GoHuskies Magazine, November 2020

Page 1


bannerbank.com


NOVEMBER 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

From the Athletic Director’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Quade Green leads a new-look, up-tempo UW squad . . . . 4 10 Questions with Women’s Basketball's Khayla Rooks . 13 Washington’s women are overcoming adversity . . . . . . . . 14 Tamara McDonald brings a fresh perspective to UW staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 One Team: Husky athletics launches new program to benefit UW student-athletes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Shot: Indelible images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

GoHUSKIES

PAGE 1


GOHUSKIES VOLUME 14 / ISSUE 2 / NOVEMBER 2020

For Information on Advertising, Please Call Brandon Forbis at (206) 695-2562. GoHuskies Magazine is published seven times a year by Huskies Sports Properties, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.

GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE Huskies Sports Properties 3910 Montlake Boulevard – Box 354070 Seattle, WA 98195

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 Brian Beaky WRITERS Madison MacPhee, Mark Moschetti PHOTOGRAPHERS Matthew Lipsen, Don Jedlovec, Jonathan Moore, Red Box Photography, UW Athletics

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK

I

hope you and those close to you are healthy and well as we make our final push through 2020. This year continues to challenge us in ways we didn’t think possible. As I shared last month, we look at adversity through the lens of creating opportunities for each of us. This continues to be true for our students, our coaches and our staff. The one constant that has remained is how impressed I am with our students. They have gone through so much and are balancing academics, athletics and a social life during a pandemic. They teach our staff so many lessons and I’m inspired by their resolve and desire to make the most of every situation. It’s been fun to have them back on Montlake and they have been unbelievably grateful to be with their teammates again. We also recently received our latest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data from the NCAA and our students continue to excel in the classroom. We matched the highest-ever score in department history with a 91. Our coaches have built a culture of academic excellence and the studentathletes they bring into their programs continue to take us to new heights in the classroom. I’m so proud of each and every one of them, as well as our academic support staff for all of their work. The Pac-12’s decision to bring sports back prior to Jan. 1 included men’s and women’s basketball. This was great news for our Husky hoopers! We are so excited that Coach Hopkins and Coach Wynn will have the opportunity to compete. They have been working so hard to get their teams ready. Included in the Pac-12’s decision was that spectators are not permitted inside conference venues until at least Jan. 1. Unfortunately, we will not be together inside Alaska Airlines Arena

Jennifer Cohen

as the seasons tip-off, but we will all be pulling for our Huskies on the hardwood from home. COVID-19 has and will continue to have a major impact on our budget, and our financial outlook is daunting. You have all been incredibly gracious with your support as we launched Huskies All In. We have now gotten our One Team effort off the ground, which is Phase II of the campaign that will run the rest of the academic year. This focuses on supporting all 22 of our programs and 650 student-athletes. We are going to need Husky Nation to come by our side to get over this financial hurdle, and we know we can do it because of the tremendous support you have always shown for our beloved Huskies. On behalf of our entire department, Thank You for always being there with us each step of the way. We know this year looks different but that doesn’t change our focus of developing young men and women. We can’t wait to be reunited again when the time is right. Go Dawgs!

ADVERTISING

Brandon Forbis, Kate Hughes (206) 695-2562 brandon.forbis@ HuskiesSportsProperties.com DESIGN Robert Becker

Football & Men’s Basketball Flagship Radio Station: 950 AM KJR Seattle Sports Radio

PAGE 2

GoHUSKIES



With a new-look roster and a new-look schedule, Mike Hopkins’ Huskies are eager to get

