UAB HEAD C OACHES WATSON BROWN MIKE DAVIS MERT ERTUNGA MIKE GETMAN FOOTBALL MEN’S BASKETBALL WOMEN’S TENNIS MEN’S SOCCER LORI GOODWIN PAUL HARBIN ALAN KAUFMAN KERRY MESSERSMTIH RIFLE WOMEN’S SOCCER MEN’S GOLF VOLLEYBALL LISA RIDDELL BRIAN SHOOP AUDRA SMITH RAY STANFIELD SYNCHRONIZED BASEBALL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY/ SWIMMING TRACK & FIELD DEREK TARR MARLA TOWNSEND KIM WILCOX MEN’S TENNIS SOFTBALL WOMEN’S GOLF 145 A CADEMIC S UPPORT S ERVICES AB Associate Athletic Director for Academic Support Services Judy Sackfield and her staff are responsi- Uble for overseeing the educational development and progress towards graduation for all student-athletes. The staff acts as the liaison between the student-athlete and the academic communities and insures that student-ath- letes comply with academic rules established by the univer- sity, the NCAA, and Conference USA. The staff also coordi- nates academic programs designed to assist the student-ath- letes in acquiring a quality education as well as programs to promote personal and career development. The Academic Center for Athletes (AC4A) program wants to ensure that student-athletes succeed to their high- est academic ability and that any possible educational disad- vantages resulting from their participation in intercollegiate sports are offset. Inherent in the program is the philosophy A special orientation program helps student-athletes in that student-athletes take responsibility for their own growth their transition from high school to college. They learn what and development while receiving maximum support. The is expected of them, what the university’s responsibility to academic unit’s goals are to prepare student-athletes for them is and what adjustments they will need to make in order viable careers, to assist them in securing degrees and to pro- to succeed. The orientation provides an introduction to UAB duce responsible citizens. during which student-athletes’ questions are answered by The AC4A is located in the newly-renovated Bell Building coaches, faculty, administrators and other students. across from Bartow Arena and is within walking distance from all campus dormitories. The AC4A has a computer lab, which ACADEMIC SUPPORT STAFF has the latest technology to meet all the student-athletes’ needs, private and group study rooms, study halls, meeting rooms, a writing lab and math lab. The computer lab is available to all student-athletes and is staffed by a qualified computer support assistant. The computer lab offers wireless, high-speed connection to the Internet as well as access to all programs available from other academic units on campus. The AC4A advisors, in conjunction with specific major advisors, work with student-athletes on necessary require- Judy Sackfield Tony Dollison ments for their chosen degree. The AC4A advisors also help Associate Athletic Director for Assistant Athletic Director for plan class schedules, keeping in mind academic standing, Academics Academics practice, travel and competition schedules. In cooperation with faculty members, the AC4A advisors periodically review the academic performance and class attendance of all student-athletes. The staff monitors the progress of each student-athlete toward graduation. All aca- demic progress information is shared with the athletes, coach, and director of athletics. Sidney Ball Ian Potter Academic Advisor Academic Advisor Josh Watson Academic Advisor/Tutor Coord. 146 A THLETIC T RAINERS Athletic Trainers are health care providers who specialize in the coverage of all in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of intercollegiate athletic injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physical- teams at UAB. ly active. Unfortunately, athletic injuries are a fact of life in The Certified college athletics. Over the years tremendous strides have Athletic Trainers at been made in the evaluation, treatment and the rehabilitation UAB work under the of athletic injuries; and with it the realm of sports medicine direction of team has developed into a full-fledged medical specialty. physicians Dr. Bill At UAB, the student-athlete is sure to be just minutes Garth and Thomas away from the best medical care possible. This is achieved Hunt,renowned ortho- with the combined resources of a world-class medical center, pedic surgeons, and medical school, and a highly qualified sports medicine team Dr. Brenda Baumann, of orthopedic surgeons, general practitioners, and certified UAB’s general practi- athletic trainers. tioner. Additionally, The first line of defense is the athletic training staff led by Dr. Baumann is board Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Training Mike Jones, certified in both emer- MAE, ATC/L, NREMT-I. Jones is assisted by three assistant gency medicine and athletic trainers. Bryan Koch oversees men’s sports and is family practice medicine. the primary trainer for the men’s basketball program; Pat “We feel that our Sports Medicine program represents a Sawyer is the assistant athletic trainer for the football pro- marriage between great