When our Editor-in-Chief approached me two weeks ago and asked that I write a story to close out the year as far as sports go, I found the task somewhat daunting. Considering I was given the opportunity to cover EWU sports in what will probably go down as one of the best years in the school’s athletic history.

Starting with football dominance, transitioning to massively successful basketball programs and up and coming programs from track and field to tennis.

Along with success, there has definitely been drama at the University; Vernon Adams exploiting the 5th year transfer rule, the abrupt end to a successful cross country season as well as the subsequent resignation of former head coach Chris Zeller and the exodus of the women’s basketball team following a trip to the Women’s NIT.

But I realized that my moderately cynical view of athletics and outside objectivity isn’t the way most students on campus have viewed Eagle Athletics this past year. I was also curious to see what the perspective of student who wasn’t responsible for reporting on athletics throughout the year was.

I ask one of our young contributing writers, Dayana Morales, who hadn’t joined the paper until late in the year and did not work specifically on the sports staff to answer five questions about the past year as a student and fan, not a reporter. Then I responded from the view I’ve had(one of the most privileged positions available in collegiate sports).

Highlights of the year or moments that stood out?

DM: The highlight of the year had to be the Men’s Basketball team making it to the NCAA. Seeing our Eagles at the big dance was one for the books. It took everyone by surprise and that’s what makes it so great, the underdogs rose to the occasion. They played great ball throughout the whole season they definitely deserved a spot at the dance. Coach Hayford is a great coach that has the  men’s program on the right track.

SD: There are two moments that truly stood out for me this year. The first would have to be helping my fellow employees Anna Mills and Fetlew Gebreziabher get to experience professional sports journalism at the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. Affording two amazing young professionals, who have as much potential as anyone I know, an opportunity to fulfill a personal dream and gain experience that many will never know was one of the most rewarding feelings I’ve ever had and much better than had I gone myself. But for me personally, as a reporter working on the Vernon Adams transfer story had to be the top moment. It was as realistic a moment that I could hope for working at a student run newspaper, with the story breaking about 9:45 am via Adams’ Instagram and me dropping my whole day to be at the press conference and produce a full story for that afternoon online. Then comparing my story to the ones on ESPN and other national media outlets was a great gauge for abilities. I know I am pretty conceded.

Tyler Harvey Jumping to Pro Basketball?

DM: I think it’s great that Tyler Harvey jumped to pro basketball. He is a great player that is willing to listen and learn from the best of the best and no better place for that than the NBA. He has the chance and he is taking it. I’ve heard he was invited to the combine and that is totally awesome. He definitely deserves it, being the number one leading scorer in the nation and earning numerous awards. There are 22 days left until the draft best of luck to him!

SD: Watching Harvey all year was a delight, his abilities to score were unparalleled at this level and some of the three-point shots he made left me simply shaking my head in wonder. That being said when rumors first broke that he would leave school early I thought it was a bad idea and even with his recently rising draft stock, I still think the decision was a poor one. Harvey’s game doesn’t seem to stack up to the physicality of the NBA and his go-to moves in the Big Sky Conference won’t work against the long, mean defenders he will be facing on a nightly basis in the NBA. His stroke is pure and there is no denying that, however, many of the pull-up off isolation or around screens shots he took over the past two years simply aren’t available with the speed of NBA defenders. He also lacks the defensive ability to be left on a complete island that happens so often in professional ball, especially on the perimeter. Maybe I’m just another hater on a cinderella story but making it successful as a walk-on at a Big Sky school is a lot different from cutting it on NBA rosters with the best players in the world.

Your feelings on Vernon Adam’s Situation?

DM: I think it is unfortunate that EWU is going to lose a great quarterback but this is a great opportunity for him. He is ready to continue doing big things elsewhere. I think this will be the opportunity the players remaining on the team have been waiting for. Its time for the other players to step up and get the playing time they all work so hard for.

SD: Adam’s earned the right to be in the position he was in this winter when he made the decision to transfer to the University of Oregon. He will walk away from the Eagles as the best quarterback in school and maybe conference history. He didn’t make the rule and as long as the NCAA continues to be a jagged system that disproportionately removes all power from its greatest assets, the players should have the right to exploit the system in whatever way they feel benefits them the most. From the perspective of the athletic department, it is clear that they have every right to be down right pissed off. Coach Baldwin summed it up perfectly saying that no school should have the right to come in a snatch a player away from the program that developed and worked with the athlete throughout their collegiate career, without some repercussions in terms of playing time.

Directions of EWU athletics as a whole?

DM: EWU athletics as a whole did so well in various sports this season. Many qualified to compete in the Big Sky Championship tournament. Basketball and track even made it to NCAA. It so weird to see how well each team did and then go off to hear that many of the student athletes are deciding to walk off. Definitely very contradicting but I think this is a great opportunity for EWU athletics as a whole to look for a new bunch. Students that I am sure will continue to do great things side by side of the EWU athletics.

SD: What a year, from what I have seen the objectives of the department as a whole are moving in the right direction. The school’s athletic program has grown so much in the short amount of time that I have been here, it has been quite impressive and with that growth has come growing pains, which should be expected with such rapid expansion. The success of the various programs at the school will only bring more notoriety to the University and more challenges in the future.

What are you looking forward to the most for next year?

DM: I am looking forward to all the new faces on the courts and the fields. I am ready to see those who sat out or hardly played get more playing time. I am ready to see what all the new transfer student have to offer the EWU athletics programs.  I am excited to see all the hard work that is being put on now before the season to be put on the court when it’s time to do so.

SD: There are many bright spots but seeing Jordan West’s confidence both in games and at practice during his limited time as a starter made me very excited to see what he will be capable of as the full time guy under center. He has the ability to continue to lead the Eagles and build on the recent winning tradition. I also look forward to the development of a winning culture within the EWU Men’s Tennis team with first year head coach Steve Clark. Clark was one of the most enthusiastic people I have met and has an idea of what he wants the EWU program to look like as well as the experience and wherewithal to make it happen.