March 7-12, Reno Events Center 2016Big Sky Basketball Tournament
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THEFour ye arsM of hard work havAe transformCed Joel BoloHmboy from aI raw, NE athletic youngster into a double-double machine and a potential NBA first round draft pick. PLUS... EVOLUTION OF A POWER HITTER MARCH 2016 MILESTONES FOR RANDY RAHE 2016 HALL OF FAME CLASS presented by Volume 2, Issue 1 WeberStateSports.com We Make Your Money Grow! South Ogden Ogden Ben Lomond 4605 Harrison Blvd. 2605 Washington Blvd. 115 Washington Blvd. 801-394-6611 801-409-5000 801-399-4425 II Bleed Purple March 2016 WeberStateSports.com www.bankofutah.com LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM RIVERDALE SUPPORTS WEBER STATE ATHLETICS 801-398-2800 • LHMRiverdale.com LIKE US ON FACEBOOK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER 1481 West Riverdale Rd. Riverdale, Ut 84405 WeberStateSports.com March 2016 Bleed Purple 1 801-398-2800 • LHMRiverdale.com CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP FEATURES 14 EVOLUTION OF A POWER HITTER Coaching and confidence has guided Aly- son Kulp’s path to become one of the best hitters in the Big Sky Conference and to the top of the Weber State softball record books. BY JUSTIN JOHNSON 18 2016 HALL OF FAME CLASS Five former athletes and one former coach were recently inducted into the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame, while a former ath- lete also became the Hall’s first-ever Life- time Achievement recipient. BY PAUL GRUA 26 RAHESING THE BAR Over the last 10 years, Randy Rahe has followed his recipe of running a program the right way, and in the process he has reached uncharted milestones in the ranks of Big Sky Confer- ence head basketball coaches. BY CHRIS J. MILLER 36 THE MACHINE Four years of hard work have transformed Joel Bolomboy from a raw, athletic youngster into a double-double machine and a potential 26 NBA first round draft pick. BY JIM BURTON 43 MADE OF STEAL Over the last four years Regina Okoye has rewritten the WSU steals records while leading a turnaround in the success of the women’s basketball program. BY CORIE HOLMES DEPARTMENTS 14 36 4 FROM THE A.D. 6 SNAPSHOTS 12 PLAYIN’ ON PURPLE with Jeremy Senglin 47 HIGH PERFORMANCE 49 COMPLIANCE CORNER 50 NAME GAME 52 TOP TWEETS 18 43 2 Bleed Purple March 2016 WeberStateSports.com ver the past few months, program continued to add to its several current and for- storied list of achievements over mer Wildcats have been the past month as another pair rewarded with accolades, Ohonors, and/or records, all of the Purple and White. continuedSenior powerto find forwardsuccess withJoel dedication to Weber State and Bolomboy became the school– theirwhich particular accurately sports. reflect their and Big Sky Conference–all-time On behalf of the staff of Bleed leader in rebounds, passing THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WEBER STATE ATHLETICS Purple magazine, I would like to Sojourner’s long-held mark at presented by extend a congratulations to each WSU. and every one of them. Meanwhile, as the Wildcats’ In January, the No. 22 jersey men’s basketball team continued worn by Bruce Collins was lifted to to have success as a group, the the top of the Dee Events Center, wins continued to add up for Volume 2, Issue 1 taking its rightful place alongside head coach Randy Rahe. the No. 35 of Willie Sojourner. Rahe recently became the all- Editor in Chief Darin Hogge Bruce and his teammates helped time leader in Big Sky Conference Executive Editors Paul Grua open the arena with a pair of Chris J. Miller Big Sky titles and three NCAA week of the 2015-16 regular season Corie Holmes games won, and he enters the final Tournament appearances over needing just two more wins to Creative Director Darin Hogge his four years, and he established become Weber State’s all-time Contributing Writers Chris J. Miller a WSU career scoring mark that winningest coach. Jim Burton still stands today. Rahe’s decade at the helm of Corie Holmes Darin Hogge One of Bruce’s teammates, Weber State has been done the Paul Grua Richard Smith, became the last of right way, winning games with a Jerry Bovee the group nicknamed “McCarthy’s clean program, graduating players Julie Hansen Justin Johnson Kids” to be inducted in into the and preparing young men for life. Will Pridemore WSU Athletics Hall of Fame, tak- Weber State has been blessed Photography Robert Casey ing his place alongside Collins, to have had coaches like Rahe Darin Hogge David Johnson and Mark Mattos. and Blaisdell, who have guided Justin Johnson Smith joined former Wildcat student-athletes like Collins, Ad Director Dave Champlain athletes Bruce Covernton (foot- Smith, Howe, King, Thunell and ball), Crystal Howe (women’s Bolomboy. So to all of