PAGE 4

Back To Business

GoHUSKIES


BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

S

cheduling. Recruiting. Even figuring out a practice when only five players at a time could be on the court. The University of Washington men’s basketball team hadn’t yet played a single minute of its season when head coach Mike Hopkins got onto a conference call with Seattle-area reporters at the end of October, and already, it had become the strangest season that the fourth-year Husky head coach had ever seen. “Coaches were tossing around (the idea of) mini-bubbles in our league, and what we can do to best serve a positive environment for our studentathletes,” Hopkins said of adapting the athletic world to the real one in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. “The NBA (which played in a bubble in Orlando this summer) had not one positive (COVID) test, and they were a stickler for rules. “It’s more challenging in a college environment,” Hopkins continued. “For the most part, our medical staff and trainers have done an incredible job of protecting our student-athletes and educating them. Now, with rapid testing on days when we practice, it has been pretty impressive. I think we’ve taken every measure possible to keep them the safest they can possibly be.” With those new protocols gradually falling into place, the Huskies are turning their focus toward being as successful as they can possibly be in the upcoming season. Washington is seeking a significant bounce-back from last year’s 15-17 overall record and a 5-13 Pacific-12 mark that left it at the bottom of the conference standings. “We had so much talent last year, and it hurt losing all those games,” said 6-foot-6 junior guard Jamal Bey, who played all 32 contests with 16 starts, and supplemented his 5.7 points per game with a team-high 48 steals. “I feel like the identity of this team is relentless – go at everybody. We have that chip on our shoulder that I feel like we didn’t have as much last year.”

Continued on page 6 GoHUSKIES

PAGE 5


Picking Up The Pace On Offense

T

hat relentlessness will be called upon to get a new-look, guard-oriented offense running as smoothly as possible.. “We’re trying to play faster, offensively,” Hopkins said. “Last year, we shared the ball, but I felt our player movement wasn’t great. We’ve gotten better with our spacing and our player movement. “Sometimes, the last three years, we have been very post-driven. That limits a lot of dribble penetration,” Hopkins added. “So, we’ve been working on getting the ball down the court and getting great spacing. When the ball moves, the player moves. It’s a better flow, a better rhythm.” Several talented guards ultimately could play key roles in that offense. Quade Green, a 6-foot senior, is back in action after missing the second half of last season because he was ruled academically ineligible for the winter quarter. He started 14 of the 15 games he played, averaging 11.6 points on 51 percent shooting from the field, including 44.7 percent from three-point range. And, even in just those 15 games, his 79 assists still led the team. “He has grown in so many different areas,” Hopkins said. “He has taken a so-called negative and turned it into a positive. I think he will be, if not the best guard in the league, then one of the best guards in the league – and, maybe even in the country.” Green is ready to get back into it. “When I got out that half a year, I trained my body and trained my mind, and didn’t worry about anything (except) what happens next year. And, next year came, and here it is.” Marcus Tsohonis is also in line for a full slate of action this season. The 6-foot-3 sophomore played in three non-conference games last year, the last of which was Nov. 24 at home against San Diego. Hopkins had intended to redshirt him after that. But, plans changed in mid-January, and Tsohonis played the final 16 games, starting nine. For the season, he averaged 7.3 points per game and dished 41 assists. “Marcus is an intelligent player with a lot of experience, especially in what we do,” Hopkins said. “He is a guy who is a proven player in our system. He and Quade make a good combo. Both have the ability to shoot in the high 40s from the 3-point line (44.7 percent last year for Green, 41.2 for Tsohonis) and both have a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52 for Tsohonis, 2.26 for Green).”

Continued on page 8

PAGE 6

GoHUSKIES



Newbies Have Northwest Roots

A

trio of talented transfers has joined the UW guard corps, all with Pacific Northwest ties. Nate Pryor, a 6-foot-4 junior from West Seattle High School, played the past two seasons at North Idaho College. He helped the Cardinals go 31-2 as a freshman, averaging 18.9 points and 5.3 assists per game, and 28-1 as a sophomore, with averages of 16.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. Erik Stevenson is a 6-foot-3 junior from Lacey, about 50 miles south of Seattle. He spent the past two years at Wichita State. Last season, he played all 31 games for the Shockers and was their second-leading scorer, at 11.1 points per game. Cole Bajema, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, hails from Lynden in northwest Washington, near the U.S.-Canada border. A two-time Associated Press State Player of the Year, he appeared in 10 games off the bench at Michigan last season, averaging 2.6 points per game. “Nate is like a coach on the floor who gets guys into the offense," Hopkins said. "As a friend told me," he continued, "whenever you have a Nate Pryor, you know you’ll be able to sit on the bench and breathe comfortably when he plays. “Erik and Cole are both really talented players, and if we can have them on our roster playing, we want that to happen,” Hopkins continued. “Cole has so much offensive ability. His skill level shows a guy who’s going to be a great player in this program. Erik is a tough guy and a really smart player with the ability to shoot the ball. He seems to make the right play most of the time.”

