Athletic Support Services Athletic Performance Center As part of the Adams Center renovation, to increase their performance capabilities. a 7,000-square foot Athletic Performance Chris Wieseman, director of the Athletic Center was created. The current facility is Performance Center, begins his fourth year. twice as large as the previous weight room He came to UM from the University of Ne- that had been used in the Adams Center over braska-Lincoln, from where he graduated in the years. 1999 with a B.S. degree in community health education. The Center, which is home to Grizzly stu- Chris Wieseman Lacey Degnan He spent three years at Nebraska as an dent-athletes, enhances the overall athletic Director Asst. Director performance of the teams. assistant strength coach, developing and The Athletic Performance Center staff de­ implementing various strength and condi­ Beery College with a B.S. degree in psychol­ signs, implements and evaluates strength tioning programs with the Cornhuskers1 ath­ ogy in 1996. Before coming to UM, Lacey and conditioning programs for all Grizzly ath­ letic teams. worked as an intern strength and condition­ letes. A native of Stromsburg, Neb., Wieseman's ing coach for the Miami Dolphins in Nebraska The program incorporates exercises and wife's name is Tara. and at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. drills that are specific to the needs of The Lacey Degnan, the assistant director, also University of Montana’s athletes in an effort begins his fourth year. He graduated from Jean Jacobson Academic Center Cornwall The Jacobson Academic Center is a key component in the success of Grizzly student- Coord, of Athletic athletes in the classroom. In addition to student-athletes independently using the Jacobson Academic Services Academic Center, Athletic Academic Services uses the facility for several of its programs. The Jacobson Academic Center has six computers and a laser printer. In addition, Jean Cornwall has there are five additional spaces for individual studying. A small conference room is avail­ been UM’s Coordina­ able for group studying. tor of Athletic Aca­ Under the guidance of coordinator Jean Cornwall, Athletic Academic Services offers demic Services for tutoring, advising and study tables at the center. The Jacobson Academic Center is lo­ three and a half years. She oversees UM cated on the Adam Center's ground floor, down the hall from the weight room. student-athletes in academic progress, Thanks to the generous contributions of Curt and Lanni Jacobson, student-athletes advising on course curriculum, tutoring, have a computer lab/study room to use during the day with this addition to academic referring to campus support services, services for student athletes. overseeing completion of general edu­ cation requirements, and upholding NCAA academic regulations. Cornwall previously served as UM’s Coordinator of the Four Bear Four-Year Graduation Program from 1995-99. She served as an academic advisor, program assistant, assistant to the director and re­ ceptionist since she began work at UM in 1991. A native of Lewistown, Cornwall re­ ceived a B.A. in psychology from UM in 1995 and is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration. 2002 MONTANA FOOTBALL 100 RhSnehart Athletic Training Center The Rhinehart Athletic Training Center, which boasts 7,200 square feet of space and includes an enlarged rehabilitation area, was remodeled in 1999. Also in­ cluded are athletic trainers’ offices, six hydrotherapy units and a consulting office where nutritionists and doctors can meet with athletes. There are also classrooms for the athletic training curriculum. The RATC provides numerous ways to treat injuries; electrical stimulation units, whirlpools, free weights and balance boards. The primary goal of the athletic training staff is to provide quality care for student-athletes while helping them safely return to competition. When a student-athlete is injured, an athletic trainer evaluates the severity of the injury and renders whatever care is needed. Depending on the extent of the injury, the student-athlete visits the center daily, at least two to three times, for treatment and rehabilitation exercises. The athletic training staff works together with the Athletic Performance staff to monitor the student-athlete's strengthening exercises. Once the student-athletes have regained strength and function, they are allowed to return to the playing field or court. Although athletic trainers provide injury care, they also promote injury prevention. Preventative maintenance occurs in the form of injury-screening processes, flexibility, taping and strengthening exercises. Montana has a well-established athletic training curriculum which allows students to work directly with the student-athletes. Dennis J.C. Weida Jennifer Murphy Asst. Certified Mason Head Certified Athletic Trainer Asst. Certified Athletic Trainer Athletic Trainer J.C. Weida is in his sev­ Dennis is in