The end of the school year and the impending summer season is often a slow season as far as news around Oregon State, and most other universities located in small towns, but that's not been the case this week in Corvallis, though most of the news actually is taking place elsewhere.
There's been good news at the professional level for some ex-Beavers in the last day.
Moore Moves Up
In the baseball world, Andrew Moore has been moved up from Single A Bakersfield in the California League to the Double AA Jackson (Tennessee) Generals of the Southern League in the Seattle Mariners system.
Moore made 9 starts for Bakersfield this season, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.65 ERA and 47 strikeouts with only 13 walks in 54.2 innings. Opponents hit only .188 against him. He went at least six innings in all but one start for the Blaze.
Moore will join fellow former Beaver Sam Gaviglio in Jackson, and will get the start tonight when Jackson, the Southern League North Division leaders, take on second place Montgomery.
Weisner Is Mystic
Jamie Weisner, who was the last cut by the by the Connecticut Sun before the beginning of the WNBA season, after being drafted in the second round, has found a new team.
The Washington (DC) Mystics have signed Weisner just 3 games into their season, to help out in a backcourt that is missing one guard for 4-6 weeks with an injury, and has another player down with illness. Another player was recently waived, so there is room for Weisner once the Mystics, off to a 1-2 start, get their other players back if she can produce. Her ability to play all the guard spots was a factor, according to Mystics General Manager Mike Thibault.
Cookus Comes Back To Corvallis
There's lots of news on the football front as well, and Beaver fans will doubtless be thrilled that Jake Cookus has joined Coach Gary Andersen's staff.
Cookus' career as a Beaver saw the local boy from Roseburg, OR, start as a walk-on, and progressed to the status of Civil War Hero, when he grabbed 3 of the 5 interceptions the Beavers got at the expense of Duck quarterback Joey Harrington in the 2000 Civil War, in the 11-1 season that culminated with the win in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl.
Cookus initially made his mark on special teams, and that's what he'll be doing again, in his role as "Special Teams Quality Control Analyst". NCAA rules limit the number of assistant coaches who can be on-field coaches in practice and games, and exclude "Quality Control Analysts", but Cookus will be coordinating and directing the special teams effort for the Beavers, who have all of the assistants involved in some aspect of special teams.
"He'll still be able to put his stamp on the special teams through his different tactics, through the goals and the expectations," Andersen said. "He has a tremendous way of just intertwining the special teams and making them feel 'special,' if you will.
Cookus began his coaching career at Kentucky, under Ron McBride, who also coached Andersen when he played at Utah. McBride brought Cookus with him when he took over the Weber State program in 2005, as special teams coordinator. That staff also included current Oregon State Defensive Coordinator Kevin Clune, Co-Offensive Coordinator and QB coach Kevin McGiven, and linebackers coach Chad Kauha'aha'a.
Cookus also coached special teams while at Big Sky power Montana in 2013 & 14, before heading to Hawaii last year, where he improved the Rainbows from 102nd to 59th nationally in kickoff returns.
OSU Going Camping In Bend
There's other football news as well, including word that Oregon State will hold a portion of pre-season camp off campus. The Beavers will be housed at Central Oregon Community College, which is connected with the Cascades Campus of Oregon State, and practice at Summit High in Bend August 3-10.
More Beavers Walk In
Coach Andersen also announced the addition of a pair of preferred walkons, including a quarterback, Connor Blount, whom Andersen attracted from Wisconsin, and Jaydon Grant, son of former NBA great Brian Grant, from West Linn.
We'll have a more in depth look at both of these players soon.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com