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Show SPORTS The pursuit of athletic supremacy A6 Bill Walsh disciple Vince Otoupal takes over as UVU athletic director with the promise of sustainable results against the best athletic programs in the nation By Kyle Spencer Sports Editor @kyledspencer When Mike Jacobsen announced that he would step down this summer, President Holland faced the challenge of filling the shoes of a leader that had guided a small trade school from athletic irrelevance to the Western Athletic Conference. After a lengthy interview process that included formal presentations from the four finalists selected from the original list of 80 hopefuls, he selected Vince Otoupal as athletic director to succeed the revolutionary Jacobsen. "Vince Otoupal brings a dynamic blend of personal energy and extensive leadership experience from a variety of institutions with top-flight athletic and aca- demic programs," said President Holland. "Such a combination is just what UVU needs right now, especially as we move into the Western Athletic Conference and seek to raise the level of our game across every sport we play." The announcement signaled the beginning of a new era at UVU, one where the dream of competing for a national championship isn't merely at the mercy of a selection committee. The introduction of the Seattle, Wash. native Otoupal fills the void left by Jacobsen with a well-qualified professional that personifies the toughness he learned as a devil dog. For the past four years Otoupal held the same position that he will officially inherit next month at California State University Monterey Bay. Before CSUMB, Otoupal was able to acquaint himself with the WAC as he served for three years as athletic administrator at San Jose State University. Other bullets on his résumé range from achieving four year-letterman status as a college football player at Stanford, to becoming an officer in the Marine Corps, and returning to his alma mater to work in various capacities within the athletic department. "Athletics is a small world and people talk," Otoupal said. "When there's really good opportunities like the one at UVU, you are encouraged to apply. Watching what Mike Jacobsen has done and what President Holland's vision is for the university and for athletics, I got continually more and more excited and interested in the opportunity. The more people I got to know that are at the university – the coaches and some of the student-athletes – the more I saw that it was something I wanted to be a part of." The excitement that the new face of Wolverine athletics feels regarding his role as director is contagious as he sheds light on his plans for the future. His time as a player under the legendary Bill Walsh taught him to dream big and equipped him with administrative knowledge of how to obtain desired results. "I am going to try and share with UVU and Wolverine athletics some of the lessons of coach Walsh," said Otoupal. "He was my coach and also my mentor. One of them is to value the people who are around you. They're the ones that you're focused on. Whether it's your student-athletes or your assistant coaches or the people you are supposed to take care of." It may simply be a coincidence that Otoupal takes the reins just months before UVU begins its time in an automatic qualifying conference, but the ability to compete for Division I national championships definitely added appeal to the job opening. "It's huge," Otoupal responded when asked about the importance of joining the WAC. "It sets up new challenges and new opportunities in front of our coaches and student-athletes. With those great challenges comes great reward. We're going to have the opportunity to win championships and be recognized on a different level and on a different scale for our academics." First he must secure housing in order to finalize his family's move to the friendly confines of happy valley, but Otoupal is eager to start his work in developing an athletic program that constantly inspires current students, alumni and future Wolverines to take pride in its accomplishments. In ) PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINT BURGI Otoupal's diverse experiences distinguished him from the other candidates Jacobsen's earlier years on the job, the school was simply a technical college and had only five sports teams. Otoupal will manage a department that consists of 16 athletic programs. Due to his athletic pedigree the repetitive football question will undoubtedly arise during his tenure, yet Otoupal remains adamant that the present state of UVU athletics is how it ought to be. "The sports that we have now are our focus," Otoupal answered, not yet weary of the inquiry. "As we enter the WAC, we continue to move forward with our sports. The sports we have now are the right ones for UVU." While every UVU athletic supporter would rejoice at the announcement of a Wolverine football team, the bond between a loyal fan and his or her team is forged through the belief that greatness is attainable, Under the direction of Vince Otoupal excellence will not be simply an aspiration, but an expectation. A professional at heart Former UVU men's basketball star makes a push to play professionally By Garrett Coleman Assistant Sports Editor 66 "This is an opportunity to make a lot of money and to get better." garrettjcoleman@gmail.com Becoming a professional athlete is not the easiest task to complete. It takes a lot of dedication, practice and heart to make it in the leagues where the highest level of athleticism is displayed. For former UVU men's basketball standout Nick Thompson, the road to play pro ball is paved with confidence. Thompson, a transfer from Oklahoma, made the most of his time as a Wolverine. Night