his 21st enth year as assistant ath­ Jennifer Mason is be­ year as head athletic letic trainer for Grizzly Ath­ ginning her fifth year as an trainer at UM. He oversees letics. His primary respon­ assistant certified athletic the Rhinehart Athletic Treatment Center, sibility is the treatment of UM football play­ trainer. Her responsibilities include primary serves as the primary athletic trainer for ers, but he also assists in all daily activities athletic training duties for volleyball and men’s basketball, and serves as an instruc­ in the athletic training center. women’s basketball in addition to teaching tor for the Department of Health and Human Weida returned to Montana after spend­ various athletic training courses. Mason spent a year as an assistant ath­ Performance. ing the 1995-96 school year as the assistant “Murph” received his B.S. degree from athletic trainer at Pepperdine University in letic trainer at Vanderbilt from 1997-98. She UM in HPE with a specialization in athletic Malibu, Calif. received a B.S. in kinesiology and biology training and adaptive physical education in A native of Deer Lodge, Weida is a double from Colorado in 1995 and earned a master’s 1975. graduate of The University of Montana. He degree in physical education and kinesiol­ He has been certified by the National Ath­ received his B.S. in health and human per­ ogy from Cal State-Hayward in 1997. While letic Trainers Association since 1975. He formance with an emphasis in athletic train­ working on her M.S. degree, she served as served as the assistant athletic trainer and ing in 1992 and his M.S. in exercise sciences a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Cal- lecturer at the University of Arizona from in 1995. He was certified by the National Ath­ Berkeley from 1995-97. She also served as a 1978-80 prior to his appointment at UM. letic Trainers Association (NATA) in June of student athletic trainer at Colorado from Murphy has taught numerous training-re­ 1992. 1992-95. lated classes, has been a guest speaker at J.C. and his wife Renn have three chil­ A native of Genoa, Nevada, Mason was a sports clinics and has written articles for ath­ dren: twins Ezra and Isabella and newborn middle hitter for the Colorado women’s vol­ letic training publications. Murphy is a na­ Maggie. leyball team in 1990 and 1991. She received tive of Ovando. a NACDA Sears Directors’ Cup Postgradu­ ate Scholarship in 1995. She has been certi­ fied by the National Athletic Trainers’ Asso­ Naseby “Doc” Rhinehart came to ciation (NATA) since 1995. Missoula in 1931 from Milwaukee, Wis., to play football and basketball. He also com­ peted in track and field where he had bests of 23 feet in the long jump and 140 feet in the discus. After graduating in 1935 from the Uni­ versity of Montana, Rhinehart was asked if he was interested in becoming the UM head certified athletic trainer. He did and stayed at the University for 47 years, retiring in 1982. He was one of the first people in the nation to develop an athletic training cur­ riculum (1971) at a university. nVTBAUL 2002 MONTANA FOOTBALL 101 Adams Center Western Montana’s Premier Event Center The University of Montana Adams Center is the star host for the trade shows. A variety of gun and antique, home and garden, and Montana Grizzlies and Lady Griz basketball teams as well as many sports shows return every year, as do the ski equipment swap meet, other sports and special events. July of 1998 inaugurated a four- the Shrine Circus, First Night Missoula (the city’s New Year’s cel­ year, $15-million renovation on the Harry Adams Fieldhouse and Dahl- ebration extravaganza) and, bi-annually, the International Choral berg Arena. The result brought a sophistication to the facility that Festival. Other events in the planning are a horse show, a monster has boosted its demand among a variety of sports, public entertain­ truck show, and an NBA exhibition game. ment and educational events. In addition, the Adams Center draws a variety of concerts, such “We are excited about the amenities our facility offers our guests,” as Weezer, Lord of the Dance, Harry Connick, Jr., the Beach Boys, said Mary Muse, Executive Director of the Adams Center. “We con­ and Kenny Chesney. A calendar of events, can be viewed on line at tinue to get great feedback regarding our expanded venues and the adamseventcenter.com. professionalism of our talented staff. Folks who bring events to the Varsity Club Adams Center know our goal is to help them be successful.” The Varsity Club, a 4,000 square foot lounge overlooking the arena Sporting Events floor, is open only to major donors during UM football and basket­ Among the sports events hosted at the Adams Center are UM ball games. Complete with elevator access, upscale food and bev­ basketball, Campus Recreation Intramural sports, UM volleyball, high erage services and its own restrooms, it is also available at reason­ school basketball tournaments, and martial arts tournaments.