Eastern Washington University Athletics

On her way to first team All-Big Sky Conference (then Mountain West) honors in 1986, Cochran became and is still the only player in school history through 2023-24 to average at least 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the same season. By comparison, EWU’s Jamie Loera averaged 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists on her way to earn unanimous Big Sky Conference Player of the Year honors in the 2023-24 season. Cochran was the first player in school history to have more than 1,000 career points and 500 rebounds, finishing with 1,065 points and 706 rebounds from 1983-86 (a total of 11 have now accomplished that feat through the 2023-24 season). Only eight players through 2023-24 have coupled that with 100 assists (she had 171). Her point and rebound totals were both fifth in school history at the time, and her points are now 16th (through 2023-24).

In the 1986 season she averaged 15.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists to rank as one of only 12 EWU players to have averaged 10/4/3 in the same season through 2023-24). She played on teams under Bill Smithpeters which finished 67-42 overall and 37-19 in league play, including finishes of second (1984), third (1985) and third (1986) in her last three seasons. Eastern qualified for the Mountain West Tournament those three years, advancing to the championship game in 1984 and 1986 after beating Idaho in the semifinals both seasons. Cochran had 18 points and five rebounds in the 1986 semifinals, then closed her career with 11 points and eight rebounds in the title game. She scored at least 20 points eight games that season, and was in double figures in scoring 22 times and rebounding on 10 occasions. She had a career-high 26 points against Idaho State and Portland State, and her top rebounding performance was 13 versus Wyoming. She had eight double-doubles on the season on a team which also included Brenda Souther (inducted into the Eastern Hall of Fame in 1998), who averaged 19.9 points and 11.1 rebounds with 12 double-doubles in the 20 games she played. Cochran had her career high for rebounds as a sophomore with 14.
 
She eventually married EWU football tight end Mark Gehring (1984-85), and their son, Zack (2010-11-12-13) also became an Eagle tight end after graduating from Castle Rock (Wash.) High School in 2009. Zack earned third team All-Big Sky honors in 2013 and twice was honored on the Big Sky All-Academic squad. Two other sons, Aaron and James, were collegiate athletes. Aaron was a tight end for the Washington State football program (2006-11) and James played basketball for Lower Columbia Community College and Cristy was also formerly from Castle Rock and graduated from CRHS in 1982. She has re-married and now goes by the name Kristy King, and currently splits her time living in Castle Rock and Yakima, Wash. She has seven grandchildren (four grandsons and three granddaughters), plus one on the way, with three “wonderful” daughters-in-law.