VOLUME: 8 • ISSUE: 3
Q&a: JEREMY BLOOM Talks Buffs, BusIness and more! ASKIA BOOKER looks To lead meeT ANN ELLIOTT, Cu’s neW laCrosse CoaCh GoInG a round WITh ANNE KELLY
GOING PRO! Toney Clemons and oTher Buffs Take The nexT sTep
Letter from the
Athletic Director
VOLUME: 8 • ISSUE: 3 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, BUFF CLUB Natalie A. Pigliacampo MANAGING EDITOR Doug Ottewill, Haas Rock Publications
F
resh off an impressive academic and athletic season, we are proud to announce that for a second consecutive year that our APr rates are the highest in school history. I congratulate and express tremendous gratitude to all who worked effectively with our studentathletes to be successful. We are fortunate to possess a wonderful team of people across the entire campus – administrators, professors, academic advisors, tutors, coaching staffs and all those who believe in our Guiding Principles to ensure that our students will graduate. the impressive teamwork led by our players is producing unprecedented results.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Pat Rooney Vanessa Hughes Daniel Mohrmann Marty Coffin Evans ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Becky Antcliff
have had women’s golf head coach Anne Kelly on our staff for the past 15 years. She has the knowledge and wisdom that comes with building a program from the ground up, and we saw her dedication pay off with the institution’s first NCAA Championship appearance and top-10 ranking this year for our women’s golf team. Anne’s tremendous leadership and tenure as a Buff will be an asset to our inaugural head women’s lacrosse coach, Ann elliot, as she embarks on developing Colorado lacrosse into a western leader in sport here at CU. You will get to know both of these fine coaches in the coming pages. I would like to congratulate another important team of leaders in the athletic department and that is our dedicated CU
“STUDENT-ATHLETES FIRST” IS AN IMPORTANT THEME THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE OF The STampede Mike Bohn “Student-athletes first” is an important theme throughout this issue of The Stampede and also serves as the first of our Guiding Principles. We can all take tremendous pride in the amazing accomplishments of student-athletes and the inspiration that positively impacts our greater community. You will enjoy learning about golfer Jessica Wallace setting her sights on the LPGA, football player tony Clemons’ talent opening the doors to his dreams, skier Katie Stege building her future in sustainable design to help the underserved and basketball player trey eckloff using his competitive spirit to study law. All of these Buffs are shining examples and the results of Colorado Athletics putting student-athletes first. obviously, there would not be exemplary student-athletes without talented coaches, and we are honored to
foundation Staff who manages the Buff Club. this group always puts studentathletes first as they produced record levels of giving this year making it possible for the entire department to provide the valuable resources that make CU student-athletes successful. the Buff Club and Colorado Athletics could not have done it without your intensity of interest and leadership in giving back and helping us identify future stakeholders for our program. thank you for your continued support and interest in the program commitment to sustained excellence. Go Buffs!
PHOTOGRAPHERS CU Sports Information Chip Bromfield, Pro-Motion, Ltd. Getty Images Jathan Campbell Natalie Pigliacampo Tracy Ostrofsky ADVERTISING SALES Chris Dolge Casey Light Will McKinlay The Stampede is published and produced in association with: HAAS ROCK PUBLICATIONS, LLC PRESIDENT James Merilatt
PUBLISHER Doug Ottewill
PROOFREADERS Casey Light Chris Bianchi
The Stampede is published four times per year, as a 64-page quarterly. Buff Club, 369 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 BUFF CLUB 800.621.2833 Subscription rate for The Stampede is a gift for $100 or more per year to the Buff Club. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Buff Club, 369 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2011 / All Rights Reserved Printed in the U.S.A
THE STAMPEDE IS PROUDLY PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
We want to hear from you! Comments regarding The Stampede can be directed to buffclub@cufund.org or 303-492-2200.
mike Bohn 1
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Departments 06 12 64
IN FOCUS FOOtball SChedUle bUFFalO bIll
32 Q&a: Jeremy blOOm 2
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Features 16 20 26 38
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Profile: AskiA Booker (BAsketBAll) Profile: Ann elliott (lAcrosse) Profile: Anne kelly (golf) Profile: Bruce And Becky gAmBle (donors)
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cover story: going Pro
The STampede cAtches uP with four grAduAting Buffs
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SPRING TRAINING
At the annual Spring Game, even a certain Buffalo got in a little offseason “work,” as did her handlers. Photo by Chip Bromfield 6
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AND THE CUSPY GOES TO‌ Andre Roberson, the Male Athlete of the Year who turned in an Oscar-esque acceptance speech, thanking teammates, coaches and staff. Photo by Chip Bromfield
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READY AND WAITING
While CU’s student-athletes might be taking a little time off for the summer months, rest assured they’re still training, anxiously awaiting the competitions of fall. Photo by Chip Bromfield 10
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UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Join us for‌
aWaY Game eVentS!
Presented by the University of Colorado Boulder, the Alumni Association and CU Athletics
Hit the road with us this fall to cheer on the Buffs as they travel to Arizona, Washington State, Southern California and Oregon. Our spectacular festivities are the place to be before every Pac-12 away game and are a great way to connect with other Colorado alumni and fans. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children, and include a drink and a meal. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.colorado.edu/roadbuffs.
Date
OppOnent
time
tV
09.01
Colorado State (Den)
2:00 p.m.
FX
09.08
SacramentO State
1:00 p.m.
P12N
09.15
at Fresno State
6:00 p.m.
CBS-SN
09.22
* at Washington State
TBA
TBA
09.29
UCLA
TBA
TBA
10.06
BYE
10.11
* ariZOna State
7:00 p.m.
ESPN
10.20
* at Southern California
TBA
TBA
10.27
* at Oregon
TBA
TBA
11.03
* StanFOrD (Homecoming)
TBA
TBA
11.10
* at Arizona
TBA
TBA
11.17
* WaSHinGtOn
TBA
TBA
11.23
* UtaH
1:00 p.m.
TBA
11.30
#Pac-12 Championship Game
6:00 p.m.
FOX
*Pac-12 Conference Game; #at campus site TBD. HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS All times listed are Mountain Time zone; those listed as TBA are due to the Pac-12 television contracts, which allow for ABC/ ESPN, the FOX networks: FOX, Fox Sports Net (FSN), FCS (Fox College Sports) and the Pac-12 Network to decide on games and times up to 12 days prior to the game (and on occasion, six days prior).
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BUFF CLUB AND COLORADO ATHLETICS
FALL EVENTS CALENDAR (For more information, please visit CUBuffs.com/events)
AUGUST, 2012 4 London 2012 Summer Olympics
Women’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase - Round 1 Don’t miss CU Olympians Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp compete in the London Olympics.
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24th Annual Boulder Chamber CU Kick-off Luncheon Balch Field House – Boulder Campus
OCTOBER, 2012 4 Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon
NOVEMBER, 2012 1 Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon
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Colorado Football Buffs Nation Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Denver History Colorado Center
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42nd Annual University of Colorado Ski Ball University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
13
Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Boulder Millennium Harvest House
Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Boulder Millennium Harvest House
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
Court Sport Preview Celebration Coors Events & Conference Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Denver History Colorado Center
Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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University of Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Coors Events & Conference Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Buffs Nation Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
SEPTEMBER, 2012 4 Colorado Football Press Conference 16 Luncheon – Boulder Millennium Harvest House
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Denver History Colorado Center
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13
Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Boulder Millennium Harvest House
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Boulder Millennium Harvest House
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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Colorado Football Press Conference Luncheon – Denver History Colorado Center
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Buffalo Belles Coaches Luncheon University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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University Memorial Center – Boulder Campus
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ATHLETES IN THE CLASSROOM The results of the 20th Annual Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet The Clancy A. Herbst, Jr., StudentAthlete Achievement Award (given to athletes who overcome personal, academic or emotional difficulties to succeed both academically and athletically) Katie Dreher (women’s track) Doug Rippy (football) The Scholar-Athlete Award (highest cumulative grade point average in a respective class) Katie Stege, Sr., Skiing (3.942 GPA, Architecture) Eric Davis, Sr., Skiing (3.843 GPA, BusinessFinance) Nikki Look, Jr., Cross Country & Track (4.000 GPA, Applied Mathematics) Rachel Viger, Soph., Cross Country & Track (4.000, Chemical Engineering) Andreas Haug, Soph., Skiing (4.000 GPA, Business). Tom Hansen Pac-12 Conference Medal (based on the greatest combination
of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership) Katie Hartman (skiing) Andy Wacker (cross country and track) Academic Team Winners for Grade Point Average Women’s Cross Country (3.392) Men’s Skiing (3.338) The 4.0 Club (4.00 GPA for at least one semester, if not the full year) Jamie Befort (women’s golf) Davis, Haug, Stege, Andreas Hoye, Ian Mallams, Carolina Nordh, Rune Oedegaard (skiing) Erin Bricker, Hayley Hughes (soccer) Nikki Look, Viger, Jessica Pixler, Stewart Shoemaker (cross country and track) Elysse Richardson (volleyball). Most Improved Student-Athlete Awards Chucky Jeffery (women’s basketball) Shannon Sharpe (men’s basketball) Caroline Danneberg (soccer)
Buffalo Leadership and Initiative Awards (given to the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding initiative and demonstrates a strong commitment to service to the CU and Boulder communities) Shalaya Kipp (senior, cross country and track) Nikki Look (junior, cross country and track) Hayley Hughes (sophomore, soccer) Juda Parker (freshman, football) The Student Support Services Academic Award (presented to a student worker who maintains a 3.0 grade point while demonstrating strong commitment and leadership to CU athletics) Cole Mickelson, who worked five years in the sports information office, including the last year as a graduate assistant while completing his degree in marketing; he started an internship at USA Basketball in Colorado Springs just this week
COMPLIANCE CORNER | UNDERSTANDING MULTI-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS In the past, student-athletes were only able to sign one-year scholarships. There was no such thing as a four-year scholarship and at the end of each academic year, coaches decided whether to re-award or non-renew each student-athlete’s scholarship. However, the NCAA recently adopted legislation that will benefit student-athletes by allowing institutions to offer multi-year scholarships. This will give student-athletes more stability throughout their college career when it comes to financial responsibility and coaches will not be able to “run off” student-athletes like in the past. When a coach decides to award a current student-athlete with a scholarship, that scholarship is made specifically for that student-athlete. Some studentathletes may receive multi-year awards and some student-athletes may continue to receive the one-year only awards. However, student-athletes may only receive a multi-year award for as long as they have eligibility. If a student who has been at CU and competed for two years is going to be offered a multi-year 14
scholarship, they can only be awarded a 2-year scholarship, as that is how much eligibility they have remaining. When offering a scholarship to a prospect, it is up to the coach to decide how they choose to offer the scholarship. Starting Aug. 1 of the prospect’s senior year in high school, CU’s coaches may offer a prospect their scholarship in writing, but they can’t sign that scholarship until official signing period for their sport, which comes later in the academic year. However, coaches may verbally offer a prospect a scholarship prior to the Aug. 1 date, which is often what happens, and when the prospect accepts that offer, they have unofficially committed to becoming a Buffalo. Once a student-athlete is at CU, regardless the length of their scholarship offer, they need to maintain their eligibility in order to keep receiving their scholarship. Should a student-athlete not meet eligibility standards, their scholarship could be non-renewed or reduced for the remainder of the award. There are other factors besides eligibility that could
affect their scholarship, such as fraudulent misrepresentation, engaging in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty or voluntarily withdrawing from the team. It’s CU’s discretion to cancel a scholarship should a student-athlete fall into any of those categories. CU also has the ability to reward a student-athlete who is exceeding expectations with a multi-year scholarship or increase the value of their scholarship, up to a full scholarship. With this new legislation, the once fabricated “four-year scholarship” is now a reality that gives student-athletes the ability to sustain their scholarship for their career and not be worried on a yearly basis that they might not be able to maintain it. Go Buffs! Jill Gainey Associate Director of Compliance, Rules Education jillian.gainey@colorado.edu 303.492.6155
By Dave Plati
Come to Carelli’s for your PRE-GAME and POST-GAME hangout
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AskiA Booker
STUDENT
PROFILE
i
SOPHOMORE LEADERSHIP Askia Booker must grow into his newfound role as a leader
t seems to be a rarity when a college basketball player sticks around for four years. Teams find themselves under the leadership of one – possibly two – seniors who are surrounded by young talent. in the 2012-13 basketball season, CU will hopefully find a mixture of leadership and young talent. entering next year as a sophomore, Askia Booker is going to find himself in the position of having to provide leadership for this team with only one season under his belt.
