May 2019
IN THIS ISSUE From the Athletic Director’s Desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 First-year track coaches Andy and Maurica Powell are off to a fast start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 10 Questions With ... beach volleyball’s Kristen Gengenbacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Gymnast Malory Rose is putting a unique “capstone” on her informatics degree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Junior Adams is bringing Washington’s young receiver corps up to speed this spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Shot ... One stroke at a time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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GOHUSKIES VOLUME 12 / ISSUE 7 / MAY 2019
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EDITOR Brian Beaky
FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK
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s we hit the home stretch of athletic events for the academic year, I am always reminded of how fortunate we are to be at such an incredible place that truly believes in the power of intercollegiate athletics. I’m so inspired by the opportunity we have to, through sport, impact the lives of hundreds of young men and women on a daily basis. This all starts with our coaches. We are extremely blessed to have some of the brightest minds in the country leading our programs. More importantly, they are outstanding people, who care about our student-athletes and want to provide the best experience possible. They believe in the core values of our department and instill them into their programs and players. I also wanted to highlight first-ever Husky Giving Day, which took place April 4. The campuswide event was a huge success, and our gracious ICA supporters helped us raise over $700,000 – truly amazing! Thank you to all of those who came alongside us to support our remarkable student-athletes and this incredible institution. I truly believe there is no other place like the University of Washington. Without your continued support, these opportunities wouldn’t be possible and we wouldn’t be able to attract and retain our talented coaches and student-athletes.
Jennifer Cohen
On behalf of our staff and the entire athletics community, THANK YOU for making the dreams of our student-athletes become a reality. There are still plenty of opportunities to get out and cheer on the Dawgs this spring. I hope to see you on Montlake soon! GO DAWGS!
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BUILDING CHAMPIONS First-year track coaches
Andy and Maurica Powell
are off to a fast start in their efforts to create winners on and off the track
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BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR GO HUSKIES THE MAGAZINE
ive into a conversation with Andy and Maurica Powell, and the first topic won’t necessarily be track or cross country. The rest of the conversation certainly will go that direction. After all, track and cross country are what the husband-and-wife team do at the University of Washington. Maurica is the overall program director and the women’s distance coach. Andy is the head coach, who focuses on daily operations and works with the men’s distance runners. But, along with the success stories they’ve already enjoyed in their first year at the Husky helm – top-10 finishes for both teams at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last fall, and seven AllAmerican performances at the NCAA Indoor Track Championships in March — they’re just as interested in talking about the culture they’re creating, with the goal of building upon that success, and sustaining it far into the future. “We’re big believers that how you carry yourself off the track is a big determining factor in how you carry yourself on the track,” Mau-
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rica Powell says. “It’s really important that our student-athletes are good people: They treat each other well, they have a good experience, they treat us respectfully, they treat their peers respectfully.” “We’re really trying to focus on being full people here,” she adds. “That said, we want full, fast people.” That resonates just as strongly with Andy Powell. “We’re both competitive, and we want to have good teams,” he says. “The fact that there seems to be more emphasis here on the studentathlete and their experience … it has been really refreshing for me.” The Powells put their philosophy into motion almost from the moment they arrived in Seattle last June after 13 seasons at Oregon. During those years in Eugene, they helped build the Ducks into the national powerhouse that they are today, on the track and on the trails. “We had great careers there, great friends, our kids (sons Jake and Owen) grew up there … It was all of those things for us,” Maurica says. “But, the draw of this place was just overwhelming.”
