What to Know About Storm’s Newest Assistant Coaches
More than three months after being hired, Seattle Storm head coach Sonia Raman has assembled her coaching staff for the 2026 season.
The Storm announced that they hired Natalie Achonwa, Jarell Christian and Michael Joiner, completing what will be an entirely new staff under Raman after the franchise parted ways with former head coach Noelle Quinn.
Late Game Mishaps Derail Redhawks’ Spirited Comeback vs. Gaels in 72-70 Loss
With the question of who fill the void of Brayden Maldonado after his ankle injury on Sunday against Oregon State, multiple Redhawks did their best to pick up the slack for Seattle U in a critical home game on Wednesday night.
But in a matchup against a 23-4 Saint Mary’s squad, an already shorthanded Redhawk squad made too many mistakes down the stretch to finish off a torrid comeback attempt, falling short in 72-70 loss to the Gaels at Climate Pledge Arena.
Despite trailing by as much as 14 points in the first quarter, Seattle stormed back in the second half and both teams were tied at 67 with about 1:30 left to play. On offense, the Redhawks had the ball in the hands of Jojo Murphy, who made his first start of the season in place of Maldonado. With a chance to take the lead, the senior guard drove into the lane but lost the ball for a costly turnover. On the other end, Saint Mary’s capitalized, turning to Mikey Lewis in isolation as the sophomore guard finished high off the glass for the go-ahead bucket.
Gonzaga Bulldozes San Francisco 80-59 at Chase Center
Mark Few’s message to his team all season long has been that ‘every dog will have its day’. When Braden Huff, Gonzaga’s star forward, was sidelined in the middle of January with a left knee injury, the significance of that motto increased substantially. Huff’s running mate in the frontcourt, Graham Ike, was expected to and has held things down from a production standpoint.
But for a period, the Bulldogs struggled to find consistent offense from those alongside Ike with Huff on the bench, lacking the balance needed to truly threaten teams in the half-court.
Now continuing to build off strong performances, the Zags (26-2, 14-1) are getting welcome contributions from several members on the roster game-over-game, most recently disposing of San Francisco (15-14, 7-9) 80-59 to extend their winning streak to four. Even with Ike scoring 22, his eighth straight game of eclipsing 20 points, punishing the Dons who dared him to knock down open mid-range jumpers – and he obliged – the story was about those around him, who provided enough to leave the Chase Center with a blowout victory.
Mike Macdonald, Seahawks Build Strong Contingency Plans With Fortified Coaching Staff
Paying the heavy toll that comes as a mandatory cost of winning in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks expectedly have suffered significant coaching departures after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, headlined by the immediate exit of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to accept the head coaching job for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Losing Kubiak, who helped steer a top-three scoring offense quarterbacked by Sam Darnold in his lone season calling plays for the Seahawks, won’t be an easy task for the organization. In addition, former quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko followed him to Vegas, taking over as the Raiders new offensive coordinator, leaving two major vacancies for coach Mike Macdonald to fill in quick order. Such staff turnover plays a big role in the struggle to repeat in the league, as only two teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls since 2001.
Fortunately for Seattle, however, Macdonald has grown leaps and bounds when it comes to evaluating coaching talent and building/maintaining a staff since the franchise first hired him as a first-time head coach in 2024. Already having experience hiring two offensive coordinators, he had a clear objective in mind seeking Kubiak’s replacement, emphasizing the desire for continuity while still keeping all options on the table with both internal and external candidates in the mix.
Analysis: How Can Redhawks Overcome Lengthy Absence for Brayden Maldonado?
In the midst of a WCC battle against the Oregon State Beavers, the Seattle U Redhawks lost the engine for their offense when Brayden Maldonado left the game and did not return with an injury. In his absence, Seattle stepped up when its primary shot creator left the the game with 36 of its 60 points coming off the bench, securing a 60-50 win.