The guard from Los Angeles came to the Buffs hoping to help the team reach the NCAA Tournament after getting snubbed the previous year. He was thrown to the wolves early; coming off the bench, Booker established himself as a key contributor on the team. He averaged more than 20 minutes and 9.1 points per game. While such a significant role for a “newbie” might have been unexpected, at no point in the season was Booker overwhelmed by his playing time. if anything, he relished the opportunity to find the court.
“if there was one word i would use to describe Askia and the way he played this year, it would be ‘fearless,’” head coach Tad Boyle said. “He believed that he belonged out there and he played with a sense of wanting to prove something to people. if he can keep that edge and that hunger and chip on his shoulder as he continues to progress and improve through his career, he’s going to be a great player.” Booker’s solid freshman campaign alongside classmate spencer Dinwiddie has provided the Buffs with a strong, young core that will only improve with Boyle’s ability to recruit high-level talent. Booker knows higher expectations will be placed on his shoulders, as he will be one of the main factors in helping the Buffs build on their 2011-12 success. “i think it was a little more (success) than i expected coming in,” Booker said. “i didn’t think we would win the entire Pac-12, but that’s the way it went, and i’m glad it went that way.”
We Weren’t the most skilled team in the Pac-12, but i think We all had the same beliefs. We all had the same goals in mind and We Were all ready to Play. Askia Booker
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By Dan Mohrmann
Coming off a solid season the year before, the Buffs were actually younger in 2012 than they were in 2011. Boyle and Co. had lost their best player in Alec Burks; they also lost key players Cory Higgins and Marcus relphorde. Many believed they couldn’t replace that talent in 2012. The Buffs were able to prove the critics wrong. Boyle brought in several players who, combined, played the vital role for the team that Burks did before he left the Buffs early for the NBA draft. Booker was one of those players, and it’s easy to make the argument that without him, the Buffs would not have advanced through the Pac-12 Tournament, nor would they have earned a spot – or a win – in the NCAA Tournament. When Booker was being recruited and the time came to make a decision, there were many aspects of coming to CU that appealed to him. But it was his respect for Boyle that made him confident in his choice. Booker noted that he had a chip on his shoulder and wanted to prove to every school that didn’t recruit him that he could play at a high level. But at no point did he think of Colorado as a last resort. Boyle’s passion and honesty is what drove Booker to choose the Buffs and getting to know his teammates only reaffirmed that he made the right choice. “(Coach) never told me anything that i wasn’t sure was going to benefit me – and i realized that as soon as i became a player for him,” Booker said. “We weren’t the most skilled team in the Pac-12, but i think we all had the same beliefs. We all had the same goals in mind and we were all ready to play.” After finishing a banner season for the Buffs, Booker is now looking toward the future and how he can help further build a basketball program on the rise. Boyle has recruited highly touted prep players, including two from Colorado in Josh scott and Wesley Gordon. Booker, despite being relatively close in age to the incoming class, plans on being a leader and role model.
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“It almost feels like we’re seniors. We’re going to have to take on a lot of leadership in these next few years,” Booker said. “With these new guys coming in, we’re going to have to teach them everything we know as soon as possible. The sooner we come together and get to know each other’s game, the more it’s going to help.” With only one senior on the roster for next season, Booker’s growth into that leadership role is going to be essential for the Buffs to return to the NCAA Tournament. The Buffs had one of the youngest rosters in the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 campaign, which will play a role in how the team progresses next season. The experience that Booker gained from his freshman year gives him a significant advantage when the Buffs start playing again in November. “You never want to be in a position as a coach to be counting on freshmen to step up and deliver,” Boyle said. “But when they do, like Askia did throughout the season, it gives you such an added bonus. (His) play was instrumental to us this year.” As big of a role as Booker ended up having, Boyle realizes he will have to count on him even more next season. Booker proved he has the talent to play high-level college basketball and with a successful freshman year behind him, Boyle will expect more out of him as a sophomore. Booker is not one to shy away from a challenge, so the added responsibility and higher expectations will only push him to perform better. He is the first to place high expectations on himself and is probably the most critical of his play on the court. “I can be pretty hard on myself; I don’t think people really realize that,” Booker said. “Usually, I’m a gym rat and if you can’t tell that when you see me on the court, then I’m not doing my job in practice. I love the game and there is nothing else I would rather do than play this game.” Along with his classmates, Booker has an opportunity to become the face of Colorado basketball. Before Boyle’s arrival, CU’s men’s basketball program had been very turbulent. But
UsUally, I’m a gym rat and If yoU can’t tell that when yoU see me on the coUrt, then I’m not doIng my job In practIce.
Askia Booker
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with his first full recruiting class including Booker and Dinwiddie, this group has a chance to begin the Buffs’ dominance on the hardwood. In fact, the journey has already begun. It started when the Buffs took down four Pac-12 foes in four days to become the first-ever basketball champions in the expanded conference. But for Booker, that’s not enough. He and his teammates are only interested in topping their previous accomplishments – and always keeping a national championship in sight. “Our goal is to always be better than we were before,” Booker said. “Winning the Pac-12 and getting to the (NCAA) Tournament was
exciting, but we know we can do better.” With the players’ winning mentality and Boyle constantly keeping an influx of talent rolling through the program, it should come as no surprise if the Buffs emerge as the top basketball school in the conference. If players like Booker and Dinwiddie can evolve into elite players and incoming freshmen continue to perform to the standard set forth by those who proceeded them, the Buffs will find themselves dancing deep into March. Booker was fortunate to learn what it means to be a Buff from seniors Nate Tomlinson, Carlon Brown and Austin Dufault. In only his second year at Colorado, it is going to be his
responsibility to pass that passion and love for CU to future freshmen classes. Fans have been waiting years for a quality product to emerge from the locker rooms within the Coors Events Center. When looking at the performances of Booker and other young members of the basketball team, there are legitimate signs of hope that such a product has finally arrived. “We have an incredible bond,” Booker says. “We look at each other as a family. When we’re out, we travel in packs and I think that it shows. It gets to a point where you step on the court and you’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for one another. “That’s what took us so far this year.” 19
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CoaCh
PRoFILE
Ann Elliott
THE FOUNDATION ann Elliott is building a future for Buffs lacrosse
W
hen CU added lacrosse as its 17th i nte rco l l e g i ate sport, Mike Bohn was determined to find a coach who was interested in building the program from the ground up. He wanted someone with experience both as a player and a coach, and most importantly, someone with class and a winning pedigree. His search took him to the Chicago area, where he found his coach in Ann Elliott, a sixtime nCAA champion – as both a coach and a player – at northwestern University.
to bring athletes to Boulder. the athletic department at CU was going to help bring in recruits from all over the country, simply so they can be a part of Colorado’s success.
Elliott had risen through the ranks as an assistant coach, becoming the first in northwestern history to be named as associate head coach. Her hard-nosed defensive style caught the eye of schools across the nation, so there was no question as to why her name came across Bohn’s desk. CU’s athletic director took on the task of selling the University of Colorado and the Boulder community to Elliott and shared his vision of continued success for the Buffs’ athletic department.
one of the larger challenges for Elliott will be waiting a full year before her team enters nCAA play. the start of the lacrosse program was a huge benchmark for Bohn, but it must wait until the 2014 season before the team steps onto the field. Elliott only sees that as an opportunity to amass the talent she needs to make the Buffs competitive right out of the gate.
“When you think about building a program and leaving a great institution like northwestern, for me, you think about the type of place you want to come and what university is going to be successful,” Elliott said. “i think CU is that exact place. it has everything. it is definitely a world-class institution.” one of the biggest selling points Bohn had going for him was the exposure the Buffs were getting on a national level. the men’s basketball team was storming through the Pac-12 tournament on their way to an nCAA tournament berth, and the women’s basketball team made a solid run through the women’s nit. What Elliott learned from keeping an eye on CU is that she did not necessarily need a rich lacrosse history 20
“i might not be able to sell CU lacrosse history, but i think the tradition of athletics here at CU is something you can sell; the traditions are here – academically, athletically, socially here in Boulder, one of the greatest college towns, a destination point for so many people,” Elliott said. “there is so much history that can be sold based on this school.”
the biggest advantage for Elliott in this sense is to build the team around her coaching style. She was a top-notch defensive coordinator, holding national powerhouses to shockingly low scoring efforts when they came across northwestern. Elliott now has the opportunity to scout the defensive talent she wants to put on the field for the Buffs. “obviously, having that year is a great opportunity. if we had to start this fall we wouldn’t really have any players to compete, so it is definitely nice to have that window to really dedicate some time to finding the right players and recruits. (We want athletes) who are going to be invested in CU and willing to work hard, buying into our vision and mission. Having that time is going to be great, it’s going to be nice too to be able to get ready here so we can play in 2014,” Elliott said.
By Dan Mohrmann
For Bohn, the addition of the lacrosse program marks the first expansion of the athletic department since soccer was added in 1996. Part of the reason the Buffs switched conferences was the opportunity it would provide the school to add more sports and bring in more student-athletes. the rise of lacrosse in Colorado has made national waves in the last couple of years, so for Bohn to add the program was a major victory for him and his staff. Adding the program was a major victory for Bohn and his staff; he was thrilled to find a coach he could share his enthusiasm with in Elliott. “obviously, that is a big deal for us. So you start thinking, what were we looking for in a head coach? You start thinking about passion and you start thinking about someone who eats, drinks and dreams lacrosse; i think we found that coach,” Bohn said. “i think there is no question that someone that can help us with unexplored territory here in the state of Colorado. it is going to take someone with incredible poise, someone with competitive grit and stature, to take it on and come out and go through the unchartered waters with us. it takes big dreams and to chase those.” one of the more interesting aspects of the job for Elliott is the attention lacrosse in Colorado has garnered. Although collegiate programs in the state are achieving new heights, the high school talent that resides in the state is a prospect that Elliott finds very intriguing. Colorado has become an untapped hotbed for lacrosse talent across the nation. Combine the state’s young talent with lacrosse being regarded as one of the fastest growing sports in the nCAA, and Elliott has put herself in the ideal situation to succeed with a young program. “When we think about recruiting, Colorado has great talent; it is emerging more and more every year. You’re getting great players and athletes and you’re getting kids that are
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“When you think about building a program and leaving a great institution like northWestern, for me, you think about the type of place you Want to come and What university is going to be successful. i think cu is that exact place. it has everything. it is definitely a World class institution.� Ann Elliott
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already invested in Colorado that already love this town and state, and those are the things we’re looking for as we build this program,” Elliott said. Make no mistake; Elliott has every intention of building a lacrosse program that will instantly be absorbed into the excitement of CU athletics. It’s an ideal situation in the respect that there’s a built-in culture, a student and community fan base that demands and celebrates excellence.
