Report: WSU Cougars’ coaching candidate declines offer
Apr 2, 2024, 8:21 AM | Updated: 9:10 pm
Head coach Matt Logie of Montana State during a 2024 NCAA Tournament game against Grambling State. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
(Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The WSU Cougars men’s basketball team is still searching for its next leader.
Taking over with UW Huskies feels very personal for Danny Sprinkle
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Washington State University offered Montana State head coach Matt Logie the position, but Logie turned down the offer to stay in Bozeman, Montana. Logie appeared to confirm that Tuesday morning on X (formerly Twitter).
Home is where the ❤️ is.
Job’s not finished.Circle the Wagons Bobcats!
The Best is YET to come!#Attitude #Family #TLCS #GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/OTJ4uNkQZo— Matt Logie (@CoachLogie) April 2, 2024
After leading the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008, head coach Kyle Smith left the Palouse for the same job at Stanford on March 25. WSU then reportedly zeroed in on Logie, per Norlander, but Montana State reportedly countered with a long-term extension and pay bump for the Mercer Island native. The terms of Logie’s new deal have yet to be released but are expected to be revealed Tuesday, according to Norlander.
Report: WSU Cougars offer men’s basketball coach job
Logie played basketball at Mercer Island High School for his grandfather Ed Pepple, a prep coaching legend who won four state championships. Logie previously led Whitworth University in Spokane from 2011-19 and spent four seasons at Point Loma in California.
In his first season with the Bobcats, Logie led Montana State to its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a 17-18 record. The Bobcats made their run to the Big Sky Tournament title as the No. 5 seed.
Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 reported Monday that Eastern Washington head coach David Riley as the other top candidate for the WSU coaching search. Riley is 62-38 over three seasons at EWU, which includes Big Sky regular-season titles the past two seasons.
WSU’s coaching search comes as the Cougars are preparing for life after the Pac-12, which will have just two member schools (also Oregon State) after this school year. WSU and Oregon State’s men’s basketball teams will compete as affiliate members of the West Coast Conference next season. The Cougars are also searching for a new athletic director following Pat Chun’s decision to defect to rival Washington last week.
New UW Huskies AD Pat Chun: Washington where he’s ‘supposed to be’