after night he proved that he was talented enough to play and be PHOTO COURTESY OF DESERET NEWS Nick Thompson UU successful at the collegiate level. Thompson was one of two players who started all 32 games for UVU and led the team in assists with 133-4.2 per game. He became the first player in the program's NCAA Division I history to record a triple-double, with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a game against Austin Peay. Nick Thompson's hard work during his senior year helped him get noticed by professional scouts. Thompson, who grew up in Clearfield, Utah, got a chance to participate in a preNBA draft workout with the Utah Jazz; a team he has been a fan of since childhood. The opportunity is not one that many college basketball players receive, especially out of a lesserknown school. "[The Jazz workout] went really well," explained Thompson. "It was a great experience to meet everybody in the organization, especially the general manager. It was also really great to be getting my name out there." While the workout does not translate to a guarantee that Thompson will be suiting up in Jazz purple come fall 2013, or for any NBA team for that matter, it does allow him to take crucial steps towards a professional basketball future. The workout allows Thompson to see where he stands in the opinions of NBA executives, who are not shy when it comes to telling a player where they need improvement. Although many players who work out for NBA teams go undrafted, many of them also receive the opportunity to shine in Europe with a professional team. Thompson sees this as a chance to get his professional career started and to sharpen his game. "Obviously I would like to play in the NBA," Thompson stated. "I have gotten some offers to play in Europe. This is an opportunity to make a lot money and to get better so that I can play in the NBA someday." Playing in Europe has been the destination for many former college basketball players that played in the state of Utah. Former BYU basketball star Travis Hansen took his game to Russia and has enjoyed a long, fruitful career. Former UVU star Ryan Toolson also has had major success in the Spanish leagues and continues to improve. "I can play anywhere," Thompson said. "I want to play for a solid organization and where I can play soon." It doesn't really matter for Thompson where he ends up, as long as he gets to play the sport that he loves. That type of heart, blended with the confidence he already has, will unquestionably lead to a long and successful career. Palmer chosen to perpetuate UVU softball winning ways UVU selects Nikki Palmer to lead the lady Wolverines after their record-setting season By Kyle Spencer Sports Editor @kyledspencer Establishing a program that is not only successful, but also able to supersede its previous achievements on an annual basis is every coach's hope. The past two seasons, UVU softball has topped its win total from the previous season, yet after each of the past two seasons it has also lost its head coach. New head coach Nikki Palmer looks to maintain the pattern of arriving at higher levels of success previously unimagined, while lending stability to a position that has lately resembled a revolving door. "Coach Palmer has all of the qualifications," said incoming UVU athletic director Vince Otoupal. "I just sent her an email congratulating her and welcoming her to Wolverine athletics. Thompson was one of two UVU players to start every game for the Wolverines last season. PRESTON OLSEN/UVU REVIEW PHOTO COURTESY OF UTAH STATE ATHLETICS Palmer takes over for Coach Hartgrove, who left UVU due to personal reasons We want to go to the national championship and she knows how to get there." Palmer has the benefit of already being acquainted with UVU softball, having spent the past five years as an assistant coach, three of which were in Utah. Palmer focused her efforts as an assistant at Utah State on working with the outfielders and creating a system to meticulously track and organize recruiting. Her next stint as an assistant coach at Weber State allowed her to compete against the Wolverines in the PCSC during the 2012 campaign. In Weber, she shifted her focus to training the team to execute offensively which helped lead the Wildcats to a second place PCSC finish. "UVU is like a giant," said coach Palmer. "There are so many good things going on. With the new athletic director coming in and the program having success in the past, it's just waiting to erupt there and I really wanted to be a part of that. It felt really good when I came on campus for my interview and I felt at home right away. I knew it was the perfect fit." Having played softball at UC San Diego, Palmer contributed to her team reaching the regionals of the 2008 NCAA Division II tournament. Her expectations are set just as high for the lady Wolverine team that she now leads. "It is a strong tradition of winning [at UVU]," Palmer said. "It is going to be my job to come in and put them to work right away and make sure that we continue that success and shoot for the top of the WAC, if not a WAC championship. My assessment of the team based on playing them is that they're talented and I know that there is more talent coming in." The PCSC also noticed and publicly recognized the talent level of the UVU softball team this past year, naming a total of seven Wolverines to the allconference teams. Four of those players return next year and with Palmer's proven knack for recruiting, as well as her ability to help talented players fine-tune their skills, the sky is the limit for Wolverine softball team in seasons to come. Coach Palmer spent time as an assistant in Logan and Weber before coming to UVU. PHOTO COURTESY OF UTAH STATE ATHLETICS |