Steve Anderson ’05 ’07MA

Referee, men’s basketball

After attending the 2016 Rio Olympics as the only U.S. referee for the men’s basketball competition, Anderson returns to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. His career as an official has taken him around the world through his work with FIBA, the NBA and NCAA college basketball.

Anderson is one of the most successful graduates of the Recreation and Wellness Center’s intramural officiating program and the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Basketball Officiating class, which is celebrating its 25thÌýyear. After earning his bachelor’s degree in sports and fitness in 2005, Anderson accepted a graduate assistant position at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s recreation department, allowing him to earn his master’s degree in educational leadership. In addition to his continued work as an official, he also served as a mentor to younger referees within the program.

Anderson officiated the bronze medal match between Australia and Spain in 2016, which he considers to be one of the highlights of his career.

“I had the game-deciding call with seven seconds left that put Spain on the [free throw] line down one,â€� he says. “Everyone that I talked to was like, ‘That’s a good call. You needed to make that call.’ And you’ll never forget that because those are the plays that you want to have.Ìý… Those are the plays that make or break your career.â€�

Men’s basketball will tip off July 24 and conclude Aug. 6.

Kyle Coon ’13

Team USA, Paratriathlon

Coon will appear in his first Paralympics as part of the 17-member Paratriathlon team that will try and match or exceed Team USA’s four medals in 2016 when the event debuted at the summer games.

Coon was profiled in Pegasus magazine in the Summer 2019 issue. At 10 months old, Coon wasÌýdiagnosed with bilateral sporadicÌýretinoblastoma, the most commonÌýform of eye cancer for children. By the time he turned 7, bothÌýof his eyes had been surgicallyÌýremoved.

Shortly after the procedure, his father introduced him to Erik Weihenmayer, a blind extreme athlete. It was the first time Coon met an adult who was blind, providing him an idea of the possibilities that lay ahead. Weihenmayer encouraged Coon to envision life without limits and suggested he try rock climbing.

Coon did that and more — from downhill skiing to hiking the Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu to summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. After graduating from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ with a degree in communications, Coon became an endurance athlete, competing in numerous marathons and triathlons.

He is a two-time World Triathlon Para Series medalist and became a resident at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in January 2019 in pursuit of his goal of qualifying for Tokyo.

Coon competes alongside his guide, Andy Potts, a 2004 U.S. Olympian, 2007 Pan American Games gold medalist and decorated IRONMAN.

The paratriathlon competition in Tokyo consists of a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. Competition takes place Aug. 28–29.

Phil Dalhausser ’02

Team USA, beach volleyball

A veteran Olympian, Dalhausser will make his fourth appearance at the Olympics at the age of 41 and is on the hunt for a second medal.

In his first appearance in 2008 in Beijing, he not only won gold but was also named Most Outstanding Player for beach competition.

“It feels like it was yesterday. It’s crazy to me that it was 13 years ago,� he says. “What keeps me motivated is both myself and my partner are 41 and we’re competing against guys in their mid-20s and early 30s. I want to prove that age is really only a number and you can still be a pretty good athlete later into your years.�

Dalhausser earned his business degree from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and his fondness for beach volleyball grew during his college days when he played club indoor volleyball and found ways to get extra practice on sand.

In addition to his many career highlights, he is a Michelle Akers Award winner (2009), which is Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Alumni’s highest honor given to graduates who have brought international, positive attention to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ through their accomplishments.

Competition for beach volleyball will start July 24, one day after the opening ceremony, and conclude Aug. 7,Ìýone day before the closing ceremony.

Aline Reis ’11

Team Brazil, women’s soccerÌý

Reis, who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, graduated in 2011 as one of Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s most decorated student-athletes and wasÌýinducted into the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Athletics Hall of FameÌýin April 2019. She earned her degree inÌýinterdisciplinary studiesÌýwith cum laude honors.

A native of Campinas, Brazil, Reis was recognized as an All-American goalkeeper both on the field and in the classroom during her career at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ from 2007 to 2011. She also led Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons, which included the program’s first trip to the Elite Eight in more than two decades in 2011.