But assuming Maldonado will miss extended time moving forward, a much taller task awaits the shorthanded Redhawks at their doorstep on Wednesday with a rematch against the 23-4 Saint Mary’s Gaels.
Every time Maldonado brings the ball up the court, it’s clear he is at the top of the opposing scouting report. All eyes defensively are zeroed in on him, making sure they can affect the 10th leading scorer in the WCC anyway they can. Guards chase the senior guard around the perimeter all game, two defenders attack him as the ball handler on every screen, and he’s the undivided center of attention.
Three X-Factors in Mariners’ Success For 2026
For the Seattle Mariners to return to the playoffs in 2026, it’s obvious which usual suspects have to have strong seasons. Cal Raleigh, while unfair to be expected to mash 60 homers again, needs to be among the league leaders in home runs with a slugging percentage at least near .500. Julio Rodriguez needs to be a 30-30 threat again (30 home runs/30 stolen bases). The top three of the rotation need to be reliable and healthy. Andres Muñoz needs to keep throwing gas and stay healthy as well. That’s all a given.
But to get further than the Divisional Round this time around, Seattle will need contributions from other sources to get over the top. Which X-Factors, if they perform perhaps better than expected, could drive the Mariners finally to their first World Series berth?
Washington State Aims to Right Ship vs. Upstart Pacific Squad
The Washington State Cougars return home this week looking to bounce back in a big way as they prepare to face one of the biggest surprises in the WCC in the Pacific Tigers. Pacific currently sits alone in fourth place in the conference standings, a position few would have predicted before the season began.
At 17–11 overall, the Tigers have already secured their highest win total since the 2019–2020 season. Even more impressively, their eight wins in WCC play mark their best conference performance since the 2019-2020 season as well. After finishing near the bottom of the league in recent seasons, Pacific has made a dramatic leap forward and has become one of the most improved teams in the conference.
According to KenPom, Pacific ranks No. 104 in the country — its highest rating since 2010. To fully understand how significant that jump is, consider where the Tigers have been recently: they ranked 358th nationally just two seasons ago and 284th last year. That type of improvement in such a short span speaks to how good of a job coach Dave Smart has done.
The Montlake Report: Why Did Huskies Part Ways With Jimmie Dougherty So Late in Offseason?
In a rare mid-February coaching change, the Washington Huskies announced they had reached a mutual split with offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Aaron Coe discusses the surprising move, examining why Washington may have made such an abrupt decision this late in the offseason and where Jedd Fisch may turn to now fill a big hole on his coaching staff.
Seahawks Entering Great Unknown With Sale Now Imminent
Back in February 1996, the Seattle Seahawks already had one foot out the door with sights on moving to Anaheim, California, as then-owner Ken Behring cited the inability to secure a new stadium to replace an aging Kingdome as the primary reason for relocation.
Only 20 years into their existence as an NFL franchise, Behring’s efforts to move the team went as far as equipment being shipped to a facility in Anaheim that previously belonged to the Los Angeles Rams. In the middle of a 10-year drought without a playoff appearance, which still stands as the longest stretch in franchise history to this day, it was a tumultuous stretch for Seahawks fans on and off the field without certainty that the team would still be in town in the near future.
Thankfully for the 12s, after King County and the state of Washington sued Behring for a lease violation, the NFL stepped in with threats of massive fines, ultimately forcing Behring to halt his ambitious relocation plan and put the team up for sale. Paul Allen jumped in as the savior for the franchise, purchasing the Seahawks in 1997 and quickly securing a new stadium, ensuring the team would stay in the Pacific Northwest permanently.
Analysis: Ranking Riq Woolen, Seahawks Projected 2026 Free Agents
Now officially in offseason mode after capturing a Super Bowl title for the second time in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks have several big questions to answer on the free agency front with a new league year set to begin on March 11.
