Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important that the Washington State University Hall of Fame will add five names to its Athletic Hall of Fame.

The ceremony will take place on September 6.

The Washington State University Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are:

Allssa Brooks-Johnson – Women’s Track & Field – 2013-18:  Brooks-Johnson was a two-time All-American in the Heptathlon and a three-time Pac-12 Champion in the event,

Micaela Castain—Soccer, 2010-13: Castain is currently the only Cougar to win the Pac-12 Player of the Year award. She scored 33 Goals and was a two-time All-PAC 12 Selection.

Don Collins – Men’s Basketball – 1977-80.  Collins became the first (and only) Men’s Basketball player to win conference MVP, and was a four-year letterman.  At the time of his departure with the Cougars, Collins was the school’s leading scorer.

Mike Leach – Football Coach - 2012-19. Leach won 55 Games at Washington State, where in 2018, he brought the school to their first 11-win Season.  He is the only coach in WSU history to take the Cougars to six bowl games.

DeWayne Patterson – Football – 1990-94.  A two-time All=PAC 10 Selection, Patterson recorded 37.5 Sacks, 52.5 Tackles for Loss and 154 Tackles.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the impending members of the Wahington State Athletic Hall of Fame.

A First Round Pick from Washington State in 1984, Keith Millard made the team that drafted him (Minnesota) wait a year, as he went into the USFL for one season with the Jacksonville Bulls. 

A member of the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame, Keith Lincoln, was drafted in the 2^nd Round by San Diego in 1961 (he was also a 5^th Round Pick by the Chicago Bears of the NFL).  It was an excellent choice for both parties, as it did not take long for Keith Lincoln to establish himself as one of the better running backs in the AFL. 

Lincoln would become a four-time All-Star with the Chargers and was a two-time First Team All-Pro for the team and would accumulate 4,387 Yards From Scrimmage.  In 1963, Lincoln helped the Chargers win the AFL Championship. 

After his run with the Chargers ended, he would have a comeback of sorts with the Buffalo Bills in 1967, where he would earn his fifth and final AFL All-Star Selection.  Lincoln would retire in 1968 after accumulating 6,993 All-Purpose Yards.

Washington State University has announced the inductees for their 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame Class.

The six-person class is:

Rod Commons: Commons worked in administration at WSU from 1976 to 2007.

Josephat Kapkory:  From Kenya, Kapkory would win multiple titles representing WSU in long distance running.

Ryan Leaf: Leaf may have flamed out in the NFL in epic proportion but as a Cougar he took the team to the 1998 Rose Bowl and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting and he would throw for 7,433 Yards and 59 Touchdowns.  

Stephanie Papke: Papke played on the WSU Women’s Volleyball team from 1994 to 1997.

Ellannee Richardson:  Richardson competed in Women’s Track & Field from 2004 to 2007 at Washington State.

Lisa Roman: Roman was a competitive Rower for the Cougars from 2010 & 2012.

The induction dinner will take place on September 6 and they will be honored the following day during the Cougars’ home game against Northern Colorado.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the latest members of the Washington State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Did we make a mistake not ranking Drew Bledsoe in his first year of eligibility? Statistically speaking, we may have made a mistake, as his career statistics are more impressive than those of other Quarterbacks ranked higher than him. However, other intangibles come into play, which makes it hard for us to determine his perfect place on this list.

Sure, he has solid career totals and impressive statistical seasons, but what can never be forgotten is that once he got injured, Tom Brady stepped in and took the Patriots over the final hurdle Bledsoe never could; and that is where the problem lies. In his first year of eligibility, Bledsoe was not a semifinalist, which shows that many view him the same way we do…a very good QB who also was a bit of a stat accumulator at the end, yet has a bit of a Wally Pipp quality to him. Drew Bledsoe was very good, but a lot of things would have to go right for him to be considered a serious threat for Canton; that elusive Super Bowl (which he does have, but on the injured list) means more on a Quarterback’s Hall of Fame resume than any other position.