The Best of Both Worlds

A Washington state license plate that says CougZag
Have you seen this license plate?
January 10, 2025
Holly Jones (MA '22)

“Cats and dogs living together—mass hysteria!”

– Dr. Peter Venkman, "Ghostbusters 2"

Just about every day in Spokane, someone sees the crimson car with a WSU vanity plate that reads, “COUGZAG,” framed by the words “Gonzaga M.A. in Communication and Leadership.”

Hi. I’m Holly, and that’s my car, which represents my two alma maters—Washington State University and Gonzaga University.

I inherited the ride from my late father. Like me, Dad was a Coug. Mom’s a Coug, too, and so are all my siblings. Pullman is the place where we “find our way back home,” which made it easy for me to move to eastern Washington in 2002 shortly after earning my bachelor’s degree in English and a certification in professional and technical writing from WSU. My home in Spokane became game day headquarters for the rest of the family, who remained in or near our hometown in southwest Washington. Between the family’s season tickets and my role on the advisory board of my sorority, our family contributed significantly to the ruts in Highway 195 driving between Spokane and Pullman so many times.

 

around campus
A little creativity goes a long way. 


Coming to work at Gonzaga University’s Advancement division as a communications specialist in 2014 after enjoying careers in television and advertising, I discovered the magic I’d heard so much about from Gonzaga alumni and friends I’d known. Both as an employee and a graduate student, the experience of cura personalis was and continues to be delightful. Long before I crossed the stage at graduate commencement in the McCarthey Athletic Center in 2022, I was told that I was as much a Zag as anyone else. “You belong,” was the sentiment I heard from colleagues, alumni and students over and over again.

 

At first, I kept my Cougness and Zagness separate. Then, one day while working alongside legendary Gonzaga storyteller Dale Goodwin (MA ’86), I learned that he was just like me: a CougZag. As I built relationships across campus, I met even more CougZags and ZagCougs—Spokane has so many of us! Knowing this inspired a pride that allowed my Cougar roar and my Bulldog bark to coexist.

To me, WSU and GU are schools in perfect balance with one another—like Yin and Yang.

Big and small.

Cats (Butch T. Cougar) and dogs (Spike the Bulldog).

Rural (Pullman) and urban (Spokane).

Public and private.

Heaven (faith based) and Earth (land grant).

For every CougZag or ZagCoug in Spokane or around the globe, it was a special day to find out the Cougs would be joining the Zags in the WCC this year. And even better, when it was announced Gonzaga would be joining the PAC-12 in 2026. It feels like finally, we’re all home together.

On Saturday, when WSU and GU meet on the hardwood in McCarthey, my sister and I will be there—she in her Crimson and Gray, and me sharing allegiances in my homemade CougZag gear. I’ll cheer for every basket, and the best part of it all is that no matter the outcome of the game, we CougZags and ZagCougs win!

Spike mascot and Holly Jones