Compared to prior offseasons, the Seahawks have a quite healthy financial situation, as OverTheCap.com has them currently with $62 million in effective cap space, the sixth-most in the NFL. But at the same time, in addition to 16 unrestricted and restricted free agents, general manager John Schneider has several young stars now eligible for extensions, including All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, inevitably meaning that the franchise won’t be able to keep everyone set to hit the market next month.
Looking at Seattle’s projected unrestricted and restricted free agents, who stands out as the players Schneider and company should prioritize re-signing?
Washington Huskies to Make Abrupt Change at Offensive Coordinator
The Washington Huskies will have a new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season.
The UW football team and Jimmie Dougherty have parted ways, according to reports early on Tuesday, while NFL veteran offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh emerged as a potential replacement. Dougherty confirmed his departure from the Washington football program with a social media post later on Tuesday.
Multiple Redhawks Step Up Off Bench in 60-50 Win Over Beavers
Midway through the first half, the Seattle U Redhawks leading scorer, Brayden Maldonado, exited to the locker room with a lower body injury. Typically, this would spell doom for a mid-major college basketball program, especially one that has struggled as much as Chris Victor’s team has on the offensive side of the court all season long.
But despite the devastating loss for Seattle with Maldonado unable to return to play, it was all hands-on deck for John Christofilis and the Redhawks as they managed to fill that void with 37 points off the bench and come away with the 60-50 win over Oregon State on Sunday night at the Redhawk Center.
Analysis: What Would Re-Signing Ken Walker III Look Like For Seahawks?
The Super Bowl MVP trophy is freshly etched with Ken Walker III’s name after his heroics in Super Bowl LX. His 135 rushing yards against the Patriots earned him the first Super Bowl MVP for a running back since Terrell Davis in 1998.
Now, he is set to be a free agent. He certainly enters the market on the highest of high notes, rushing for a whopping 313 yards in three playoff games, including three rushing touchdowns in that blowout win over the 49ers in the Divisional Round. He amassed 771 scrimmage yards, averaged 5.2 yards per carry, and scored five touchdowns across Seattle's final six games overall.
Needless to say, Walker has some negotiating leverage and the Seahawks have plenty of motivation to bring him back.
Gonzaga Baseball Drops Three of Four in Season Opening Series to Hawai’i
The first games of a baseball season bring anticipation and excitement, but after Gonzaga baseball (1-3) lost three of four games to Hawai’i to open the 2025-26 campaign, the feeling that sets in is frustration.
Even with the Bulldogs’ offense falling dormant for a lot of the set while posting inopportune defense more than they’d like, there was still a chance to flip the result of their time in Mānoa, with two of the games going to extra innings before having a one-run lead entering the ninth of the final contest. Pitching was the highlight of the weekend for the Zags, but the unit dropped the ball late on Monday with a chance to escape the Aloha State with a series split, putting a damper on mostly heroic efforts from the staff to begin the season.
Analysis: Seahawks Continue Chasing Edges Hiring Brian Fleury as New Offensive Coordinator
Despite hinting earlier in the week that the Seattle Seahawks desired continuity as they began their search for a new offensive coordinator to replace Klint Kubiak in earnest, Mike Macdonald decided to quickly pivot in a different direction entirely.
After interviewing Andrew Janocko, Justin Outten, Jake Peetz, and Mack Brown, who each served key roles on Macdonald’s staff during a historic 2025 season that culminated with a Super Bowl LX victory, Seattle opted against promoting any of those four coaches to succeed Kubiak. Instead, the organization dipped into Kyle Shanahan’s coaching tree in San Francisco once again by hiring Brian Fleury, a long-time tight ends coach for the 49ers who had been on the team’s radar dating back to last year’s coordinator search.
For fans hoping the Seahawks would replace Kubiak with another veteran assistant with prior play calling experience in the NFL, Fleury’s hiring likely comes as a disappointment. Though he previously served as a defensive coordinator at FCS program Sacred Heart at the college level, he has never held a coordinator position on either side of the football in the league, and when he sends in a play call to Sam Darnold next fall, it will be the first time he has done so at any level.
