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THE TYEEDIFFERENCEYOUR SUPPORT. THEIR FUTURE. OUR HUSKIES.WINTER 2020HEALTH CARE HUSKIESPAGES 8 – 9 ‘YOU’VE GIVEN US OUR FUTURES’PAGES 4 – 7A CONVERSATION WITH COACH WYNN PAGE 10KARI’S LEGACY PAGE 1 2
THE LESSONS STUDENT-ATHLETES LEARN BUILD A LIFETIME OF SUCCESSBy nature, I’d always tended to be a pessimist rather than an optimist. But after more than 20 years of being inspired by UW student-athletes and coaches, I’ve developed into a glass half-full kind of person who is a far better leader, colleague and human being thanks to what I’ve learned at Washington.My evolution is an example of what every one of our student-athletes takes with them into life after college. What they learn from being on a Husky sports team transcends their time at the UW. Here’s what we all gain by being part of this great Athletic Department:• Recognizing that adversity is a gift and an opportunity to grow• The condence to fail, learn from mistakes, bounce back and compete again• Understanding that success is neither permanent nor promised, but something that depends upon sticking to the process and constantly striving to improve• Respecting and trusting your teammates so you can create something bigger and better than you can ever create alone• Teamwork, collaboration and selessness• Leaning on others and being comfortable with vulnerability• The determination to pursue one’s dreams• The self-awareness to know that you should always keep learning• The wisdom to envision many paths to success and the adaptability to shift toward those unexpected paths• Gratefulness for people like you, our wonderfully supportive donors who inspire so many of our student-athletes to pay your generosity forwardI’m thankful for everyone at UW Athletics, along with the fans and donors, who understand that while we like to win in competition, we love to develop young men and women who win at life.Go Dawgs!THE TYEE DIFFERENCEPublished by the University of Washington Tyee ClubVOLUME 6, NUMBER 1 WINTER 2020UW Tyee Club members support the academic and athletic experiences of more than 650 University of Washington student-athletes in 22 men’s and women’s sports. Your gifts account for nearly 25 percent of the funding we need to recruit the most sought-after student-athletes, hire the best coaches, develop championship teams and build facilities that make the fan experience second to none. You make all the dierence.THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 20202Jennifer Cohen Director of AthleticsSUPPORT THE GAME CHANGER CAMPAIGN FOR HUSKY ATHLETICS! Give your Huskies a competitive edge. Donate to support the education and development of student-athletes and to fuel the success of every UW Athletics team. Learn more at uwtyeeclub.org.WRITTEN BY Teresa Moore, Moore Ink. PR & Fundraising CommunicationsGRAPHIC DESIGNDavidOwenHastings.comUW TYEE CLUBGraves Hall Box 354070 Seattle WA 98195-4070tyeeclub@uw.edu206.543.2234 uwtyeeclub.org
UWTYEECLUB.ORG3BUILT FOR LIFETWO SONS OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES LEARN LIFELONG VALUES FROM UW FOOTBALLElijah Molden knows rst-hand that football doesn’t last forever.The son of Oregon Ducks Hall of Famer and NFL cornerback Alex Molden, the junior defensive back says football has always been in his DNA. Watching his father transition from football to a career in sports marketing taught Elijah to be as focused in the classroom as he is on the eld.“It took my dad a while to nd his passion after he left the NFL. My mom especially wanted me to learn from that. Both my parents always emphasized academics,” says Elijah, Senior oensive lineman Trey Adams, whose father Bud Adams pitched for Vanderbilt before a three-year career in baseball’s minor leagues, echoes his teammate’s praise for UW Football’s emphasis on being “built for life” after sports.“I’ve learned so many things,” says Trey, who graduated with a degree in communications in December. “Coach Pete and all the coaches instill so many values in all the players. Narrowing it down to three, there’s toughness, being able to compete in all you do, and being a good person. You’re still a tough dude who wants to hit people, but the program creates a sense of kindness and an attitude that lets me be who I am.”Trey also points to the “brotherhood” of the team as something he’ll take with him long after he leaves the UW, noting that “some of these guys I’ve played with will be my friends for life.”who carries a 3.5 GPA and earned Academic All-Pac 12 honors in 2018. “And, the team has lots of meetings throughout the year about life after football, something that’s so strongly instilled in this program.”While his sights are set on an NFL career, Elijah says his time at Washington positions him to succeed in whatever his future may hold.“The number one thing I’ve learned here is taking responsibility for everything that happens in my life,” he states.Elijah MoldenTrey Adams
THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 20204‘HUG YOUR SCHOLARSHIP DONORS, HUSKIES!’STUDENT-ATHLETES JOIN THE TYEE CLUB IN SHOWING THEIR DEEPEST GRATITUDEIn a room lled with 250-lb. football players, tiny but powerful gymnasts, and every size and sport in between, scholarship donors took center stage at an annual event to honor their generous contributions.“Hug your scholarship donors, Huskies!” shouted an exuberant Mike Hopkins, Husky Men’s Basketball head coach, who wrapped up an evening of emotional remarks. “Donors, you make everything we do here possible.”Two student-athletes, a former Washington Women’s Basketball player and a scholarship donor proved Coach Hop right as they told their stories from the stage at the Don James Center in Husky Stadium.Tibebu Proctor and Cheryl Rumberger
UWTYEECLUB.ORG5‘YOU’RE HELPING ENTIRE FAMILIES, TOO’Defensive back Myles Bryant always dreamed of playing in the Rose Bowl — for USC.Growing up a stone’s throw from the Southern Cal stadium, Myles was a fan before he even started kindergarten. Although he was a high school standout, all but one small-school scholarship oer dried up by the time he graduated. Myles took a leap of faith to walk on at Washington.“I was condent I could make the team, but it was a big risk for me and for my parents,” he explained. “My father had owned his own real estate company and did really well until the housing crisis in 2008. He fought so hard to keep his business and to support our family, but the crash hit too hard and he lost it.“But my family believed in me. And, despite the nancial hardship, they stepped up to pay out-of-state tuition and I took out some student loans to follow my dreams to Washington.”It didn’t take long for the chance to pay o. Myles proved his worth and earned a scholarship. And in 2018, he proudly played in the Rose Bowl game — for the Huskies, of course.“All of you endowment donors here today li that stress and burden from so many of our families. You’re not just helping all the student-athletes here fulll their dreams, you’re helping entire families, too,” Myles said.‘YOU’VE GIVEN US OUR FUTURES’Like Myles, Husky Softball shortstop Sis Bates adored her sport before she learned to read. Unlike Myles, she was always determined to play for Washington.A 10-year-old Sis watched on television in her hometown of Ceres, California, as Washington won the Women’s College World Series in 2009. She decided then and there that she was going to be a Husky.“It was the rst time I realized that I could play softball in college and that it could be a pathway to a scholarship and a great education,” recalled Sis, the daughter of two cannery workers and, along with her brother Jimmy, the rst in the family to earn a degree.The two-time All-American realized her dreams, and thanked donors “for giving this incredible experience to all of us who are beneting from endowed scholarships. You’ve given us our futures.“Today, even after trips to the College World Series myself, even after living this dream every single day… sometimes I’ll nd myself on the eld, looking around, and still not quite believing that a small-town girl like me is really here,” Sis said. “Wherever I am, whatever I do, I will always be a very proud Husky. I will always love soball. And I will always be grateful for your generosity and support.”Myles Bryant, FootballSis Bates, Softball
THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 20206‘EVERYTHING I AM TODAY WAS SHAPED RIGHT HERE AT UW’Ingrid Russell-Narcisse ticked them o one by one — all the lessons she learned on the basketball court that she still puts to use today as a mother, a friend and a marketing executive with the Seattle Mariners. “The condence and drive to do my best in all things. The belief that all my dreams are within reach and that my thoughts can become reality,” noted Ingrid. “I learned that there are no limits, and even though you are only 5-foot-4 and a walk-on turned scholarship athlete, the only thing stopping me — well, there is nothing that can stop me.“Everything I am comes from the thoughts and experiences of yesterday. And those thoughts, that mindset, was shaped right here at the University of Washington,” she added.“Thirty years aer graduating, I am living proof that support like yours can change the course of someone’s life. Thank you for making that life-changing dierence.”Ingrid Russell-Narcisse, Women’s Basketball Alumnus
UWTYEECLUB.ORG7‘WE CHOOSE TO INVEST IN YOUNG PEOPLE’When Craig and Marilee Eerkes had their rst conversation with the Tyee Club about endowing a scholarship for Husky Football, it didn’t take long for them to respond with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ The Tri-Cities couple had been “seat-related” donors for years, contributing as football season-ticket holders, and gradually learned more about UW Athletics’ vision and philosophy.“We learned that student-athletes, their education, their preparation for life after sports always comes rst. That resonated with us,” Craig told the crowd.Because the principal of endowed scholarships remains intact with investment proceeds funding annual support for student-athletes, the Eerkes considered it a worthy investment. Most importantly, it was a “tting and healing way” for them to honor the memory of their daughter, Laura, who died in a car accident when she was 17.“We want to give young people the chance to better themselves, to pay back the good fortune we’ve had by sharing those kinds of opportunities,” Craig said. “We choose to invest in young people. And what better return on investment can you get than one measured in the next generations’ future success. Thank you all for sharing in the vision to do just that.”If you’d like to invest in the future of young people, call the Tyee Club at 206.543.2234 to learn how you can endow a scholarship. Or, make a gift of any amount to The Competitive Edge Fund, which helps Husky student-athletes become leaders in competition, in the classroom and in life.Craig and Marilee Eerkes with Myles BryantCade Otton, Yong Kinnune, M.J. Ale, Elijah Molden and Levi OnwuzurikeCoach Mike HopkinsCoach Michael Callahan and Jack Story
8THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 2020HEALTH CARE HUSKIESMENTORSHIP AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAM JUMPSTARTS STUDENT-ATHLETES’ MEDICAL CAREERSA botched operation on his broken leg, and the high-tech procedure to rectify it, solidied then 13-year-old Ian Engstrom’s determination to become a doctor.“I was in agonizing pain,” remembers the UW Rower and 3.58 GPA biochemistry major. “After that rst procedure, I had an incredible surgeon. That’s when I realized the quality of doctor you are can make a dramatic change in people’s lives. I want to be a very good doctor and go home every day knowing I helped someone.”Ian is fueling his goal by participating in Health Care Huskies, part of the donor-funded Boundless Futures program. Thanks to connections he’s made, Ian earned a coveted spot last summer at Fred Hutch — widely considered the world’s best cancer research center. He also interned at MIT and recently won a UW Levinson Emerging Scholars award to nance his research.“Not only can you get a great education at Washington and be a member of an awesome rowing team, but you get to take part of all these amazing research experiences,” he says.
UWTYEECLUB.ORG9SOCCER PLAYER TURNS MEDICAL MENTORHematologist Filippo Milano, who chose medical school over a pro soccer career as a 17-year-old in Italy, never lost his passion for the game. After he came to Seattle to focus on cord-blood transplants at Fred Hutch, he played a pick-up match with intramural athletes at the UW. That led to a connection to UW Men’s Soccer and, ultimately, the Health Care Huskies program.As a mentor who advises student-athletes on everything from what it’s like to be a physician, the majors that will prepare them for health care careers, mastering medical school applications and more, Dr. Milano says “every UW student who has come to me has already learned critical skills for this profession.“Bedside manner begins with understanding the people around you — sports prepare you for that,” he explains. “Perseverance, diligence and the drive to never quit, the re in your eyes and the will to sacrice — this is what medical school is about.“Another thing that is incredible about UW Athletics is that they know not every student-athlete can play professionally. They need a degree so academics and this (Health Care Huskies) program works. For me, who loves education and sports, the UW system is beautiful.”LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERSWashington Women’s Soccer player Sam Kokoska, who graduated in 2019 with a degree in bioengineering and is now at Columbia University’s medical school, praised the role that Health Care Huskies played in preparing her for her studies and career.Filippo Milano, MD, PhD., and Ian Engstrom“Dr. Milano had lots of advice and I was grateful for it,” Sam says. “It’s good to hear from somebody in the eld to learn about their path, what helped them, their regrets, what they wish they’d have known, how to be happy in med school as a work-life balanced student.”Ian met with Dr. Milano every month last year and still sees him regularly, as do Husky student-athletes from several other sports.“We planned out the classes I should take, when to study for the MCAT, benets and drawbacks of taking a gap year, studying abroad for a year, going directly to med school, and what would be the best plan for me,” Ian says. “He also brought me into patient consults so I could see how patients deal with life and death news.”With knowledgeable and impassioned head starts like these, countless student-athletes can look forward to fullling health care careers.
10THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 2020CONVERSATION WITH COACH: JODY WYNN, WOMEN’S BASKETBALLThis is the rst Q-and-A with a Husky head coach that will appear regularly in The Tyee Dierence.YOU FINISHED STRONG LAST SEASON. HOW ARE YOU BUILDING ON THAT MOMENT?Being able to play to our potential to nish last year, upsetting two teams in the Pac-12 tournament to go to the seminals, carried us into a good spring and o-season of training. We have more depth and experience now along with four new recruits who provide us with size and a defensive mentality.TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR TEAM’S IMPROVED PERFORMANCE THIS SEASON?Experience, experience, experience! Our returners not only all received quality playing time last season, but they all played in big games and in pressure situations. This experience has transferred into our current season with more court awareness, condence and overall knowledge of the game. Our ladies have worked hard to improve their skills and are determined to lead UW back to the Big Dance!WHEN YOU’RE REBUILDING A PROGRAM, HOW IMPORTANT IS FAN SUPPORT?Incredibly important. We need to get people back in the seats. Our girls are working so hard and doing so well on the court and in class. It’s deating when they don’t get the encouragement and support in the arena. They’re proud Huskies and good citizens. They want to do what’s right and to win. We’d like to see our community rally behind our Huskies to improve attendance like so many other women’s basketball teams have done throughout our conference.WHAT ROLE DO TYEE CLUB DONORS PLAY IN YOUR SUCCESS?Donors give us the chance to compete in high-prole national tournaments against some of the best teams in the nation. That bolsters our condence and helps us hone our skills. This fall, donations supported a two-day teambuilding and leadership development experience called The Program. The student-athletes learned how to create a positive culture and to trust each other — and it showed on and o the court. This year, we hope to purchase leading-edge technology that delivers statistics and analytics instantly and will make handwritten stat-tracking obsolete and provide us with more accurate data to streamline our practices and help players avoid injuries.JODY WYNN is in her third year as the Head Coach of UW Women’s Basketball. To learn how you can support her team or other Husky athletic programs, go to UWTyeeClub.org.
Dave and Ruth Cohn Alumni Merit Award Recipients2019 Pete Shimer2018 Mary Whipple Murray2017 Bruce Harrell2016 Eric Cohen2015 Patricia “Trish” Bostrom2014 Blake Nordstrom2013 Jim Lambright2012 Mike Rohrbach2011 Bob Houbregs2010 John Wilcox2009 Denise Ashbaugh2008 Steve Hawes2007 Andre Riley2006 Lorenzo Romar2005 Tom Turnure2004 Bruce Richards2003 Greg Lewis2002 Bill Douglas2001 Warren Moon2000 John Buller1999 Bruce Kramer1998 John Meyers1997 Bob Flowers1996 Rick Redman1995 Norm Dicks1994 Charles Mitchell1993 Dick Sprague1992 Frank Orrico1991 John Nordstrom1990 Rich Worthington1989 Torchy Torrance1988 Jim McCurdy 11COHN AWARD HONOREE PETE SHIMERLAUDS ‘THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK’Every day during his more than 35-year career with Deloitte, now as Chief Operating Ocer, Pete Shimer says he employs the values and skills he honed as a UW student-athlete in the early 1980s.“I cherish to this day the lessons I learned: how to scout the opposition and prepare, to be an eective teammate, put your head down and compete, and come back from defeat,” the former Husky Basketball player says. “After I graduated, I felt compelled to begin to give back immediately.”From giving of his time as a young professional during the 1989 NCAA Final Four in Seattle, to serving on the Tyee Club Advisory Board, and donating generously to support the Athletic Department, Pete earned the 2019 Dave and Ruth Cohn Alumni Merit Award.The Foster School graduate explains that he and his wife, Laurel, who was a Husky cheerleader, developed four guiding pillars for their philanthropy centering on youth, education, athletics and faith. Their gifts to Washington Athletics include supporting academic and career/life preparation programs as well as endowing a Women’s Soccer Scholarship. Their daughter, Sarah, was a UW goalkeeper and all four Shimer kids earned UW degrees.“I feel so fortunate to have had the experience of being a student-athlete at UW,” Pete says. “I’m grateful now for the opportunity to give back and make that experience possible for other young men and women.”UWTYEECLUB.ORGPHOTO: Foster School of Business
THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 202012KARI’S LEGACYTHE OSTERHAUG FAMILY TURNS A TRAGEDY INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UW WOMEN’S ROWERS“Kari’s university years were primarily dened by her participation in the University of Washington women’s crew and I always recall with relish the excitement of those years.”Kari’s Bog, A Mother’s Journey Through Her Daughter’s Life, Brutal Death and Legacy, a book by Ingrid Osterhaugbelieved in the value of the work as a team eort by people with shared values and goals.”Married more than 60 years, the couple endured a heartbreak no parents should ever have to face: Kari’s death at age 31, pregnant with her rst child, at the hands of her mentally ill husband.“We were so impressed with the UW Rowing program and what it had done for Kari that aer we got over the initial trauma of losing her, we thought we should contribute something,” explains John.“It is what Kari would have wanted,” Ingrid emphasizes.The Osterhaugs decided to endow a scholarship in their daughter’s honor — the very rst endowed scholarship fund for UW Women’s Rowing.“The opportunity to endow the scholarship meant so much to us because her rowing days were such a bright era of her life,” Ingrid adds. “We get great satisfaction in knowing we can help other young women have a chance at the experiences Kari had.”Kari Osterhaug had always loved the water, sailing and canoeing and swimming with her parents and four older siblings. But she’d never rowed crew until she showed up as a walk-on for UW Rowing tryouts her freshman year in 1989.“She walked in and never walked out,” recalls her mother, Ingrid. “She was very positive and very encouraging of her teammates, and they loved her for that, electing her co-captain in her senior year. It was the camaraderie that brought her out every morning for practice before 6:00 a.m.”“The total team atmosphere allowed Kari to discover who she was in terms of values,” echoes Kari’s father, John. “She became a passionate environmental scientist and clearly
UWTYEECLUB.ORG13THERE’S NO PLACE LIKEHOMETHREE-POINT RECORD-HOLDER RYAN APPLEBY RETURNED TO WASHINGTON AND NOW GIVES BACK TO SUPPORT TODAY’S STUDENT-ATHLETESGrowing up in a rural area of small-town Stanwood, Washington, Ryan Appleby developed a single-minded focus on basketball.“There wasn’t much else to do there except play sports,” he laughs. “Both my parents were big into sports, so my two sisters and I were, too.”Fortunately for the UW, Ryan’s singular focus produced a record-setting three-point shooter (in a single game and in a season) for the Huskies, but his college basketball journey took a temporary 3,000-mile detour. As a top-40 recruit in 2003, he signed with Florida. By the end of his rst season, the negative culture of that school’s basketball program drove him home to Washington.“Playing for the UW was such a positive experience and it was rewarding to play at home,” says Ryan, who played professionally with the Idaho Stampede for two years after graduating in 2008 with a degree in sports management. He also founded and still operates a basketball clinic and camp for kids.As a real estate broker with Westcott Homes, Ryan now nds himself in a position to give back to the program that he says gave him so much. He recently made a generous gift to The Competitive Edge Fund and supports both Women’s and Men’s Basketball as a season-ticket holder.“From a team setting, you learn how to work with other people, to make sacrices, to understand dierent personalities, to thrive under pressure, and to manage your time and balance your life,” Ryan states.“I valued my time and experiences as a student-athlete at the UW. It helped me grow as a person and in my work. When you feel grateful like that, you want to nd a way to give back. If other Husky alumni take the time to reect on the experiences they’ve had here and feel gratitude for them, they’ll be compelled to invest in today’s student-athletes, too.”
THE TYEE DIFFERENCE WINTER 202014SETTING THE TABLE FOR SUCCESSYOUR SUPPORT IS THE KEY INGREDIENT IN THE HUSKIES’ FABULOUS FINISHESFrom team travel to high-tech equipment, leading-edge training to scholarships, the generosity of Tyee Club members paved the way for proud achievements in fall sports. Washington was one of just three Division I schools to have four dierent sport teams compete in NCAA post-seasons and be chosen for a Bowl game. A DECADE OF BOWL GAMESFor the tenth year in a row, Washington Football earned a post-season Bowl berth, beating Boise State 38-7 in a farewell victory for Coach Chris Petersen.
UWTYEECLUB.ORG15TOP FOUR FINISH FOR MEN’S SOCCERAfter winning the Pac-12 championship, Coach Jamie Clark’s team (17-4) reached the NCAA quarternals before losing 2-1 to Georgetown.ELITE HONORS FOR VOLLEYBALLCoach Keegan Cook took his UW Volleyball team to the Elite Eight for the third time in the last ve years. The Huskies lost to No. 1 seed Baylor following a 27-7 season. Huskies Kara Bajema and Ella May Powell were named All-Americans.CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS PLACE HIGHFor just the sixth time in school history, and the second year in a row for Coaches Maurica and Andy Powell, Women’s and Men’s cross country teams posted top 20 NCAA nishes. The Washington women nished 11th and the men’s team placed 19th.WOMEN’S SOCCER BACK TO THE TOURNEYFor the rst time since 2015, and in the 26th and nal season for Head Coach Lesle Gallimore, Women’s Soccer returned to the NCAA Tournament. The team lost 2-0 to the University of South Florida in the second round following a 13-6-2 season.
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONBox 354070 Seattle WA 98195-4070tyeeclub@uw.edu 206.543.2234 uwtyeeclub.orgTHE LEGACY OF COACH PETEON THE FIELD, COACH CHRIS PETERSEN LEFT A REMARKABLE LEGACY: 55 UW victories, six post-season Bowl games, two Pac-12 titles, one College Football Playo appearance and six consecutive Apple Cup victories over WSU. But his most lasting legacy can be found in his impact on the lives of the young men he coached.“You kind of naturally become the guy you’re really destined to be… because Coach Pete will do everything he can to help you make sure you reach your potential. The four years I spent playing for this man were the best of my life. There is no one else like him.” BEN BURR-KIRVEN (2015-18), SEATTLE SEAHAWKS“He denitely prepared me for the real world, how to respect others, how to respect myself and how to love this game every day.” EZEKIEL TURNER (2014-17), ARIZONA CARDINALS“I denitely became a man under Coach Petersen.” KEVIN KING (2013-16), GREEN BAY PACKERS“He really put life into perspective for all of us. With every meeting we had, he had important points he wanted to make. He really did a good job preparing us.” DANNY SHELTON (2011-14), NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS “I will forever be grateful, honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to coach our ne young men on Montlake for these past six seasons. I’ll be a Husky for life.” COACH CHRIS PETERSEN“I wouldn’t be where I am today without this man, he believed in me before I truly believed in myself. He played a huge role in my life both on and o the eld and college football won’t be the same without him.” DREW SAMPLE (2014-18), CINCINNATI BENGALS