Team Together. Ray Giacoletti On Relationships. Team Building. Always Part Of The Family A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

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1 Team Together Ray Giacoletti On Relationships Anything we do in life, it boils down to relationships. If you have good relationships with people and have built trust, you re going to work harder in those situations. Basketball is no different than anything else in life or any business that you re in. Our staff has an open door policy with all of our players, and we want to develop great relationships with them to help them as people, students and basketball players. It s the way that we want to do things. We try to create a family environment. My wife and I don t have any children. Our team is our family. That s the environment we want to create. Always Part Of The Family The Utah athletics department organized a men s basketball alumni reunion before a home game during the season. Over 30 former players and their families attended a reception before the Utah vs. Air Force game on Feb. 18. The words team together are more than just something Runnin Ute players members of the Utah basketball family have made to each other. When you join the Utah basketball program, you become a part of a family. Made up of more than just players and coaches, it s comprised of numerous people who have the best interest of the student-athlete as their top priority. At Utah, you re more than just an athlete. The Ute basketball program wants to ensure that your college years are well-rounded academically, athletically and socially. College is an important time in a student-athlete s life, and the Utah family can always be counted on to provide support and encouragement during those years. The University of Utah is a great institution, both athletically and academically, and Utah has great fans that you love playing for. As an athlete, you have to go through a lot of hard work to be able to play at a high level. The coaches and staff around you make it fun to go out and work hard every single day. I miss the enjoyment of having teammates and being a part of a team like the one I was on at Utah. - Marc Jackson first team all-mountain West Conference selection 2005 University of Utah graduate in economics Team Building Before the season, Ute basketball players and staff participated in a team-building session through the Utah CHAMPS/Lifeskills program. The team participated in exercises conducted by Dr. John Hammermeister of Eastern Washington University. The Utes talked about goals for the season, watched movies, slept in the new team room and went on a late-night team run. Ray Giacoletti visits with former Utes (left to right) Mike Sojourner, Allen Holmes and Andrew Bogut at the alumni reunion. The Utes went through various activities designed to help build leadership skills and team cohesion during a CHAMPS/Lifesills session this past fall. W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 145

2 Former Utes Give Back One of the true indications that a student-athlete felt his college experience changed their life in a positive way is for them to give back. In the past two years, All-Americans Andre Miller and Andrew to the Utah basketball program. Andre Miller Point Guard Scholarship Andre Miller committed a gift of $500,000 in April of Miller s gift was earmarked for two areas, with $300,000 funding the Andre Miller Endowed Scholarship and $200,000 going toward the men s basketball team room renovation. The Andre Miller Point Guard athlete who graduated from the University of Utah and the 16th endowed scholarship overall for athletics. Far Left: Andrew Bogut came back for his jersey retirement ceremony on Feb. 18, Immediate Left: Andre Miller announced his $500,000 donation on the Huntsman Center floor on April 11, I am very fortunate to be in a position where I can give back and help others. The University of Utah opened a lot of doors for me and hopefully this scholarship will do the same for someone else. I consider Utah to be the best university in the country, and I hope other former Ute athletes will follow in my footsteps. Bogut Makes Donation To New Team Room - Andre Miller Andrew Bogut announced that he would give back to the Utah program before he even left campus. During a press conference in March of 2005 announcing his early entry into the NBA Draft, Bogut committed a gift of $125,000 furniture and lighting. Above: Andrew Bogut (No. 4) and Andre Miller (No. 24) are two of the seven players to have their retired jerseys on display in the Huntsman Center. Below: The new men s basketball team room was completed during the season. Ray Giacoletti On Gifts From Miller and Bogut For Andre and Andrew to give back is really something special for the University of Utah and our basketball program. We re trying to make this as much of a family atmosphere as we can with everyone who has ever been associated with Utah basketball. The Andre Miller Point Guard Scholarship and the new team room are two wonderful ways to keep Andre and Andrew close to the current players for years to come. We re very appreciative for their willingness to step up and give back to our program M E D I A G U I D E