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On The
Same Page
Maurica and Andy carry a deep passion for developing student-athletes to be their best both in and outside of competition
The opportunity opened last June, when UW Athletic Director Jen Cohen offered the Powells the chance to come to Montlake and direct the Huskies’ track and field and cross country programs. “Their credentials speak for themselves,” she said on the day of the announcement. “What really stood out during the search process was their deep alignment with our department values. Maurica and Andy carry a deep passion for developing student-athletes to be their best both in and outside of competition, and I am extremely excited for them to lead our program.” It didn’t take long to start seeing results. Last November, in Wisconsin, the Husky men raced to sixth place at the NCAA cross country nationals, and the women were ninth, the highest combined finish in program history. Just one year earlier, at the 2017 NCAAs, the Husky women had finished 21st among the 31 teams, and the men were 22nd among 31. On that same day, Maurica Powell’s Oregon women were fifth, and Andy Powell’s Oregon men were sixth. “In terms of progress from last year to this year, it was great to be sixth and ninth,” Maurica says. “At the same time, sixth and ninth doesn’t put you on the podium. We’ve got a lot of work to do in order to get there, but we took a step forward. It was reinforcing for them to see the progress that they made – that was a real positive thing. But, we’re by no means where we need to be moving forward.” During the winter indoor season, the Huskies sent seven entries to nationals – all in distance events. Katie Rainsberger (seventh in the mile) and the women’s distance medley relay (seventh) made the podium and first-team All-America. The other five made second-team All-America. “It was a great cross country season, and then for indoors, the idea that we had the PRs and the qualifying for nationals was great,” Andy Powell says. “We’re trying to get that momentum into the outdoor season.”
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Working
In Tandem
Standouts at Stanford during their own college racing days, the Powells are naturals when it comes to distance coaching. Their Oregon athletes won 40 individual NCAA titles between track and cross country; the teams won 19. But, track is more than just distance events. So, they have built an all-star staff of assistants to cover the other areas, including Olympic silver-medalist Toby Stevenson (jumps and multis, and associate head coach), U.S. hurdles champion Jeshua Anderson (sprints/hurdles/relays), and celebrated throws coach Andrew Ninow. Chris Kwiatkowski is an assistant distance coach, and a corps of volunteer assistants work with each of the other disciplines, with Stephanie Bohannon as director of operations. All of them share the approach and long-term guidelines the Powells have established. “We needed to find coaches and staff who fit those same qualities,” Andy says. “The staff has been really, really good. It makes coming to work really enjoyable.” That Maurica and Andy hold their distinctive titles – she as program director, he as head coach – is by design. “We didn’t want to be co-head coaches. We didn’t want to imply that we were splitting the program, because we aren’t,” Maurica says. “There’s a lot of administration. The best way … is to divvy up the administration and have it come between two people instead of all falling on one person.” Andy, for instance, is good with budgeting, so he does that part.
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BUILDING CHAMPIONS Maurica deals with alumni items and media-related things. She handles academic oversight for the women’s program; he does likewise for the men. “We have a good relationship where we just help each other out,” Andy says. “If one of us needs to travel and recruit, or one of us is off with one part of the team, the other is always around. So, the athletes always feel that they’re getting the support they need. I think that’s something that’s different than most programs.” At home on Mercer Island, the Powells make a concerted effort to talk about things other than track. Toward that end, they have a couple of helpful “assistants”: sons Owen (age 12 and on his middle school track team) and Jake (8, a soccer player). “They kind of force us to check out from work when we’re home,” Maurica says, adding with a smile, “They don’t care what happened at practice today.” Keeping the upward trend going will require a consistent influx of new talent. Already, the Huskies have more than a dozen recruits signed for next year, including five international athletes. “Recruiting has been really important, and our whole staff has taken that on,” Andy says. “We do want a well-rounded team, and currently, it’s going really well.” Those recruits are signing on for more than just track and cross country. “Every kid who chooses us is choosing to try to do high-level athletics and high-level academics,” Maurica says. “A big selling point for us is demonstrating that it’s already happening here. Our men’s and women’s teams are in really good shape academically.” That’s the kind of conversation Maurica and Andy Powell will enjoy diving into anytime … with anyone.
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10 QUESTIONS WITH... BEACH VOLLEYBALL’S KRISTEN GENGENBACHER
n the fall of 2017, Kristen Gengenbacher won just about every award there was to win for a senior at the University of San Diego — West Coast Conference Player of the Year, third-team AVCA All-American; shoot, she even earned a nomination for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award. And, she figured, that was it — a star-studded sendoff to a terrific collegiate career. But, when Washington head coach Steve Whitaker called with an offer to compete as a graduate senior for Washington’s beach volleyball program — while earning a master’s degree in the school’s Intercollegiate Athletics Leadership program — it was an offer too good to resist.
