Northwest Notes: Feb. 1, 2024

Leger-Walker to miss remainder

of season following ACL surgery

Washington State guard Charlisse Leger Walker will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season after suffering a torn right ACL in Sunday's victory at No. 2 UCLA.
"I am saddened to confirm the knee injury to Charlisse Leger Walker is season ending," Washington State coach Kamie Ethridge said. "Charlisse has given her heart and soul to Washington State and this program. We are heartbroken she will not finish her career at WSU on the court. However, Charlisse will continue to impact our program to the best of her ability. There is zero doubt that Charlisse will come back better than ever. Charlisse will forever be remembered and honored as the greatest and winningest impact player in WSU women's basketball history!"
Through 21 games this season, she totaled 278 points, 137 rebounds, 107 assists and 36 steals, and recorded a pair of triple-doubles.
This season, Leger-Walker moved up to third on the all-time scoring list at WSU with 1,743 career point, and also ranks second all-time at WSU in made threes (199), third in career minutes played (3,794), fourth in career scoring average (16.6), fourth in field goals made (607), fourth in assists (389), fifth in made free throws (330), and ninth in career starts (105).

Watson named to Top 10

Erving Watch List

Gonzaga's Anton Watson was named one of the 10 candidates for the 2024 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced .

Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its 10th year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in November, which has now been narrowed to 10.

Watson averages a career-best 14.5 points per game this season at 59.8 percent shooting from the field. He’s also 40.6 percent (13/32) from behind-the-arc. The senior is fourth in the West Coast Conference grabbing 7.6 rebounds per game. He tops the conference with 1.7 steals per game. The Spokane native recently moved to No. 2 in program history with 198 steals in his career, trailing only John Stockton.

 Watson has played 137 games at GU, which is tied for eighth in program history with Corey Kispert and Sam Dower. Watson is 121-16 (88.3) in his career appearances, his 121 wins are tied for seventh all-time at GU with Drew Timme.

Cougar volleyball adds Brustad, 

Walz from transfer portal

Washington State volleyball added two transfer student-athletes as Sage Brustad (Eastern Washington) and Jaden Walz (Bowling Green) each made their commitments to the Cougar volleyball official earlier this month as announced by coach Korey Schroeder.
Brustad was a two-time All-Big Sky selection the past two seasons down the road in Cheney, where she was a primary hitter offensively the past two seasons, leading Eastern Washington in kills/set both years to along with 2.59 digs/set as a senior last season. She was also a two-time Fall Big Sky All-Academic team selection while majoring in Criminal Justice at EWU. Brustad's .40 aces/set ranked fourth in the Big Sky last season, and she ranked fifth in the conference with 10.44 attacks/set as she started all 30 matches at outside for the Eagles.
Walz spent last season as the starting setter for a 19-win Bowling Green team that fell just short of a trip to the NCAA Tournament after reaching the MAC Tournament Championship where it fell in five sets to Western Michigan, a team that went on to upset Auburn in the opening round

Gonzaga's Ejim named to

Wade watch list

The WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee added Yvonne Ejim to the “Wade Watch” list of candidates for the 2024 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced .
Joining the preseason list of 16 Wade Trophy hopefuls are Yvonne Ejim of Gonzaga, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Ayoka Lee of Kansas State and JuJu Watkins of Southern California.
The Wade Trophy is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen.