Alaska Skiing Feature on NCAA.com

Don't miss this feature article on NCAA.com about the Alaska Nanooks men's and women's ski teams. Go Nooks!

Skiers Volunteer On The Road

If you haven't seen it yet, here's today's entry on the Alaska Nanooks Skiing blog:

The UAF men’s ski team lent a hand to the Marshall School yesterday in constructing a new timing cabin. Though it looks like a deluxe ice shanty for fishing the local lakes, it is a top-o-the-line timing facility. We look forward to seeing it in action during our races this weekend here in Duluth.

Getting the first wall up.

The completed cabin (sans windows). Top row (l-r) Ray Sabo, Cody Priest, John Parry, and assistant coach Matt Dunlap. Bottom row (l-r) Alex Morris, Erik Soederstroem, and builder Jay ?? (Sorry Jay — we missed your last name.) Not pictured: Lars Arneson.

Alaska Skiers Open Road Trip At U.S. Nationals In Maine

Here's a note from head coach Scott Jerome just before the team left for their current road trip:

Packing for 28 Days

"Just finished packing for a 28 day trip to the lower 48. We hit US Nationals in Maine, then fly from Boston to the midwest for college races in Duluth and the Minneapolis USSA SuperTour.

Packing for a long road trip has gotten easier after six full seasons here at UAF, but it’s still a challenge. Basically we have to take enough wax, tools, and other equipment for 12 athletes competing in eight events over four weeks. We basically pack up the entire wax room and take it south.

Living on the road is a challenge, too. A simple ear infection or lost bag can create all sorts of issues. Fortunately, we have many friends all over the country who always lend a hand when we come up short. The good people at Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, St. Scholastica, Chisholm Ski Club, St. Cloud State, St. John’s University, Team Homegrown, the Marshall School and many more have all helped us out over the years, and we are very thankful.

Many people ask how we can miss so much school on a road trip like this. Due to our university calendar, we only miss three days of classes for this four week road trip. We are on break for 25 of the 28 days. Later in the season will miss a bit more, but our student-athletes, like most skiers around the country, are diligent and hard-working. It’s not easy, but they get the job done.

I am very fortunate to travel with such a great team. They all pitch in when we have to pack up and head to the next venue. I couldn’t ask for a better group of university athletes.

Thanks to our friends out there — we appreciate your support on these long trips. We look forward to seeing you at the races."

-S. Jerome

Here are some images from some of the team members at last year's U.S. Nationals in Anchorage. Best of luck to all the Nanooks as they take to the trails at U.S. Nationals this week in Rumford, Maine.

Nanook Hockey Players Sporting Moustaches, Supporting "Movember"

Several of the Alaska Nanook hockey players have joined together to participate in "Movember" to help raise awareness and funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

The Mo, slang for moustache, and November come together each year for Movember.

Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember commit to growing a moustache for 30 days.

The funds raised through Movember’s US campaign benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The PCF uses the money raised by Movember to fund research that is accelerating the discovery of better treatments and ultimately finding a cure for prostate cancer. One such program is the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center’s research, which has recently made a significant breakthrough. They identified 24 different kinds of prostate cancer and how aggressive each is. This should enable scientists to soon be able to answer the agonizing question facing men with prostate cancer: does their cancer need immediate treatment, and if so what is the best treatment, or can it be left alone?

LIVESTRONG uses the money raised by Movember to fund important programs to support young adults and their families battling and surviving cancer. These programs include:

• Fertile Hope, an initiative dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients and survivors whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.

• My Planet, an online community of peer support that allows young adults to find and communicate with other young adults whose lives have been affected by cancer.

• Continuing Nursing Education program on Young Adult Cancer Survivorship. LIVESTRONG encourage nurses to know the warning signs of cancer, understand what types of cancer for which young adults may be at risk, and learn about cancer screening.

The Nanooks' Movember team includes:

Volunteer Assistant Coach Ryan Reinheller
Forwards: Ron Meyers, Jarrett Granberg, and Justin Filzen
Defensemen: Bryant Molle and Scott Enders
Goalie: Steve Thompson

Check out their team page at: http://us.movember.com/mospace/1174546/index/tp/2

Nanooks Open CCHA With Tie, Shootout Win at MSU

The ninth-ranked Alaska Nanooks got a regulation goal from rookie Cody Kunyk and shootout goals from Colton Beck and Ryan Hohl to secure a 1-1 overtime tie and 2-1 shootout win against the 16th-ranked Michigan State Spartans tonight in East Lansing. Both teams square off again tomorrow at 1 p.m. AKT.

The Blue and Gold are unbeaten against the Spartans in their last four games 2-0-2.

Live game coverage for Saturday's match-up can be heard on KCBF 820 AM or 820sports.com with Bruce Cech on the call. GO NOOKS!

1st Day of Hockey Practice

See the rest on our facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=211706&id=100602557977

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION THIS WEEKEND!

This weekend is Alumni Reunion Weekend at Alaska, and the athletics department will hold its third annual Nanook Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Come out and be a part of the festivities!

The 2010 Nanook Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place this Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Carol Brown Ballroom at the Wood Center. Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased by calling 907-474-7081 or 1-800-770-2586 until Sept. 21, and at 907-474-5977 after the 21st.

All inductees will then attend the Blue vs. Gold hockey game at 5 p.m. at the Patty Center and the volleyball match vs. Simon Fraser 7 p.m. Come out and meet some of the brightest stars to compete at Alaska!

This year's inductees are former athletic director John C. Gilmore, former Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Harris Shelton, and former student-athletes Sigrid Aas (women's skiing and cross country), Mallory Larranaga (volleyball), Melissa Mulloy-Mecozzi (rifle), and Stuart Watkins (rifle).