3 Jon M. Huntsman Center Regarded as one of the top college basketball arenas in the nation since opening its doors in 1969, the Jon M. Huntsman Center has provided an imposing homecourt advantage for Utah basketball. For a structure that is beginning its 38th year of existence, a feeling of newness still pervades underneath the silver dome. But don t let the pristine picture fool you. As serene as the Huntsman Center may look empty, when the Utes are on the A landmark on the U. campus, the Jon M. Huntsman Center is the perfect place to watch a basketball game. A great view is assured from each of the 15,000 chair seats. Inside Sports recognized the building s superiority by naming it one of the From its perch at the southeast end of campus, the Huntsman Center stands sentinel over its kind in the world envelopes more than the arena itself. Underground tunnels stretching 2,220 feet connect the arena with the four-building physical education complex, where the Utes practice when the Huntsman Center isn t available. The famous steel cloud, a huge mass of steel and concrete, hangs from the dome s interior and holds the scoreboard, and the public address and lighting systems. Prior to the season, a new electronic scoreboard, featuring four 9x12 foot video display screens, was installed to enhance the JMHC s look even further. The scoreboard provides statistical updates, instant replays and live game action. Prior to the season, the scoreboard video display system upgraded. Eight highoutput, dual-stacked Sharp LCD projectors were installed with a brightness two-and-a-half W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 147

4 Jon M. Huntsman Center Quick Facts Great Fan Support Last year, an average of well over 10,000 rabid fans packed the Huntsman Center for every game to watch their Utes, a team that has won at least 20 games 10 times in the last 12 years. Utah ranked 36th in the nation in attendance in , averaging 10,481 fans for 15 home games. Ute fans also helped the Mountain West Conference rank seventh among all NCAA Division I conferences. Over six million fans have watched the Utes in the Huntsman Center. Eight of the top 10 yearly attendance marks in the building s history have come since Home Court Advantage teams have won 90.8 percent of their home games (236-24). The Utes have a (.831) alltime record in the facility. Utah has gone unbeaten eight times in the Huntsman Center s 37-year history. Entering the season, the Utes have won 58 of their last 65 games in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah is one of the nation s most dominant teams in conference home games the past 12 years with a.911 winning percentage (82-8). Arena Opened: November, 1969 First Game: Utah defeated Stanford, 96-94, on Dec. 1, 1969 Capacity: 15,000 (all chair seats) Utah s All-Time Record: (.831) Utah s Conference Record: (.799) Utah s Top 15 Crowds In The Huntsman Center 1. Brigham Young Feb. 27, , Brigham Young Jan. 8, , UTEP Feb. 21, , Brigham Young Jan. 12, , Brigham Young Feb. 10, , North Carolina Mar. 19, , Wyoming Feb. 22, , New Mexico Feb. 3, , Brigham Young Mar. 4, , Brigham Young Mar. 7, , Brigham Young Feb. 16, , New Mexico Feb. 1, , Wyoming Jan. 17, , San Diego State Feb. 17, , Brigham Young Feb. 24, ,373 The Muss The Student Fan Club at the University of Utah, a longtime basketball tradition, renamed themselves The Muss in The Muss have reserved seats at the front of the student section for all home men s basketball games. Originally derived from the school college men dare meet us in a muss), the Utah student fan club has since used Muss as an acronym for Mighty Utah Student Section. The group is expected to grow to nearly 1,000 for the basketball season. Left: Utah s award-winning mascot Swoop is a hit with the fans at home games M E D I A G U I D E

