Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Former UAA Hockey Standout Robb Conn to enter Seawolf Hall of Fame
July 12, 2007
ANCHORAGE, AK - One of the highest-scoring players in Alaska Anchorage hockey history, along with the most decorated gymnast ever at UAA, Rob Conn and Elena (Tkacheva) Lowery will comprise the Seawolf Hall of Fame's incoming Class of 2007. The announcement of the hall's seventh class came Wednesday from UAA director of athletics Dr. Steve Cobb.
Induction ceremonies are scheduled for Oct. 14 in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, held in conjunction with UAA's annual Nye Frontier Classic hockey tournament.
"The Hall of Fame committee has once again done a tremendous service by selecting two highly qualified individuals for this year's class," Dr. Cobb said. "Both student-athletes were accomplished in their sports and have gone on to lead exemplary lives after college. Their induction in October helps solidify the credibility and tradition of the Seawolf Hall of Fame."
Nominations for the 2007class were accepted through April 15. Former UAA student-athletes and teams are eligible for nomination 10 years following their last competition at UAA. Former UAA coaches and staff members are eligible five years following their university service. Volunteer contributors may be nominated at any time.
Here is a biographical look at the 2007 inductees:
In just three seasons wearing the green and gold, Rob Conn [1988-91] made an assault on the Seawolf record book and helped lift UAA's program to unprecedented heights. Today the Calgary, Alberta, native still holds the school records for goals in a career (76), goals in a season (28 in 1990-91), and career power-play goals (29). His 43 games played in his junior season of 1990-91 also stand as UAA's top mark, while his 146 career points are tied for seventh all-time (the only 3-year player in the top 10). Physically imposing at 6-2, 200 pounds, Conn added an intimidating presence to a front line that featured smaller, quicker players. As a sophomore in 1989-90, he led the team with 27 goals, including a pair of hat tricks against UAF, as the Seawolves qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The next season, in addition to his 28 goals, Conn tied for the team lead with 32 assists and helped UAA advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. In the first-round road upset of Boston College, he tallied a goal and three assists in the Seawolves' 3-2 and 3-1 victories. Although slated to be team captain his senior year, Conn decided to embark on a professional career that would last seven seasons. In 1991-92, he became the second Seawolf to skate in the National Hockey League, playing a pair of games for the Chicago Blackhawks. Four years later, he returned the NHL, playing 28 games for the Buffalo Sabres. In between, he starred for the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League and won American Hockey League titles in 1995 with Albany and in 1996 with Rochester. After his playing days, Conn returned to Anchorage to earn his bachelor's of business administration in finance from UAA in 1998. Now a local real estate appraiser, he and his wife Kellie are the parents of daughter Morgan (7) and son Reid (3).
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Coming from the rich tradition of Russian gymnastics, Elena (Tkacheva) Lowery [1994-97] did more than simply add to UAA's gymnastics tradition - she set the standard by which all future Seawolf gymnasts have been measured. In her four seasons, Lowery became one of the most highly decorated UAA student-athletes in any sport. Among her accomplishments were 10 career USAG All-America certificates, two national titles, and a host of school records. The Volgograd, Russia, native qualified all four seasons for the NCAA Div. I West Regional meet, becoming the only Seawolf to accomplish that feat more than once. Her 38.850 all-around at the 1997 Western Independent Championships stood for seven seasons as UAA's school record, and she still holds the top marks on bars (9.925), beam (9.85) and floor (9.95), plus season average on floor (9.788). Lowery saved her best season for last, setting the Seawolf all-around record on Mar. 22 and following that three weeks later with a dominating performance at the USAG Nationals, winning titles on floor and the all-around, plus her third career All-America honors on both balance beam and uneven bars. That spring, she was recognized as the consummate student-athlete, taking home both the UAA Athlete of the Year Award and the Dresser Cup, awarded to the Seawolf with the department's top overall grade point average (3.85). A multiple Academic All-America honoree, she graduated magna cum laude with a BBA in management information systems and finance in 1997, and received the William Seward Award as the finance department's outstanding graduate. Lowery is now a software development technical consultant at IBM, for which she is a published author and a frequent speaker at the company's worldwide events. She is still involved with her sport as well, coaching youth teams and working as an International Gymnastics Federation judge. Lowery and her husband Kevin reside in Rochester, Minn., where she also volunteers as a Russian interpreter for the internationally renowned Mayo Clinic. They are the parents of daughter Nadia (7) and newborn son Kevin.
Seawolf Hall of Fame Classes
2007
Rob Conn, hockey, 1988-91
Elena (Tkacheva) Lowery, gymnastics, 1994-97
2006
Allegra (Stoetzel) Butler, women's basketball, 1992-96
Derek Donald, hockey, 1988-92
Harry Larrabee, basketball coach/administrator/athletic director, 1979-86 & 1991-2000
2005
Jason Kaiser, men's basketball, 1993-95
Pete McEnaney, hockey, 1984-88
Ron Petro, athletic director, 1984-92
Ken Ralph, swimming, 1988-90
2004
Cheryl Bishop, women's basketball, 1982-87
Tiina (Kantola) Hoffman, skiing & cross country, 1982-92
Paul Krake, hockey, 1988-92
Jack Peterson, faculty athletic representative, 1975-97
2003
Dr. Jay Caldwell, team physician, 1979-04
Wendy Sturgis, women's basketball, 1988-92
Chuck Homan, hockey booster, 1977-present
Jennie (Szczerbinski) Krupp, volleyball, 1988-92
Dean Larson, hockey, 1988-92
2002
Brush Christiansen, hockey coach, 1979-96
Jesse Jackson, men's basketball, 1985-87
Britta Kjellstrand, women's skiing & cross country, 1978-82
Jon Pauole, swimming, 1989-92
Mike Peluso, hockey, 1985-89
2001
Tom Besh, ski coach, 1977-90
Teri Frankie-LaVallee, gymnastics, 1985-90
Hansi Gnad, men's basketball, 1983-87
Robin Graul, women's basketball, 1985-89
Dr. Lee Piccard, administrator, 1976-94
Dennis Sorenson, hockey, 1980-84
Tracy Zink, volleyball, 1987-90