It has occurred to me that thIs Is a hIstorIc event. Ann Elliott
“You talk about a world-class community and that’s Boulder and Colorado in general,” Elliott said. “Mike and his wife picked me up at the airport and we went to dinner and stopped for some ice cream and went to the hotel. So the three places we went, we met three different people who were extremely passionate; they had attended CU and they were extremely passionate about being a Buff.” Elliott has three necessary elements in building the lacrosse program at CU. She has the support of the community, the in-state talent from which to recruit and an athletic director who will seemingly stop at nothing to build a nationally powerful athletic department. Bohn’s addition of lacrosse and the hiring of Elliott remains consistent with his mission to continue the growth and winning ways of the Buffs – all while maintaining a focus on the classroom, too. Although Elliott does not have the Colorado ties that are present throughout the coaches and staffers in the athletic department, all signs point toward a passion and excitement that’s shared with her soon-to-be-peers. What Elliott lacks in previous ties with the school, she makes up for in her experience within the game. She has performed at the championship level, both on the field as a player and on the sidelines in a coaching capacity. She has the knowledge and experience of winning a championship, which is something that undoubtedly made her an attractive choice for Bohn. Of all the coaching hires Bohn has made in his time as CU’s athletic director, Elliott has been the most historic. When her teams runs behind Ralphie at Folsom Field for the first time in 2014, she will debut as the first coach in the first game of a new program. “It has occurred to me that this is a historic event,” Elliott said. “I’m the first coach and this is the first-ever lacrosse program here. It’s incredibly exciting, it’s an honor to be standing here and it’s still kind of hitting me.” 23
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Anne Kelly
CoaCh THE PICTURE OF CONSISTENCY PRoFILE
T
anne Kelly has put a 15-year mark on women’s golf at CU
he coach stands in front of a flip cam, silhouetted against the verdant greens and coniferous slopes of the Hiwan Golf Club in evergreen.
The CU women’s golf team finished the most successful season in school history. Before the Buffs go to nCAA Championships, Coach Anne Kelly steps in front of the camera to thank the donors who made the Buffs’ record-setting trip to the nCAA West Regional possible. As she rattles through her 20-second speech, Kelly stammers ever so slightly.
Kelly has her small team positioned on the cusp of national prominence. The 2012 golfers won three tournaments and took second in several more this year, adding up to the top six tournament performances in program history. “She gets players who are already really talented,” associate sports information director Curtis Snyder said. “Then if the players want help, coaching on how to tweak their game, she’ll absolutely give it to them. But I think for a golf coach, it’s more about how you manage the course, and how you understand that everyone’s part of a team in a very individual sport.”
“That was bad,” she sighs. She shakes her head, looks at her feet and steels herself for a second take. “Dang, coach, that was good!” a player exclaims, just off camera. “Was it really?” Kelly asks, looking up. “yeah!” Two others chime in. Kelly laughs, relaxes her shoulders and eagerly walks out of the frame, suddenly satisfied with the first take. “That communications degree pays off every now and then!” she exclaims. Her golfers laugh as Kelly strolls over to them. They gather for a team photo, smiling and joking. Perhaps no group of coaches and athletes embodies the university’s familial approach to college competition more than the women’s golf team. In an intensely individualized sport, Kelly doesn’t give out individual awards. There’s no “most improved player” or “best GPA” superlative given at the end of the season. “I used to do that,” Kelly said. “But with a small team, I think it’s the team that should strive for those accomplishments.” 24
These golfers – eight from California, one from Canada and one local, Jamie Befort from Westminster – spend more time together during the span of four years than most of us will spend with any golf partner in a lifetime. each year, some graduate, of course; then, a crop of new players comes into the family right behind them. Kelly thrives at honing a comfortable environment for her players. She seems mindful of their boundaries, careful not to pick and poke at the little things that will drive the perfectionist in any golfer crazy. Coaching is “a lot more than a being a golf pro,” Kelly said. “I learned that my first year of coaching.” As any golfer knows, your comfort level and confidence matter just as much as the layout of the greens and the mechanics of a swing. Coaching the game is no different. To maximize the program’s trajectory, Kelly must wear many hats – travel agent, shuttle driver, nurse, even playing psychologist sometimes. Snyder says Kelly, “is like a second mom to them.” After she wraps up her interview with The Stampede, Kelly strikes up a conversation
By Nick Gerhardt
with emily Talley. Talley stands there smiling, leaning on her driver like Mr. Peanut leans on his cane, as the two discuss grades, not golf. Days before, Talley zeroed in on her coach after walking off the 18th green at Colorado national Golf Club, having shot a 4-under par 68. Talley thrust herself into Kelly’s arms, each one so happy they could cry – and they did, just a little. “If anything,” Talley said after the final round, “I did that for her.” It matched the second-best round in school history. With that round, the Buffs notched a first-ever appearance in the nCAA Championships. now, Talley and Kelly stand juxtaposed against the spruce-covered backdrop beyond the Hiwan greens. Several players stand off to the side watching as Jess Wallace bounces the ball off her club several times before attempting to swat it out of the air Tiger Woods-style. Kelly looks over as Wallace connects on her second attempt, launching the ball 30 yards, and gives a quick, “Whoo!” “She wants us to have fun, to just enjoy playing with each other as a team,” sophomore Kristen Coleman says of the coach. “If you want to talk to her about something, she’s always open, always free, always willing to discuss whatever you want to.” Indeed, the coach-player interactions sound more like parent-child. like a mother whose kids are finally old enough to make it on their own, Kelly is there if they need her, but has a keen sense for when to give space. “She really keeps an eye on everything, and she’s hands-on if you really ask for it and need it,” says Coleman. “She’s always there.”
She wantS uS to have fun, to juSt enjoy playing with each other aS a team. She’S alwayS open, alwayS free, alwayS willing to diScuSS whatever you want to. Kristen Coleman, Sophomore
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the same coach for 15 years. Fifteen seasons at one institution is an admirable tenure for anyone. When you know the Buffs’ only fielded a women’s program for a couple years before Kelly’s arrival, her importance begins to come into focus. “The program – nothing to take away from those players the first few years – but it’s been a work in progress, slowly being built. Every year has been a step up, a step up, then maybe there’s a two steps back year in there, but usually it’s just stepping up year after year.” Just like the golfer in all of us. We’ll put up with years of frustration as we make improvements little by little. Then, if you stay on the links and at the range for a decade or more, you get pretty good. Golf is a game of details. The slightest adjustment can drastically affect the trajectory of that dimpled white ball. Frustrating repetition with little immediate improvement, sometimes this feels like it could be a golfer’s mantra. We’ve all done it, spending hours upon hours tweaking this detail or that detail to try and maximize our long or short game. Frustrated amateurs the world over have dumped endless hours (and four-letter words) on local courses and driving ranges in the hopes of defeating coworkers, friends and clients, or, at the
very least, avoiding embarrassment in front of these people. But for those special few who have exorcised the swing demons and learned to see the angles on the short greens, there can be joy in this repetition, a comfort level of sorts. Kelly has finally amassed the talent. She has a dominant team inside the steady, comfortable, environment she helped create in Boulder. The key, according to the players, is consistency. For an 18-year-old golf program, it’s hard to find a more consistent set-up than having
Kelly spends less time playing the links herself now, the need to improve her golf game long ago supplanted by the glut of coaching responsibilities at the Division I level. But after 15 years of practice, the program exploded two years ago. “This year and last year, it was just exponential how much better the program has gotten,” Snyder said. “That’s because of the foundation she built those first 15 years.” Kelly’s playing long ball. She doesn’t really micromanage the mechanics of her players or pick at details after the occasional bad hole. The swing technician tasks fall to assistant coach Brent Franklin, and Kelly is the team mom and course scout, identifying possible failure paths based on her golfer’s strengths and weaknesses.
she shows them how it’s important understanding what’s in front of you in the moment, not worrying about the double bogey two holes ago. Curtis Snyder
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The bulk of the team’s success comes from the talent these student-athletes possessed before they made it to Boulder. A champion coach’s value lies in the ability to foresee the need for help, to make the minor adjustments that separate a potential NCAA champion from the scratch golfer. The NCAA only allows the athletes one practice round before live competition. Kelly’s genius lies in her ability to “manage the course,” according to the team. “She’s there to help them understand a course that many of them have only played one round on before they’re going for real,”
Snyder says. “One practice round, that’s it; then, you’re playing that course and it counts. If they need help, like ‘Where do I hit it on this hole?’ she’ll give it to them. More than that, she shows them how it’s important understanding what’s in front of you in the moment, not worrying about the double bogey two holes ago.” Kelly walks the course with her team, and the players say she’s always there when the going gets tough. “You can kind of do your own thing,” Coleman says. “She’s there on the difficult holes that you need help on. If you need, she’ll walk with you for a couple.” This easygoing demeanor and Kelly’s ability to comfortably balance strong personalities are an advantage on the recruiting trail. Recruiting is “probably the most important job in college golf,” says Kelly. “Or for any college coach trying to keep their job.” After more than a decade of hard work, the program was rewarded, along with the burgeoning men’s team, with a beautiful new practice facility at Colorado National. “That’s something both programs needed to keep moving forward and to be able to compete with the southern, warmweather schools,” she says. “That’s going to be huge for us in recruiting and keeping the good players here, having a place to practice 24/7 basically.” The athletic program’s move to the Pac-12 helped increase the program’s
visibility further, paving the way for a newly opened practice facility at Colorado National. When Kelly hits the road for the January-to-October recruiting season – a nearly endless cycle of flights, phone calls, golf tournaments and face-to-face interaction with prospects and their parents – she carries the weight of 15 seasons worth of experience with her. Most of the recruits understand that their commitment to Kelly doesn’t end after four years. Kelly’s favorite part of the job is what comes after. “For me, one of those best parts is maintaining those relationships with players as they grow up and they move on and they start their own lives,” says Kelly. New friends tend to come as a result of one’s profession and our hobbies. For Kelly, whose profession and passion have overlapped for more than a decade, her relationship with student-athletes often evolves from a coach-player, caretakertype dynamic to a lasting bond of friendship. Kelly points to Erin (Kerr) Houtsma and Hannah Hoch, two former players with whom the coach still talks on a regular basis. Kerr-Houtsma’s father owns Colorado National, the Buffs’ “home” course, and while Kelly admits there’s an advantage to maintaining that connection, she
insists the two’s relationship is way more personal than professional. These girls are her family, forever. Kelly lives single, without even a dog she’d have to worry about during extended trips. “If I need my dog fix, I go to Linda (Lappe, women’s basketball coach) in the morning and walk with her and her dog, Farley,” says Kelly. Otherwise, Kelly is all business. When it’s a business of creating a comfortable environment, walking the course and recruiting young golfers, it doesn’t seem like much of a job at all. It actually sounds like a pretty desirable lifestyle. Right now, Kelly isn’t thinking long term with her players. As the NCAA commercial preaches, most Division I athletes “go pro” in something else once their college playing days come to an end. Several of Kelly’s players, according to the program, “have a real shot at going pro.” For now, the when, where and “in what” these women go pro doesn’t matter – the program’s first NCAA championship appearance is a monumental achievement. The Buffs now boast one of the best facilities in the NCAA to compliment one of the best coaches and mentors in the business. Kelly has all the keys necessary to bring a growing program to the top of the Pac-12, if not the nation. 27
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presents
DONOR
PROFILE
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BUFF-CENTERED
No matter where sports or life takes the Gamble family, studentathlete support at CU comes naturally | By Marty Coffin Evans
or Bruce (’79 Arts and Sciences) and Becky Gamble, providing support for student-athletes is second nature, given their own involvement with athletics. These two former AllAmericans – Bruce as a three-timer at CU in skiing and Becky in tennis at the University of Texas – also know the significant role a coach plays in an athlete’s life. Adding to their affinity for sports programs is that fact that their two children are Division I athletes; Beau is currently a redshirt sophomore on CU’s men’s basketball team and Berkley is headed to University of Washington on a soccer scholarship.