5 Magic Johnson salutes the Huntsman Center crowd after being named the MVP of the 1979 NCAA Final Four. NCAA Tournament History Long recognized as a site of championships, the Huntsman Center played host to the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship Dream Match-Up featuring Indiana State s Larry Bird and Michigan State s Magic Johnson deemed one of the most successful Final Fours ever held. The men s NCAA regional tournament received a Huntsman Center booking in 1971 and 81, and the NCAA rounds took place in the arena in 1984, 85, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93, 95, 97, 2000, 03 and 06. The JMHC is in second place among the nation s arenas for most NCAA Tournament basketball games hosted, with 81 contests having been played in the facility. Arenas Hosting The Most NCAA Tournament Games Arena (Year Built) City, State Years Sessions Games Municipal Auditorium (1935) Kansas City, Mo Jon M. Huntsman Center (1969) Salt Lake City, Utah Madison Square Garden (1925) New York, N.Y The University of Dayton Arena (1969) Dayton, Ohio The Omni (1972) Atlanta, Ga Charlotte Coliseum I (1951) Charlotte, N.C McKale Center (1974) Tucson, Ariz The Palestra (1927) Philadelphia, Pa Freedom Hall (1956) Louisville, Ky Greensboro Coliseum (1959) Greensboro, N.C RCA Dome (1984) Indianapolis, Ind Build It, And They Will Come A list of some of the basketball greats who have played in the Huntsman Center: Danny Ainge Stacey Augmon Larry Bird Andrew Bogut Shawn Bradley Tom Chambers Keon Clark Michael Cooper Tim Duncan Michael Doleac Sean Elliot T.J. Ford Tim Hardaway Richard Jefferson Magic Johnson Andre Miller Adam Morrison Chris Mullin Gary Payton Damon Stoudamire Keith Van Horn The Man Whose Name Is On The Building Jon M. Huntsman s involvement with Utah Basketball extends far beyond his name gracing the team s home arena. Huntsman, a friend of the program, is a regular attendee of Ute games. The Utes have also used his private jet for team travel. Thirty-six years ago, Huntsman began a small entrepreneurial business. Today, the Huntsman Corporation is the largest privately held chemical business in the world. Huntsman s service to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has and grandparents to 50. He was born in Blackfoot, Idaho, and attended The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the recipient of the Most Outstanding Graduate Award. Huntsman is a both Special Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary. Huntsman is widely recognized as one of America s foremost concerned citizens and philanthropists. He has funded nationally acclaimed environmental and global leadership centers at several major universities, including the University of Utah. His humanitarian concerns extend around the globe. Huntsman is currently a member of the Board of Governors and Chairman of the Biomedical Services Committee of the American Red Cross. Jon and Karen Huntsman have donated $225 million to establish and fund the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, now one of based on genetic research. In July of 2000, Time magazine listed him as one of the top six living U.S. philanthropists. Jon Huntsman with (clockwise) one of his granddaughters, and former Utes Chris Burgess and Hanno Möttölä. W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 149

6 Utah Basketball Facilities nation. From the Jon M. Huntsman Center, to the new the strength and conditioning and training facilities, Ute players have best of everything. all refurbished and expanded. Right: The Utah basketball conference room, featuring a large screen television for the players and staff to watch game video or live college and NBA action. Autographed jerseys of recent Utes who moved on to play in the NBA adorn the walls. Middle left: Head coach Ray Giacoletti s office, where Andrew Bogut s numerous National Player of the Year awards are on display. Middle right: Photos of current and former Utes grace the walls of the men s basketball offices. Lower left and right: Utah s training room, featuring a rehabilitation center, was recently refurbished and expanded M E D I A G U I D E

7 Just a few steps off the Jon M. Huntsman team room was completed during the season. The project was funded in part by a $125,000 donation from Andrew Bogut, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Bogut announced he would make the donation during his press conference to declare for the draft on March 21, Another former Ute, Andre MIller, announced a $500,000 gift to Utah athletics on April 11, Of that donation, $200,000 went toward funding the remaining cost of the new team room. The new team room, which has double the space of the old locker room, has an expansive dressing area. Customized wooden lockers and a sauna are some of the features. The team room also includes a players lounge with two plasma televisions and leather couches. Top: The expansive new team room, with wall-towall plush carpeting, gives the Utes plenty of room to prepare for practice and games, or just to hang out and relax. Right: Each player has a large wooden locker and storage space for their gear. Left: The players lounge area gives the Utes a great place to hang out before and after practice. The area also includes two large leather couches with recliners, two plasma televisions, and a refrigerator stocked with sports drinks. Players can watch all of the college and NBA action via the satellite TV packages. A new overhead projector for watching game film was also included. W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 151

