Carly Ellingsen comes from a long line of Cougar blood.
She’s named after her great-grandfather, Carl “Tuffy” Ellingsen, who kicked, ran and threw the Cougars to their second Rose Bowl in 1931.
Her grandfather, Don Ellingsen, another Washington State University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, still ranks seventh all-time in receptions among other WSU football greats.
The list goes on: uncle Bruce lettered in football; uncle Jim lettered in golf; uncle Rick lettered in wrestling; for uncle Ron it was tennis; and her cousin Taylor lettered in volleyball.
But May marked a rare Cougar first for the Ellingsen family: its first WSU post-bachelor’s degree.
Following eight years at WSU, Carly walked with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree earlier this month.
Carly ventured to Pullman in 2013 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in zoology, in the School of Biological Sciences, and stayed on the Palouse to attend one of the top veterinary colleges in the nation.