Following graduation, Reis served as a volunteer goalkeeper coach for UCLA’s women’s soccer team before she decided toÌýchase her dream of earning a spot on Brazil’s women’s national team ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Reis was named to one of the two goalkeeper spots for the Olympic roster and had her shining moment on Aug. 9, 2016, when she received a starting nod against South Africa and recorded a shutout for her team. She later was one of four Knights to compete at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Brazilians are one of the few national teams never to have missed a Olympic women’s soccer tournament. Women’s soccer begins July 21 ahead of the opening ceremony and concludes Aug. 6.

Mattie Rogers ’20

Team USA, weightlifting

Rogers, an Apopka native who graduated with her degree in sports and exercise science with summa cum laude honors, has been training for the Olympics ever since she was in grade school. She spent a large part of her childhood competing as a gymnast, but when she grew taller, instead of giving up on her dream, she found another route to get there.

Her father, who died from cancer when she was 5, left a letter for her to read on her 18^th birthday, in which he wrote: “I’ll see you at the Olympics.�

Rogers attended the 2016 Rio Olympics as an alternate, and she says that experience fueled her drive to ensure she wouldn’t miss out on competing at this year’s games.

“I was so upset sitting in the stands watching what could have been,� she says. “At the time I didn’t realize that was going to be helpful, but it’s what helped get me through the tougher parts of this [training and qualifying period] because I did not want to be in that position ever again. I knew I needed to continue to work hard and push so I made sure that didn’t happen.�

She has pushed through some immense challenges since then. She fractured her spine and herniated a disc during competition in May 2019. Because she was still in a qualification period, she was back competing two months later. She moved up three weight classes to secure a spot on the team, and consumes about 4,000 calories a day to maintain her competition weight.

When the pandemic delayed the Olympics for a year and quarantine closed training facilities, she had to modify her garage — which was slanted — by cutting her living room carpet and layering it in the garage to account for the slope.

“I think I’ve overcome a lot, and I’m really proud of learning and growing more as a human than as an athlete because I think had I not done that, I wouldn’t be the athlete that I am right now,� she says.

Rogers’ weight class (women’s 87 kg) competes Aug. 2.

Kristen Thomas ’16

Team USA, rugby sevens

Thomas never played rugby until she arrived at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ as a theater studies major in 2011. The Philadelphia native signed up for the Recreation and Wellness Center’s club team during her first week of school — a decision that put her on the path to joining the USA national team just two years later.

“Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ was pretty instrumental in developing me as a player,â€� she says. “Our coach, Raoul Besse, really harped on our skills. The physicality of the game I think I get a lot from him because you need to be physical in a contact sport. He was the first one to nominate me for the under-20 national team and if he hadn’t done that, I don’t know if I would be where I am today.â€�

When she was called up to the national team in January 2015, she had to move to California and finish the last year of her degree online. She knew it would be a challenge to be a professional athlete while carrying a full course load, but she was committed to pursuing both dreams.

She says she is grateful to the national team for allowing her to juggle both responsibilities, especially when she had to miss a week of practice once a month to return to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to complete academic requirements related to her scholarship.

“My first goal was to get a college degree because I want to be able to take all of the opportunities that are afforded to me, and I got a scholarship to attend Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ so I wanted to finish what I started,â€� she says. “My entire life, I’ve always placed as much emphasis on schooling as I did sports. I would not have joined the national team if I couldn’t figure out a way to also finish school.â€�

Although she has been a fan of the Olympics her entire life, the former high school track athlete says she was very realistic about her odds of actually competing in them one day — that was until she started playing rugby.

An injury forced her to sit out of the 2016 Summer Games, which marked rugby sevens’ debut at the Olympics — the first time inÌý92 years that a form of rugbyÌýwas contested at the Olympic Games. Now, she will not only have a chance to compete in Tokyo, but serve as a leader as the team’s co-captain in their quest for their first Olympic medal.

“This is really a dream come true,� she says. “I’m really excited, especially after missing out on the last one. It was a little bit tough to get yourself to dream again after you have it snatched away so quickly, but I think I’ve overcome that and at this point I’m excited to be given the opportunity. I think the team has been vibing really well together. I think with the combination of our culture and the things we’ve been working at on the field, we have a really good shot at getting gold.