PAGE 8

GoHUSKIES


Filling In Up Front

W

ashington’s front court took a hit when freshmen Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels both declared for the NBA draft. Stewart averaged team highs of 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and shot 57 percent from the field. McDaniels averaged 13.0 points and 5.8 boards per game. But, the Huskies do return 6-foot-9 senior Hameir Wright. He started 29 of his 31 games last winter, averaging 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. J’Raan Brooks, a product of Seattle’s powerful Garfield High School program, is ready for his first year with Washington. The 6-foot-9 junior sat out last season after transferring from USC, where he saw limited playing time as a freshman in 2018-19. “J’Raan is improving daily. He has improved his shot, and he’s better defensively in what we do in terms of our zone,” Hopkins said. “We’re really high on him.” Brooks is looking forward to the offensive style that the Huskies are planning. “I’m glad we’re doing that, playing a lot faster,” he said. “With me being as versatile as I am and with the smaller team we have, along with Hameir Wright, who’s super versatile, we’re almost a mismatch for a lot of teams. Since we’re so fast, we’re going to push the ball a lot, with a lot more driveand-kick-out to the three-ball.” Hopkins says the newbies bring valuable know-how. “Last year, we had so many new guys at new positions, and we had these young superstars,” he said. “This year, we've got some proven players with a lot of mileage under their belt, and that experience, especially at the guard position, will hopefully pay dividends.”

Continued on page 10

PAY WITH PURPLE AND GOLD. WIN WITH FEWER FEES. 5287 4912 3456 7891 VALID THRU

03/24

At BECU, we put Huskies first. That’s why we created the BECU UW Debit Mastercard. With free checking and access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs, you’re always on the winning side. Get the official card of Husky Nation at becu.org/uw.

LEE M. CARDHOLDER

Member Share Savings or Member Advantage Savings account required to establish membership. A checking account is required in order to obtain a debit Mastercard. Federally insured by NCUA. Visit becu.org for details.

GoHUSKIES

PAGE 9


Turning Toughness Into More Wins

D

“Toughness is a lot of things that in real life it takes to be successful,” Hopkins added. “We believe in it. It’s in our heart, it’s what we do – bottom line.”

PAGE 10

efensively, the zone-oriented Huskies ranked fifth in the Pac-12 last winter, allowing 66.4 points per game. They blocked a conference-high 192 shots (6.0 per game) and were the toughest team to shoot against, as opponents hit just 38.1 percent from the field. “I know we can depend on our defense,” Hopkins said. “We’ve got something that has been proven to be good." But, those lofty defensive stats weren’t always translating into wins, particularly during crunch time. “At the end of games, we weren’t getting the stops we were accustomed to getting when we had to have them,” Hopkins said. “That urgency at the end of those plays – that’s what we got good at in the first couple years. Then, we kind of lost a couple (games) last year, where before, that wouldn’t have happened. We’re improving that.” For all of the pandemic-related challenges – including massive schedule changes that will focus on regional opponents and include 20 games in the Pac-12 Conference – Hopkins said his team’s approach is about as straightforward as it can be. “I really believe that the tougher team usually wins. Not only that, the more-together team wins,” he said. “You’ve gotta make the tough play. Toughness is doing your job when you don’t want to do your job. Toughness is when you’ve got to work three jobs. “Toughness is a lot of things that in real life it takes to be successful,” he added. “We believe in it. It’s in our heart, it’s what we do – bottom line.”