Why did you choose to come to UW? “I’m really intrigued by the lifestyle and values of the Pacific Northwest, and I love exploring new places and cities, so when the opportunity to come to UW opened up, it was a no-brainer. The culture and school spirit of UW is so cool, and I know I made the right decision.”
What were the toughest challenges for you switching from indoor to beach? “One of the toughest challenges for me has been serve receive. I was a setter at the University of San Diego, so I never had to receive a serve. Here, I get served almost every ball, so it’s something I’ve really been working on. Another challenge is the mindset. In beach, it’s only you and one other player covering a large space, so it’s not realistic that you’ll get every point, as hard as you try. In indoor, I really believed my team was capable of winning every single point, so that’s been an adjustment.”
Describe your experience at UW thus far? What has been the most exciting or challenging thing to happen to you? “I would be lying if I said that moving from San Diego to Seattle wasn’t a challenge at first. San Diego is bright, beautiful, and sunny almost every day, and while Seattle is beautiful, it’s not always bright and sunny. I miss my days on the actual beach, but being outside playing volleyball everyday is awesome, so I can’t complain too much. I’ve gotten to meet some pretty amazing people, both through my Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership masters program, UW Athletics, and other organizations I’m a part of. It’s crazy what you can learn about yourself in just one year, and I’m grateful that I now have people here, in San Diego, and back home that I can rely on.”
What is it like to compete in the Pac-12 Conference? “I love competing in the Pac-12. It’s the most competitive conference for beach, and I love having the chance to compete against some of the best programs in the country.”
Who were your favorite volleyball players growing up? “My all-time favorite volleyball players are Caren Kemner, Courtney Thompson and Misty May-Treanor. Caren Kemner came from my hometown and has always been a good family friend. She’s an incredible player but an even better person who helped me get my start in volleyball. I’m so grateful to her. And, what setter doesn’t love Courtney Thompson? I always loved her because she’s a tad undersized for an Olympic setter, but she never let that hold her back. Since coming here, I’ve gotten to meet her, and seeing her energy and leadership has been amazing. And of course, the G.O.A.T., Misty May-Treanor. She’s just a phenomenal athlete and humble winner. I still watch film of her and Kerri Walsh-Jennings to try and help my own game.”
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Who or what is your biggest inspiration? “My family is my biggest inspiration. Both of my parents worked so hard to provide for my three sisters and I. Being the third of four very athletic, very competitive daughters has helped shape me into the person I am today. When we were kids, we would be outside playing from the moment we got home from school until it we couldn’t see the ball anymore because it was too dark. My mom used to joke (and still sometimes does) that she was more of a referee than a parent. My family have been my biggest supporters, and I can’t thank them enough for that.”
Talk about some of the experiences that have been opened up to you through your sport. “In addition to being able to go to college and get a master’s degree, I got to go on an immersion trip to El Salvador with the University of San Diego. I learned about the Salvadoran Civil War, which lasted from 1980-1992, but which the country is still feeling the effects of. Gang violence, poverty and corruption are just a few of the things plaguing El Salvador. But, I also learned what a strong, resilient and loving people they are and about the groups that are still fighting for justice there. I think about this place every day, and I try to live my life mindful of the privilege that I have and work toward a better world for future generations.”
What is something important any coach has taught you away from competition? “I’ve had SO many great coaches throughout my athletic career, from grade school until now. One of my favorite coaches is my dad, who coached me in softball for as long as I can remember. He taught me the idea of mental toughness, both on and off the playing field. Life can knock you down sometimes, but complaining about it isn’t going to change the situation. Sometimes, all you can do is put your feet on the floor, your nose to the grindstone, and keep moving.”
What are five things readers probably don’t know about you? “My family owns a small shaved-ice business called the Gengenbacher’s Shaved Ice Shack. I’m going to be an aunt in about a month! I played softball, basketball and volleyball in high school, and still love to play whenever I can. I’m from Quincy, Illinois, and I’m a huge St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. And, lastly, my favorite T.V. shows right now are Portlandia and Game of Thrones.”
