issue’s 10 Questions, Killough-Wilhelm talks about doing all four events, including which of those four is her favorite.

Husky all-around gymnast Skylar Killough-Wilhelm talks about

her

favorite event, training routines and a possible post-collegiate career

Looking at your results over the years, you’ve enjoyed success in all four events. Is there one that is absolutely, undeniably your favorite — and if so, why that particular event?

“I have always loved the bars. Being able to swing and feel each movement through continuous motion has always made it the most fun for me.’’

You were UW’s only all-arounder in 2022 and 2023. What drives you to put so much effort into all four when so many other gymnasts focus on one or two events?

“Most gymnasts do all four throughout club gymnastics. So, when I transitioned into college, I knew I had wanted to do the same. Every event is very different, so getting to do more allows me to take my mind off of the others.’’

With that in mind, how do you structure your training and practice time — do you try to work out on all four events every day, or do you set aside a day or two at a time to work just one event in particular?

“Typically, during the season, I will do three events a day. I do bars and beam every day and will alternate between vault and floor every other day. That being said, I will try to go to the event I didn’t do skills on and do either drills or conditioning specific to that event.”

Of the four events, which one is the most physically demanding for you? Which one is the most mentally demanding?

“As for physically demanding, I would say the vault requires the most from my body. Having to put 100 percent of my power into each turn requires me to take care of my body outside of the gym while being as intentional as possible in the gym. Similarly, beam requires the most mental focus because the routines are longer. So being extremely intentional on each turn is important because this event can take the longest.”

How and when did you get started in gymnastics?

“I was put in art and gymnastics when I was 5 as this was all they offered at our local community center. I became fascinated by how cool the older girls were and enjoyed tumbling a lot more than art. I started competing when I was 7 and that love took me all the way here.”

This sport can be incredibly demanding to reach this high level. Over the years, how have you kept yourself going through all the high and low moments that are just part of gymnastics?

“Having those moments is just part of life, let alone sports. For me, I have had those moments, but remembering that it’s about how you respond to that adversity is what is most important. Having a positive mindset and remembering your long-term goals can help me change my perspective when things get tough.”

Of the coaches you’ve trained with through the years, was there one who was influential in helping you get to where you are today? How did that coach help you do that?

“Each coach I’ve had has had a different perspective on coaching, and in every way, that has shaped me into the person I am today. That being said, I was injured when I was 15 and I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it back to the sport. Dan Miller, my coach in Iowa, never doubted my abilities, held me to a high standard, and instilled confidence in a way that allowed me to keep pushing my potential. I wouldn’t be here today without him.”

You’re from Iowa and came all the way out to Seattle. That’s a long way from home. What got you here?

“I fell in love with UW and the opportunity it would provide when I first looked it up. The campus is one of the most beautiful in the nation and along with their prestigious athletics and academics, I knew this is where I wanted to be.”

The heart of the season is coming up with Pac12s, regionals, and the NCAAs. What are your thoughts and goals heading into that part of the schedule?

“Staying healthy and continuing to have a steady build, both individually and as a team, is what we all have been focusing on this year. As a senior, going into each competition having gratitude and competing for something bigger than myself has been something I have been really focused on. My goal is to continue to carry this mindset into the postseason and just enjoy doing what I love.”

Your major is public health / global health, and that could open a lot of different career doors for you. Is there a particular aspect of that field that you’re looking to focus on after graduating?

“I have really enjoyed learning about public health and how we can contribute as a society to the overall health of our communities. I want to use this background to apply to nursing school to get my BSN and get that hands-on experience.”

Sub-4s More INDOORS

Huskies lead the way indoors in all-out assault on the record books

MARK MOSCHETTI • FOR GO HUSKIES MAGAZINE

When eight guys break four minutes in the mile on the same night — as eight University of Washington runners did in 2023 — how can that possibly be topped in 2024?

Easy: Create a whole separate event focused exclusively on the mile, call it Mile City, invite anyone and everyone who wants to race … then watch nearly twice as many guys go out and run a sub-4.

Led by UW star Luke Houser, that’s precisely what happened on Jan. 27 when his record-breaking performance made him one of 15 runners — and one of five Huskies — to break that barrier on the Dempsey Indoor oval.

Houser, the defending NCAA indoor mile champion, posted a time of 3:51.73 exactly one year to the day after Joe Waskom led that group of eight Washington sub-4s with a then-record 3:51.90 on the first night of the UW Invitational.

