A heart of gold in the Golden Heart City
October 28, 2020
— by Elizabeth Talbot, alumni relations coordinator, UAF Alumni Association
Scott Roselius '81 is the ҹɫ’ hockey guy. This award-winning alumnus has helped to brand UAF hockey and the Alaska Nanooks as a popular team by creating many of the programs that support the sport today.
Originally from Anchorage, Roselius decided to attend UAF because it was far enough from home without having to leave Alaska. Recognizing his passion for sports, he decided to pursue a degree in physical education.
Roselius played hockey recreationally, but when he arrived on campus in 1977 he realized there was no hockey program at UAF. There wasn’t even a club team.
That would soon change, though.
“There were a lot of other guys on campus that were former high school players,” he said. “We decided to try to form a club team.”
For a couple years, they played in town leagues and even competed against Anchorage teams. But Roselius had a vision for the future. Whether it was putting fliers up on campus or hanging banners around town, he knew there needed to be an awareness about the team.
“While I played, I also for whatever reason — I still don't know today — I always had a drive to say, how can we get more fans in the game? How can we do things?” Roselius said.
In 1979 the Patty Center opened, which motivated the administration to begin the transition from hockey club to a team. They hired a coach and gave the program a budget. “From that point forward, the program was an NCAA Division II level team and then eventually Division I,” he said. “It's just progressed every year.”
Roselius impressed Coach Ric Schaefer, who asked him to stick around after graduation. His position evolved from arena manager to sports information director for the hockey program. His next promotion was serving as sports media relations director for the entire athletics department. That’s when he activated the Face-Off Booster Club and the fundraising began.
Ben Roth, UAF hockey alumnus and president of the Fairbanks Hockey Club, first met Roselius more than 30 years ago as a player when Roselius was the equipment manager for the Patty Center Ice Arena. He recalls Roselius as “a super overachiever.”
“Roselius never stopped giving,” Roth said. “He works tirelessly to continue to improve the program. He finds ways to get people motivated. He’s been the primary force encouraging others to continue to support the program. He is the Energizer Bunny.”
By 1999, Roselius had left UAF to begin a career in television and radio sales for Tanana Valley Television and Radio, a position he used to get the Nanook Hockey team on television when it played powerhouse teams, such as Michigan State and Notre Dame.
He and his fellow alumni also thought it would be nice to have a reunion, aiming for target of 2005.
“We had about 150 different guys from all over the state and the world. We had several events, but the crescendo was at the Carlson Center. All the former coaches were able to come back to Fairbanks and speak. It was a first-class event.”
Most attendees had only ever played at the Patty Center, so this was the first time they saw the new venue at the Carlson Center. The event left a huge impression, resulting in a reconnection between players who spanned multiple years of the program. “From that event, we decided afterward to get a little more organized and create a board of directors. That first event evolved into an annual golfing event that became a fundraiser.”
The UAF Hockey Alumni Association was born.
Now, every March during the Governor’s Cup, the UAF and University of Alaska Anchorage alumni hockey teams play each other — one more thing that Roselius had a hand in coordinating. For the last seven seasons, the “fun-raising” event has taken place at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks and at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, alternating locations each year.
It’s believed to be a one-of-a-kind event for collegiate hockey programs. “The game itself is just a game,” Roselius said. “Some people are competitive, but essentially, it’s all fun. We have a big social gathering and we always try to treat them first class and they do the same.”
Most recently, Roselius helped create the box seats section at the Carlson Center as a way for businesses to support the UAF hockey program. Not only did it bring in new revenue, it brought in spectators who had not previously been season-ticket holders.
The UAF Hockey Alumni Association has donated $125,000 toward scholarships in recent years. Alaska Nanooks hockey coach Erik Largen said when Roselius sees a need, he figures out a way to fill it.
“Without Scott spearheading the UAF Hockey Alumni Association, I don’t know where we would be,” Largen said. “They provide scholarships, equipment for our guys, anything essential.”
Largen is inspired by Roselius’ passion for the program. “He is going to fight for it no matter what. He cares so deeply and has shaped the future outlook so much. It’s not just the financial piece, but also his time.”
Today Roselius is still president of the UAF Hockey Alumni Association. He never takes full credit for any of the successes he’s been part of, and refers to his projects as team efforts. He is also a role model as a cancer survivor, an illness that contributed to his decision to retire after 15 years working in TV and radio. “I’m fortunate that I’ve done really well with it, but when you go through something like that you want to stop and smell the roses because no one knows what's around the corner.”
Dave Laurion, a former UAF hockey coach, said of all the people credited with the success of the UAF hockey program, Roselius is the No. 1 person on his list. “When it comes to his love for the Nanook Program, he has been spot on.”
Laurion credits Roselius with much of UAF’s ability to navigate the progression of the hockey program from being a club all the way to its role as a Division I NCAA hockey team. “I don’t know of anyone else who was more important to the program than him.”