La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

The vibe coming out of the Pac-12 Conference this summer couldn't have been more grim.

But a La Conner High School alum is providing a rare bit of good news, especially in her hometown, ahead of what will be the final year of the Conference of Champions as it is known.

Ashley Watkins, a 2017 La Conner grad, has been elevated to director of football operations at Washington State University, the youngest sports administrator to serve in that capacity within the Pac-12.

Her promotion was confirmed earlier this year when WSU head football coach Jake Dickert announced 2023 Cougar football and support staff assignments.

"I look forward to developing a connected staff to build the foundation of championship football here at WSU," Dickert said then.

While the football team is coming off a 6-3 conference finish a year ago, the program's future athletics alliance is uncertain following decisions by eight other schools – including the University of Washington – to leave the Pac-12 in 2024 for more lucrative TV revenue opportunities.

The commissioner of the Mountain West Conference told WSU's athletics advisory committee last week that the Cougars would be welcomed "with open arms" into that league, which features several schools that, like Washington State, are land-grant institutions.

In the meantime, Watkins is focused on the 2023 grid campaign, which opened Saturday with a 50-24 win at Colorado State. The Cougars host Wisconsin of the Big-10 in a key non-conference test at Martin Stadium Saturday.

Watkins is ideally suited to tackle her present duties. She served nearly two years as WSU's assistant director of football operations. That followed a stint as a lead official of intramural programs, where Watkins majored dually in sport management and business and hospitality business management.

In addition to her work with intramurals, Watkins was also actively involved in the university's athletics marketing and promotions and as an operations assistant with the Pac-12 Network while an undergraduate.

Watkins distinguished herself as a student and athlete at La Conner, earning an associate of arts degree at Skagit Valley College with her high school diploma.

She earned varsity letters in four sports – volleyball, basketball, softball and track-and-field – and garnered several individual awards and was named the Skagit Valley region's high school volleyball player of the year in 2016-2017, the same season in which she received NW2B Volleyball Most Valuable Player recognition. She was also tabbed in 2016 as a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Player of the Week.

Retired La Conner Schools administrator Peg Seeling, who coached Watkins in softball, isn't surprised by her success as an emerging leader in intercollegiate athletics.

"I really enjoyed coaching Ashley," Seeling told the Weekly News, "because not only was she an amazing athlete, she was also a great leader. I'm thrilled that she has chosen to work in the athletic realm."