Rogers to attend Thrashers’ camp June 30, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, Atlanta Thrashers, CCHA, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, NHL, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Wylie Rogers
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Recently-graduated hockey goaltender Wylie Rogers will be attending the Atlanta Thrashers’ Prospects camp in just over a week. Rogers was recommended by former head hockey coach Tavis MacMillan, who is now a scout for the Thrashers.
Nanook Hall of Fame inducts first class June 29, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in Uncategorized.Tags: Alaska, athletics, Fairbanks, Hall of Fame, Joe Tremarello, Matt Emmons, Milo Griffin, Nanooks, Randy Pitney, sports, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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The first four Nanook hall-of-famers have been named.
Matt Emmons, Milo Griffin, Randy Pitney, and Joe Tremarello were named.
Emmons is the former rifler who took a gold medal in the prone 50 meter shoot in 2004 (and famously missed out on another gold by shooting the wrong target. A funny story about that, in the fall of 2004 a comedian was at UAF and joked about that: “This guy’s in the Olympics and he shoots at the wrong target!” or something like that. The room went silent. And somebody piped in “he goes (to school) here.” She was sortof embarrassed). He, along with another rifle alum Jamie Beyerle, will compete in the 2008 Olympics.
Griffin played men’s basketball in the ’60s and held (and still holds) many records for the Nanooks. His no. 44 jersey is the only player’s jersey that the Nanooks have retired. His all-time scoring record stood for 36 years until Brad Oleson broke it in 2005.
Randy Pitney was on the rifle team before coaching the Nanooks for 15 years. He recruited both Emmons and current coach Dan Jordan, and coached the team to three national titles before serving as Athletic Director for a bit.
Tremarello played basketball for the Nanooks in the ’50s, and coached the women’s basketball team in the 90s.
West and Meisner named hockey assistants June 28, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, assistant coach, CCHA, coach, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Dallas Ferguson today announced Lance West and Brian Meisner as his assistants for the Nanooks hockey team. West was a volunteer assistant last season and was the video coordinator.
Here’s a News-Miner article.
Meisner has many years of junior hockey coaching experience under his belt, and recently finished up a season as an assistant at the University of Connecticut.
Ouch! Low turnout for four of five candidates June 26, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in women's basketball.Tags: Alaska, coach search, Darryl Smith, Fairbanks, GNAC, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, women's basketball
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Darryl Smith had his media conference and public session today as part of the interview process to find Alaska’s next women’s basketball coach. Apparently though, there wasn’t much public at the public session. According to this News-Miner article, about 20 people showed up to former men’s coach Al Sokaitis’ public session, while only two people combined showed up to the remaining four sessions.
I agree with Pamm Hubbards comment:
“I’m kind of afraid of the comments that I see in the News-Miner (letters to the editor and online comments) that say ‘Coach Sokaitis is your guy. You don’t need to go anywhere else.’”
I think that Fairbanks is very much a hometown-lovin’ crowd, as seen with the most recent hockey coach selections (even when Doc DelCastillo was hired, people were crying foul that Wade Klippenstein wasn’t chosen), and given Sokaitis’ history and reputation with the community, that’s what the people want. But we’ll see what the athletic department is impressed by nowadays.
Cunningham cites Navajo heritage as recruiting boon June 25, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in women's basketball.Tags: Alaska, Fairbanks, GNAC, Nanooks, Patrick Cunningham, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, women's basketball
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Patrick Cunningham was the fourth candidate for the women’s basketball coaching position to come to Fairbanks. Cunningham said his focus is on recruiting, and a players-first attitude. He also thinks that his Navajo heritage and understanding of small communities with a strong love of basketball will help him recruit Alaskan players.
Cunningham has been the coach at Arizona Western College since the team’s inception in 1999.
Bowden takes the spotlight June 24, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in women's basketball.Tags: Alaska, basketball, coach selection, Fairbanks, GNAC, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, women's basketball
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Pamela Bowden took the stage Monday in her bid to be the next UAF women’s basketball coach. Bowden has been an assistant at a few colleges, most recently Texas A&M International University, and Eagle River High School. In the early 90s she was an assistant at UAA.
Pictures coming soon!
Letters to Editor support Sokaitis June 22, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in women's basketball.Tags: Al Sokaitis, Alaska, basketball, Fairbanks, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, women's basketball
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There are two letters to the editor in the News-Miner today in support of Al Sokaitis for the women’s head coach position.
I can’t say I’m surprised. Although I’m also not surprised at some of the comments against hiring him for the position. I understand some people see it as a loyalty issue, the “why did he leave?” question. But I’ve also been in situations where a supervisor makes your job unbearable, and sometimes quitting in order to save yourself undue stress is what has to be done.
I’ve seen the resumes for all of the candidates, and they all appear to be very well-qualified (unfortunately, I can’t get to any of the press conferences of public forums, but will hopefully have pictures coming of the ones this next week!), given Fairbanks’ preference for the familiar, I also would not be surprised in the least if Sokaitis gets the gig.
Ferguson to name assistant soon June 22, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, Assistant coaches, CCHA, Dallas Ferguson, David Carle, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Denver hockey
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According to this article in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, head coach Dallas Ferguson is hoping to name his two assistant coaches in the next week. The field has been narrowed from 10 applicants to four finalists; two Div. I assistants, a Div. III assistant and former assistant at the professional level.
In news unrelated to UAF, but relating to Alaska hockey, the brief also mentions Anchorage’s David Carle, who was the only Alaska-affiliated player to be chosen in the NHL draft this week. Unfortunately, Carle was just diagnosed with a heart abnormality that could be fatal if he over-exerts himself. The University of Denver recruit announced the diagnosis earlier in the week, and the Tampa Bay Lightning were still impressed enough to draft him anyway. In another classy move, UD will still honor his scholarship.
Is the Nanook offensive? June 20, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in Uncategorized.Tags: Alaska, American Indian mascots, Fairbanks, Fighting Sioux, Nanooks, NCAA mascot rules, UAF, UND, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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This is a new one to me.
Many people know about the dispute with the UND and the NCAA because UND’s mascot is the Fighting Sioux. Under the NCAA rules (I believe, I don’t have the correct wording) schools with potentially offensive ‘nicknames’ or ‘mascots’ had to get permission from, say, the Sioux, or the Illini, or the Utes, Seminoles, etc. UND hasn’t complied and is fighting like hell.
This article on indiancountry.com talks about that dispute, and lists other potentially offensive school mascots, including– you guessed it– the Nanooks.
The Nanooks, as far as I know, have never been on the NCAA’s list for offensive names…
I wonder if he knows that “Nanooks” are not a tribe of Eskimos (or Indians, for that matter). Do we need permission from the Polar Bear gods? Was he being stereotypical by assuming (and we know what that does) that because it sounds like a Native word, it must be a tribe?
Kelly’s case to be coach June 20, 2008
Posted by sunstarsports in women's basketball.Tags: Alaska, Fairbanks, GNAC, Lynne Andrew, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, women's basketball
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Today was the second of five public forums and press conferences for hopeful women’s basketball coaches. Sean Kelly is an assistant coach at Portland.
