Washington State Finally Has Its Full-Time AD, and It's Jon Haarlow

After five months of interim leadership, Washington State is making it official. Jon Haarlow, who has been holding down the athletic director job since mid-November, is getting the permanent gig, according to a report from John Canzano on Tuesday morning. The Cougars are finally getting some stability in the front office as they prepare for a new era in the rebuilt Pac-12.

Stepping Up in a Familiar Role

Haarlow took over as interim AD when Anne McCoy was fired back in November. If that name sounds familiar, it's because McCoy herself had been elevated from interim to the permanent role not that long ago, back when Pat Chun left for the same job at Washington in 2024. So there's definitely a pattern here of internal promotions keeping things running at the Cougar athletic department. Haarlow isn't exactly a new face either. He's been a fixture in WSU's front offices for more than two decades, so he knows the building, knows the people, and knows what it takes to keep a program moving forward.

Already Making Moves

Haarlow has already shown he can get things done in the top job. Working alongside university president Betsy Cantwell, he played a key role in bringing in WSU football head coach Kirby Moore. Moore comes to Pullman after spending three years as Missouri's offensive coordinator, so the Cougars are getting someone with solid experience on the coaching side of things. Having that hire locked in before making the interim role permanent sends a signal that there's a real plan in place, not just treading water until someone figures out what's next.

The Cougars needed this move. With the Pac-12 rebuilding from the ground up, having a full-time AD who knows the program inside and out is the kind of foundation you need to compete in whatever comes next.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.