WSU enrolls best prepared freshman class in its history
robert.franklinThe best prepared freshman class WSU ever enrolled in the fall included 15 National Merit Scholars and 24 Distinguished Regents’ Scholars.
Dan Lynch, WSU offensive lineman, appears on the Bob Hope Christmas Special with the AP All-American team
robert.franklinDan Lynch, WSU offensive lineman, appears on the Bob Hope Christmas Special with the AP All-American team. Lynch played for WSU from 1980-1984 and started all four years for the Cougars.
Henry Rono sets multiple world records while running for the Cougars
robert.franklinHenry Rono sets multiple world records while running for the Cougars. Rono won the NCAA Cross Country Championship three times, in 1976, 1977, and 1979, as well as the NCAA Steeplechase in 1978 and 1979, and the NCAA Indoor champion in the 3000 meters in 1977.
The high point of Rono’s running career was in 1978. In the span of 81 days, he broke four world records in the 10,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 3000 meter steeplechase, and 3,000 meters. Rono would never go on to the Olympics because Kenya, his country, boycotted the games in 1976 and 1980.
Two WSC students win Rhodes Scholarships
robert.franklinTwo WSC students, Richard Thompson and Russell McCormmach, were the only representatives from land-grant colleges among the 64 U.S. students to win Rhodes Scholarships in these two years.
Legendary sportscaster Keith Jackson graduates from WSU
robert.franklinKeith Jackson, president of Crimson Circle, outstanding senior student, and chief announcer at KWSC (now KWSU), graduated from WSU and began a world-class career as a sportscaster.
WSC receive a Phi Beta Kappa charter
Brian ClarkPhi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honors organization, grants a charter to WSC. The chapter is one of the first founded at a land-grant university.
Only about 15 percent of the institutions of higher education in the United States have programs sufficiently strong in the sciences and liberal arts to warrant Phi Beta Kappa chapters.