What's next for you after you finish your degree? “I hope to keep playing volleyball for as long as possible, maybe do the Peace Corps or another organization like it, coach, and maybe even own or run my own non-profit one day. I honestly just want to leave the world a little better than I found it and inspire others to do the same.” GoHUSKIES
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MALORY ROSE
In her four years at Washington, didn’t just help take Husky gymnastics to new heights — she may have made lasting improvements to Washington’s health care system as well
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BY BRIAN BEAKY EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
sk Malory Rose about her love of gymnastics, and she’ll give you all the customary answers. She’ll tell you how much it means to her to be a part of a team, how thrilling it is to perform feats of physical skill that only an infinitesimal percentage of humans can achieve, and how proud she is to have been part of a UW squad that ended a 19-year NCAA Championships drought — then returned to the title meet again the following season. Our conversation for this article lasted nearly 40 minutes. All of that was covered in the first five. It’s when Rose starts talking about her interests outside of gymnastics — in particular, the degree in the emerging field of Informatics that she will receive this June, and the senior Capstone project to which she has dedicated the last five months of her life — that she turns from the standard (though no less engaging) one-paragraph responses that
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she has probably given dozens of times to media and friends, and starts expounding with the depth and detail of a true zealot. When Malory Rose talks about gymnastics, she’s talking about an interest. When she talks about informatics, however, she’s talking about a passion. So, what is informatics? “Informatics is the relationship between people, information and technology,” Rose says. “I like to think of it as a cross between business and computer science. You learn some of the technical skills of coding, but also system analysis, risk management and design thinking.” A specific degree within the UW School of Information — or “iSchool,” as Rose and her fellow students call it — informatics has been offered as a degree program at UW since 2000, when it was spun off from the Library and Information Science program.
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As Rose describes, the program focuses on the intersection of people and technology, and specifically the ways in which people use technology to communicate, analyze and store information. Phrases like “design thinking,” “entity relationship diagrams,” “workplace connectivity,” “toolkits” and something called “SEQUEL”, or “SQL” (I confess, I had to Google it — it’s a coding language) come up here and there throughout our conversation, hints at a deeper understanding of a world that nearly all of us interact with on a daily basis, but few of us ever truly consider. It’s a world of interfaces, databases and infographics, placing graduates into diverse professional fields. “The informatics program prepares students to meet all the human technology needs of the state and nation,” explains Dr. Matthew Saxton, the iSchool’s Associate Dean for Academics. “The faculty come from the broadest range of science and social science professions — as varied as biology, philosophy, law, education, information science and engineering. People go into a variety of careers, ranging from project managers and PAGE 16
program developers, to consulting, website design, interface design, information security, analytics, visualization ... It’s a huge range of careers.” Perhaps it’s no surprise then that, over the past decade, informatics has emerged as the most popular minor at UW, with over 400 declared minors each year. In addition, the program receives approximately 800 major applications each academic year, of which only around 200 are accepted, so as to keep class sizes small and allow faculty to work more closely with undergraduate and graduate students. When Rose first arrived on the Washington campus back in 2015, she had never heard of informatics. Indeed, growing up in Orlando, Fla., where she first began honing her tumbles and twists and the age of three before following in her older sister’s footsteps and joining an elite local gymnastics academy, Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics, Rose had always set her sights on a business degree, deciding as far back as middle school to make that her chosen path. After excelling at the junior level and earning a scholarship
to Washington — “I loved the culture of the school, the athletic department, the culture of Seattle. I just fell in love with everything about this area,” she recalls of her recruiting visits — she began focusing on classes that would help earn admission to the UW’s famed Foster School of Business. That’s when she first heard about informatics. “It just sounded so cool, and so relevant to any industry nowadays, because technology is being integrated into all fields,” she says. “I felt that not only was it very interesting and cool, but it would set me apart from just having a business degree. “I really liked my introductory to database class, and design thinking, where we learned to apply different design methods to solve community problems,” she continues. “For example, we found that a lot of rural high school graduates weren’t pursuing higher education. So, we designed a prototype mentorship program and created all of these documents that an academic advisor could potentially use to connect students with community business