Most of all, she wants the team to represent the beauty of America’s melting-pot culture.

“I think it’s important to show the world the makeup of the country,� she says. “On our team, we are [different] in a variety of ways and we’re just so open-minded and loving and caring. I just think if we can go out there and be the way that we are, it shows the world and the U.S. that, hey, you can embrace these differences and it can make you better for it. I think you find that commonality when you actually learn about each other. I think that’s a big statement we can make as a team.�

Women’s rugby sevens competition will be held July 29­–31.

Chelsea Wolfe ’16

Team USA, BMX freestyle (alternate)

BMX is making its debut at the Tokyo Olympics, and Wolfe, who graduated with a degree in political science, will be on hand as an alternate for the U.S. women’s squad.

Wolfe placed fifth in the BMX Freestyle Park finals at the UCI Urban World Championships in Montpellier, France, in June, which placed her third overall in the U.S. Team rankings and secured her spot as an alternate on the team.

According to her Team USA Cycling biography, Wolfe began BMX racing at 6 years old.

She got her start in freestyle competitions in 2014 in the Florida BMX park series and spent the next several years competing at the state level.

In 2016, she had just begun to travel nationally for BMX freestyle and the announcement came that the sport would be included in the 2020 Olympic Games. She began work to start competing internationally and ranked fifth in the world after her rookie UCI World Cup season.

In 2019 she finished third place at both the 2019 U.S. National and Pan-American Championships.

BMX competition will be held July 29–30.

Earlier this month, RWC staff lifted capacity limits associated with COVID-19 guidelines, dropped the requirement for students to book time slots or reservations, as well the following enhancements:

• Reconfigured the fitness floors to bring more equipment back online for students
• Reopened indoor spaces for open recreation play (basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, etc.)
• Offering faculty, staff, alumni and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ affiliate memberships and non-enrolled student memberships
• Reintroduced guest passes for friends and family of enrolled students

Starting June 1, the RWC staff will discontinue the 2-hour midday break for enhanced cleaning. RWC staff will continue to ensure the facility meets the highest standards of cleanliness throughout the day. The new hours will be:

• :
  • Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. –– 11 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. –– 10 p.m.
• RWC @ Knights Plaza
  • Daily: Noon –– 9 p.m.
• • Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. –– 10 p.m.
  • Friday: Noon –– 6 p.m.
  • Saturday – Sunday: 3 p.m. –– 9 p.m.

The RWC will be expanding hours by the start of Summer B on June 28 as the department hires and trains new staff to better serve its patrons. Go to Ìýor download the RWC To Go mobile to check on updates to our hours of operation.

Students will also see return to see the return of indoor group exercise classes in studios and upcoming team sports tournaments. As we return to more programming, RWC is hiring intramural sports officials and certified lifeguards.

Students looking for .

For a limited time, the RWC is waiving the certification fee for students to certify, train, and hire new lifeguards. The RWC will hold a two-day class on consecutive Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 12 and June 19. Students looking for .

PerÌýÂ鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ guidelinesÌýface coverings are no longer required, but RWC staff continue strongly encourage the use of masks and physical distancing indoors where appropriate and to observeÌýCDC guidelines on our campuses and everywhere you go.ÌýFor the RWC to continue to expand to more robust programming we strongly encourage all Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ students to get fully vaccinated as soon as they can. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Student Health ServicesÌýis providing COVID-19 vaccines, and these vaccines areÌýreadily available in the community.

President John C. Hitt led the dedication, saying “[To] the entire Davis family, you have our deepest gratitude for all that you have done – and continue to do – to advance the great university that your family helped establish.�

ÌýThe Davis family has continued to support Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ over the decades, most recently establishing scholarships in the College of Business Administration and the College of Medicine. Their contribution to the Recreation and Wellness program within the Office of Student Development and Enrollment Services is the first endowment to support that program. Because it is an endowed fund, it will provide support to the program for Knights of today and tomorrow.

Ìý

Monday, Dec. 5, will be a study day, and exams will run from Tuesday, Dec. 6 through Monday, Dec. 12. Commencement ceremonies will be held at the CFE Arena Dec. 16 and 17.

The final exam schedule is available here: .

The following tips and campus services are offered to help students finish out the semester strongly and safely:

The expo, a Healthy Knights 2020 initiative, is a collaboration between Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Services, Wellness and Health Promotion Services, Recreation and Wellness Center, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Cares and several other Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services’ departments. Community partners include the National Association of Mental Illness of Greater Orlando and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The week of October 2-8 is also Mental Illness Awareness Week. Join the campaign to turn stigma into hope, and promote acceptance and actively challenge social stereotypes. Students will have an opportunity at the Counseling and Psychological Services’ table to take a pledge to:

1. Learn about mental health issues
2. See the person not the illness
3. Take action on mental health issues.

Anyone can go online to review the commitment and take the pledge to raise awareness: https://www.nami.org/stigmafree.

The Healthy Knights Expo will offer health and wellness information and provide free flu shots to students courtesy of Student Health Services.

CAPS will offer opportunities for the students to learn about mental health issues as well as increase awareness around emotional literacy. Students can talk with clinicians about services and programs offered through the center.

Smoke Free Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ will be on site to educate students about the smoke-free policy on campus, the risks of secondhand smoke and resources available for those ready to quit.

Wellness and Health Promotion Services will provide information about HIV testing and sexual health related resources as well as promote the FreshU campaign for growing your own healthy foods.

The Recreation and Wellness Center will share its exciting programs and conduct several demonstrations of fitness classes which are offered at the center.

Knightro will make an appearance, get his flu shot, join an exercise demo with the RWC instructors and have a great time taking photos with students.

Bodhi, CAPS animal assisted therapy dog, will be present to enjoy meeting new students and putting a smile on everyone’s face.

While waiting in line for the flu shot, students can enjoy free fresh fruit and fruit smoothies from Smoothie King.

The expo is also an opportunity for student groups such as the Student Health Advisory Committee [SHS]; and Peer Educators [WHPS and CAPS] to participate and talk with their peers about health and wellness related services and resources.

Additional activities will include fun coloring activities, a meditative drumming circle, and games such as pool, ping pong and fuse ball.

Overall, the Expo is expected to be a huge success and is expected to impact more than 1,000 students. This collaboration of departments including Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Cares within the Division of SDES is an informative way to share all the resources available to students to help them be happy, healthy and successful.

The Korean military dispatched Jin, as his friends call him, to the United States and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ in July 2015 with his 2-year-old son Jihoo and wife Mia. Captain Jin Park has been in the South Korean military for 14 years. He received an undergraduate degree at the Korean Military Academy (similar to West Point here in the U.S.) in environmental science. As part of his military career he’s pursuing his master’s degree in industrial engineering.

Jin learned about the RWC during the International Affairs and Global Strategies (IAGS) student orientation. He attended the RWC fall 2015 job fair after talking to a lifeguard after working out one day at the lap pool. He says working at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ has improved his overall campus experience, “I wanted to work here (Recreation and Wellness Center Aquatics) as a lifeguard to make friends and have experiences as a university man. I feel a kind of freedom here because I have never been to a university before.”

Jin says the move to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ hasn’t been without its challenges. For example, the language barrier. Jin has studied English his entire life, but really focused on learning the language six months before moving here. He says limited exposure to English made the RWC lifeguard certification class difficult, but he studied hard to pass. He’s thrilled he got the job after trying out, “I’m so happy here because I’m doing what I want to do, as a University man, as a military man, I love studying. I love working as a lifeguard. I love to make new friends. I’m very happy here.â€�

Jin calls his job his favorite part of being a Knight. Though he’s been a military man for years he loves being a student here, “Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is a growing university. It is one of the biggest universities because of the students (enrollment). So there is a bunch of opportunity to experience everything, so I can experience many sports clubs, study clubs, martial arts (clubs). Everything! I don’t have a lot of time, but there are great chances to experience so much. I love this.â€�

ÌýBlinis from Russia, yucca con mojo from Ecuador, Curry chicken from Trinidad or good old Cookie Pie from the United States were just a few of the favorite dishes or desserts at the Recreation and Wellness Center event.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ professional and student staff from the RWC, Wellness and Health Promotion Services, College of Nursing and the Office of Compliance provided 25 dishes and desserts for nearly 90 people.