medical centers, a great sports med- gram; while Mandy Miller is in charge of women’s sports and icine clinic, and a great athletics program,” said Dr. Garth. is the primary athletic trainer for the women’s basketball pro- “Through injury prevention and recognition, we try to allow gram. The assistant athletic trainers assist in the day-to-day each student-athlete to participate and reach their full poten- operation of the athletic training rooms and care of the entire tial on the playing field. At the same time, the student-athlete student athlete population. The athletic training department and their parents can be assured that the best medical care also employs eight graduate assistant athletic trainers to aid is just seconds away.” Mike Jones Bryan Koch Liz Landrum Mandy Miller Pat Sawyer Assistant AD/Athletic Training Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Football Men’s Basketball Football/Women’s Soccer Women’s Basketball Football Amanda Bonner Julio Hernandez Tracy Johnson Graduate Assistant Graduate Assistant Graduate Assistant Women’s Soccer Football/Baseball Cross Country/Track & Field Sean Mohatt Colin Myers Stephanie Nitsch Graduate Assistant Graduate Assistant Graduate Assistant Men’s Soccer Football Softball 147 S TRENGTH A ND C ONDITIONING UAB STRENGTH & CONDITIONING The phrase “off-season” no longer applies to the world of intercollegiate athletics; today’s student-athletes must stay fit throughout the year. Whether it is to become more capable for the upcoming season, maintain strength, flexibility and cardiovascular conditioning during active competition, or to rehabilitate an injury, the competitive student-athlete needs a comprehensive strength and condi- tioning program. At UAB, the strength and conditioning pro- gram for basketball is extremely rigorous and challenging. Director of Strength and Conditioning Stacey Torman and strength coach Marcus Bush combine the latest tech- The Bartow Arena weight rooms and fitness center are the focal niques and scientific research with a lot of point of the strength and conditioning effort with the Blazer ath- good old-fashioned hard work in the weight letic program. room, running track and the basketball court. In addition, Torman and head basketball trainer Bryan Koch closely supervise daily stretching and other preventative measures, as well as rehabilitation efforts for injured Strength and players. Conditioning Coach Marcus Bush is a for- At the heart of the program is a trio of refur- mer college football bished weight rooms inside Bartow Arena, as player and knows well as the dedication and creativity of the what it takes to be coaching staff. competitive on the The high priority placed upon the strength football field; and conditioning program by UAB head coach Director of Strength Mike Davis and his staff is expected to pay big and Conditioning dividends this season and in the years to Stacey Torman come. (below) is a former competitive body builder and volley- ball coach. 148 • The eighth overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft, selected by Cleveland. She now plays with the Indiana Fever. • Ranks second all-time in school history in career scoring with 2,144 points • Was a two-time All-American and two-time C-USA Player of the Year during her illustrious career with the Blazers • Named the Conference USA Men's Golf Athlete of the Decade in April, 2005. • Winner of the 2002 Fred Haskins Award • Finished tied for fourth at the 2002 NCAA Men's Golf Championships • Current member of the PGA & European Tours DEANNA JACKSON GRAEME MCDOWELL • First Blazer in history to be chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft, taken 22nd overall by the New York Jets in 2002. • Anchored the Blazers’ “Steel Shield” defense which led the nation in rushing defense in 2001 and ranked fifth in overall defense RODDYRODDY WHITEWHITE VONETTAVONETTA FLOWERSFLOWERS • Taken 27th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons BRYANBRYAN • Teamed with Jill Bakken to win the • Named to the All-C-USA first THOMASTHOMAS gold medal in the women's bobsled team and honored as an All- event in the 2002 Winter Olympics American by the Associated • Named to the C-USA All-Decade Team Press in 2004 in track in 2005 • Led the nation with 1,472 yards • Was a seven-time NCAA All-American receiving as a senior and six-time conference MVP • Had 253 yards against Tulane, • Won conference titles in the 100 the most in a single game in the meters, 200 meters, long jump, and nation in 2004 triple jump Summer, 1977: Coach its first season of varsity play at the Division III level. Gene Bartow is hired as Blazer volleyball and baseball win the first Great UAB’s first intercollegiate Midwest Championship. UAB places its first men’s athletics director and head tennis players, Frank Schaffner and Karl Steffen, in basketball coach. NCAA Tournament play. Preparations begin for the 1992-93: Men’s basketball reaches the NIT Final hiring of coaches and sup- Four, defeating Alabama, Clemson, Southwest port staff, recruitment of stu- Missouri State and Providence.