2016Seawolf Athletics Annual Report

G o S e a w o l v e s . c o m

NCAA CHAMPION!

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Dear Seawolf Fans, Friends, Supporters and Sponsors, It is my pleasure to provide to you a copy of the 2015-16 Seawolf Athletics Annual Report. It has been a year of unparalleled success for the UAA Seawolves.

Highlights of all we have accomplished are included in the following pages of this report. There are so many things that have made this year an exceptional and memorable year. Chief among them is the success our teams have had on the conference, regional and national level. We have also reached exceptional levels in the classroom, in our service to the University and community and the national recognition Seawolf Athletics has brought to our University, the city of Anchorage and our State.

You, our loyal fans, supporters, friends and sponsors, have certainly become a large part of our success. Your commitment to our programs through personal donations, purchasing season tickets and the support we receive from our sponsors has been an important part of our success. On behalf of all of us involved in Seawolf Athletics, I want to thank you for what you have helped us to achieve! I am honored to be a part of this outstanding University and Athletic Program and hope you will continue to “stand with the Seawolves” and continue your loyal support in the coming year.

As we close the book on the 2015-16 year in Athletics, I want to again say thank you. It has been an incredible chapter in the story of Seawolf Athletics. I look forward to what is in store for all of us in the coming year. Have a terrific summer and please let me know if I can ever be of service to you. Go Seawolves!

Sincerely,

Keith Hackett Director of Athletics

Messages from the Athletic Director and the UAA Chancellor Dear Seawolves & the Alaskan Community,

Athletics play an important role in a well-rounded college education. The great value on and off the field includes leadership development, life time fitness, spirit and pride, recruitment and alumni involvement.

UAA’s student-athletes, whose stories and accomplishments are highlighted here, illustrate how closely success in competition and success in the classroom intertwine.

The overall GPA for UAA Athletics scholar-athletes in 2015 was 3.24—a record high for the program, which included 27 perfect 4.0 GPAs in the fall semester.

Twenty-six scholar-athletes graduated in Spring 2016, earning degrees in a variety of fields: economics, aviation technology, health sciences, elementary education, management and marketing, natural sciences, geological sciences, psychology, nursing, justice, legal studies and finance.

The discipline athletes hone at the gym, court, field or track naturally accentuates and complements academic achievement. And both are vital components of a thriving university and something that our local community celebrates. Our Seawolf athletes help build pride in UAA and a strong connection between our students, our alumni and our supporters.

Especially in these challenging times for our state and our university, thank you for helping us cheer on the many amazing student-athletes at UAA!

Sincerely,

Tom Case UAA Chancellor

• We support the educational mission of the University of Alaska Anchorage.

• Our mission is to protect and promote the safety, health and well-being of our Student-Athletes.

• We guide and support our Student-Athletes in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence.

• We produce graduates and honorable citizens.

• We are actively engaged in our University Community.

The Seawolves posted the program’s best finish ever – 8TH OUT OF 307 SCHOOLS NATIONALLY – in the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup competition, which measures success on a national level.

3.24 - Seawolf Student-Athletes' combined GPA in 2015 – an all-time record

1,481 & 2,627 - Seawolf Volleyball led all of NCAA Div. II in average attendance at 1,481 fans per match and hosted thelargest DII crowd in the nation with 2,627 at the Alaska Airlines Center for the NCAA match vs Dixie State.

2,600 - UAA Student-Athletes set a new stan-dard with a combined 2,600 community service hours to their credit in 2015-16.

86,000 – Number of fans attending 2015-16 UAA athletic events

Katelynn Zanders claimed GNAC Player of the Year honors

DEPARTMENT

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TEAM 9 NCAA Championships appearances

7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference team titles

2 NCAA West Region team titles

2 NCAA Championships top-3 team finishes

1 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NATIONAL RUNNER-UP

INDIVIDUAL55 Academic All-Conference honorees

51 All-West Region honorees

49 All-Conference performers

Senior Cody Thomas, won the decath-lon at the NCAA Championships with a

UAA-record 7,590 points.

Senior All-American Megan Mullings was voted the GNAC Female Athlete of the Year and captured UAA’s own

Bill MacKay Athlete of the Year honor.

The Senior duo of Simone Penker and Marie-Sophie Boggasch earned their league’s highest overall GPA for the third straight season with perfect 4.00s.

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49 All-Conference performers

27 All-Americans

20 Individual conference champions

7 Conference Player/Athletes of the Year

6 Conference Coach of the Year awards

5 West Region Coach of the Year awards

4 GNAC Newcomer/Freshmen of the Year winners

3 Academic All-District honorees

1 NCAA INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION

1 Academic All-American

Senior Sean Alexander earned All-America honors and was a

Second Team Academic All-American with a 3.75 GPA in the classroom.

Junior Suki Wiggs led the GNAC in scoring and earned 3rd Team All-America honors.

Senior Austin Sevalrud excelled both on and off the ice, receiving the WCHA Post-graduate Scholarship for 2016.

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Building Futures Seawolf Athletics has seen unprecedented success this

year. That is due, in part, to the investments that have been made on behalf of our Student-Athletes. Investment in facilities, scholarships, and in operating support of the 13 teams that represent the University of Alaska Anchorage. Private support has helped to create the margin of excellence for these Student-Athletes. As we close the books on FY17, we also bring to a close the comprehensive fundraising initiative branded as Building Futures.

The Building Futures Initiative allowed for major investment in facilities that enabled us to provide exceptional training and competition venues for our Student-Athletes and to enhance the game day experience for all Seawolf fans. Through the generosity of many, this fundrais-ing effort surpassed $11M to directly benefit Seawolf Athletics. This investment in Seawolf Athletics provided the necessary resources to create the Brush Christiansen Hockey Center, establish the Alaska Airlines Scholar Athletes Scholarship Endowment, and to provide addi-tional funding to establish the Seawolf Academic Excellence Fund dedicated to the academic support of our Student-Athletes. Additional enhancements to the Alaska Airlines Center were made possible through private support, including state of the art equipment in the AlterG Treadmill and the digital ribbon boards. Thank you for making these enhancements possible.

