From the desk of coach Keegan Cook

Let your commitment be without conditions. It’s a concept we’ve sought to instill in all of the athletes we’ve been fortunate enough to coach. It’s easy and common to give full effort and commitment when things are going your way. We want our athletes to be their best when things outside their control are at their worst. There’s a grit and humility to showing up in those moments. I never could have foreseen the adversity that our student-athletes would face in the past year. It doesn’t surprise me however that one of our most successful seasons coincided with one of the most adverse years of our lives.

As Husky supporters through these trying times, you’ve lived that same message of commitment without conditions and we cannot thank you enough for that. Last season, we became the first ever team to make the Final Four with three straight 3-2 wins. That took some great intangibles from our women. Year after year, the incredible athletes in our program impress me with their resilience under pressure. And part of what grows that grit and determination is the support they feel from the program’s fans and donors and supporters.

There’s nothing like having our fans back inside Alaska Airlines Arena. We felt the energy from the very first point of our first home match this season. Every single volleyball student-athlete in the Pac-12 looks forward to competing against the Huskies in front of you. I hear them talk about it years after they graduate and I hear their coaches talking about it on the recruiting trail. You’ve made this the premier venue for volleyball in the Pac-12.

There’s nothing more valuable to our program than growth, and this group is pursuing it ferociously. This team has a determination unlike any I’ve coached in my time here at Washington. If there’s anything our program is known for, it’s the fact that we strive to be our best when it matters most. The best matches of the season are coming up and we need you. The margins of success have never been this thin at the top of the conference and your support has never mattered more to a team.

Thank you for your continued support throughout these trying times, and as always, Go Dawgs!