“Who wouldn’t want to travel to those away games? Those aren’t bad places,” Bruce exclaims. Both parents are grateful that Berkley’s matches will be in the fall before Beau starts his season. They plan to see both children play as much as they can. In addition to their own support of their studentathlete children, Bruce and Becky have recently entered a new area. With many engagement opportunities available to them, it was the development of a new program – CU Athletics Leadership and Development Program – that excited them with the possibility of getting in on the ground level and making an impactful contribution, which would have an impact. “We wanted to make a difference,” they explain.
“Bill Marolt was very influential in my life as my ski coach,” Bruce remembers. “CU won seven national championships in a row under Coach Marolt. I raced for four of them.” Boulder-born and raised, Becky attended CU as a freshman playing tennis until her coach left for Austin, Texas. Knowing how important and influential her coach was to her tennis career, she followed and became a Longhorn. After graduation from Texas and a coaching stint at Arizona State University, Becky returned to Boulder where her Buffs roots were formed. Her father, Dean Callan, was the first Buff Club president; she became the first female Buff Club president. She notes with a smile that even though he was a University of Nebraska grad, he believed strongly in giving back to the community in which he lived. “Bruce and I had a common bond with the Buffs in seeing them become successful. They’re a big part of our life together,” reflects Becky. With Beau playing for head coach Tad Boyle at CU, and Berkley in Seattle with 18-year soccer coach Leslie Gallimore, they’re thrilled as a family that the Buffs are in the Pac-12. 28
“[ALDP] gave us the opportunity to help participate in a program designed to prepare our student-athletes both during and after their college careers. We could be passionate about a program focusing on the development of these students as opposed to brick and mortar, although that’s important too,” says Becky. “It’s more engaging and gratifying because you’re helping student-athletes as they move on in life.” They look forward to the possibility of meeting these students. Most student-athletes do not have the ability to participate in CU’s existing leadership programs such as the Presidents Leadership Class or the programs offered through the Leeds School of Business. Conflicting and overlapping schedules with class times and required practices become challenging. The new CU Athletics Leadership and Development Program program, anticipated to reach all players and sports levels, is geared to provide leadership training and post-graduation best practices. Athletic Director Mike Bohn says, “We are honored and thrilled that through the Gamble’s
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[ALDP] gAve us the oPPortunity to heLP PArticiPAte in A ProgrAm DesigneD to PrePAre our stuDentAthLetes both During AnD After their coLLege cAreers. Becky Gamble
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innovative vision, our student-athletes will participate in meaningful leadership training as undergraduates. It is particularly inspiring that in a very short amount of time, additional donors have invested in the initiative, which will provide valuable long-term benefits that will differentiate our life-skills effort from our peers.” Noting Boulder as a phenomenal place, the Gambles find this to be a stimulating college town both intellectually and for its entertainment. They’re pleased and proud to contribute to its sustainability. “It seems logical to us,” they explain. “We’re most grateful for that. Everyone needs to find something to connect with.” When talking about their own paths to CU, Bruce acknowledges that he came to Boulder from Detroit in 1974 and never left. Becky, on the other hand, journeyed to Texas and then returned home.
“Even though I received my degree elsewhere, CU is part of my heart,” Becky says.
huge difference for her and allows her to experience life away from Boulder. “I can always come back after college!”
Beau attended prep school for a while on the East Coast, and the University of Santa Clara in California, before he too returned home to Boulder to redshirt for CU men’s basketball team.
This Forever Buff family puts its support in places significant to them and others at CU – providing a major gift to the newly evolving CU Athletics Leadership and Development Program, purchasing football and men’s basketball season tickets, participating with nine other teammates in establishing the William C. and Connie P. Marolt Endowment, and attending the annual Ski Ball with fellow skiers from various years where they celebrate decades of excellence. They enjoy maintaining ongoing relationships with former coaches and tailgating with their friends as they have done as a family for years.
“I’m glad I did it,” comments Beau. “Although it was hard not playing at first, I was treated like all the other players.” He’s looking forward to playing in Pac-12 games, as well as playing in France and Belgium in August during the preseason. For Berkley, the lure of a traditional No. 1 soccer team in the Pac-12 was very strong.
“We all love the Buffs!” the Gambles exclaim. “I love the coaches, campus and Seattle in general; I don’t mind the rain,” she explains; having CU in the Pac-12 was a
No wonder they want to make a difference for the university they so cherish. 31
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The
STampede
Q&a Jeremy
Bloom BUFFaLO TO The CORe
By Doug Ottewill
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t seems like just yesterday that Jeremy Bloom found himself in the middle of one of college athletics’ biggest controversy. Everyone knows the story: Bloom, an incredible athlete who could ski and play football at the highest of levels, was being asked to choose one or the other. When the NCAA determined that Bloom wouldn’t be allowed to accept sponsor benefits that would have helped pay for him to ski, the fight was on and Bloom did not go quietly. In the end, Bloom’s story reached far and wide, especially when he decided to forgo the bulk of a ski season in order to play an additional season of college football. In typical Bloom fashion, he followed his heart, even if the path he pursued presented considerably more challenges. Ultimately, the young Buff went on to be a professional in both sports. That was then. But the here and now isn’t entirely different. Sure, Bloom isn’t tearing up the slopes on behalf of the United States, and he’s not returning
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kickoffs for touchdowns, but his daily grind is eerily similar. You see, Bloom is a Buff that refuses to kick back and relax. If he doesn’t have multiple irons in the fire, he’s not happy. Substitute business, sports reporting and charity work for football, skiing and school, and Bloom finds himself equally busy these days. Bouncing from New York to Colorado to Los Angeles in pursuit of his many endeavors, and it could be argued that he’s even busier than before. In short, Bloom is a living, breathing, shining example of all that college athletics can do for a young person. It’s obvious that Bloom soaked in his CU and Olympic experiences and transformed them into a successful and meaningful life after sports. He’s truly a role model for CU’s student-athletes. But busy or not, No. 15 always has time for the Buffs. In fact, he makes it a priority, something that’s evident in this edition of The Stampede Q&A.
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You recently spoke at the annual Colorado Football Recruiting Luncheon. What’s that like to come back to your alma mater and address the school’s biggest supporters? I always love being around Buffs Nation. It’s like coming home and seeing family members that I haven’t seen in a few years. Your participation was one example of former Buffs like you giving back to CU. How important is it that you stay connected to the school and its athletic department? CU gave me one of the greatest opportunities of my life – the chance to play Division I college football for a program I grew up idolizing. I do feel like I owe the program and the school a debt of gratitude. From your perspective, why is it important for former athletes to do what they can to support their school? For some, it’s important, and for others, it is not. I don’t get upset if a former athlete doesn’t feel compelled to give back to their institution. It’s important to me because I was just a 160-pound – soaking wet – snow skier coming out of high school and CU took a big gamble on me. One of the key components of your speech at the recruiting luncheon was a reflection upon your “darkest day” as an athlete. Specif ically, you compared it to CU football’s recent years. What made you draw that parallel? Because adversity is imminent – not only in athletics, but also in the rest of life. And I think if you can develop a consistent plan around how you move past adversity in a constructive way, you will be more prepared for future challenges. I remember working through adversity, and CU is on its way, too. You played for head coach ( Jon) Embree during your days as a Buff. What’s the most interesting thing about him that most people probably don’t know? He writes poetry and plays the guitar. Ha, only kidding. He’s not nearly that interesting. Coach Embo is a mentor, a friend and a damn good football coach. He doesn’t hide anything in a game. And where there can be a lot of politics, he cuts through all of them. His transparency is one of the things that I like ffthe most about himff. Why are you conf ident that he’s the right man to bring CU back to glory? Winning football games takes a lot more than a great head coach; it takes a team buying into a program and playing with one heartbeat. There can’t be any locker room
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adversity is imminent – not only in athletics, but also in the rest of life. and i think if you can develop a consistent plan around how you move past adversity in a constructive way, you will be more prepared for future challenges. Jeremy Bloom
viruses, and if they exist, the senior leaders need to call that person out right away. So much of football is psychology. And like I said, Coach Embo is a great mentor. You’re in a unique position in that you f ind yourself in the national spotlight more and more regularly. You join a list of CU alumni who are prominent in the sports media business (Solomon Wilcots, Chris Fowler, Rick Reilly, etc.). What pressures and/or opportunities come along with that? I’m not in the same league as those guys, but thanks for the compliment. I’m just out there trying to squeeze every ounce of opportunity out of my life. Life goes by pretty quickly and I’m happiest when I’m chasing big dreams and goals. What’s your “best advice” for Buffs heading into the work force? Pray (laughs). Only kidding. Pursue your true passion and don’t only base your career choice on the compensation package. You have the rest of your life to make money. A hypothetical: You’re a coach heading out on a recruiting trip, what do you tell that athlete in order to convince them that CU is the place to go? First, I tell them that the football program is on the rise and that they’ll have a chance to play early. Second, I make sure they realize that CU has the most amazing campus in the world. Third, they need to know that the institution boasts great professors and an elite academic program. And lastly, I might remind them that all the hot girls from California come to Boulder. Only true statements. In your current job, you visit different places all over America. Do you f ind Buffs everywhere? What’s the typical “encounter” like? “Dude, I’m totally a skier too, bro, and love watching you do your thing. And your football moves were super-trippy. Let’s hug it out. Buffs4life.” Seriously, they’re everywhere, and it’s pretty funny. Being on sidelines everywhere, what are some of your favorite places to visit? What does CU have that none of those other places can boast? College football has a lot of great game day venues, but there’s none better than CU. What does CU have that others don’t? That’s easy – an angry 1,300-pound buffalo ready to take your head off if you’re the team on the west side of the field. Or Jim Knox, for that matter. What’s new with your foundation? What accomplishments on that front are among your proudest? Wish of a Lifetime has taken on a life of it’s own. We granted close to 400 wishes last year. That’s over one wish per day. It’s
by far the thing thact I’mmost proud of in my life. Being a small part of making dreams come true to 80-, 90- and 100-plus-year-old people is pretty amazing. My favorite recent wish was to Russell and Odille Taylor. They are both 94 years old. Russ is a Normandy survivor and his wish was to go back and “say goodbye to some of my buddies.” Odille is French and first met Russ in Paris during the war. They have been married for more than 60 years and her wish was to renew their vows in a small church outside of Paris. Their wishes were granted in April and it was incredible. There are so many causes and charitable efforts to choose from. What made you gravitate toward helping seniors? There are so many non-profits focused on kids – and it’s okay to focus on kids because they’re the future of our country. But it’s not okay to neglect or turn our backs to the oldest people in our country. Often we forget about the oldest people. Other countries around the world do such a better job of supporting and respecting and taking care of the oldest generation. And I just felt like that was hole, or a gap. At this year’s annual Wish of a Lifetime Evening Affair, you’re granting a very unique wish to six members of the 1948 United States Olympic team. Explain what you’re doing on that front. With the London Olympics just around the corner, we partnered with the USOC, and we’re honoring the 1948 Olympic team. We’ve already granted a few of the wishes to some of the teammates. Two of the wishes were to meet President Obama, and (he) allowed us to bring them to him and shake hands and it was a really cool experience – not just for them, but for us. We’re really excited about the Olympic theme this year.
Pursue your true Passion and don’t only base your career choice on the comPensation Package. you have the rest of your life to make money. Jeremy Bloom
Who at CU had the most lasting impact on your life? Gary Barnett. He got a raw deal, man. He’s one heck of a football coach. He should be coaching today. If I was an athletic director and I thought he still had the spark, I’d hire him in a second. What’s ahead for you? What are your primary short-term and longterm goals? To keep dreaming big and making mistakes. I love the challenge of climbing different mountains and I have all that I can handle right now with the projects that I’m working on. 37
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GOING
PRO CU grads take the next step
You’ve all seen the commercial. “There are over 400,000 NCAA student-athletes, and most of us will go pro in something other than sports.” It’s a fantastic angle. And it’s so true. The studentathlete experience is one that benefits any future – in sports, in business, in life. The lessons learned from the battlefields of competition tend to translate long after the lights are turned off and the clock reaches 00:00. CU’s student-athletes are living, breathing proof. And some will even go pro in sports. Others won’t, but it’s assured that their athletic journeys will serve as a foundation for professional success. Just before graduation, The Stampede caught up with four such examples. Their paths from this point forward will diverge. But many of their beginnings are similar. In the end – no matter what they do – they’ll all have one thing in common: They’re Buffaloes. Meet the grads.
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FORGED FROM STEEL
Toney Clemons brings his talents from Pittsburgh to Colorado and back again 40
By Natalie Meisler
GOING PRO | TONEY CLEMONS
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rom short camera sound bites to blog material and in-depth analysis, the Pittsburgh Steelers media encampment has a new star, a go-to quote for the ages.
Welcome to Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, posted for posterity on Steelers.com. The big grin, eye contact, thoughtfully and often humorously answering every question provided an instant hit with the Steelers scribes. Toney Clemons was home. The wide receiver’s new work address isn’t far from where he starred on the high-school football field. Most of all, he was home in front of the TV cameras and reporters’ tape recorders and notebooks. Although he only played two years for Colorado, the seventh-round draft pick has a long list of people he wants to thank – from head coach Jon Embree to the man he called “Mr. Coach Plati.” The latter is CU’s best-inthe-business associate athletic director for sports information, Dave Plati. He was initially surprised to see the size of the news organization turnout just for the first rookie minicamp; Clemons said, “There were cameras all over. You have a media obligation as a professional player. CU prepared me for that.”
interviews and how to answer questions. He tells you, ‘Be comfortable, be genuine. Give yourself a little time to prepare for every interview.’” Some athletes are hot-wired for a great arm, blazing speed or a Mason Crosby kicking leg; Clemons certainly wasn’t lacking in the speed department with the 4.36-second clocking in the 40-yard dash on pro timing day. Between his natural gift of gab and Plati’s history of turning out great interviewees who often advance on to their own media careers, Clemons was a natural to thrive in front of the cameras and microphones. While most athletes would aspire to AllConference honors or “most improved” team awards, Clemons’s thrill came when Boulder-Denver media voted him to win Plati’s annual “best interview” award. Plati started the honor in 1987 when chatty defensive tackle Kyle Rappold talked his way to All-Big Eight honors. (Rappold later hit up the reporters to contribute to his campus ministry). Since then, a number of ex-Buffs have launched radio talk shows, announcing and TV analyst careers, including Denverbased rising star Joel Klatt.
Plati, the longtime and universally known department spokesman, prepped Clemons for interviews every bit as well as Embree and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy walked him through the process of what to expect at his first NFL practice.
Other rarified company includes first-round draft pick Mike Pritchard, the longtime voice of UNLV football, Rhodes Scholar Jim Hansen, TV analyst and ex-NFL veteran Jay Leeuwenburg, another Steeler Kordell Stewart, Butkus Award winner and Denver Broncos director of player personnel Matt Russell, and ex-defensive tackle George Hypolite, who had a compelling story of volunteering in an L.A. soup kitchen.
“Mr. Coach Plati does a great job,” Clemons said. “What he does is he prepares you for
“Winning the media award was huge,” Clemons said. “It’s one of the most-coveted
I realIzed that It’s no longer a dream. thIs Is a realIty. Toney Clemons
awards because it says a lot of what people think of you. It’s how you come off as a person and not seen just as a player.” When he saw ex-Buffs teammate and local media favorite Scotty McKnight take the award the previous year, Clemons wanted to go out with it his senior season. “It’s like being drafted by the media,” he said about being the “go-to” athlete for a quick quip. “All you want to be is a go-to guy.” Plati said to the best of his knowledge, CU is the only school with such an annual award. There’s no magic formula for the collective media friendliness on the part of CU student-athletes, but every Buff receives Plati’s detailed handout “Succeeding with the Media.” Some unique tips from Plati’s golden rulebook: “Don’t be an expert on anyone but yourself, be courteous and humble.” If players are naturally glued to SportsCenter for big hits and end zone grabs, Plati suggests, they pay attention to those who 41
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GOING PRO | TONEY CLEMONS conduct the best interviews. Now, truth be told, getting interviewed after the first day of minicamp wasn’t Clemons’ ultimate high. That came the day before, when he was issued his Steelers equipment. He took pictures of the helmet with his cell phone and posted them on Facebook. “I realized that it’s no longer a dream,” he said of holding that helmet for the first time. “This is a reality. It’s time to go to work and earn the right to be the pick.” It was his dream growing up to suit up for the home team. He can talk at length about the Steelers idols of his youth and the dynasty of receivers going back to Lynn Swann. There’s no greater proof of his roots than he never changed his cell phone’s 412 area code. “As a player, it symbolized hard work and dedication to see my name on the Pittsburgh helmet and jersey. It showed I arrived,” Clemons said. The only time Clemons wasn’t purposefully in front of the cameras was for the NFL draft weekend. He went home to be with his family. He wasn’t positive the call would come before the free-agent rush. For all his athletic skills, nothing came easily in college for Clemons. A four-star recruit, he was ranked among the top 15 receivers in the country coming out of high school. Michigan won his signature on National Letter of Intent Day. Coaching changes led to scheme changes. He wasn’t enamored with Rich Rodriguez’s spread offense, so he transfered to Boulder. Clemons made the most of that transfer year, earning scout team offensive player of the year honors. The former coaching staff named him to the Gold Group Commitment Award. “My experience was so unique. I had a different coach every year. It prepared me for everything I’m going through now,” Clemons said. He was the Big 12 pick in 2010 for preseason offensive newcomer of the year. The Buffs struggled but he finished with 43 receptions for 482 yards and three scores. He produced the longest play from scrimmage, a 73-yard TD pass from Tyler Hansen. Soon, it was time to get to know the fourth coaching staff and third major conference of
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My experience was so unique. i had a different coach every year. it prepared Me for everything i’M going through now. Toney Clemons
GOING PRO | TONEY CLEMONS
his circuitous career. He can only imagine how he would have thrived had Embree and Bieniemy been around for at least the majority of his career. “They thoroughly prepared me for minicamp. The environment was not unfamiliar,” he said. “They just showed me how to practice and prepare.” Towards the end of his senior season, Clemons came alive on film and started to dominate the Pac-12 opposition. He erupted for 112 yards against USC, 115 in the team’s first Pac-12 win over Arizona and 102 in the career-ender at Utah. Those games made an impression on NFL researchers. “Look at the Southern Cal and Utah (tape), it jumps off the screen at you,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in local media notes after the draft. “He made some combat catches downfield with DBs in position.” Bottom line, Tomlin said, “The thing that stands out is, he is a gym rat; he is competitive. If Clemons made enough of an impression before the draft, he just went one step further in his first day at minicamp. He made a point of telling Tomlin that Bieniemy sent regards. In football’s most elite fraternity, it never hurts to name drop connections. “In passing, I told Coach Tomlin that Coach
Bieniemy said to say hello. He lit up and said (Bieniemy) was one of his great friends. I can see a lot of Coach Tomlin and Coach Bieniemy in each other. These guys are all about business.”
Blacken and assistant conditioning coach Steve Englehart (who had a twin brother who worked with Blacken in Washington) for showing him all the options to prepare for the most vital one-day test.
The effort towards his NFL goal was just beginning when the Buffs season ended. There was another frustration when he didn’t receive an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. So he simply outperformed most of the receivers who went to Indianapolis and channeled his energy into preparing for CU’s pro timing day on campus.
“Those guys know what it takes,” Clemons said. “They kept me from overtraining.”