GoHUSKIES


GoHUSKIES

PAGE 11



10 QUESTIONS WITH... WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S

T

KHAYLA ROOKS

here may be only two seniors on Washington's women's basketball team this year, but don't try telling Khayla Rooks that there’s a lack of leadership. Rooks and fellow senior Alexis Griggsby have stepped up to lead a talented young group that has its sights set on taking a big step forward in this abbreviated Pac-12 season. We caught up with Rooks on the eve of the 2020-21 season to find out what motivates her to succeed.

What is your favorite place to visit in Seattle? “My favorite place to visit is the airport, because I am either going home to my family in San Diego or coming back to Seattle to be with my new family. Also, I love watching airplanes take off and land, because it’s very peaceful.” Why did you choose to come to UW? “I chose UW because of how close all of the girls are (my family away from home). Also, because academics are through the roof.” What do you do in your free time? “In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to the beach, going to amusement parks, or going on adventures.” If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be?? “A slogan for my life would be to trust in the process. My dad used to say that to my brother a lot, and it kind of stuck to me.” What is on your personal bucket list? “Three things on my bucket list would be: going in a hot air balloon, attending the Olympics and riding in a private jet.” What are some of your earliest memories of playing basketball? “Some early memories of playing basketball would be playing two-on-two with my dad, brother, and cousin in the backyard. Also, going to my brother’s basketball games dressed in his uniforms and shooting at halftime.” Who is your biggest inspiration? “My father is my biggest inspiration. Because of him, I have been playing basketball all my life. He passed away June 7, 2016, and now I play to make him proud.” What do you love most about playing basketball? “What I love most about playing basketball is the atmosphere and adrenaline rush that it gives you. When playing in tough, close games, I enjoy and take on the pressure.” Who were your favorite basketball players growing up? “Kevin Durant is my favorite basketball player because he is very versatile, kind of like me. Also, he is a very humble player and a complete monster on the court.” Can you talk about some of the experiences that have been opened up to you through the sport and how they have changed your life? “The community around basketball and the people I have met while playing opened up opportunities that allowed for me to play basketball at the college level. Also, because of basketball, I have met some of my life-long best friends.”

GoHUSKIES

PAGE 13


BRAVE

NEW WORLD PAGE 14

GoHUSKIES


Husky Women’s Hoopsters Are Living In The Moment

BY MADISON MACPHEE SPECIAL TO GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

W

ith top-10 all-time scorer Amber Melgoza and defensive wizard Mai-Loni Henson having graduated this spring, it was supposed to be Missy Peterson's time to take the reins of the Husky women's basketball program. Peterson, though, tore her ACL in October; combined with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus on collegiate sports landscape, it's fair to say that the the Husky women are learning a lot this year about fighting through adversity. While the odds may seem stacked against the Huskies, however, the team remains confident and ready to start competing. “I just want to play, to be honest,” says senior Alexis Griggsby. “I just want to enjoy playing with my team, have fun, shoot the ball and just do what I know I can do. That is what I’m really looking forward to.” A guard out of Northridge, Calif., Griggsby is eager to get back on the court for her final season in Purple and Gold. Griggsby is just one of two seniors that will be leading the Dawgs in this unprecedented season. “My personal goal is just to really enjoy senior year,” Griggsby says. “Even with the crazy ups and downs that we have experienced and all the adversity that has come, I want to just enjoy my senior year and take it in for what it is.” Khayla Rooks, a forward out of San Marcos, Calif., is the Huskies' second senior, being asked to lead one of the Huskies' youngest rosters in years. “I have definitely had to step up in a major way,” Rooks says. “Especially with losing Missy, it has definitely been more of a load to take on. I just use what I excel at, which is my basketball IQ, to help other players through things they don’t understand.” Head coach Jody Wynn announced Peterson's ACL tear just a few days into the team's fall practices. Peterson will have to redshirt her senior year, but will still have eligibility to compete in the 2021-22 season.

