Less than 18 months into her tenure, athletic director Anne McCoy was fired by Washington State on Wednesday.
McCoy, who has served Washington state since 2001, served as AD on an interim basis until she was promoted in the spring of 2024 by former President Kirk Schulz, who retired earlier this year and was replaced by Elizabeth Cantwell.
“Anne has provided consistent leadership during one of the most complex and crucial periods in the history of Cougar Athletics,” Cantwell said in a statement. “She built a strong foundation for the future of the program based on integrity, academic success and caring for our student-athletes. We are deeply grateful for Anne's decades of service and her unwavering commitment to Washington State University.”
Jon Haarlow, WSU's director of athletics operations, has been named interim executive director until a replacement for McCoy is found.
The reason for McCoy's firing was not immediately clear, but the move was not for cause, sources told ESPN.
McCoy helped guide WSU through a turbulent period as the school weathered the collapse of the Pac-12 and its rebuild before the 2026 season. She was responsible for hiring football coach Jimmy Rogers, who is in his first season, and men's basketball coach David Riley, who just began his second season.
