A huge, huge blow.
It was announced early this afternoon that star Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker will be out the remainder of the 2023-24 season, due to an injury sustained against against UCLA on January 28th.
While WSU was able to rally without Leger-Walker in their recent rematch of the 2023 Pac-12 Championship game (AKA regular season game against UCLA but remember when we beat them and it was awesome and I got a tattoo for it), but this news comes as a total blow. At the 7:30 minute marker, she tried to get contact for a layup, and get a foul, but instead got a non-contact knee buckle that sent her off the court for the remainder of the game.
We heard earlier as well that she informed her New Zealand pro team, the Tall Ferns, that she would no longer be able to compete with them for a shot at the Olympics, so it makes sense that this is where we’ve landed as well.
Washington State reports that Leger-Walker needs surgery to repair her right ACL.
You can read the statement from WSU, and words from Coach Ethridge here.
From a personal standpoint, I can say confidently that all of us over at CougCenter are deeply sad. CLW has made such an amazing impact at Washington State as a player- but more importantly, as a person. While we know that she’ll bounce back stronger than ever, if this is the end of her time at Washington State, we will cherish everything she accomplished with nothing but admiration and respect.
Off to cry now! Don’t mind me!