WSU to induct Steve Gleason into Athletic Hall of Fame

By Bill Stevens, WSU Athletics

GleasonPULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University will induct Steve Gleason as the exclusive honoree in the 2014 class of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame.

 

Gleason-1999
Gleason at WSU in 1999. (Photo by WSU Athletics)

“After consultation with the Hall of Fame committee, I felt it was appropriate – and most deserving – to have Steve as the lone inductee this year,” said WSU Director of Athletics Bill Moos. “It’s an opportunity to focus on everything he has accomplished – as a student-athlete, as a professional athlete and as a role model and hero for so many.”

Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. He and his foundation, Team Gleason, have been global leaders in raising awareness and improving the lives of those affected by the disease.

“Throughout his battle with ALS, he has served as an inspiration to Cougars young and old,” Moos said.

Gleason will be recognized during a home football game. He will be the 178th member of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Two-sport standout

He was a four-year letter winner in both football and baseball during his time at WSU (1995-99). On the football field he was a two-time team captain, garnered All-Pacific 10 Conference honors three times and finished his career with 282 tackles, ninth-most in school history.

As a member of the baseball team, he served as team captain his senior year and his 12 career triples were tied for third when he left.

Academically Gleason was a four-time Pacific 10 All-Academic selection for football, including first-team honors his junior and senior seasons. As a senior he was also a GTE Academic All-District VIII First Team selection and received WSU’s Beulah M. Blankenship Outstanding Student-Athlete award and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board Outstanding Senior award.

Seven seasons with NFL

He went on to play in the NFL for seven seasons (2000-07), all with the New Orleans Saints. He may be best remembered for blocking a punt that resulted in a touchdown in the Saints’ first game in New Orleans in nearly 21 months, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

WSU’s hall of fame was chartered in 1978 at the directive of then-WSU President Glenn Terrell and WSU Athletic Director Sam Jankovich.