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leaders in fields or industries they were interested in, to get them excited or inspired to fulfill a higher education. That was really cool and fun.” To complete her degree, Rose was required to conduct a senior Capstone project, in which students work in teams to identify an information problem or need, then use the interdisciplinary skills accumulated in their four years of learning to develop a solution. Students spend the winter quarter researching their problem and mapping out their potential solution, then implement their plan during the spring quarter. The six-month effort concludes with Capstone Day, where students gather with faculty, family, friends, sponsors and others
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to present their projects and celebrate the culmination of their informatics journey. It’s the most-anticipated part of an informatics student’s academic career, a chance to show off and implement all they’ve learned. For Rose, though, there was a problem — the Capstone class meets weekly on Fridays, which conflicted directly with her Husky gymnastics meet schedule. Dr. Saxton, who oversees the Capstone project, offered Rose a solution — take the graduate-level version of the Capstone class instead. With smaller teams, and less oversight and interaction with faculty — plus a higher level of expectation — it would be a bigger challenge than that faced by her fellow undergraduates. But, the more flexible sched-
ule would allow her to participate in the project, while maintaining her vital position in the Huskies’ rotation on the balance beam. “The undergraduate program is more heavily scaffolded; it’s a more structured experience,” Saxton says. ”The fact that Malory was willing to step up and participate in the graduate Capstone impressed me, because it’s a different level of expectation.” From Rose’s perspective, it was a no-brainer. “I was very fortunate that they were willing to work with me to find an alternative,” she says. “I will say that I think the undergrads are all certainly capable of doing graduate-level work, because the types of projects we do in informatics teach us all the skills we need to do graduate-level projects. There’s
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Last summer, Rose was one of just 238 applicants out of a field of 35,000 selected to intern at Nike. “They said we were the top one percent,” Rose says. The experience allowed Rose to combine her passions for informatics and health.
just less guidance from a professor, so the expectations are a little higher.” Saxton helped pair Rose with a graduate student, Caitlin Maloy, and the two of them set to work finding a problem to solve. Rose has always had an interest in the health field — both of her parents are chiropractors (a useful profession for parents of two elite gymnasts) and Rose is pursuing a minor in nutrition, so she found herself naturally drawn to something in health or fitness. It didn’t take long before she came across a study conducted in 2015 to determine the value that Washington state health-care practitioners placed upon HEALWA, an online, on-call library of studies, journals, toolkits, databases and other
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BALANCING ACT useful resources for health-care professionals. The study found that only 20 percent of respondents were using HEALWA, but that a high percentage of those that did found it valuable, and thought it increased the quality of patient care within their practice. Of those that did not use the website, most either didn’t know it existed, or had used it once or twice a few years ago, then forgotten about it. What can we do, Rose and Maloy asked, to not only raise awareness of HEALWA among health-care professionals in Washington state, but also to turn into a resource that they want to come back to again and again?
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BALANCING ACT “This specific project has the potential for a tremendous impact among pracitioners,” says Dr. Matthew Saxton. “It’s an exemplar for people to follow.”
Rose and Maloy set to work interviewing health-care professionals to learn what would make them more likely to use HEALWA, and developed three main areas for improvement: making the toolkits on the site (currently organized by health speciality) more uniform, adding the ability to sort the site’s resources by major health care topics (like cancer, opioid addiction, etc.), and increasing awareness of HEALWA within the Washington health community. The first step, she says, is reorganizing the site’s existing toolkits — essentially, portals from which health-care practitioners in specific fields can locate journals, eBooks and other resources pertaining to their field.
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lot of the toolkits aren’t laid out the same; we want to have everything all in one toolkit for that profession, so if you’re a chiropractor, you’ll have all of the resources related to chiropractic services in one location,” Rose says. “We are also recommending adding professions that are currently left out, like sports medicine and physical therapy, which will increase the reach of HEALWA and make it more valuable and useful. Second, Rose and Maloy recommend adding an additional layer of organization — that is, the ability to sort the site’s resources not only by profession, but by topic as well.
