Washington State University has fired athletic director Anne McCoy. McCoy served as the university’s AD beginning in the spring of 2024. Jon Haarlow, the Athletics chief operating officer, will serve as the interim.
“Anne has provided steady leadership through one of the most complex and pivotal periods in the history of Cougar Athletics,” WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell said in a press release. “She built a strong foundation for the program’s future grounded in integrity, academic success, and care for our student-athletes. We are deeply grateful for Anne’s decades of service and her unwavering commitment to Washington State University.”
The move comes as a bit of a surprise. Cantwell had been with Washington State since 2001 and hasn’t even served 18 months in her new role as Athletic Director. McCoy oversaw the hiring of Jimmy Rogers and helped WSU navigate through the reshaping of the Pac-12.
Earlier in the day, WSU’s deputy director of athletics, Ike Ukaegbu, was announced as the new Depty Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at Utah State.
WSU will begin a nationwide search for their new Athletic Director. In their search, they will be looking for a more aggressive fundraiser as WSU begins play in the new Pac-12 in 2026 according to the Spokesman Review.
