WSU names McCoy new athletic director

Washington State didn’t have to look far to find its new athletic director.

Three months after being elevated to interim athletic director in March, Anne McCoy was named WSU’s 15th athletic director on Tuesday, it was announced.

McCoy — a former senior deputy director of athletics — replaces former athletic director Pat Chun, who departed for the same position at the University of Washington.

“Washington State University is an amazing and special place that has been a huge part of our family for over 23 years. It is home,” McCoy said in a news release. “Serving this institution with its tremendous history is an honor and one I don’t take lightly. … There is no place I would rather be than WSU.”

McCoy is no stranger to the Palouse. She has served in a variety of roles since joining WSU as an associate director of athletics for internal operations in 2001 and rising through the ranks in the athletic department over the last two-plus decades.

A Wisconsin native who earned her bachelor’s degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts in 1989, McCoy previously served as interim athletic director in 2010 between the tenures of Jim Sterk and Bill Moos before holding the position again after Chun left.

This time, the Cougars picked her to keep the job.

“Anne’s experience within college athletics, her reputation among her peers, and most importantly, her passion and commitment to WSU, make her the perfect fit to move Cougar Athletics forward as our next director of athletics,” WSU President Kirk Schulz said in a news release. “Her accomplishments over the past months, and throughout her more than two decades as a college administrator, reflect on her leadership, vision, and ability to unite Coug Nation. We are fortunate to have Anne leading Cougar Athletics.”

McCoy was already busy during her brief time as interim AD. In the last three months, McCoy hired new men’s basketball coach David Riley, swimming coach Russ Whitaker and women’s golf coach Kevin Tucker.

She also extended the contract of women’s basketball coach Kamie Ethridge, secured a home for baseball and women’s swimming through affiliate membership with the Mountain West Conference for the 2024-25 and ’25-26 seasons, and was involved with the Pac-12 Conference signing a media rights agreement with the CW Network and FOX for the 2024 football season.

Prior to her interim role, McCoy supervised all aspects of WSU’s day-to-day operations.

She has served on several conference and national committees over the years, including being vice president of the Pac-12 Executive Committee.

“There is no one more equipped to provide Washington State with the leadership necessary to navigate the changing landscape of college athletics than Anne McCoy,” Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said in a news release. “I have had the pleasure of knowing Anne for nearly 25 years and have witnessed firsthand her passion for delivering a quality student-athlete experience and building nationally-competitive programs.”