the recent- basketball), Wiley King (track/ ly honored Wildcats, congratula- EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: WEBERSTATESPORTS.COM football), and Meagan Thunell tions....and thank you. FACEBOOK: facebook.com/WeberStateAthletics (soccer), and former track & TWITTER: @WeberState INSTAGRAM: WSUWildcats Jim Blaisdell as the 2016 Hall of Famefield classand crosswas inducted. country coach Darin Hogge The Weber State men’s basketball Director of Digital Media and Publications ON THE COVER Four years of hard work has transformed Joel Bolomboy from a raw, athletic youngster into a double-double machine and a potential NBA first round draft pick. THEFour ye arsM of hard work havAe transformCed Joel BoloHmboy from aI raw, NE athletic youngster into a double-double machine and a potential NBA first round draft pick. Feature on page 36. Copyright © 2016 by PLUS... EVOLUTION OF A POWER HITTER MARCH 2016 Weber State Athletics Publications MILESTONES FOR RANDY RAHE 2016 HALL OF FAME CLASS presented by Volume 2, Issue 1 WeberStateSports.com Photo by Robert Casey. All Rights Reserved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. WeberStateSports.com March 2016 Bleed Purple 3 From the A.D. A Message from Jerry Bovee his is the 4th edition of made it clear that it was not my “Bleed Purple Magazine” place to tell a soul and he asked that and again I’m excited for you to explore a more I keep his secret in confidence. As in-depth understanding of Over time he informed his family difficult as it was, I did as he asked. Tthe people that contribute in a variety and just two weeks before his passing of ways to the success of the Weber he shared with his team and others State Athletics program. in the department and community In this issue you’ll learn more what he was dealing with, but again about Coach Randy Rahe, who this it was under the premise that it was year became the winningest coach “no big deal,” and that he was in Big Sky men’s basketball history responding well to the treatments. and is on the verge of becoming the I came to admire Smitty for the winningest coach in Weber State wonderful qualities he exhibited. I men’s basketball history. You will have not met many people in my life also learn more about men’s it would be a distraction to us to be that served others as he did! He is basketball all-conference player Joel spending any time worrying about truly an inspiration to all of us as to Bolomboy, senior women’s basketball how we should treat each other. standout Regina Okoye and softball “(Jeff Smith) inspired There is not time here to tell the senior all-everything Alyson Kulp; stories that could be told of his life. That and much, much, more in this all of us who knew him We will miss having Smitty around 4th installment of “Bleed Purple”. to be a little better each to pick us up when we fall down. day, a bit kinder, a bit His passing has left a void in our one as Weber State and the community department that cannot be replaced, This past month was a difficult more patient, a bit more of Ogden lost a great man in coach understanding and above but it has also inspired all of us who Jeff Smith who passed away February knew him to be a little better each 16th after a courageous battle of all a bit more of a servant day, a bit kinder, a bit more patient, Leukemia. “Smitty” as all who knew leader. ” a bit more understanding and above him called him, had served as the all a bit more of a servant leader. Head Women’s Golf Coach for 24 Jeff Smith epitomizes what being a years and was also serving as the to understand, if you really knew Wildcat really means. We’ll miss him. As difficult as that is for many Director of Weber State men’s and Jeff Smith, you grasp it completely him, but we’ll all be better for having women’s golf at the time of his passing. because that is just who he was at known him! I say courageous because in large the core. part, Smitty, fought the battle on his Coach Smith came to see me about Until next time, go Wildcats! own, just the way he wanted to do 18 months ago to let me know he it. Many were shocked to hear that was dealing with a “few” health he had battled this awful cancer, as issues, as he put it. I dug in a bit he truly did not want others to know deeper, and after some time he what he was dealing with. He did admitted it was cancer, but in his Jerry Bovee this primarily because, in his mind, words, “a no big deal cancer.” He also Weber State Director of Athletics 4 Bleed Purple March 2016 WeberStateSports.com WeberStateSports.com March 2016 Bleed Purple 5 Simply Smarter Weber St Program Ad.indd 1 9/15/15 3:56 PM 6 Bleed Purple March 2016 WeberStateSports.com Pole vaulter Shaelynn Wacaser clears the bar at the Weber State Indoor Invitational in WSU’s Stromberg Complex in January.