Kraken Cannot Afford to Squander City’s Momentum Out of Olympics Break
Seattle has some serious momentum right now. Not just the football team, that recently won its second ever Super Bowl title, but the entire city. It’s alive. It’s oozing with team spirit. Just flip on highlights of the parade. Or the Mariners’ playoff run last October. It’s hard to find a better time in history to be a Seattle sports fan. Heck, there is even more chatter about (gasp), the Sonics finally returning.
My question to the Kraken is: are you complacent in being spectators with this momentum? Or are you willing to do what it takes to take advantage of that momentum and turn it into tangible success for the city’s NHL team?
Sounders Transfer Reed Baker-Whiting to Nashville for $800,000
The Seattle Sounders handled business in Renton against USL side Louisville City FC on Sunday. But while Osaze De Rosario put up his second straight preseason friendly brace, general manager Craig Waibel and company moved on from another young player in the program.
Niko Moreno of Sounder at Heart first reported the transfer of 20-year-old defender Reed Baker-Whiting to fellow MLS side Nashville S.C. for $800,000, later confirmed by multiple reports. The move puts an end to speculation of where the uber-talented player would find minutes, as he notched just 544 in 2025, primarily in the backline.
He heads to a contending Nashville team needing more creators and will likely get a chance to play a more attacking role as the former Defiance prospect, who once drew European attention, gets a fresh start.
Mariners Add Josh Simpson as Southpaw Groundballer Depth, Hope Homer Stays Behind
For all their strengths, the 2025 Seattle Mariners had little in the way of lefties on the mound. There was Gabe Speier … and that was about it for the top line, given that a deadline trade for Caleb Ferguson did little but wash out. Though Speier did well early on in the ALDS, the Tigers (and later, Blue Jays) got to see him time and time again, allowing them to adjust to his style on the mound.
The M’s have already addressed this issue at the top level, bringing in Jose A. Ferrer from the Washington Nationals, but more depth is never a bad thing. Robinson Ortiz, another winter acquisition, has zero MLB experience despite some clear potential upside. Mariners brass, therefore, brought in southpaw Josh Simpson from the Marlins in exchange for cash considerations.
Simpson is clearly a reclamation project for the Mariners, coming off a 7.34 ERA, 5.35 FIP, and 1.826 WHIP in 31 appearances in his rookie season last year. His fastballs are below average, but he does have good movement on his sweeper and curveball, with his curve mostly being used against righties and the sweeper against lefties. Control was a big issue for Simpson in 2025, with a 14.6% walk rate and 92 Location+ according to FanGraphs (where 100 is league average), but the real killer was the home run ball.
Huskies Men’s Basketball Snaps 3-Game Skid vs. Minnesota
The Washington Huskies men’s basketball team finally got back on track, snapping a three-game skid with a dominant 69-57 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday, Feb. 14.
It was the Huskies’ hot shooting (63% FG) that fueled the victory, but their defense was much improved from the embarrassing loss to a flailing Penn State team just three days earlier.
‘Took a Village’: Gonzaga Beats Santa Clara 94-86 to Reclaim First Place in WCC
Things haven’t been as smooth offensively for the Gonzaga Bulldogs (25-2, 13-1) since Braden Huff went down with a knee injury a month ago. The operation has gone stagnant more frequently, which has led to declining defensive play, fewer of the team’s three-point attempts have been falling, and outside of the Zags’ leading scorer, Graham Ike, there has been a lack of consistent production from everyone else. The overall drop-off has led to much tighter wins, not including a devastating loss to Portland last Thursday.
But in GU’s biggest game of the season on the road against Santa Clara (22-6, 13-2), several members of the supporting cast stepped up to the challenge to overcome the Broncos 94-86, snapping their nine-game winning streak and handing them their first home loss of the season to reclaim first place in the WCC.
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