Continued on page 17 GoHUSKIES

PAGE 15


TOGETHER. WHEREVER WE ARE. From the university campus to your couch at home, the Boeing Apple Cup Series brings people across Washington together. We’re a proud sponsor of this great college tradition, and it’s part of our commitment to supporting the communities, across Washington, that our employees call home.

boeing.com/washington


“It's very unfortunate because she was really ready for her senior year and had been prepared to have a great one,” Wynn says. “We plan on her still being a part of us. She won't be able to directly produce on the basketball court, but she will be able to lead the young kids, she'll be able to still engage with them and be a leader. She's somebody that has a powerful voice in our program." With two holes in the Huskies' offense, it creates an opportunity for other players to step up and contribute. This season, the Dawgs have four freshmen joining the roster. The new faces on the team are hoping to come in and bring the spark the Huskies will need to be competitive in their league. “The new players are eager to learn,” Griggsby says, “which is always nice when you are coming in fresh. Since they are so eager, that makes it very nice to work with them because they just absorb all the information we have." Rooks and Griggsby are hard at work catching the new players up on what they need to do on both sides of the ball. However, there has been a focus on perfecting their defense. “Our defense isn’t really like any other teams,” Rooks says. “So, we are trying to get all of our new players up to speed on that. Offense can come to you, but learning a whole new defense can be rough. So, our main focus has been defense and trying to get everyone on the same page." That's not to say they're not ignoring the offense. Indeed, with Melgoza — who led the team in each of the last three seasons, and left UW ranked eighth on the career scoring charts — off to play professional ball in Italy, the emphasis this year will be on finding multiple contributors to replace those points, as opposed to putting all of the pressure on just one individual. “This year, as a team, we are more evenly dispersed in scoring categories,” Rooks says. “Previously, we have had Amber, who did most of our scoring. But, this year, since we don’t have that piece, we are trying to figure out more ways to get people involved. A big team goal of ours is to play as an unselfish team, get everybody touches and make defenses move by using our chemistry and unselfishness to outwork teams.” It may not have been the senior season Rooks and Griggsby were expecting, but their spirits are high. Through growth, adversity and hard work, they are ready to go out with a bang. If, that is, they choose to go out at all — with eligibility paused for all players in 2020-21, both seniors will have the opportunity to return in 2021-22 if they so choose.

“... the emphasis this year will be on finding multiple contributors ... ”

Continued on page 18 GoHUSKIES

PAGE 17


Huskies Mag half page 7-4X4-54.pdf 1 10/17/2020 9:51:43 AM

When asked to look back and recall a favorite moment from her time at UW, Rooks doesn't hesitate: “Definitely my favorite moment was my sophomore year, when we upset two teams in the Pac- 12 tournament — Oregon State and Utah." Griggsby, on the other hand, chooses to focus on a general notion of bliss. “You know that feeling when you are on the court and everything is going smoothly?” Griggsby asks, rhetorically. “The ball is moving, shots are hitting, we are playing defense well, everyone is just working hard and playing great? Those moments are some of my fondest. You get the energy off the bench, you get the energy from the crowd — it is one of the most amazing feelings.” The Huskies have adopted a "live- in- the- moment" mentality this year. With the coronavirus and all of the unknown that it brings, it is imperative to take things one day at a time and fight through adversity. “I have learned to really enjoy the moment that is presented to you,” Griggsby says. “I have a quote on my phone that says, ‘Sometimes you lose the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.' You sometimes don’t realize what you are doing until it’s already done.” Looking back, Rooks says that it's those moments she is trying to capture — even as life has continued to throw obstacles in front of her and her teammates. “I have definitely matured,” Rooks says, with a laugh. “But, I have also learned to fight through adversity, and to step into a leadership and captain role." All in all, this young team is anxious to take to the hardwood once again and compete against some of the best women's college basketball players the country has to offer in the Pac-12 Conference. They will do so by living in the moment and taking advantage of every opportunity that presents itself.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Washington provides free services to individuals throughout

C

M

WA Brain Injury Resource Line

Y

877-824-1766

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Keeping Youth Safe Playing The Sports They Love

