Pullman Bound In January

I'm not really the biggest fan of 'hey look what I'm doing or where I'm going' which might surprise a few given that I cover recruiting -- notorious for the high school athlete wanting everyone to know what they're doing on a daily basis. But over the last year I've quietly been trying to figure out my own "recruitment" and where I'd transfer to after leaving Seattle Central this December.

The pick is in: Washington State University...

This past spring I spent the weekend in Pullman to visit the campus, visit the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications and see if WSU was the place for me. The visit was a good one. My friend Chris enjoyed the fact they had Panda Express in the Cub and I enjoyed the home, country, small town feel.

Then this summer I went to visit UNC, Indiana and Villanova. Each offered their own unique experience and feel.

Villanova was a lot bigger in terms of the campus than I expected. It was a little depressing that the gates to the football stadium were open and the stadium looked like it couldn't hold more than 15,000. Not that I would be playing on that field but it's nice to go to a school with that big time feel and Villanova didn't offer that.

Next was a two day visit to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I can honestly say it was the best of all five visits I took. It was raining on the drive from Charlotte to Chapel Hill and while most might be annoyed with it, coming from the Pacific Northwest, it felt like home. Once I got on the campus it really hit home that this would be where I'd spend the next two to three years.

Kenan Memorial Stadium was as advertised and Carroll Hall, UNC's College of Communication, was incredible. It was a Sunday afternoon and school wasn't in session so I wasn't expecting the doors to be open -- they were and of course I let myself in. It's hard to put in to words just how impressive the school and the campus was.

What also helped was my meeting with Chris Roush, the senior associate dean of undergraduate studies, who introduced me to something I'd never heard of at any other school.The Hearst Award Program, which UNC has finished in the top seven of each year over the last decade. Something none of the other four schools could claim.

But I had to move on to my next visit, Bloomington, Indiana and Indiana University. Probably the most down to earth visit I had because I randomly found the school of journalism and proceeded to have a full tour and then a three hour meeting with one of the professors, just talking about journalism in today's world.

I left with at least a six inch stack [probably more] of newspapers from their student newspaper and a couple added connections to keep in touch with, whether I went to Indiana or not.

So that leaves four of the five schools I considered. The last, which wound up being my second legitimate visit of the five, to the University of Washington. Tally Swanson, who if you don't know her, is one of the most committed person to a school I've ever gotten to know. I'd been on the campus of UW more times than I can count yet she showed me aspects that I'd never seen and still floored me.

Even with my decision to go to Pullman and WSU Tally's one of those people I'll always call a good friend, to go along with Josh Bessex, who talked to me about The Daily [UW student newspaper]. 

Full Disclosure: UW's winter application ran from August to September 1, and having said that I missed the deadline and didn't apply.

So, with the decision to move from Bainbridge and Seattle across the state to Pullman that leaves the question will I still cover Washington. That answer is both yes and no. Given that WSU starts January 12th my last UW game will be December 14th vs Eastern Washington [Men's Basketball]. After that, outside of the Boise St. vs Washington game next September [so long as it doesn't get moved to Saturday], I won't be providing any more UW game coverage.

Having said that I will continue my coverage of Washington recruiting with 247Sports. So for all those worried about having to unfollow me because of my Cougars coverage need not to do so. My UW news will continue churning out.

I'll post a goodbye column [on my blog] when I actually leave. I've still got a few more Washington games ahead of me so no need for that just yet.