Inspired in large part by what happened in that race, which garnered attention from around the world, Washington created the Mile City event to take place at the conclusion of this year’s UW Invite.

For some six hours on that Saturday afternoon, competitors from youngsters to top collegians and pros raced five-plus laps around the purple 307-meter track. The college / pro / club portion had 521 finishers — 322 on the men’s side, 199 on the women’s.

While Houser set the pace with his 3:51.79 — the fourth-fastest time in NCAA history — four other Huskies broke the barrier as well: 3:53.64 for Waskom (third place), 3:53.74 for Nathan Green (fourth), 3:54.61 for Ronan McMahon-Staggs (fifth, and his first-ever sub-4), and 3:58.18 for Leo Daschbach (10th).

Washington now has 20 sub-4-mile performances in program history, with 14 of those coming during the current Andy Powell coaching era.

Two years after setting the UW record in the women’s 5,000 meters, Haley Herberg rewrote it by clocking 15:38.37 in the Husky Classic.

Indoor Track

Washington now has 20 sub-4-mile performances in program history, with 14 of those coming during the current Andy Powell coaching era.

Haley Herberg

Kaia Tupu-South

Luke Houser

Indoor Track

Chloe Foerster

Jayden White

Records Broken Everywhere

• Chloe Foerster, a sophomore, established a new women’s mile standard at the Husky Classic on Feb. 10 at 4:28.14 seconds, beating the previous mark of 4:28.48 by Katie Flood that had stood since 2012.

• Two years after setting the UW record in the women’s 5,000 meters, Haley Herberg rewrote it by clocking 15:38.37 in the Classic.

• Also at the Classic, sophomore Kaia Tupu-South added on to her own women’s shot put record with a throw of 56 feet, 4 inches. That was two inches farther than what she threw two weeks earlier at the Frank Savigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb.

• Jayden White already owned the men’s weight throw UW record. Now, he has gone four inches beyond that with a mark of 74-5½ at the Classic.

• Although the 1,000 meters isn’t an official NCAA event (other than at the end of the men’s heptathlon), it is on the Washington record board. Nathan Green’s name is now next to it after his 2:18.56 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Feb. 4 in Boston. That time ranks No. 5 in NCAA history.

• Beatrice Asomaning launched the first 70-foot women’s weight throw in Husky history, going 70 feet, 1 inch on her sixth and final attempt at the UW Invitational on Jan. 26. That erased the old record of 69-8¼ by Angel Nkwonta in 2020.

• Also at the Invite, senior Carley Thomas went wire-to-wire in the women’s 800 in 2:00.95, breaking not only her own school record (2:02.15 last season), but the Dempsey Indoor record, as well.

Moving Outdoors

While the indoor season wraps up on March 8-9 at the NCAA Championships in Boston, the outdoor schedule begins at the top-caliber Stanford Invitational on March 29-30.

The Washington men are coming off the program’s first Pac-12 team title last year, with seven event champions. Of those, only Nathan Green in the 1,500 meters is returning. He and Joe Waskom went 1-2 in last year’s NCAA 1,500 meters.

The women finished third at Pac-12s and return pole vault co-champions Nastassja Campbell and Sara Borton, both of whom cleared 14 feet, 3¼ inches. That event figures to be even deeper with freshman sisters Hana and Amanda Moll coming aboard. Through mid-February, Hana was atop the NCAA indoor list at 15-2 ¾, the only 15-footer in the country.

EXPERIENCE SERVING

UW women return a loaded lineup aiming for another NCAA tourney run

One year after reaching the Pac-12 women’s semifinals and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies are back for more.

And so are most of the players who helped them get that far.

Finishing last season ranked No. 21 nationally, the Huskies are right back in that No. 21 spot as they won their first six dual matches during the winter portion of the schedule.

The graduation of Hikaru Sato, 2023 Regional Senior Player of the Year and an All-Pac-12 firstteamer, left an opening atop the Washington ladder — and Erika Matsuda, a sophomore from Japan, has jumped all the way up to take that spot.

Matsuda played primarily No. 6 last year, going 13-3 to make the All-Pac-12 second team. She also was half of UW’s most successful doubles combination, combining with Sarah-Maude Fortin for an overall record of 13-3.