Clemons benefitted away from the impersonal crush of scouts, agents and other onlookers at the Combine. Just as he gave credit to Plati, Embree and Bieniemy, there was another key CU staffer vital in getting him ready for the timing day. The rookie receiver couldn’t say enough good things about CU’s first-year director of speed, strength and conditioning, Malcolm Blacken. He was Embree’s personal appointment, joining him from the Washington Redskins. “Coach Blacken kept me healthy all year. His training helped keep me injury-free. Without him preparing me, I wouldn’t have had a chance coming into pro timing day,” Clemons said. The help didn’t end after he played his last down for the Buffs. Clemons credited
He blew away the scouts from eight teams in attendance with a laser time 4.36 40yard dash inside the practice bubble. The combination of his time and his size (6-foot2, 210 pounds) put an exclamation point on the numbers. A high-school track star, he claimed a personal best in the 40. One reason he was able to devote all his energies into training for the pro day was that Clemons graduated in December with his degree in sociology. For him, it was just one extra payoff for the “lost” transfer year. In only two years, he finished 17th in all-time CU receiving yards (1,162). That doesn’t mean he wasn’t thinking of the bigger spring graduation exercises at Folsom Field on the weekend of minicamp. He tweeted several shout-outs to his friends and former teammates in Boulder. He joined teammate Ryan Miller as the likeliest early millionaires in Colorado’s graduating class of 2012. He was in no hurry to start splurging after signing a reported four-year, $2.15 million contract. “It’s hard to get out of the mentality as a 43
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college kid,” he said about plans to pop for a movie. “I’m not into flashy jewelry and vehicles; I want to get an apartment where I can be comfortable and kick back.” He credits his blue-collar western Pennsylvania upbringing for his sensible approach to newfound affluence. Also, he knows he has to make the roster first before he’ll see the big paychecks. For all the lifelong adoration of the Steelers, he didn’t really connect CU’s proud legacy in Pittsburgh. For a while in the ’90s, the franchise was “CU East” with Jim Thorpe winner Deon Figures, first-rounder Charles E. Johnson, and All-Pros Joel Steed, Kordell Stewart and Chad Brown. A walk in the halls of the Dal Ward Athletic Center was a daily indoctrination into CU history and the NFL destinations of ex-Buffs. Clemons remembers looking at the lists of former Buffs attached around the NFL. “A lot of great guys, a lot of great Buffaloes, went to the NFL. It didn’t dawn on me for my name to be added,” he said. If he couldn’t wait to take pictures of his Pittsburgh gear, it might be a bigger thrill to see his name on the CU alumni list in the NFL some day when he comes back to visit campus. “That would be surreal,” he said. “I’m going to take a picture of that. To see my name will be astonishing when you get on the elevators. I still have to be my humble self.” Going to the NFL along with some former teammates McKnight, Jalil Brown, Super Bowl runner-up Nate Solder, and Jimmy Smith will set the bar for future talent in the program. He hopes he leaves a small contribution, as so many during his CU experience reached out and helped him. Although his CU career ended on a high note, there are still those regrets about not getting things turned around more. He is confident Embree’s staff and the incoming crop of new players will get it done. “Those guys are going to turn the program around; it will be exciting to watch,” he said. But he also must concentrate on his own immediate future and making the final roster cut. Pittsburgh area bloggers like his chances. “Pittsburgh loves its Buffaloes,” he said.
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BLUEPRINT FOR A
BETTER FUTURE
Skier Katie Stege builds dreams one design at a time
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By Natalie Meisler
GOING PRO | KATIE STEGE
S
ome day in the not-sodistant future, residents of the impoverished Pine Ridge Indian Reservation will thank a former University of Colorado Nordic skier for an influx of construction jobs and a research program in affordable housing. Katie Stege is typical of the movement in CU’s College of Architecture. Social consciousness and sustainable design currently trend through the school. She is certainly atypical in her road to the demanding architecture undergraduate degree, as a member of CU’s 2011 NCAA champion ski team. From an idyllic college experience next to the Flatirons, she will get an immediate reality check with her internship this summer through the Native American Sustainable Housing Initiative. She will work with students at Oglala Lakota College in Pine Ridge, S.D., to develop prototype housing. “The reality on the Indian reservations is there is more than an 80 percent unemployment rate,” Stege said. “It’s using our knowledge combined with their knowledge to really start to build houses and get some funding to help people have a better place to live.” The internship will help complete the credits for her degree. It’s been a long road to achieve it. Architecture school classmates pulled all nighters when she was worried about catching the team’s 7:00 a.m. van to the Eldora Nordic Center. She still managed to post the top GPA (3.94) in her senior
class. Stege additionally was recognized for producing the highest GPA among all seniors in the CU athletic department. “She’s pretty remarkable,” said her mentor, CU architecture instructor Rob Pyatt, in somewhat of an understatement. “This is a first for me. I have not seen someone as dedicated, as driven to achieve her goals, as Katie. She’s so humble.” The instructor said another student told him Stege never let him down on team projects. “She was very conscious of trying to carry her weight.” Pyatt said she would make arrangements weeks in advance when she had to miss class for a ski trip. CU is partnering with Pine Ridge on the project and Pyatt is in a lead capacity. The house will be used for faculty. The students will measure energy performance and durability. “She’ll be contributing to the house with 12 other students. In addition, she’ll be designing, with me, an emergency youth shelter. So we’ll be holding a design studio,” Pyatt said. It’s the first of four houses on the campus and the project will be constructed from the foundation up. It was designed in the architecture school design studio during spring semester where Stege was an undergraduate teaching assistant. “She’ll be in a leadership role with the other students,” Pyatt said.
I have not Seen Someone aS dedIcated, aS drIven to achIeve her goalS, aS KatIe. Rob Pyatt
unbelievable experience,” she said. “It goes right along with what I want to do in small, culturally sensitive sustainable design. We’re developing an ongoing program. Experience-wise I will be gaining a lot.”
There was really no other place as perfectly suited for Stege as CU. The daughter of a U.S. Forest Services campground coordinator (mom, Michelle) and Leadville National Fish Hatchery manager (dad, Edward), she was born to be outdoors. “I owe so much to my parents,” she said. She and her older sister, Emily, were raised to be independent, but there were high expectations set for both. Her sister is graduating from Colorado State in mechanical engineering.
Her only timeout between the end of classes and the internship was a family trip to Hawaii to celebrate graduation.
That made for some interesting sibling rivalries amidst all the other tales of bad blood between the schools for the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver.
“The experience of being able to actually build something that I helped design is an
“We had the funniest arguments over who dad should cheer for,” the CU skier said. 47
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“We had one hug before the game and that was it. We’re both competitive people. Fortunately, CSU doesn’t have skiing.” Stege developed her lung capacity competing on Lake County High School’s cross country and track teams, in addition to skiing. Despite every altitude training advantage (Leadville is at 10,152 feet, with a claim as the highest incorporated city in the country), she was determined to move on early from the scenic burg with a population under 3,000. Unlike many teammates, she came down in altitude to train at Eldora. “That was easier for me to adjust, but I’m a terrible sprinter,” she said. “At the end of my sophomore year in high school, I decided my (next) year would be my last.”
I’m not In It for the Income part.
Katie Stege
With a coveted scholarship from the Boettcher Foundation in hand, CU was the natural choice of colleges. The Boulder campus offered the ideal combination of an outlet to continue her skiing career with her goal of becoming an architect. She was only 17 when she graduated from high school, essentially skipping her junior year. Her immediate goal was a redshirt year and maybe joining a competitive club team. “I was so young, I didn’t feel ready (to compete at the college level). They didn’t have enough girls and needed some help scoring.” Still, she hoped to draw a redshirt year later, so she could pursue a minor in another educational area. Again, the team needed her support with some points. “I’m glad it worked out, but I don’t think I reached full maturity skiing-wise,” she said. Stege never took the easy way at anything. She chose one of the most demanding academic pursuits in architecture. An adrenaline rush alpine race is completed in less than two minutes. Her field was pure endurance. She trudged on through miles 48
GOING PRO | KATIE STEGE
of bitter conditions for the cross-country branch of the sport. Cutting back on recreational alpine skiing was one of the sacrifices she made because of time constrictions and a need to avoid extra risk of injury. A social life wasn’t her priority, either. “There were some nights I really couldn’t go be social because I had to get my work done so I could get to bed early and get up for practice,” she said. “That stuff, it paid off for sure in the end.” As far as academic majors and athletic pursuits go, skiing and architecture are about as incompatible as it gets, save for maybe designing a ski lodge or resort housing. She didn’t view it as a time conflict, but a lifestyle. “It was quite the challenge,” she said. “It’s a time consuming major. The whole studio culture of the architecture school is pulling
all-nighters. You spend so much time designing and working with your peers. For me, the all-nighters don’t work when at 7:00 a.m. the van is there to drive you to Eldora. It was a lot of me just keeping myself structured time management-wise.” Then, there was the issue of packing project models on road trips, especially for a week in Alaska. Some models you just can’t pack – and don’t even think about taking odd-sized objects through airport security. “It doesn’t travel as well as a physics book,” said Stege
of academic honors. She has that NCAA ring. Third place as a senior was somewhat of a disappointment, but still an achievement. “During my four years at CU, just the involvement in athletics and the architecture program has given me the sense of purpose and the sense of confidence that I can really move forward with,” Stege said. “Being in school here, surrounded by the people the athletic department brought to me, they are so inspiring. Everyone has big dreams, whether they are athletic or academic or anything in between.” And there’s more.
Pyatt said: “She would often be coming to me, sometimes weeks in advance, to proactively plan for trips and try to get ahead of the game. I can’t say she ever lost any sort of time whatsoever. I know she would go away on her trips, but she performed better than many of the students in the class that weren’t on the ski team.” Yet she did it. Stege lets CU associate sports information Curtis Snyder catalog her myriad
“Being able to associate myself with such an amazing group of people has really given me such a great set of tools and set of connections will serve me really well,” she said. Stege contributed to the team in a supporting points role, not the starring attraction. The NCAA championship ring has as much meaning for Stege as any of her
It’s an honor for me to be In a posItIon to teach students lIke katIe. Rob Pyatt
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teammates. She also attaned four National All-Academic skier awards, the equivilent of being a four-time Academic All-American. She was also honored by the Big 12 and Pac-12, although skiing wasn’t a conference sport in either league. For all the time demands, she really could have abandoned competition and concentrated on academics. Her Boettcher Foundation grant, not an athletic scholarship, paid for her education and did not require any extracurricular participation. “She loved the ski team,” Pyatt said. “She’s told me that her passion is in sustainable and affordable housing. Especially in community development, like this project on Pine Ridge.” Attaining the certification to become a licensed architect is a grueling process with two years of grad school, three years of internship and professional exams.
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Stege is taking a gap year, starting in the fall before applying to grad school. She’s looking at Ivy League programs or perhaps studying in the United Kingdom. “She’s representing a generation of students that are more interested in public interest design and humanitarian issues and less interested in very expensive architecture,” the instructor said. “There’s a true sincere interest in helping society through design that I think she definitely embodies.” Stege is totally focused along those lines. “I do have kind of a unique view of the responsibility of architecture and being an architect,” she said. “I have a lot of respect for the people who do the huge skyscrapers. I would like to make a difference eventually and I would like to do that in socially conscious design.”
“I have no doubt that if that is her goal, she’ll achieve that in record time,” Pyatt said.
And as part of the idealism that comes along with being a new graduate, she said, “I’m not in it for the income part.”
This internship will go towards some of the hours she eventually needs for licensing.
Stege also carries an interest in the field of architectural research.
“I was a creative child as far as art and drawings,” she said. “I was also good at math and sciences. Being creative and logical is not a common combination. I like to entertain both sides of the brain.” Given those diverse passions, she knew at an early age that architecture could be a future for her. Stege makes it all worthwhile for Pyatt. “It’s an honor for me to be in a position to teach students like Katie,” he said. “It makes my job so much more rewarding when there is that kind of engagement from the students.” She’ll spend the gap year getting her graduate student financial aid applications in order. She wants to travel and take some much-deserved break time from the monumental scheduling grind she handled so well for four years in Boulder. But when 7:00 a.m. rolls around Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays in the dead of winter, Stege no doubt will miss the company of her teammates and that ride up Boulder Canyon.