Scott Mauro RWC marketing and communications manager and a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ United Way advocate, says it’s the best show of support to date. “To have a record turnout this year means a lot. One, our campus guests get to try world-class dishes from students and staff who volunteer their time, skills and money. Plus, they get to learn how they can impact lives across Central Florida. Real people in real need. We’re happy to do our part in spreading the message.â€� There was no charge for the event. Staff only asked guests to take United Way Pledge Cards.

Each year guests vote on the best dishes. This year’s best dish went to Ayanna Lopez, assistant director for Academic Support Services College of Nursing, for her curry chicken. RWC Intramural Supervisor and Senior Greg Metzger won best dessert for his chocolate cream cheese brownies.

United Way Campaign Chair Richard Sloane encouraged Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ donors to give because the money they donate stays here in Central Florida. This year’s goal is to raise $150,000 dollars to support dozens of agencies for the Heart of Florida Untied Way. For more information on the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ United Way Campaign, visit: .

“Despite the entire Late Knights team being new, we completely exceeded our own expectations for this event and now know what we are capable of in the future,� said Late Knights Executive Director Douglas Jensen.

The event featured a limbo contest, boogie board giveaway, and a screening of Disney’s Lilo and Stitch. In addition to the entertainment of a live DJ, students also enjoyed free pizza, snow cones and cotton candy. Students really got into the island party theme wearing their luau leis and T-shirts. They danced, splashed in the pool, and tested their skills and flexibility in the limbo dance throughout the evening.

Jensen said he was “incredibly proud� to have hosted this event, the first of many for him and his team.

Late Knights is a bi-monthly event that provides free food, prizes, and entertainment to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ students, their families, friends and the community. The events, held on campus from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., are a great way to make new friends. In the past, all Late Knights have been held on a Friday evening.

The winner, Kimberly Montano-Tavera who painted “Knight Helmetâ€� won Nook from Barnes and Noble and runner-up Cara Salinas who painted “Dreams of Lake Claireâ€� received a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Creed giveaway basket. Students who submitted their artwork included their personal artistic reflections.

One student artist, Nadya Mishutina submitted a work of art of the Recreation and Wellness CenterÌýbuilding where she has worked the past two years and refers to her “second home.â€� Her artwork is hung in the RWC for other students to view and enjoy. Mishutina wrote this about her art, “I am a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Knight, never stop and never give up. Even if everybody sees the limit or obstacles, there is always a way to move up.â€�

All Creed Art submissions are currently on display throughout the RWC and the Student Union second floor. OSRR is a department in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

ÌýTwenty-two seniors from the RWC student staff have accepted campus recreation graduate assistantships the past three years. Graduate assistants play a vital role in helping recreation facilities to reach annual goals. GAs gain experience in operating recreation programs while having a chance to earn their master degrees. Institutions waive their tuition in exchange for their work.

ÌýThe seniors and their new universities include: Melissa Lewis, Fitness (University of South Carolina), Jamie Mineart, Intramural Sports (Texas A&M University), Patty Suarez, Intramural Sports (Ohio University), Kelsey Vance, Fitness (Purdue University) and Billy Waechter, Intramural Sports (University of Georgia).

ÌýThe 2014 GAs are some of the most honored and recognized student staff members at the RWC: Lewis, is the 2013-2014 RWC Program Employee of the Year, Suarez was honored as a National Campus Recreation Basketball Tournament official and officiated her first Division III College Basketball game in the spring, Vance is a former fitness lead supervisor and Waechter is the February 2014 RWC Employee of the Month, the 2012-2013 RWC Flag Football Official of the Year and a National Flag Football Tournament official.

ÌýMineart is the 2013-2014 RWC IM Sports Supervisor of the Year. The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association [NIRSA] also honored her, with the William Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award in 2013-2014. Named after NIRSA’s founder, Dr. William N. Wasson, the award recognizes top students in college recreation. Mineart, a two-time All-Tournament Official at NIRSA’s Regional Flag Football Tournament, says the RWC has really helped her carve out a career path, “I got involved with the IM [intramurals] program by chance, but it was one of the best things that happened to me at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. Not only did I meet amazing people but the professional and personal development I gained is priceless.â€�

The RWC is a department of the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.