Four state colleges that have been longtime NAIA members join NCAA Division III. Pacific Lutheran, Puget Sound, Whitman and Whitworth are part of an NAIA exodus, with 131 schools having left since 1980.

Ahead of celebrating their 50th anniversary, Sounders FC creates the Eternal Circle of Legends. Categories for future ballots are Builders and Coaches (all eras), Veterans (1974-2008) and MLS Era Players (since 2009). Voting for selection, beginning in 2025, will include Alliance Members (25 percent), Sounders FC alumni (20%), Alliance Council (15%), Sounders ownership (15%), media (15%) and Sounders staff (10%).

Marty Shaw's penalty save late in regulation extends the NCAA Division II semifinal to overtime where Seattle Pacific's Todd Schilperoort stabs in the winner, 2-1 over Wisconsin Green Bay in Miami. The Falcons, who had been third-seeded in the Far West, advance to the national final for the third time in four years. Servando Rivera scores the opener, and Shaw stops the penalty kick in the 80th minute. The teams battle through two scoreless overtime periods before Schilperoort breaks the deadlock 8:13 into the third stanza.

Just days after folding the ASL Tacoma Tides, co-owner Booth Gardner looks to the NASL. Gardner and Jim Guercio, manager of the rock band Chicago, apply for a 1978 expansion franchise in Denver.

With a 7-0 loss at Pepperdine, the Gonzaga women go winless (0-15-2) for the entire season. The Bulldogs, who had lost the final 10 matches of 2000, manage to score only five goals. Both draws, against Portland State and Eastern Washington, are scoreless.

Joe James of O’Dea High School and Jeff Durgan of Stadium are named to Parade Magazine’s High School All-America team. They become the state's first prep All-American. A week earlier Durgan was chosen by New York in the NASL draft and James went to Houston.