PAGE 18

GoHUSKIES



T A M A R A

PAGE 20

M C D O N A L D ’ S

GoHUSKIES


First-year assistant coach

Tamara McDonald is more than just a coach — she’s a teacher, too BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

B

ack in the early 2000s, Tamara McDonald didn’t see herself becoming a college basketball coach. She changed her mind – and is glad she did. Back in early 2020, she didn’t see herself returning to college coaching after being away from it for a few years. She changed her mind again, and is glad she did. McDonald, who played under fourth-year Washington head coach Jody Wynn when Wynn was an assistant at Pepperdine, is now coaching with her at the UW. “How many times do you get to work for your mentor and your own coaches from college? Rarely ever,” says the 39-year-old McDonald, who joined the UW staff in September. (Jody and her husband, Derek, who is Washington’s associate head coach, were both Pepperdine assistants during McDonald’s 1999-2003 playing career.) “They asked if I would join because I would bring something they felt like their staff needed. “All coaches are invested in kids. But, I really like the focus on the journey and the progress of getting better – not just the end result,” McDonald adds. “I tell (the players), ‘There’s not a lot of things I’m going to bring that you don’t already know about basketball. What I hope to teach you is that anything you’re gonna do that is worthwhile is going to be done correctly.'” That’s precisely what Jody Wynn was seeking in filling the opening created after former assistant and Huskies alum Michelle Augustavo-Fisher left after last season to focus more attention on her family. “When I knew that position was opening, right away I reached out to her about coming up and joining the Husky family,” Wynn says. “She gives us a great perspective, not only on the court and what she brings to our team and staff, but off the court as well.” After serving as an assistant at Division II Cal Poly Pomona from 2007-10, McDonald became head coach at Citrus College, a two-year school in Glendora, Calif., in 2010. She spent five seasons with the Owls, going 65-70 and helping nearly a dozen of her players land spots in four-year programs. It was at Citrus where McDonald found the opportunity to blend her passions for the court and the classroom. “The job opened up and there was also the opportunity to teach, which is more in line with what I thought I would be doing,” she says. “I loved it so much. I don’t want to say I fell more in love with teaching than coaching, but there are so many intersections of doing both."

Continued on page 22 GoHUSKIES

PAGE 21


She Blossomed – But, It Took Awhile McDonald didn’t start playing basketball until eighth grade. So, when she arrived on campus at Pepperdine in 1999, she knew her game still had a long way to go. As a freshman, McDonald expected to be playing behind a veteran with All-American credentials. Instead, she wound up starting – a heady moment, but one that ultimately came with many tough moments, too. “There were some hard lessons learned as an 18-year-old freshman starting point guard,” she says. “There were definitely bumps in the road, as far as my ability to catch up to the college game so fast. I didn’t expect to start. I wasn’t prepared for that. That caused a lot of trouble for me adapting to the college game.” McDonald stuck with it. And the Waves stuck with her. “She stumbled a few times and had a rough beginning,” Wynn says. “Then, she learned to look through the lenses of her teammates and learned to become coachable. It was almost through failures that she learned to rise and be a star." McDonald made All-West Coast Conference three times, was the WCC Player of the Year in 2003, and helped the Waves make three NCAA tournaments and one Women’s National Invitation Tournament. “She became an incredible leader when all was said and done, and very coachable,” Wynn says. “She was as tough as they go. She would run through a wall for any of her teammates.”

Continued on page 25

PAGE 22

GoHUSKIES



Born and raised in Seattle’s Central District, Anthony Washington is a true Husky who wants to make a difference in his community. Washington, who played Husky basketball as an undergraduate, discovered a passion for teaching and returned to the UW for his master’s degree in special education. He strives to empower and engage his students during class and advocate for them beyond the classroom.


“I’ve moved toward activism, and the court seems too small to have an impact. “But now, I’m realizing you can actually do both.”

