Whitworth

Mike Sando recognized a football truism: Every fan watches the quarterback.

Whitworth football head coach Rod Sandberg was asked when he began thinking about the 2025 season. He paused before a smile crossed his face. “On the plane ride back,” Sandberg said of the NCAA Division III playoff game where Whitworth’s 2024 season had ended in a loss to eventual national champion North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.

Whitworth has made a living out of finding first-year wonders at quarterback. The last two have been Austin Ewing and Ryan Blair, who put up eye-popping statistics in their only seasons as the opening-day starter.

Following are debut seasons from several notable Whitworth quarterbacks over the past quarter century. (Note: Numbers reflect the first year each began the season as the team's starting QB.)

How the 2025 season shapes up for the Pirates.

From staff reports

The Whitworth Pirates’ first NCAA Tournament game in nine years didn’t go as planned.

Whitworth is back in the NCAA District III baseball tournament for the first time in nearly a decade.

Whitworth men’s basketball rolled to a 22-4 record in 2024-25, went unbeaten in the nonconference and won its third straight Northwest Conference regular-season title.

For the first time since 2001, the Whitworth men’s basketball team will not play for the Northwest Conference championship.

After an up-and-down end to the regular season, the Whitworth men’s basketball team enters the Northwest Conference tournament optimistic in its chances to secure a fourth consecutive tourney title.

Bruiser. Enforcer. The heart and soul of the team.

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Senior Garrett Long hit the winning shot in the final seconds to lift the Whitworth men’s basketball team to a 72-71 victory over Linfield on Saturday.

WALLA WALLA — It was a highly-contested rivalry game at the Sherwood Athletic Center in Walla Walla until mid-way through the second half.

The Whitworth men’s basketball team captured the Northwest Conference regular-season title with a 92-87 win over George Fox on Saturday at Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Whitworth men’s basketball team claimed at least a share of the Northwest Conference regular-season championship with a 84-65 win over Pacific on Friday at Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Whitworth men’s basketball team has two things on its mind this weekend – redemption and another regular-season Northwest Conference title to its name.

SALEM – The Whitworth men’s basketball took its time but eventually found its shooting stroke in an 81-63 win over Willamette in Northwest Conference play on Saturday at Cone Field House.

From staff reports