FAIRBANKS – Saturday, Jan. 28 will be a special day for the Nanooks men's basketball program and the Alaska Nanooks Department of Athletics as they commemorate and retire #24 for Brad Oleson.
The Nanooks will celebrate the #24 during halftime of the men's basketball game at 1:15 p.m. against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. After the jersey retirement ceremony, Oleson will drop the puck at game six of the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup at 7:07 p.m. in the Carlson Center.
Saturday, Jan. 28
Men's Basketball @ 1:15 p.m. – Jersey retirement ceremony, halftime celebration and presentation | Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center |
Tickets
Hockey @ 7:07 p.m. – Puck drop at Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup versus UAA | Carlson Center |
Tickets
The History
Oleson's roots run deep in the Fairbanks and North Pole communities as he hails from North Pole, Alaska and was a North Pole High School graduate before attending Peninsula College from 2001-02 before returning home to play for the Nanooks from 2002-05. His presence was immediately felt; the year before Oleson joined, the Nanooks went 4-23 overall, but after coming home, Oleson helped Alaska go 64-24 overall the next three years.
In his first season back, he helped the Nanooks team win the Top of the World Tournament at the Carlson Center. They knocked-off the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first round, Nebraska in the semifinals and Weber State in the Championship; they became the first NCAA DII men's team to win an eight-team tournament against all Division I teams. That first year in the blue and gold, Oleson averaged 17.18 points per game and led the 'Nooks to a 20-8, 13-5 GNAC record for a Co-GNAC Regular-Season Championship with Cal Poly Humboldt (then Humboldt State). The Nanooks were selected as the #5-seed in the West Region Tournament but fell to #4-ranked Cal Poly Pomona 80-76, ending their season in the first round. The following year, Oleson and the Nanooks were back and even more dangerous. This season he averaged 22.86 points per game and won his first GNAC Player of the Year award. He led Alaska to a 23-7, 14-4 GNAC record, placing second in the conference behind Humboldt State. They once again made the NCAA Division II Tournament as the #5-seed. This time they won their Round of 64 matchup with #4 Cal State Bakersfield, 91-82. They then took the #1-seed and host, Cal State San Bernardino to overtime before coming out victorious 82-78.
With the win, the Nanooks went to the Regional Final and Sweet 16 for a matchup with GNAC-foe Humboldt State. The 'Nooks fell to Humboldt 64-60.
In his final season, Oleson led the Nanooks to the Sweet 16 again. He also went back-to-back with GNAC Player of the Year honors, posting 24.43 points per game. His play earned him conference, region and national honors and helped the Nanooks earn another Co-GNAC Regular-Season Championship. This year they finished 21-9, 13-5 GNAC and tied with Western Washington for the Conference Championship and earned them the #5-seed at the 2005 NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament. They kicked-off the Regional with a 65-59 win over Cal State San Bernardino before defeating the #1-seed and host Western Washington 88-66 to advance to their second-consecutive Sweet 16/Regional Final. The Nanooks unfortunately fell to Cal Poly Pomona 86-75.
In his three seasons, Oleson rewrote the history books, finishing as the Nanooks' all-time leading scorer with 1,883 points and setting a new GNAC record, winning nine GNAC Weekly honors. In his hometown of North Pole, Alaska, April 24 is now officially "Brad Oleson Day".
Career Accolades
- 2005 Daktronics First Team All-American
- 2005 National Basketball Coaches Association First Team All-American
- 2005 Basketball Times First Team All-American
- 2005 Division II Bulletin First Team All-American
- 2004 Division II Bulletin Third Team All-American
- 2005 National Basketball Coaches Association All-West Region First Team Selection
- 2003 & 2004 National Basketball Coaches Association All-West Region Second Team Selection
- 2005 Daktronics All-West Region First Team Selection
- 2004 Daktronics All-West Region Second Team Selection
- 2004 & 2005 All-West Regional Tournament Selection
- 2004 & 2005 GNAC Player of the Year
- 2004 & 2005 First Team All-GNAC Selection
- 2003 Second Team All-GNAC Selection
- Nine career GNAC Player of the Week honors
- 2003 Top of the World Tournament MVP
- 2003 & 2005 GNAC Steals Leader
- 2004 & 2005 GNAC Scoring Leader
- 2005 GNAC 3PT Made Leader
- 2005 USBL All-Rookie Team
- 2005 USBL Champion
- 2007 Spanish LEB2 Champion
- 2009 Spanish League Rising Star
- 2010 & 2014 Spanish League Champion
- 2013 Spanish Cup Winner
- 2015 Spanish Supercup Winner
Pro Career
Following Oleson's time in Fairbanks, he played professional basketball from 2005-2020. He began his professional career with the Dodge City Legend of the USBL before moving to Rosalía de Castro in the Spanish LEB2 League and later the Spanish LEB League. Later in 2008, he joined Fuenlabrada in the Spanish ACB League. He was named the 2009 Spanish League Rising Star before joining Caja Laboral after his rights were transferred. After playing with them from 2009-13, he joined FC Barcelona from 2013-17. He spent 2017-19 with UCAM Murcia and Myntas BC before retiring.
Oleson now resides back in Fairbanks with his wife and two kids.
For more information on Alaska Nanooks athletics, follow @AlaskaNanooks on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks athletics page on Facebook.