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ROLE PLAYER
Trey Eckloff is going pro, but not in basketball 52
By Natalie Meisler
GOING PRO | TREY ECKLOFF
M
idnight on the road with the Colorado men’s basketball team invariably featured snack raids in hotel lobbies around the Pac-12. One teammate was always there first, attached to a pile of books and a laptop. Food wasn’t Trey Eckloff’s primary motivation for late night lobby camping. He only cared about the free wifi. So his teammates didn’t bother him, grabbing their snacks and returning to their rooms. “We all know Trey was really motivated as a student; he was really motivated to be successful, especially out in the business world,” said four-year teammate Austin Dufault. “That is where his passion is. A lot of guys really respect that about him.” Eckloff’s multi-tasking on basketball business trips served as exhibit A in the former forward’s case for mastering time management. It meant everything in building a résumé for law school admission.
“Managing a busy schedule in law school isn’t necessarily an academic challenge,” he said as graduation approached. “It’s just challenging to get everything done and to do it well.” But he did. And for that, he can thank his own internal driving force and the preparation he received at CU. “Athletes have that experience in their undergraduate degrees, where most normal students probably don’t have to deal with as many time management challenges,” he said.
EvEryonE wants instant gratification in collEgE sports thEsE days. thEy want to win today. rEalistically, you havE to build a prograM. Trey Eckloff
Eckloff, the 6-foot-10 Cherry Creek High School standout, played an end-of-thebench support role for the team. Playing fewer minutes does not correlate into any fewer hours in meetings watching film, the weight room or practice. Eckloff did all that and graduated in May with a 3.79 GPA in finance. “I take pride in the fact I pushed myself academically at CU,” Eckloff said. “The Leeds Business School is one of the premier undergraduate programs in the country. I tried to maximize everything from that program. It paid off in my (law school admissions test) and possible future job prospects.” Besides the degree with honors, four years of athletic department issued swag, the “senior day spotlight” accompanied by his parents, Nate and Diane Eckloff and souvenirs of NIT and NCAA trips, he was left two more critical pieces of paper – acceptance letters from the University of Colorado and University of Denver law schools. He hoped to decide early in the summer.
Along the way, he observed that 6-foot-10 high school basketball stars get recruited by colleges and are promised the world. A college basketball player, whether 5-foot10 or 6-foot-10, starter or scrub, must sell himself or herself to a law school. Or as he said, “With college basketball, the perks of recruiting come to you. This is more real world in the fact you sell yourself.” But once his grades and law boards helped him get in the door for the interview process, he didn’t hesitate to share his basketball background. “Basketball was a good portion of the interview,” he said. “It was the majority of my résumé through college. Obviously, my grades and test scores and other experiences haven’t hurt.” He looked at basketball as a full-time job while attending school. “The fact the team had done well, I knew a lot of people through the basketball world, that was a big selling point,” Eckloff said. “One person in admissions told me they look 53
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If CU’s program moves the way It has been movIng, It wIll be a natIonal powerhoUse on a regUlar basIs. Trey Eckloff
favorably upon athletes because they have already figured out time management.” Warren Nathaniel Eckloff III saw quality playing time as a freshman in Jeff Bzdelik’s second season. He played in nearly every game, averaging 10.1 minutes, 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds with quality minutes against Kansas. He saw enough playing time those two years to qualify for first-team All-Big 12 Academic honors. But he couldn’t find a place in the regular rotation when Tad Boyle’s staff came in and dialed up the tempo, and not coincidentally the wins. 54
A few ankle injuries along the way, and a bout with mononucleosis costing three weeks of his senior season, further limited playing time. “I’m very fortunate I didn’t lose a tooth or blow out a knee,” he said of avoiding the worst calamities. His biggest contribution to the Buffs on the practice floor didn’t go unnoticed by those close to the resurgent program. Dufault, who graduated in May with a degree in psychology and plans to extend his hoops career internationally, had quick praise for his former teammate. “He always had a pretty good attitude coming into practice every day trying to make us better,” Dufault said. “He always tried to do a good job with scouting reports.” For CU fans, the season was a montage of the C-Unit student section in the south end zone of the Coors Events Center, Carlon Brown’s SportsCenter highlight dunks, Boyle’s NCAA watch party in contrast to the bitter disappointment the previous year and finally, the Big Dance. But those closest to the program knew the behindthe-scenes work involved getting the Buffs to the national forefront. Besides, Eckloff had his own group of friends in the raucous student section, which took the Buffs’ new league by storm. In his final week, Eckloff received the ultimate salute by the C-Unit. Some friends held aloft a “big head” poster-sized mug shot in what was this season’s raging fad. “That was kind of cool,” Eckloff said. “You watch SportsCenter and all the highlights of the big heads popping up. When yours
pops up, it’s kind of a shock, kind of a pleasant shock.” On senior night, accompanied by Boyle and his parents, Eckloff graciously doled out many thanks. “You guys are the best,” he told the student section; then, he thanked staff members for the chance to come to Colorado, and, above all, he offered thanks to his teammates “who made the experience so much fun.” The best was yet to come after senior night. CU and the C-Unit took the Staples Center by storm to win the first ever Pac-12 Tournament. Never once did the Buffs’ fans feel outnumbered on West Coast turf. Then, as Boyle said, CU crashed the party. The Buffs lingered for that entire first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Albuquerque for the first tourney appearance since 2003. In lieu of his own stats line, Eckloff measures his pride in the team accomplishments, always remembering the humble start (9-22, 1-15 Big 12) for his freshmen class of Dufault and Nate Tomlinson. This is how he ranks the career highlights: “Winning the Pac-12 Tournament. When Austin, Nate and I came here four years ago into a program, we knew it needed to be rebuilt. It was kind of our mission to win a championship in one form or another. This was the one we won. At the end of our senior year, it was a nice way to end our careers. “Going to the NIT (in 2011). It was the first time we proved we could be successful on a national level, even if it wasn’t the NCAA. It still shows we had a good team. We finally started moving on from being a rebuilding
GOING PRO | TREY ECKLOFF
project to being a successful team. New York was fun. It was a new experience for a lot of us. It was most special because we finally started to prove we are relevant on the national basketball scene. “The NCAA Tournament. It accumulation of everything.”
was
an
All those highlights of his last two seasons were karmic given the 9-22 freshman season and that bizarre weekend in April 2010, when Bzdelik decided to bolt Boulder for Wake Forest and the challenges of the ACC. Squad members at the time, with very long faces, pulled up to former assistant Steve McClain’s home in Westminster to await Bzdelik’s brief appearance. “I was very unstressed about the whole situation,” said Eckloff. “A lot more teammates were stressing out and seriously contemplating changing their plans over it; I didn’t contemplate leaving CU.” It’s not to say he wasn’t upset over the departure. “They say you shouldn’t pick a school for the coaching staff,” he said, but the reality was different when coaches become parents away from home, an athlete might sign up for a certain system, and believe in the promises made by a recruiter. “I’m not bitter about it.” In fact, Eckloff called his former coach after the Buffs returned from their NCAA adventure. Wake Forest, for those who haven’t followed, went 13-18, 4-12 and in a fourway tie for ninth in the 12-team ACC. The Demon Deacons improved from 8-24, 1-15 in Bzdelik’s first year. “I told him I was grateful for the opportunity he gave me and everything he did for me,” Eckloff said of the conversation with Bzdelik. “There were no hard feelings. We made it to the NIT and the NCAA because of the foundation he built.” He pointed to Bzdelik’s push for the practice facility, which opened for the 2011-12 school year, although it was athletic director Mike Bohn and his staff who were responsible for the actual fundraising for the practice palace. Eckloff credits Bzdelik for recruiting ex-Buffs and current NBA players Cory Higgins and Alec Burks and the nucleus of the ’12 team. 55
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Four years of an education in the business school and on the basketball court has provided Eckloff with a deeper perspective and insight. “Everyone wants instant gratification in college sports these days,” he said. “They want to win today. Realistically, you have to build a program. Even though it’s frustrating, that’s the way it has to be. If you go back, Coach Bzdelik got this program moving. Coach Boyle built on the foundation.” For everything Eckloff personally gained from his CU experience – the degree, law school entry, academic honors, team camaraderie and basketball memories to last a lifetime – he and his teammates have given back even more to their university. They are leaving a program in far better shape than they could have imagined back when they made their tentative first dribbles in the fall of 2008. That legacy might be even bigger in the long run than the Pac-12 Tournament trophy or new banners that might hang in the Coors Events Center. Eckloff hopes CU becomes the choice destination for basketball stars within the state’s borders. He points to basketball
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adopting the mindset of another former Cherry Creek star, CU football coach Jon Embree. “I don’t know the culture in football, but coach Embree says he believes in ‘Protect the Borders.’ Basketball players have chased national prestige more than they chased staying close to home,” he explained. That is already changing with the incoming class Boyle wrapped up long before the Buffs embarked on their magical 201112 season. Lewis-Palmer’s 6-foot-9 Josh Scott and Sierra’s 6-foot-8 Wesley Gordon signed early and committed earlier. Scott led his school to the class 4A crown, a night after getting the best of his future Buffs teammate in the state semifinal. “If CU’s program moves the way it has been moving, it will be a national powerhouse on a regular basis,” Eckloff said. “When you are an 18-year-old kid, a college coach can sweet talk you and make like the world will be perfect if you go to their school. “But actions speak louder,” he said, citing improved facilities, recent NCAA
Tournament trips, TV appearances and alums in the NBA. CU has a sales pitch now in every category from the state-of-the-art practice facility to the second-round NCAA appearance to Burks and Higgins on NBA rosters. Eckloff takes great pride in playing a part of that much-improved “pitch” to future Buffs. “That facility is a huge selling point,” Eckloff said. “Bad facilities can turn a kid off.” As he began the adjustment to civilian life after this season, Eckloff said: “I’m going to miss basketball.” His teammates might be looking for future basketball career options, but he’s already interested in what he’s heard about Denver recreational lawyers leagues. He undoubtedly has all the makings of a first pick in an über-adult version of playground choose-up sides. The future attorney with a proud basketball past grinned and adequately and accurately summed up his future. “I’m sure I’ll get picked up somewhere.”
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GUIDED TO THE TOUR With the help of CU, golfer Jessica Wallace has her sights set on the LPGA
By Natalie Meisler
GOING PRO | JESSICA WALLACE
E
veryone knows the PSA life lesson. College tennis players, swimmers and basketball players morph into real world professions with the voice-over: “There are more than 400,000 NCAA studentathletes and just about all of us will be going pro in something other than our sport.”