Always The Teacher After playing professionally in Germany, McDonald returned to the United States and coached at the high-school level. Then, she did what “I thought I would never do: I took a college basketball job. "I never saw myself wanting to be a college coach," she adds. "I thought it would be too constrictive to a lot of the interests I had." Instead, her time at Pomona, and then Citrus College, became very fulfilling. When she went seeking a different challenge, McDonald joined the California Labor Commissioner’s Office in 2015, working with some of that state’s most vulnerable populations. “In some areas, that was also teaching,” McDonald says. “It was teaching people their rights, but also developing internal leaders within government.” During that time, she had several friends reach out to her about joining their coaching staffs. But, she consistently declined, explaining, “I’ve moved toward activism, and the court seems too small to have an impact. “But now, I’m realizing you can actually do both.” Wynn said that McDonald coming back to college coaching after being away for a few years has been beneficial for the Huskies as a whole. “Not only is it fresh for her, but she brings our program some incredible real-life experience that she shares with us,” Wynn says. “She’s very current and present with what’s going on in the world, and gives our girls a great perspective on life and teaches our staff how to better manage and better relate to our players. It has just become a real healthy relationship.” McDonald has embraced that relationship through her first two months in Seattle, even though practices were scaled down because of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. “This is not a normal time to ask kids to come inside the gym and turn that noise off – and know that noise is going to get turned back on when they leave,” McDonald says. “From what I understand from Jody and Derek and the players, their intent and focus is different this year. We’ve gone through a lot of adversity. It’s astounding how these kids can come and still smile through it and get the work done every day. “That’s what makes me happy.” And makes her glad she got back into college coaching … again. GoHUSKIES

PAGE 25


W

A MESSAGE from the Head Coaches of Husky Athletics

ashington is a special place — not just for student-athletes and fans, but for coaches, too. Each of us came to the UW because we believe in the core mission of Washington Athletics: to educate, support and develop the potential of student-athletes. Of course, we want to win championships. But, our top priority will always be the personal growth and well-being of our student-athletes. That's why Washington is one of the greatest classrooms on campus. We know that we're not here just to win races, hit home runs and score touchdowns. Even in the absence of competition, our coaches and staff are committed to providing an education in life for the young men and women on our teams. PAGE 26

It goes without saying that COVID-19 has had a staggering effect on our budget; the reduction in football revenue has hurt every sport. We have taken salary cuts, trimmed our operating budgets, put our staff on furlough and taken other steps to help mitigate a deficit exceeding $50 million. And, while we will continue to find cost-saving measures, we still need your help. In August, we launched Huskies All In – a giving campaign designed to mitigate the impending and dramatic effects of COVID-19 on our budget. Today, in the spirit of “the strength of the Dawg is the pack," our 22 teams and programs have come together to unite as One Team – launching the next phase of our campaign. In this extraordinary year, we've chosen to forego individual team fundraising, and instead

ask you to support every team, every program and every student-athlete. When you give to The Huskies All In Fund, you’ll not only support the team you love most, but you’ll also provide scholarships, essential services and life-changing experiences. One Team is also more than simply a fundraising effort — as critical as that is to our ability to recruit, retain, compete and win in the future. It's a philosophy that exemplifies the values we share as a department, values that are championed every day by our tremendous fans and supporters. We exist to develop student-athletes into responsible and well-rounded leaders who will go on to change the world. We thank you for your commitment to those same values and for being such an important member of the united Husky team. GoHUSKIES


GoHUSKIES

PAGE 27


Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES

BALLER

Husky redshirt sophomore Nate Roberts poses during Media Day.

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

PAGE 28

GoHUSKIES


MOUNTLAKE TERRACE

LAKE FOREST PARK

SHORELINE

UW Medical Center – Northwest

NORTHGATE

BALLARD FREMONT

UDISTRICT

UW Medical Center – Montlake

BELLEVUE

CAPITOL HILL

WEST SEATTLE

From the Northside to the Lakeside, We’re Your #1 Medical Center. With campuses in Montlake and Northgate, getting care at UW Medical Center, Washington's top-ranked hospital,* is now even more convenient. To make an appointment, visit uwmedicine.org or call 206.520.5000. *U.S. News & World Report 2020-2021 Best Hospitals

A higher degree of healthcare



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.