June 9, 2000

PULLMAN, Wash. - Mark Summerson has accepted an appointment as the sports psychologist for the Cougars, and will begin full-time status July 1, Interim Athletic Director Marcia Saneholtz announced.

Summerson is currently serving as the sports psychologist at WSU on an interim basis. Summerson's responsibilities include providing individual and group counseling to student-athletes and consultation to coaches, athletic trainers and other athletic department staff on clinical concerns, performance and other issues as needed.

Summerson earned four degrees at WSU, three bachelor's in psychology, business administration and computer science, each of which he was Cum Laude, and a his Ph.D. (May 1996) in counseling psychology.

In addition to his private practice, Summerson has worked at Lewis-Clark State College, Idaho (1996-97) and Iowa State (1993-94).

He is licensed in Washington and Idaho, is specifically trained in Threat of Violence Consultation, Corporate Crisis Management services and is a certified Crisis Prevention Institute instructor of verbal de-escalation and non-violent physical intervention.