Weber State University Athletics
Hall of Fame
Rico Washington
- Induction:
- 2025
- Class:
- 1989
Rico Washington was a two-year standout player for the Weber State men’s basketball team from 1987-89. He was a two-time first-team All-Big Sky selection and is still a Wildcat school record holder with multiple top-10 rankings.
In two seasons with the Wildcats, Washington played in 57 career games and scored 1,196 points. He is still Weber State’s career leader in field goal percentage at 58.5 percent. He is also second in school history in career scoring average at 21.0 points per game.
Richard Washington was born in March 1965 in Philadelphia and received the nickname Rico from a ragdoll he owned as a small child. Rico became one of the best high school basketball players out of Philadelphia in the 1980s and was a high school All-American at Benjamin Franklin High School in 1983. He may have been one of the most decorated high school players to ever come to Weber State.
He was highly recruited but struggled academically and attended Gloucester County College in New Jersey, where he played for two seasons.
From there, he was heavily recruited again and ended up at Weber State, where he played for coach Larry Farmer.
He sat out the 1986-87 season as a redshirt, then in his junior season of 1987-88, Washington immediately made an impact. His first season, he led the Big Sky in rebounding and was second in scoring. He averaged 19.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and shot 60 percent from the field, on his way to first-team All-Big Sky honors. That shooting percentage is the third-best in a season in WSU history.
After that season, there was a coaching change, and Denny Huston became the head coach of the Wildcats for Washington’s senior season of 1988-89.
Prior to the season, Washington was named a preseason All-American. He once again performed well as he set a then-Weber State school record of 22.1 points per game during the season. He once again led the Big Sky in rebounding at 10.8 per game, which was 10th in the country. He also again finished second in the conference in scoring and earned first-team All-Big Sky honors. He was also named to the Big Sky All-Tournament team and earned All-District honors.
Washington finished his career as Weber State’s career leader in scoring average at 21.0 points per game and is now second on that list to Harold Arceneaux, and is ninth in Big Sky history.
He still ranks first with a career field goal percentage of 58.5 percent.
Washington passed away in 1993 from a stroke at the age of 28.
In two seasons with the Wildcats, Washington played in 57 career games and scored 1,196 points. He is still Weber State’s career leader in field goal percentage at 58.5 percent. He is also second in school history in career scoring average at 21.0 points per game.
Richard Washington was born in March 1965 in Philadelphia and received the nickname Rico from a ragdoll he owned as a small child. Rico became one of the best high school basketball players out of Philadelphia in the 1980s and was a high school All-American at Benjamin Franklin High School in 1983. He may have been one of the most decorated high school players to ever come to Weber State.
He was highly recruited but struggled academically and attended Gloucester County College in New Jersey, where he played for two seasons.
From there, he was heavily recruited again and ended up at Weber State, where he played for coach Larry Farmer.
He sat out the 1986-87 season as a redshirt, then in his junior season of 1987-88, Washington immediately made an impact. His first season, he led the Big Sky in rebounding and was second in scoring. He averaged 19.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and shot 60 percent from the field, on his way to first-team All-Big Sky honors. That shooting percentage is the third-best in a season in WSU history.
After that season, there was a coaching change, and Denny Huston became the head coach of the Wildcats for Washington’s senior season of 1988-89.
Prior to the season, Washington was named a preseason All-American. He once again performed well as he set a then-Weber State school record of 22.1 points per game during the season. He once again led the Big Sky in rebounding at 10.8 per game, which was 10th in the country. He also again finished second in the conference in scoring and earned first-team All-Big Sky honors. He was also named to the Big Sky All-Tournament team and earned All-District honors.
Washington finished his career as Weber State’s career leader in scoring average at 21.0 points per game and is now second on that list to Harold Arceneaux, and is ninth in Big Sky history.
He still ranks first with a career field goal percentage of 58.5 percent.
Washington passed away in 1993 from a stroke at the age of 28.
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Thursday, December 18
Wildcat All In - Eric Kjar
Wednesday, December 17
Eric Kjar named new head football coach at Weber State - 12/16/25
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Eric Kjar press conference - 12/16/25
Tuesday, December 16