Now more than ever, private support will help to provide the margin of excellence required to excel both in the classroom and in competition. As we look forward to the 2016-17 season, I encourage you to consider becoming a member of the Seawolf Athletic Association by making a charitable gift to the University of Alaska Foundation in support of Seawolf Athletics. All gifts to Seawolf Athletics, regardless of size, make a difference. Your annual support helps meet the immediate needs of Seawolf Athletics and makes it possible for our Student-Athletes to compete at the highest level possible.

Gifts to the Athletic Excellence Fund provide the most flexibility to have immediate impact for our Student-Athletes. Donors may direct their contributions to a particular sport(s) by giving to that sport(s) Excellence Fund.

For more information please contact:Tlisa Northcutt, Associate Athletic Directortlisa@uaa.alaska.edu; 907.786.1211

As TeachersWe have a complementary, yet unique role within the educational setting at the Universi-ty. We teach an array of lessons and skill sets in a manner unique from how they are taught elsewhere on campus. Perhaps most important, we’re honored to be a part of the process of guiding and support-ing our Student-Athletes to use their talents and gifts to excel – academically, athletically and socially. We are teaching and preparing Student-Athletes in some very special ways.

We Gather and Engage an Entire Com-munity• In this process, we fill another unique role. As we provide these lessons and skill sets for our Student-Athletes, we gather and engage the University and local Community to be a part of our competition and success. Our goal is to enrich the lives of those we touch.• We’re instilling pride and provide visibility into the broader University setting.• During the 2015-16 Academic year Seawolf Athletics had over 86,000 students, fans and supporters attend events at the Alaska Air-lines Center.• In the past 12 months, Seawolf Athletics had 350 stories in the Alaska Dispatch News.• Seawolf Athletics had completed 2,500 hours of community service in the greater An-chorage Community.• We finished ranked No. 8 in Division II of the NCAA in the Learfield Director’s Cup Competition. Of the 307 NCAA DII institu-tions, we are in the top 3% of all schools.

• Above all else, we are producing graduates, champions and friends of the University.

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The Seawolf Athletics Brick Campaign provides an opportunity for Seawolf alumni, faculty, staff, and fans to become a per-manent and visible part of the Alaska Airlines Center. With the purchase of a brick, you support the UAA Athletics program and show your Seawolf Pride. This program offers personalized en-graved bricks to be located outside the Alaska Airlines Center. Commemorate a special occasion such as a birth, anniversary or graduation with the purchase of a personalized brick for yourself or loved ones.

Proceeds from the Seawolf Athletics Brick Campaign benefit Seawolf Athletics and all contributions associated with purchasing a brick are 100% tax deductible. To order, please visit GoSeawolves.com/donate or contact 907.786.1211.

The Director’s Club recognizes supporters of Sea-wolf Athletics who have made lifetime charitable donations of $5,000 or more.

DIRECTOR’S CLUB | GOLD $25,000+

Joe AlstonClyde Bullion and June GeorgePaul Cunningham and Judy ColemanJudith A. DresserJames Olson and Bobbi Ramos OlsonTom and Vicki PackerWes and Sue Tonkins

Alaska AirlinesAnchorage Fracture & Orthopedic ClinicBenton Bay Athletic Lions ClubCARRS/SafewayConocoPhillips AlaskaCornerstone General ContractorsFirst National Bank AlaskaGCIGlobal SpectrumKendall Auto GroupNMSPepsi-Cola Skinny Raven SportsWells Fargo Bank Alaska

DIRECTOR’S CLUB | SILVER $15,000 - $24,999

Charles Schumann and Sandra Blinstrubas Paul and Leigh BatesRick Calcote and Anne ReedBruce and Becky EricksonAlan Kajikawa

AnonymousAnchorage Neurosurgical AssociatesASRC Energy ServicesSignco

DIRECTOR’S CLUB$5,000 - $14,999

AnonymousDede AllenJeanette Anderson Moores and William MooresLeo and Jeanne BustadTonya CarneyTom and Susan CaseDon Hopwood and Leslie DeanJohn and Tina DeLappMike and Becky DriscollPhil and Amy FogleMichael and Stephanie FriessChristopher GreenKeith and Pat HackettLarry and Judy HelgesonP.J. Hill and Mimi HoganAnthony and Galina HoustonRick JarvisAnonymousDave Kolesky and Barbara DeMarco

Brian KraftJudy and Mark MaddenTim and Mary McDiffettCarol and Bill MiernykCarline and Phillip MillerElaine MillsTlisa and Scott NorthcuttJane M. PallisterBrett and Barbara PearsonJim and Anne PiccardLeroy and Idamarie PiccardAlan Piccard and Kristine AshleyCheryl and Bryan QuinnEdward and Cathryn RasmusonDavid and Marjorie RehfeldtKevin and Teresa SilverWilliam H. SpindleDavid SpringgateDeb and Dennis StaufferStephen and Paula StromMatt and Andrea ThomasCam and Michelle TooheyCheryl Stewart and Chris TurletesFrances A. UlmerStan and Donna VaughnBob and LaVonne Vogt

Alaska Mountaineering & HikingRavn AlaskaKeyBank of Alaska Odom CorporationSubway of Alaska

Accuracy of Donor ListingsGreat care was taken to ensure the accuracy of this Honor Roll. If we have inadvertently omitted or misstated your name, please accept our sincere apologies and let us know by contacting the development office at 907.786.1211.

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