ANCHORAGE – The University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Athletics announced Thursday the newly remodeled hockey center in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex will be named after Seawolf Hockey's first coach and founding father Brush Christiansen. Additionally, the ice rink at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex and the box office located in the Alaska Airlines Center will be named after Chuck and Terry Homan, respectively.
When the Seawolves return to official practices this fall, they will do so in the newly remodeled Brush Christiansen Hockey Center. The center, located on the lower level, is part of a larger renovation to UAA's Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Kelvin “Brush” Christiansen guided the UAA hockey team from its collegiate debut in 1979 until his retirement in 1996. Christiansen's contributions to the Seawolves and to the hockey community in general earned him a spot in the Seawolf Hall of Fame in 2002.
But the Christiansen name won't be the only one you will see this fall. The Wells Fargo Sports Complex ice rink also will have a new moniker – The Chuck Homan Ice Rink. Thanks to a generous gift from both Chuck and Terry Homan, the ice rink will bear the name of one of the men who fought so hard to make it a reality.
Homan, a father of three hockey-playing sons (two of whom played for the Seawolves), teamed with several other local hockey fans in the late 1970s to petition the Alaska State Legislature, University of Alaska Board of Regents and UAA administration to complete an on-campus ice rink. Successful in the endeavor, Homan's efforts culminated in UAA's first NCAA team in 1979-80.
The box office at the Alaska Airlines Center also will have a new name, the Terry Ann Homan Box Office. Fitting, given that Terry, an alumna (BA 1988, MA 1997) served as the box office manager for Seawolf Athletics from 1983 until her retirement in 2002.
Athletic Director Keith Hackett said, “We are so pleased to honor these lifelong supporters of UAA Athletics and specifically Seawolf Hockey. The generosity of Chuck and Terry to make the lead gift on the hockey renovation is exemplary . We simply couldn't create this special space without their support. The Brush Christiansen Hockey Center will move us to the next level in our pursuit of hockey excellence. We felt it only fitting to name this beautiful space after the founding father of Seawolf Hockey.”
Gifts to the Building Futures Fundraising Initiative, will help provide necessary funding to equip the newly created academic center and team room. Additionally, these private funds will support a historical photo gallery showcasing 30-plus years of Seawolf hockey. UAA hockey alumni are encouraged to submit photos for consideration by Sept. 11. https://uaahockeyhistorywall.shutterfly.com/
The larger Wells Fargo Sports Complex renovation includes an improved student fitness center, a heavy-lifting room for both campus recreation and academic usage. Beyond the visible upgrades, the installation of new air conditioning and fire alarm systems were also part of the $10 million project. For more information, please click here.
For more information on Wells Fargo Sports Complex fundraising efforts, please contact Tlisa Northcutt, associate athletic director at (907) 786-1211 or tanorthcutt@uaa.alaska.edu.