In other words: Go to class. Get a degree. Sports – except in the rarest of cases – are for kids, not bill-paying grown-ups. One of Colorado’s newest alums, golfer Jessica Wallace, is the rare exception to that timeworn NCAA message. The finance major went to class and is getting her degree – that part is covered. But she makes no apologies for straying from the organization’s party line. She had one goal for the moment she walked off the course at her final round of the NCAA Tournament. “I’ll turn pro immediately,” Wallace said. She turned professional at the Colorado Open, days after returning from the NCAA Championships in Franklin, Tennessee. She then played in a U.S. Open Qualifier at the Broadmoor before returning to CU to finish her degree this summer. CU coach Anne Kelly said, “I think (becoming a pro golfer) was a dream since she was a little girl. She’s a very dedicated student with a high GPA. It’s not like she was in school just to play golf.” With those goals in mind, Kelly and her assistant, Brent Franklin, decided some adjustments were needed in Wallace’s swing, even if the process hindered some actual results last fall.
“I think our job is also to help studentathletes achieve their goals,” Kelly said. “Her goal is to become a professional golfer. It’s just like if your goal is to become a doctor, you can’t say, ‘You can’t take that class.’” Listing her hometown as Langley, British Columbia, Wallace transferred from Pepperdine after her sophomore year. She was drawn to Boulder for numerous reasons, not the least of which was Franklin, a fellow Canadian and avid Vancouver Canucks fan. “I thought I would get better here and reach my potential before going pro,” Wallace sad. “In the end, it was all about being my best going out of school.” And the finance major with the effervescent personality around her teammates couldn’t have planned it better. For her career, she collected honors in three conferences – two–time All-West Conference at Pepperdine, the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-Big 12 as a junior at CU and honorable mention Pac-12 this past season. “I feel I got upgraded every year,” she said. She made an instant impact on her new team as a junior, setting the school record with a 72.97 stroke average. Her feats included the Heather Farr Memorial Invitational championship, competing the day after she and her teammates were in a three-car wreck driving home from the first round of the tournament. “I didn’t think the team was going to finish the tournament,” Kelly said. “She called me the next day crying her eyes out and said, ‘I want to play.’ Despite
our job is also to hElp studEntathlEtEs achiEvE thEir goals. hEr goal is to bEcomE a profEssional golfEr Anne Kelly
some soreness and stiffness, she and Emily (Talley) both played.” Her honors collection includes several CU Athlete of the Week citations. She posted eight top-10 results as a junior, six of which came in the top five. With the alterations in her game this season, Wallace had one championship for her only top-10 finish. “I’m coming around at the right time,” she said going into the NCAA West Regional, where she tied for 26th with a three-round five-over par. “I had a rough year. I was working on a few swing changes. There’s always something with the golf swing. If you have a problem with the eight-iron, it’s probably worse with the driver.” 59
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So she worked on straightening her time she broke par for a tournament in her mechanics and steadying the club when it senior season. reached the top of the arc. Then, she and Franklin changed the position of the grip. But per the plan, it was all part of her longterm design on a pro career. Think of the mental checklist before approaching every ball and then add the “She still has some work to do,” said Kelly. “It new calculations. She had the fall season to [will] be another learning curve out there, but learn the changes. I think she can make it.”
lot of tournament experience; she is very competitive. It meant a lot to our program to get someone of that caliber.”
Kelly credited her Wallace’s work ethic during the holiday break and offseason. “She did what it takes to perform under pressure,” the coach said. “It was not a total overhaul of the golf swing, just a few changes to help her increase her distance.”
They talk non-stop about their beloved Vancouver Canucks.
The team was already starting to make national noise when Wallace joined. She provided the spark in the 2010-11 season. This season, CU ranked No. 10 going into the Regional.
Despite a shaky start on the home course, the Buffs came through on the final day with a historic effort – all five shot under par. The “You change one thing. You always have to four-under at the Pac-12 was extended to a change something else because the golf nine-under at the Regional. swing, it interrelates everything so much,” she said. “When you change one thing, Talley, who is also looking to venture out on the something else is going to change. It can be pro circuit, fired the best postseason round in chaotic sometimes.” school history (four-under 68). Heading into the NCAA championship, Wallace was second Her stroke average slipped to 74.89, third on the CU record books with 14 career rounds on her team behind Alex Stewart and under par. She accomplished that in just two Talley. Still, she notched her second career years of eligibility. tournament win, the Notre Dame sponsored Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz., in mid-March Citing Wallace’s background on the Canadian with a five-under 211. It marked the only junior circuit, the coach said, “She brings a Wallace readily accepted the alterations.
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It was a natural alliance, given Franklin’s ties to Wallace’s coach in Canada. Franklin, in his 10th season at CU, was a 2010 inductee in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and was the Canadian Tour’s Rookie of the Year in 1988.
“She gives Brent someone to talk hockey with,” Kelly said. On a team with a roster dominated by Californians, Wallace proudly displays a driver head cover in the pattern of the Canadian flag. As if her bag needed any more differentiation from her those of her teammates, Wallace has miniature hockey gloves as an ornament. She explained it was a “Canadian thing” to dress up rear view mirrors with team hockey gloves. Ironically, Pepperdine placed one position ahead of CU in the West Regional at Colorado National Golf Course. Though Wallace believes she never would have come this close to starting a pro career if not for the support she received from Kelly and Franklin.
GOING PRO | JESSICA WALLACE
CoaCh and Brent are awesome. they are proBaBly the Best two CoaChes in the entire Country. Jessica Wallace
“Coach and Brent are awesome. They are probably the best two coaches in the entire country. They have helped my game come along so far. In terms of golf, I can’t thank coach and Brent for all they’ve done,” Wallace said. The CU experience beyond the links also had a huge part in setting her up for the future – once she decided she needed a change from the West Coast. She went from one of the most scenic coast college settings to one of the most beautiful at the foothills of the Rockies “This school is so supportive of athletics here,” she said. “I think that is one of the biggest differences for when I transferred over – the level of support I got. You run into alumni so much more often. They are always asking, or they already know, how the team is doing.” Credit the Buffs’ brand new facility at their home course in Erie, less than a half-hour drive northeast from campus. The past academic year saw the opening of CU’s dedicated indoor practice building adjacent to the existing driving and putting areas. There can be a foot of snow on the fairways, but the golfers can line up in five hitting bays. A pitching and chipping area is under construction for exclusive use by the Buffs men’s and women’s golfers. The clubhouse next door is dedicated to CU memorabilia. It’s hard not to run into anyone with CU ties. At Pepperdine, Wallace felt the team was lost in the greater L.A. sports scene. 61
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GOING PRO | JESSICA WALLACE “Having this golf course is a huge deal,” she said of CNGC. “The same for the practice facility. It’s amazing. It’s going to be great for players coming into the program and for the team down the road. Support is unbelievable when you are able to get on a course like this and have a facility like this.”
Her souvenir?
Besides finishing the last few credits for her degree, it’s one more reason why she will make Boulder her home, at least through August when she finishes school.
“It’s funny. Anyone can call herself a pro. If you take money, you’re a pro,” Wallace said.
It was a leap of faith to plan her calendar around the NCAA Tournament (May 22-25, in Franklin. Tenn.). CU hadn’t qualified in the 17-year history of the program. Playing on their home course at Colorado National, the Buffs stormed back from ninth place in the Regional to finish fourth, easily qualifying. After the NCAA event, she returned to Colorado for the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open on May 30. No CU golfer has made it to the LPGA, although Kelly said several have competed on mini-tours. Wallace already started the first of three phases of Qualifying School in Canada last summer. She also did well enough in one Canadian tournament to be eligible for $10,000 prize money, but had to decline it in order to retain her NCAA eligibility.
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“You get a little trophy and I said, ‘Okay, I should stop here,’” Wallace chuckles. She knows it will be a long, difficult road to earning an LPGA card.
The LPGA’s junior division, the Symetra Tour, (a financial service company took over sponsorship as the LPGA FUTURES Tour) offers 10 LPGA memberships for the top of the prize list. Symetra Tour competitors can also earn a card through LPGA Q-School. It’s difficult, if not impossible for graduating college seniors to qualify their first season because several tour stops have been played prior to the completion of the NCAA Tournament. For all the talk about student-athletes having lack of spare money during college, life on the junior tour will be far more of a challenge. Aspiring pros must pay for their transportation, entry fees and equipment. This is where Wallace hopes her finance degree will come in handy. “I chose finance because I thought it was a really good background to have if I wanted to get into business afterwards,” Wallace said. “I’ve debated going to law school or
getting my (MBA) afterwards. It’s all plan B. I tried to keep up the grades to have it as backup. ” She hasn’t set a time frame for attaining LPGA status or executing that plan B. “It depends on the financial situation,” she said. “I’ll look for anyone who can financially sponsor me when I turn pro. “ Yes, she hopes her parents will help, but she already has an older brother, Darren, who has tapped into family finances as he competes on the Nationwide Tour. Here is where her CU ties might help, especially with contacts already made at the CNGC. Sponsorships aren’t necessarily limited to golf-related merchandise. NASCAR/cycling type billboard jerseys haven’t yet invaded tournaments, but a lone sponsor name on a cap or visor is more than acceptable. “If someone wants to come talk to me, I’m more than willing to meet CU alums and talk about my game and talk about the CU golf experience,” she said. “People are so nice and friendly. “If I prove myself maybe someone will have the faith in me.” Surely, they will.
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THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, NEWS, NOTES AND MUSINGS FROM…
BUFFALO BILL …A BUFF TO THE CORE
To begin, let me just say this: I had a blast at the annual spring game. 2012 marked the inaugural pre-spring game “Fix and Feast” for the Buffaloes. The event was hosted by former head football coach Bill McCartney, as well former CBS4 sportscaster and current Mile High Sports Radio host Mark McIntosh, and was catered by Pasta Jay’s. But more importantly, I was impressed by the crowd of over 900 people – 200 more than what Coach Mac had hoped for. During the Fix and Feast, former Buffs greats, including Alfred Williams and current head coach Jon Embree, gave rousing speeches, energizing the crowd and bringing a strong sense of pride back to the CU community.
To cap off his speech, Embree asked all the former Buffs who had played in a bowl game to come toward the stage. Several bodies stood up and made their way to the front. Embree then asked all of his seniors who had played in a bowl game to step forward and join the alumni. Not a single one moved. After a moment of awkward silence, Embree made sure his seniors knew he didn’t leave them out to dry. “My promise to you,” Embree told them, “is that all of you will be standing next to these men next year. You will play in a bowl game.” Hey, that’s powerful stuff. 64
I’m old (centuries, in fact); so I always appreciate when the “older” guys get out there and play. Naturally, I appreciate the alumni who participated in a flag football game on April 14. Notable participants were former NFL linebacker Chad Brown and current athletic department member Medford Moorer. The competition was a high-scoring affair, where friendships were rekindled on Folsom Field. CU sports information director Dave Plati provided the on-field play-by-play via bullhorn and was quick to note when an alum was playing outside the parameters of the rules.
Hold the phones: I think I may have just seen the quarterback of the future. From my seat in Folsom, it sure looked like sophomore transfer Connor Wood was the highlight of the spring game. Wood led two touchdown-scoring drives and completed seven passes for 137 yards. He was complimented by the running game of junior Josh Ford, who ran the ball eight times for 141 yards and two touchdowns of his own (okay, so perhaps there were two highlights). But the “hero” for me? That’s easy. No new injuries occurred during the spring game, thankfully, as Paul Richardson’s previous injury started the offseason off on a sour note. Here’s to continued health and a speedy recovery for Richardson.