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“Right now, there is a lot of information on the site about diabetes, suicide prevention, et cetera, but it’s all scattered across different parts of the site,” Rose says. “Giving each of these topics their own separate section will make it much simpler for a health care professional who is looking for information on a specific topic, so that they can take care of their patient more effectively and efficiently.” Lastly, the duo are focused on making sure that Washington’s health-care practitioners are aware that this valuable resource exists. “Part of the licensing renewal fee that a licensed health-care professional pays each year goes to fund HEALWA, so one of our interviewees recommended that HEALWA be introduced more overtly when they renew their license, whether that’s adding a pamphlet or some kind of marketing paper that comes with their license, or something else along those lines,” Rose says. “So, that is something we are recommending as well.” Throughout the process, Rose and Maloy have coordinated with a sponsor within the HEALWA team, who has expressed nothing but support for the duo’s recommendations. Indeed, it’s possible that some of Rose’s recommendations could be in place as soon as the next few months, with both short- and long-term impacts that could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Washington’s health care system for years to come. “This specific project has the potential GoHUSKIES
Rose is Washington’s go-to gymnast on the balance beam — this winter, she posted a career-high 9.925 score on the beam vs UC Davis, and led all Huskies on beam at the NCAA Regionals.
for a tremendous impact among practitioners,” Saxton says. “We can see a real impact from making these sorts of resources available to those who are working in the field. It also extends what’s currently in place, by adding more to the toolkits and enhancing the nature of what those toolkits are. It’s an exemplar for people to follow.”
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n March, Rose completed her Husky gymnastics career, capping a senior season that was her best to date, including a career-high 9.925 score on beam vs. UC Davis, and a team-leading 9.850 on beam at the NCAA Regional Championships. In June, she will complete her informatics degree, presenting her final recommendations to the HEALWA team and exhibiting with her partner at Capstone Day, before donning her mortar board and walking in graduation ceremonies later that month. (This is as good a time as any to mention her impressive 3.64 grade-point average.) As for what comes next — well, with an informatics degree, the world really is your oyster. Rose was one of just 238 applicants of a field of 35,000 selected last summer to intern at Nike, where she was able to blend her passions for informatics and health in ways that stimulated her development and sparked all kinds of exciting ideas. While she’ll happily embrace any job that allows her to combine her two interests, she’d love to find herself back on the Beaverton campus. “The Nike culture and the experience that I had there were amazing,” she says. “I would love to work in product management or data analysis there. That would be cool.” Rose says that she’s learned over the last four years not to be afraid to follow new pathways — they just might lead to unexpected places. “I hope that everyone, whatever their passions are, are able to fulfill them and put all of their energy into them, like I’m doing with mine,” she says. If only we all had that much energy.
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First-year assistant coach Junior Adams has Washington’s wide receivers on the fast track to success
ALLGAS,
J
BY MASON KELLEY FOR GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
UNIOR ADAMS
jogged off the practice field and into Husky Stadium. Washington’s new wide receivers coach went from his first spring practice with the Huskies to his first interview with local reporters, greeting the gaggle with a wide smile. Since being offered the chance to join the program, Adams has been living by a simple slogan: “Let’s get to work.” “It’s been awesome,” Adams says. “It’s been fun. Being back in Washington, being with Coach Pete, being with this staff, being a part of this program, I couldn’t ask to be in a better situation. It feels like I’m home.”
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NOB For Adams, this is the job he has been working toward since his playing days ended (two seasons at Oregon State and two at Montana State), the next step in a coaching career that started in Bozeman, Mont., and has taken him across the country before bringing him back to the West Coast. “This is a dream job,” Adams says. “Being able to work with Coach Petersen, he’s one of the best in the business. I think he’s the best.” After beginning his coaching career at his alma mater, Adams spent a season working at Prosser High School. He was still years away from joining the Huskies, but his expeGoHUSKIES
BRAKES rience at the school provided an introduction to the program he currently works for. “If you knew where I lived in Prosser and who I lived with in Prosser, you would know their love for the Huskies,” Adams said. “Because of them, my love for the Huskies grew. Did I know I would be here one day? No. But I thought it would be a pleasure to be here one day. It would be a goal.” To reach that goal, Adams spent time at Eastern Washington – where he coached Los Angeles Rams standout Cooper Kupp – and at Boise State, before moving to Western Kentucky. Each step along the way was an GoHUSKIES
opportunity to grow as a coach. “I want to be great,” he says. “I know what it takes.” Adams first met Chris Petersen when he was coaching at Eastern Washington. He would make the drive to Boise to visit a friend on the Boise State staff, when Petersen was the school’s head coach. He thought of Petersen as the type of coach he wanted to work with one day. “I met Pete in passing then, but I feel like I’ve known him forever,” Adams says.
