- UAF Athletics community asks: “Who’s The Hire?” - May 9, 2018
At the end of the 2017-18 season, four Nanook teams are conducting national searches for head coaching or assistant coaching positions. Women’s Basketball and Men’s Hockey will search to fill the head coaching positions after a season with interim head coaches.
Brett Sawyer, interim head coach for women’s basketball, took over the program last March. He led the team to a 4-22 mark overall and 0-22 in conference play. In spite of losing every conference game, he led the team to a program-best six selections to the GNAC All-Academic Team.
For Men’s Hockey, interim head coach Lance West led the team 9-17-2-1 in conference play, secured the team’s eighth straight Governor’s Cup, and had 16 players named to the WCHA All-Academic Team. Four players were named WCHA Scholar-Athletes, and two earned All-WCHA Honors. The hockey team finished their season ranked eighth in the WCHA conference. The Alaska Nanooks are committed to the process of finding the best candidates for both teams, their athletes, community members, alumni, and boosters.
The search has been narrowed down to two candidates, Bekke of Ohio State and interim Coach Lance West. Prior to Bekke’s withdrawal, the UAF athletic department released a statement in regards to Bekke and Lance. “We had a strong pool of applicants but we feel confident that these two individuals will represent the Alaska Hockey program to the best of their abilities going forward,” said Kayne Gutierrez, current interim athletic director.
With Nanook Hockey holding a prominent position in the eyes of Fairbanks, a known hockey town, many are discouraged and, in fact, displeased with the hiring process. One former alumni and a current Fairbanks hockey coach commented on the current dilemma stating: “There are only about 65 head coaching jobs in Division I college hockey. To have had coaches turn the job down I think directly correlates with our unsteady leadership on the hill. As a former Nanook player and current coach in the hockey community, we thrive off of having the Nanooks to look up too in our backyard. With all this current uncertainty and negative outlook, it’s hard to really believe in something that doesn’t seem to believe in itself enough to sell the program to potential coaches.’
Following the resignation of Mick Durham, the head men’s basketball coach, the Alaska Nanooks will be conducting a national search for his replacement. After coaching for seven years in Alaska, Mick Durham will take a position as the head coach for the Montana State Billings, another GNAC conference team. “I have accepted the head coaching position at Montana State University-Billings and it truly came down to a chance to end my coaching career at home,” Durham commented once releasing his intent to transfer.’ I really enjoyed the challenge at UAF and playing in the GNAC. The past seven years were a wonderful experience for my family and myself. I am so appreciative of all the support we have received from UAF and the Fairbanks community as a whole.’ Durham’s most notable season was the 2015-16 campaign, in which the Nanooks went 22-8 overall and 15-5 in GNAC play to finish the regular season ranking second in the league. It was their highest league finish since their first-place finish in 2004-05. The team also made its first-ever appearance in the GNAC Championship game that season, falling short to No. 1-seed Western Oregon, 78-71.
Women’s Swimming Head Coach Scott Lemley has announced that next season will be his last. A national search is underway for an associate head coach, who will take over following Lemley’s retirement. He’s actively involved in that effort.
” This program has been mine since the beginning, and I don’t plan to leave it to just anyone, Lemley said. “I’m proud of our reputation and the athletes we have produced.”
As a collegiate athlete and UAF athletic department employee, I find the current state of our department to be one of stress, yet carrying the promise of new ideas, goals, and purpose.