8 Strength And Conditioning University of Utah basketball players are provided the best strength and conditioning advice, equipment and training possible in a high-intensity, high-emo- strength and conditioning staff, under the direction of ence to train athletes at the highest level. The Ute basketball team trains in a 7,500 square foot weight room. Enclosed by glass, the view from the weight room is of the Wasatch Mountain Range to the east and the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. The weight room is equipped with 12 Olympic platforms, each with its own self-contained power rack/multi-purpose lifting station as well as over 20 multi-joint upper/lower body machines. Speed and conditioning workouts are conducted on the FieldTurf surface in the Spence Eccles Field House Utah Strength and Conditioning Staff Principles Strength Training The idea is centered on accelerating quicker than our opponent. We will do this by concentrating on quick and explosive lifts, combined with quick and explosive agility, sprint and plyometric drills. Speed Development Each running session will include acceleration drills more than any other drills. The most important aspect of speed development is the athlete must work at maximal effort in each and every drill. Flexibility the athlete is not able to put a body joint through the proper range of motion, it can affect performance in various ways. Mental Toughness These weight training or conditioning sessions push the body way beyond comfort levels, and in some cases, to utter exhaustion. This allows the student-athlete to develop capacity to push through barriers created by pain and fatigue. Conditioning Conditioning is best obtained by working the energy system with volume. Conditioning should be cycled with light, medium and heavy days to avoid over-training. Recovery is often better than work. Injury Prevention The Utah athlete will be expected to work harder than anyone else when he is injured. We will work with the athletic training staff to coordinate ef- Motivating We will coach in a very positive manner, always reinforcing our belief in an athlete as a champion in the making. No one out-works, out-hustles or has more ability than a Utah student-athlete M E D I A G U I D E

9 U. Strength And Conditioning Mission Statement The University of Utah Strength and Conditioning program takes great pride in its aggressive approach toward the development of its student-athletes. Our training mission is to prepare athletes mentally and physically to compete at the highest level of competition and in its most intense environments: To develop discipline through accountabil ity, team pride and positive reinforcement. Effectively motivate athletes to believe in themselves and to achieve maximum potential in all areas of performance. Create a training atmosphere that is extremely intense through motivation, competition, and tradition. Doug Elisaia Utah Director of Strength & Conditioning Individualized Training The University of Utah believes in training its athletes as individualized as possible. The Utah athlete receives individualized programs for strengthening Extra upper body strengthening Nutritional counseling Extra speed and conditioning training Testing All Ute basketball players are tested in areas that allow the strength and conditioning professionals to evaluate needs, monitor progress and develop individualized programs for each athlete. The following tests and procedures can indicate abilities important to on-the court success: Pro Agility Measures agility, change of direction, acceleration and deceleration. Free Throw Line Free Throw Line Sprint quickness. Vertical Jump Measures explosive power. Hang Clean Measures explosive power vs. resistance. Back Squat Measures lower body strength. Bench Press x Max Measures upper body strength. Bench Press x 185 x max Measures upper body muscular endurance. Dips & Chin-ups Measures upper body muscular endurance. Body Composition Body Weight Used in conjunction with body composition to determine quality gain/loss. Flexibility W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 153

10 Media Exposure The Utah basketball program receives an abundance of exposure on the national, regional and state levels by both the print and electronic media. With a national television audience looking on, or with thousands of listeners tuned to their radios and web sites throughout the state and beyond, Utah basketball players receive the ultimate in exposure. When it comes to television exposure, Utah basketball is big time. In recent years, Utah has appeared on every major national broadcast and cable network. Over the past two seasons alone, Utah made three appearances on CBS. Seventeen Ute games were televised by ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Regional Television. Two games were shown nationally by Fox Sports Net and one was on CSTV. Based on the ratings for their televised games, the Utes have been the most-watched team in the Mountain West Conference over the past decade and one of the most visible teams in the Western region. MWC Welcomes New TV Partner Beginning in the fall of 2006, the MWC began an unprecedented 14-year multi-media partnership with College Sports Television (CSTV), giving the conference enhanced exposure via television and other media outlets. Mountain West Conference games will get national exposure on CSTV and VERSUS. The centerpiece of the new TV deal is the launch of The mtn ( The Mountain) Super Regional Sports Network covering a collegiate athletic conference 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ray Giacoletti, Andrew Bogut and Marc Jackson address the media at the 2005 NCAA Regionals in Austin, Texas. nationally on CSTV and seven on VERSUS. Ray Giacoletti (above) and Andrew Bogut (below) meet with reporters after a Utah home game. Salt Lake City is the 36th-largest television market in the United States M E D I A G U I D E

