1976 Washington State Cougars baseball team

The 1976 Washington State Cougars baseball team represented the Washington State University in the 1976 NCAA Division I baseball season.

Led by legendary head coach Chuck Brayton, in his 14th season at Washington State, the Cougars finished the year with an impressive 43–15 overall record. Their 43 victories established a program record at the time and helped propel WSU to its fourth College World Series appearance—and its most recent trip to Omaha.

Washington State captured the West Regional championship to earn its place in the 1976 College World Series. The Cougars' postseason run eventually came to an end with a loss to the Maine Black Bears in Omaha.

The 1976 roster featured outstanding individual talent to go along with the team's success. Six Cougars earned first Team All-Pac-8 North honors.

while four players from the team were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Two of those players, Eric Wilkins and Dave Edler, would go on to reach the big Leagues.

The Cougars played their home games at Bailey Field in Pullman, continuing the tradition of excellence established under Brayton, who would become one of the most successful and influential figures in Washington State baseball history.

Five decades after their historic season, the accomplishments of the 1976 Cougars continue to hold a special place in WSU baseball history.

In October 2026, the team was enshrined in the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame, recognizing its remarkable season and lasting legacy within the Cougar baseball program.

Roster

Schedule

! style="" | Regular season

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="3%" | # ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="7%" | Date ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="14%" | Opponent ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" | Site/stadium ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Score ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Overall record ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Pac8 record |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 || April 1 || at Arizona State || Packard Stadium • Tempe, Arizona || 3–13 || 12–4 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 || April 2 || vs || Packard Stadium • Tempe, Arizona || 0–2 || 12–5 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 || April 2 || vs || Packard Stadium • Tempe, Arizona || 11-3 || 13–5 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 || April 4 || vs || Packard Stadium • Tempe, Arizona || 5–2 || 14–5 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 || April 5 || vs || Packard Stadium • Tempe, Arizona || 2–11 || 14–6 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 || April 6 || at || Unknown • Provo, Utah || 3–2 || 15–6 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 || April 7 || vs Boise State || Unknown • Provo, Utah || 8–4 || 16–6 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 || April 7 || vs Boise State || Unknown • Provo, Utah || 3–8 || 16–7 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 || April 8 || at Northwest Nazarene || Unknown • Nampa, Idaho || 7–6 || 17–7 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 || April 10 || at || Unknown • Cheney, Washington || 22–2 || 18–7 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 || April 10 || at Eastern Washington || Unknown • Cheney, Washington || 13–5 || 19–7 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 || April 14 || at Gonzaga || Unknown • Spokane, Washington || 4–5 || 19–8 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 || April 15 || at || Guy Wicks Field • Moscow, Idaho || 19–2 || 19–8 || 0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 || April 16 || || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 4–1 || 21–8 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 || April 17 || Oregon || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 5–1 || 22–8 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 || April 17 || Oregon || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 8–4 || 23–8 || 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 || April 18 || || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 11–0 || 24–8 || 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 || April 24 || at || Coleman Field • Corvallis, Oregon || 0–4 || 24–9 || 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 || April 24 || at Oregon State || Coleman Field • Corvallis, Oregon || 1–2 || 24–10 || 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 || April 25 || at Oregon State || Coleman Field • Corvallis, Oregon || 12–2 || 25–10 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 || April 26 || Idaho || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 12–1 || 26–10 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 || April 27 || Gonzaga || Bailey Field • Pullman, Washington || 1–4 || 26–11 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 || April 30 || at || Graves Field • Seattle, Washington || 9–1 || 27–11 || 5–2

! style="" | Postseason

First Team All-PAC 8

References

1976 Washington State Cougars baseball team

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