Adams first met Chris Petersen while coaching wide receivers — including L.A. Rams standout Cooper Kupp — at Eastern Washington, during Petersen’s time at Boise State.
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NOBRAKES Since being offered the chance to join the program, Adams has been living by a simple slogan :
Let’sgettowork.”
Adams takes over a Washington wide receivers corps that returns nearly intact from 2018, including all three of the team's leading pass catchers.
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Adams did eventually make his way to Boise State — just after Petersen left for Washington —and spent the next few years adding to his resume, eventually working his way up to offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky. But, when the staff was let go in November, the coach was left looking for his next opportunity. “I was out of a job for a month,” Adams says. “I relaxed a little bit.” Then, when the job offers came, they came in bunches. When Appalachian State hired Eliah Drinkwitz, the coach looked to his former Boise State co-worker to coach receivers. Adams quickly accepted. But then, just a few days after he arrived in Boone, N.C., Petersen called with yet another opportunity. “Next thing you know, I’m here as a Husky,” Adams says. “It’s all kind of a whirlwind.” In the span of barely more than a month, Adams had gone from Western Kentucky — a Conference USA team in just its ninth year playing full-time at the FBS level — to the unemployment ranks, to another FBS newcomer in Appalachian State, to one of the winningest programs in college football history. Adams, though, says he isn’t intimidated by the size of the stage upon which he suddenly finds himself.
“I wasn’t in awe of the situation,” he says. “I’ve coached a lot of football games in my life, big football games, big-time football players. Hopefully, I add some real value to this staff and this program.” For Adams, working for the Huskies is an ideal situation. “Since I stepped foot in this place, coach Pete has been awesome,” he says. “The staff has been awesome. I’ve learned a lot from all those guys. I love the way Coach Pete operates. You get better. That’s the cool thing about it. I’m growing.” Both Petersen and offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan have experience coaching receivers. So, while Adams has been tasked with molding the Huskies’ current group of pass catchers, the coach is maximizing the opportunity to learn. “By no means do I think I’m an expert and I think that allows me to keep growing each day, keep getting better,” he says. “And, with the staff we’ve got here ... Bush was a wide receivers coach at one point, Coach Petersen was a wide receivers coach at one point, and those guys coached at an elite level.
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NOBRAKES
Aaron Fuller
Senior is Washington’s most experienced returning wideout, with 100 receptions and seven touchdowns in his first three seasons.
“The cool thing is, I can walk into a room and I can learn from those two guys. I couldn’t ask to be in a better situation.” When asked to describe his style, Adams said he is a successful teacher because he can relate to his players. “I’m a wide receiver,” he says. “I go to bed as one. I wake up as one. I walk around as one. I talk like one. I’m just like you guys, so I get it. I think I can bring that mindset and understand why they’re thinking the way they’re thinking. “I always like to hang my hat on the mindset of playing the position, to be in attack mode at all times,“ he continues. “That’s one thing we want to preach to this group – having that edge, competing every snap.” With four seniors (Aaron Fuller, Andre Baccellia, Chico McClatcher and Quinten Pounds) in the position group, Adams is leaning on the veterans as he dives into his first spring with the Huskies. “Those guys are veterans,” Adams says. “I told them: ‘I’m not perfect. I don’t have all the answers. I’m going to need to be able to lean on you guys and ask you guys for help, question on different things, just like I can add value to your career, your season or your game.’ “The guys have been awesome. We’ve got some good, young talent in the room,” he adds. “They’ve been good. They’ve been all ears. They’ve been sponges and I think we’re doing a really good job of just connecting. That’s the most important thing.” In his first year with a new program, Adams says he has a very simple expectation for his receivers: “We’ve just got to play like our hair is on fire. All gas, no brakes, is what we say in there.” That mentality is how Adams is approaching his new job. For Adams, it’s time to get to work. PAGE 26
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Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES
The Girls In The Boat
Members of the women’s rowing team compete at the annual Class Day Regatta March 23.
To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit www.HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com
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