HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2002-4687
Congratulating Cougar Football Coach Mike
Price
by Representatives Hunt, Doumit, Schoesler, Benson,
Sump, Esser, Pearson, Schindler, Clements, Boldt, Buck, Mitchell, Jackley, Ogden, Wood, Alexander, Cox,
Dunn, Ahern, Jarrett, Mulliken, Bush, Roach, Armstrong, Sehlin, Conway, Grant, Hankins, Hatfield,
Ballasiotes and Talcott
WHEREAS, The Washington State University Cougars' football team, under the leadership of Coach
Mike Price, finished the 2001 season with a 10-2 record; and
WHEREAS, The Cougars were nationally ranked 10th in the final Associated Press football poll and
11th in the ESPN-USA Today final poll; and
WHEREAS, WSU had more players named to the PAC 10 All-Academic first and second teams than
any other team in the conference; and
WHEREAS, Mike Price was named 2001 PAC 10 Coach of the Year; and
WHEREAS, The Cougars defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 33-27 in the 2001 Sun Bowl in El Paso,
Texas; and
WHEREAS, Defensive back Lamont Thompson was selected to the Associated Press All-American
first team, was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe defensive back of the year award, and was the Sun Bowl's most
valuable player; and
WHEREAS, Place kicker Drew Dunning was named Sun Bowl special teams player of the game; and
WHEREAS, Quarterback Jason Gesser was a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien quarterback of the
year award, and wide receiver Nakoa McElrath was a semifinalist for the Fred Biletnikoff wide receiver of the
year award; and
WHEREAS, WSU players Billy Newman, Jeremy Thielbahr, Joey Hollenbeck, Tupo Tuupo, James
Price, Raonall Smith, Alan Cox, Lamont Thompson, and Nakoa McElrath were selected to participate in
postseason all star games; and
WHEREAS, Coach Mike Price won the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award in 1997
and was one of three finalists for the award in 2001; and
WHEREAS, WSU is one of only three PAC 10 universities to have two 10 win seasons in the past five
years; and
WHEREAS, Coach Mike Price, WSU coach since 1989 and dean of PAC 10 coaches, requires his
players to be team members, students, and community leaders; and
WHEREAS, Only five Division 1-A NCAA coaches in the nation have been at their respective schools
longer than Mike Price;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives
honor the 2001 Washington State University Cougar football team for its outstanding season; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives congratulate
WSU Coach Mike Price for his many coaching successes and for the excellent leadership he provides to WSU's
student athletes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to WSU Coach Mike
Price, WSU President Lane Rawlins, WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk, and the captains of the 2001 WSU
Cougar football team.
I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of
4687 Resolution adopted by the House of Representatives
January 28, 2002.
____________________________
Cynthia Zehnder, Co-Chief Clerk
