FAIRBANKS – Continuing its quest for a first appearance in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament, the Alaska women's basketball team hosts the No. 3 team in the country, instate rival Alaska Anchorage, on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at the Patty Center.
Saturday's game will be sponsored by Ravn Alaska, who will be giving away a pair of roundtrip tickets from Fairbanks to Anchorage at the game. The contest will also serve as a tribute to both Linda Moffitt and Ellen Hannan, with the latter's jersey being retired as part of the ceremonies.
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2015
Opposition: Alaska Anchorage
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Watch Live: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/uaf/
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/uaf/wbball/
Earlier this season, the regionally top-ranked Seawolves defeated the Nanooks, 87-62. However, in that match, Alaska outscored its high-powered opposition in the second half by a 44-36 tally. Kaillee Skjold and Benissa Bulaya each had 11 points to lead the Nanooks while Daron Mainville had ten points.
Last weekend, the Nanooks split with Western Oregon and Saint Martin's at home. Against the Wolves the Nanooks earned a 60-47 win with Skjold recording her fourth double-double (13 rebounds/ten points) of the season and Bulaya scoring a game-high 20 points.
Linda Moffitt Tribute
Linda Moffitt played in the women's basketball program at the University of Alaska from 1972-1976. In the early 1970, the women's basketball team was recognized as a club. After reading a three part series about Women in Sport in Sports Illustrated in 1973, Linda wrote a letter to the Office of Civil Rights about the status of Intercollegiate Athletic at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
As a result Linda's letter, many changes were set in motion, including the first intercollegiate game at the Patty Gym on November 22, 1974. UAF Dahls met cross state rival UAA Sourdoughs coach by UAF alumni, Milo Griffin. Arlon Woodlee coached the UAF team. The UAF players in that first intercollegiate game at the Patty Center were Linda Dolney – Fairbanks, Linda Moffitt – Palmer, Paula Messer – Palmer, Diane Kennedy (Hutchison)– Wasilla, Heidi Hyser – Hudson, Shannon Jones – Cordova, Nancy Cook – Fairbanks, Linda Major (Walsh)– Glennallen, Carol Carlson – Fairbanks, Denise Major (Wallace)– Glennallen, Etta Ahkivgak (Fornier)– Barrow, and Lori Major – Glennallen.
This season is the 40th Anniversary of that first intercollegiate game in Alaska.
This game, we also celebrate Linda's bold action, which resulted in the advancement of equal opportunity for women's athletics at UAF, in Alaska, and the Northwest. Linda Moffitt was the first recipient of the "Gratitude Award" presented by WomenWhoDared.org.
Although Linda passed away August 20, 2014 from cancer complications, her daring action lives on. Her plaque, being presented by Dr. Gary Gray, will be hung in the Hall of Honor at the Patty Gym.
Ellen Hannan Honored
Ellen Hannan, a native of Anchorage, played for the UAF Nanooks 1977-1981. Every year Ellen was a key contributor on the women's basketball team. She worked equally hard on both ends of the court in all practices and games. What was really impressive about Ellen was that her focus was always about the team's success. The records she established were a merely byproducts of her all out efforts. After 33 years, she still holds the top rebounding UAF record at 1013 and she is second in all-time scoring at 2051. What makes her scoring records so amazing is that Ellen played when women used the same size basketball as in the men's game and before the 3 point line was installed.
To recognize Ellen's achievements in March 1981, UAF retired her jersey, #33, and placed it in the award case in the lobby. Ellen's jersey was the first basketball jersey to ever be retired at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. For some unknown reason her jersey disappeared from the trophy case in the Patty Center lobby.
At half time because of the efforts of Dr. Gary Gray her jersey is being rededicated and will be hung in the Hall of Honor at the Patty Gym.
