June 15, 2009
Fairbanks, AK – The University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletic Department announced the hiring of Matthew Dunlap on Monday, as he has been named the men’s and women’s cross country and skiing assistant coach.
Dunlap, 23, of Falmouth, Maine, comes to Fairbanks as a 2008 graduate of Bates College. He was a four-year member of the cross country, ski, and track & field teams at Bates, and the captain of the cross country and skiing team as a senior.
In between graduating from Bates and coming to UAF, Dunlap spent a season coaching at the high school level in Maine. In the fall he helped guide Greely High School in cross country as the assistant coach before landing the head coaching job at North Yarmouth Academy for their Nordic ski team.
“Matt has coached successfully at the high school level,” Nanooks Coach Scott Jerome said. “He has a vibrant personality and is outgoing. I look forward to utilizing those quality in the recruiting process.”
Dunlap has filled the open position left by long time assistant coach, Ingrid Olson. Olson was the Nanooks assistant coach for five years and has moved on to pursue a career in nursing.
“What will be most missed about Ingrid is her commitment to the Alaska Nanooks cross country and skiing teams. Everything she did was about the team.”
Despite not being the assistant coach anymore, Olson will contribute to the team next season from her home in Minnesota. “She has already planned to help us out in Minnesota when we race there.” Jerome stated.
Dunlap’s first season as the Blue and Gold’s assistant coach will be one loaded with talented runners and skiers. Each team returns core athletes which had fine seasons in the 2008-09 campaign, including CCSA skiing champion Julia Pierson, sophomore Theresia Schnurr, who had a break-out freshman season both running and skiing, and Oyvind Watterdal, who led the men’s skiing team and landed a birth at nationals.