11 Once again this season, the vast majority of Utah s games will be televised with the Utes making a minimum of 17 appearances on national and regional television. The Runnin Utes will make two national television appearances on both CSTV and VERSUS. Thirteen Utah games will be shown on The mtn. The MountainWest Sports Network. Utah s National And Regional TV Appearances In Date Opponent Network Nov. 21 Colorado the mtn. Nov. 29 Weber State the mtn. Jan. 3 at UNLV the mtn. Jan. 6 TCU the mtn. Jan. 9 at Colorado State the mtn. Jan. 16 Air Force the mtn. Jan. 20 Wyoming the mtn. Jan. 27 at San Diego State CSTV Jan. 31 BYU the mtn. Feb. 3 at TCU the mtn. Feb. 7 Colorado State the mtn. Feb. 14 at Air Force VERSUS Feb. 17 UNLV VERSUS Feb. 21 at Wyoming the mtn. Feb. 24 New Mexico the mtn. Feb. 27 San Diego State the mtn. Mar. 3 at BYU CSTV The mtn., CSTV and VERSUS will cover every game in the Mountain West Conference Tournament, March Top right: Andrew Bogut was featured in the April 2005 issue of Slam Magazine. Bottom Right: It was front page news not just in sports in the Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News when Andrew Bogut was taken as the No. 1 draft pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in June As well as being covered by the largest newspapers in Utah, including the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Morning News, print publications from the West and the rest of the nation also report on the Utes. In recent years, feature stories on Utah basketball have appeared in USA Today, ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Basketball Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times and Seattle Times, to name a few. Great effort, discipline, passion, and commitment are the words that have characterized Utah basketball both on the court and in the classroom over the years. Under Ray Giacoletti, the Runnin Utes have continued to excel in all of these areas that are critical to student-athletes and the college campus. - Jimmy Dykes ABC/ESPN Broadcaster W W W. U T A H U T E S. C O M 155

12 Traveling With The Utes As one of the nation s top teams, the Utah Utes travel across the country and play in a variety of tournaments every season. Along with visiting virtually every major city in the United States in recent years, the Utes have also made several trips overseas. Easy to Get There The Salt Lake International Airport, the 23rd busiest in the Unites States, is less than three - departures from the airport to 71 nonstop destinations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Tournaments Utah Has Played In Since 1990 BCI Classic - Kansas City 1995 Foreign Trip 1997, 2001 Great Alaska Shootout - Anchorage 2004 Great Eight - Chicago 1997, 1998 John Wooden Classic - Anaheim 1996, 2000 Maui Invitational - Lahaina, Maui 1994, 1998, 2002 Preseason NIT 1999, 2003 Puerto Rico Shootout - San Juan 2000 San Juan Shootout 2006 European Vacation The Utah men s basketball team enjoyed the experience of a lifetime during their 19- day European tour May 19-June 6, The Utes played club teams in the Canary their individual skills and see one of the prime tourist destinations in the world. The travel party of eight players, coaches and staff relaxed on black sand beaches in the an ancient walled city in France, visited a Picasso museum, watched a Flamenco Above: While playing in the Maui Invitational in November of 2002, the team hit the beach and went on a snorkeling excursion. Left: During their trip to San Diego in 2002, the Utes were given a tour of the USS Abraham Lincoln, America s fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Phil Cullen is shown on the flight deck. Left: Cameron Koford, Scott Garson, tour guide Luis and Lance Allred (left to right) in front of the Palace in Monte Carlo. Below: Before playing in the 2000 Puerto Rico Shootout, the team spent a few days hanging out at the El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Cities The Utes Have Recently Visited Anaheim Chicago Cleveland Dallas Honolulu Houston Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles Malibu Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York Phoenix Portland San Antonio San Diego San Jose San Juan Seattle M E D I A G U I D E