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should seize. If this university has a more passionate and confident spokesperson at any level right now than its women's basketball coach, I don't know who that person is. At the beginning of her presser, Washington talked about having "the courage to run into the fire and make a difference." It sounded as if she were referring to the university's efforts to move forward in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. A few moments later, a reporter asked her to elaborate on whether Penn State's difficulties had indeed influ- enced her decision. "Let me answer that by saying this," she replied. "I think the United States of America is the greatest country in the world. But this coun- try has certainly had its moments where we had to look at ourselves and challenge ourselves. You have a Martin Luther King Jr. who holds a mirror up to our society and says, 'Is this the best that we can do for peo- ple of color?' You have a Susan B. Anthony or an Eleanor Roosevelt who holds a mirror up to our collec- tive consciousness and says, 'Is this the best that we can do for women?' Marian Wright Edelman says, 'Is this the best that we can do for children?' "I look at Penn State, and what I've seen over the past few months is a community that has come together and held a mirror up. We've asked ourselves, 'Is this the best that we can do for Penn State?' One of the reasons that America, in my opinion, is the best country in the world, is be- cause we ask those tough questions of ourselves and we grow from it, and we don't shy away from asking how we can be a better country and the best country in the world. When I look at how we at Penn State are do- ing the same thing, I see a university that is going to elevate itself, because we're willing to look at ourselves and examine ourselves. We're willing to say, 'Is this the best that we can do for Penn State alums? Is this the best that we can do academically? Is this the best that we can do for the com- munity that supports us so well? Is this the best that we can do for high- er education in the country?' "That inspired me. It inspired me to be here and stay here and make my- self and this program the best that we can be. We're around people who have taken that challenge head-on, and we're going to be better because of it. So to answer your question: Was it a consideration? Absolutely. Absolutely it was a consideration." This won't be the first time Washington has run into a fire. She inherited a damaged program in April 2007 when she accepted the Lady Lions' head coaching position. Her predecessor, Rene Portland, had been a defendant in a lawsuit filed by for- mer player Jen Harris contending that the coach had discriminated against her on the basis of perceived sexual orientation. A university inves- tigation concluded that Portland had created a "hostile, intimidating and offensive environment," and while she disputed the findings, the damage was done. Portland was forced to re- sign amid a firestorm of controversy. Into the blaze stepped Washington. The Lady Lions didn't do so well in her first season, not surprisingly. After winning 12 of their first 16 games under Washington, they came apart in the second half, end- ing the 2007-08 season with 12 con- secutive losses. But despite the team's initial strug- gles on the court, Washington was able to convince some of the nation's top high school players that she had a vision. Those players have since become the backbone of a team that has improved its Big Ten record each of the past four seasons. And as the team has ascended, so has Washington. She was Big Ten Coach of the Year this past season, and prior to Penn State's Sweet 16 matchup with Connecticut in March, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma laud- ed her as one of the game's bright young minds. "There may not be five other coaches in her age group who are better than she is," he said. Washington, 41, indicated that she's been talking with athletic di- rector Dave Joyner about her long- term future. She's under contract through the 2013-14 season, and Joyner said he's committed to en- suring that she remains at Penn State. At some point, however, she's going to be faced with a more tempt- ing career opportunity than the one that Michigan represented. The Wolverines have only been to the W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 2 35 NCAA tournament five times in their history and have never advanced past the second round. Aside from affording her a chance to go closer to home (she's originally from Flint) and presumably offering a pay raise, there weren't any compelling rea- sons to leave for Ann Arbor. But East Lansing? That's a differ- ent story. Michigan State has a his- tory of both regular-season and postseason success, and while its current coach, Suzy Merchant, is in her mid-40s and is a Michigan na- tive herself, the school could con- ceivably look Washington's way if it ever found itself with a vacancy. And how about South Bend? You can bet Washington's name will come up when Muffet McGraw steps down at Notre Dame. Washington played for the Irish and was a mem- ber of the coaching staff that lifted them to the 2001 national champi- onship. McGraw, 56, has turned the program into a perennial power, one that has reached the NCAA champi- onship game each of the past two seasons. Penn State may be on the path to greatness, but Notre Dame is already there. Still, Washington sounds as though she's committed to the Lady Lions, and not just because they have given her a chance to fulfill her basketball ambitions. "Home is where your heart is," she said. "My heart is here at Penn State." After announcing that she was staying, Washington revealed that she intends to take part in Penn State's upcoming caravan, in which various coaches will speak to alumni throughout Pennsylvania and near- by states. She intends to be on hand for six stops: Hazleton and the Lehigh Valley (May 8), Woodbridge, N.J., and New York (May 9) and Youngstown, Ohio, and Cleveland (May 15). Are you within driving dis- tance of one of those places? If so, do yourself a favor and go see her. She's been a great ambassador not only for the women's basketball program but for the university as a whole. If you've lost some of your faith in Penn State these past few months, she will help you get it back.

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