Former Washington State athletic director Sam Jankovich died Wednesday in Hayden Lake, Idaho. A funeral service will be held in his native Butte, Mont. He was 85.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family at this time,” said Washington State athletic director Pat Chun in a university release. “Sam was one of the great administrators in college athletics history. He served WSU with tremendous distinction, as a football coach, administrator, and eventually as athletic director from 1976-83. His vision surrounding the football program, enlarging Martin Stadium and making conference opponents play in Pullman, was crucial to the program’s future success and kept WSU relevant in the then-Pac-10 Conference.