Continued on page 24

Sarah-Maude Fortin

Erika Matsuda

SPRING Tennis

Han-Chih Lin

Cesar Bouchelaghem

Fortin, a senior from Montreal, is back for her senior season. She went 17-15 in singles (11-11 at No. 2) and was 22-9 with various partners in doubles.

Astrid Olsen and Melissa Sakar, both grad students, also are returning to the court. Olsen was a consistent contributor at No. 3 singles with a 17-5 record (25-8 overall) and linked up with Jennifer Kerr (now a UW assistant coach) for 14 matches in No. 2 doubles. Olsen joined Matsuda on the Pac12 second team.

Sakar played mostly in the No. 5 singles position, going 10-7 as part of her overall 19-12 ledger and was 11-2 in doubles with two different partners.

All six of Washington’s primary men’s players who saw the largest portion of the action in their respective positions in 2023 are back.

French native Cesar Bouchelaghem, now a junior, played No. 3 last year, building a 17-1 record (26-6 overall). He has taken over the No. 1 spot, switching places with Han-Chih Lin. Now a senior, Lin went 7-12 in duals, 15-17 overall and was named to the Pac-12 second team.

Dzianis Zharyn, a junior from Belarus, rounded out Washington’s All Pac-12 selections, also making the second team. Along with his 12-8 record (mostly at No. 2; he’s still in that position early in 2024), he and Bouchelaghem formed the Huskies’ regular No. 1 doubles tandem, forging a 12-7 record.

Others returning are junior Nedim Suko (14-18, typically at No. 4), Jim Hendrikx (9-12, mostly at No. 5), and Brett Pearson (15-10, usually at No. 6).

Coming out of the ITA National Team Indoor tournament on the second weekend of February, the Husky women were looking at another string of non-conference matches before beginning Pac-12 play on March 8-9 in Los Angeles against Southern California and UCLA.

UW’s men also had a handful of non-conference tests remaining before starting their last-ever Pac-12 schedule at home on March 7 against Oregon.

Husky Giving Day on April 4, 2024, is your opportunity to make a big impact for Washington’s 650 student-athletes and 22 teams.

“Every year, we call upon Husky Nation, our alumni, and donors to join together to make a difference, and every year, they always step up big for our student-athletes,” says Jordan En’Wezoh, Assistant Director for Advancement for UW Athletics’ Tyee Club. “The impact is tangible, and more important now more than ever.”

Since 2019, the University of Washington has held Husky Giving Day, a 24-hour crowdfunding initiative where faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters can come together to celebrate and give to their favorite causes at the UW. The day encourages friendly competition between various causes and in UW Athletics’ case, teams.

“Our sport programs aim to go above and beyond. And as student-athletes get more involved,

coaches can build or strengthen relationships with alumni, ultimately leading to a stronger community. Which is why we are looking forward to going big this year,” En’Wezoh added.

Last year, UW Athletics raised $937,019 from 1,616 gifts on Husky Giving Day, leading the university in the most money raised and the most individual gifts from supporters. The University of Washington as a whole raised nearly $2.4 million from over 7,300 donors from across the world.

“It’s really become a global event that brings together fans, alumni, supporters and even our current student-athletes and coaches,” explains En’Wezoh. “Our coaches are out there spreading the word on social media and our teams are busy calling alumni – we’ve found that the day really builds a sense of community and re-engages all those proud to wear the Purple and the Gold.”

Continued on page 28

En’Wezoh continues, “The great thing about Husky Giving Day is anyone can participate. Gifts of every size are welcome and help unlock additional funds from generous donors, allowing you to make an even bigger impact.”

Those interested in supporting UW Athletics on Husky Giving Day can support all teams through The Competitive Edge Fund or give to their favorite program. Gifts provide critical funding for scholarships, travel, nutrition, physical and mental health, specialized equipment, innovative technology, and so much more.

“We encourage anyone participating to spread the word about Husky Giving Day with their family, their friends, and the people in their network,” En’Wezoh mentioned. “It’s a significant day and opportunity to come together to not only support our current student-athletes and teams, but to help build a foundation for future generations of student-athletes to compete in the sport they love at UW.”

More information about Husky Giving Day can be found at GoHuskies.com/HuskyGivingDay.

PITCH PERFECT

Taehoon Song of the fifth-ranked Huskies hits an approach shot. The UW men’s golf team has exceptional depth for their final swing through the Pac-12 season. Follow them and the women’s team on GoHuskies.com all spring.

To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com