Designed as a one-stop location for all recreation and wellness needs, the new center adjoins Redwood Bowl on the east side of campus and houses a main reception area and drop-in lounge featuring an attractive space for variety of activities. The center is equipped with two group-fitness studios, a conference room and peer education and art/nutrition rooms.

HSU’s new Recreation and Wellness Center is equipped with two group fitness studios.

The top floor gives access to the West Gym and the existing Student Recreation Center-West. The entire facility has undergone an extensive remodeling and facelift, including new and energy-efficient heating and ventilation. The project totaled approximately $3 million dollars and the work was accomplished during the past 18 months.

The center also houses a rock climbing wall.

The RWC is a multi-departmental campus partnership. It augments Humboldt State’s Center Activities, Club Sports and Intramural program, the Student Recreation Center, the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center in Eureka and the wellness component of the Student Health Center.

“The Recreation and Wellness Center encourages campus access to recreation programming,” says Dave Nakamura, Executive Director of the University Center, which oversees the new facility. “It enhances the HSU experience through dynamic and inclusive recreation, through our fitness and wellness program to promote healthy living and through the development of the social and leadership skills necessary for student success. In addition to enhancing our present level of programming for both individuals and HSU organizations, new and creative programs will be rolling out continually in the months ahead.”

Although primarily emphasizing services for currently enrolled HSU students, many programs are open to staff, faculty and community members.

Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Details are posted online at humboldt.edu/centeractivities.

To be honored as CCAA All-Academic, student-athletes must have earned a varsity letter and achieved a grade point average of 3.40 or higher while completing a minimum of 24 semester units. All six of HSU’s CCAA-affiliated women’s sports teams placed athletes on the list of scholars, and two of the Jacks’ men’s teams were also represented.

A list of Humboldt State’s honorees follows:

2011-12 CCAA All-Academic Winners – Humboldt State

Allyson Blenis, Softball
Samantha Gilbert, Softball
Alexis Van Acker. Softball
Allison Drobish, Volleyball
Bailey Kotas, Volleyball
Alexandra Rosendale, Volleyball
Kelly Kime, Women’s Basketball
Molly Todd, Women’s Basketball
Nicole Cunningham, Women’s Soccer
Megan Kendall, Women’s Soccer
Carly Kolpin, Women’s Soccer
Alex Swanson, Women’s Soccer
Breanna Taylor, Women’s Soccer
Maxmillian Bell, men’s track and field, men’s cross country
Patrick Fox, men’s track and field
Robert Gustas, men’s track and field, men’s cross country
Austin Huff, men’s track and field
Armando Ibarra-Espinoza, men’s track and field, men’s cross country
Michael Radenbaugh, men’s track and field
Kindra Aschenbrenner, women’s track and field, women’s cross country
Alexandra Belue, women’s track and field
Bridget Berg, women’s track and field, women’s cross country
Margaret Budd, women’s track and field
Nina Carson, women’s track and field, women’s cross country
Jeannie Castell, women’s track and field, women’s cross country
Brittainy Chown, women’s track and field
Haley Conway, women’s track and field
Natalie Johnson, women’s track and field
Jamie Ivory, women’s cross country
Amanda Lee, women’s track and field, women’s cross country
Julia Robinson, women’s track and field
Nayeli Santamaria, women’s cross country
Chelsea Schaefer, women’s track and field, women’s cross country

HSU cyclists Bryan Fiallos and Jamey Rogers will join Humboldt locals in the 545-mile bike ride to generate funds for the HIV/AIDS services of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. The ride has raised more than $50 million since its inception in May 2002.

The 2012 North Coast team, named the Humboldt Foggy Bottoms, has pledged to raise $3,000. Besides Humboldt State’s Fiallos and Rogers, members include team captain Debi Farber-Bush of Edward Jones LLC, Michael Goodwill, chief medical physicist at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and former Arcata Mayor Bob Ornelas. Humboldt’s communities are served by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

Fiallos, a Humboldt State junior majoring in Critical Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, is from South Central Los Angeles. He has served as an unpaid intern at Lifeworks at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center.

Rogers, a senior from Bakersfield living in Eureka, is returning to school to complete a degree in Religious Studies. He is currently a commissioner on the Commission on Human Rights of Humboldt County and that body’s vice chair. He is also known as Sister Nova China and is treasurer of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Rogers served Humboldt County for four years as an Eligibility worker and was treasurer of the AFSCME Union Local.

“The first event in May 2002 included 670 courageous cyclists supported by 250 volunteer ‘roadies,’” Rogers said. “The high visibility of the event helped raise awareness that AIDS continues to devastate our society and public support helped the participants raise $3.2 million. Today, no other annual event raises more money for HIV/AIDS-related services than AIDS/LifeCycle. SFAF and the center were the first AIDS service organizations in the nation to produce, in-house, a multi-day fundraising event of this magnitude.”

The 2011 event drew a record-breaking 2,500 cyclists and 530 “roadies,” raising nearly $12 million. Roadies are the volunteers who set up and dismantle campsites, serve meals and drinks, repair bicycles and provide directions and route guidance.

Cyclists will depart June 3 from the Cow Palace in San Francisco and head to Santa Cruz on the first 82.5 mile leg. Average distance is about 80 miles a day. The ride will conclude with the leg from Ventura to Los Angeles.

The route is primarily a coastal one with short inland detours. More information is at http://www.aidslifecycle.org/life-on-the-event/route/.

Rowells was among several players signed by Carolina soon after Saturday’s final round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Panthers’ fan web site, “Cat Scratch Reader,” listed Rowells as one of the earlier signings during a process that was expected to continue into the night.

Rowells is the second Humboldt State player in as many years to sign an NFL contract as an undrafted free agent. Former All-American center Taylor Boggs was inked by the New York Jets following the 2011 draft.

Photo Courtesy of Rebecca Phipps
Hayley Umayam sets out a strong pace and wins the Women’s B road race.

“She has been racing well this season,” said faculty adviser and coach Vicky Sama. “Hayley had an amazing day in Saturday’s road race and today’s crit suited her well because the finish line was on the hill on B Street, and she loves to climb.” Umayam and several other members of the team hope to race at Collegiate Cycling National Championships in Ogden, Utah in May.

Traci Kroll had strong legs on Sunday, attacking the crit climb and putting the hurt on some riders from Stanford in the Women’s A field. In the final lap, Kroll and a Davis rider surged away from the pack, trying to catch a solo Davis rider off the front. Kroll and the Davis rider couldn’t catch the leader, but they kept away from the field and sprinted each other for the finish. Kroll was nipped at the line and ended up with an impressive third place.

Nancy Vargas double-dipped on the podium over the weekend, winning Saturday’s 30-mile road race and Sunday’s crit in the Women’s C category. Teammaate Marina Marcroft competed in the road race and crit, and Ashley Hansen also raced in the crit.

Steven Pearl got on the front of the Men’s B crit and drilled the pack around the course for much of the 40-minute race. Several riders struggled to stay on his wheel, and after the damage was done, Pearl finished third. During the crit, racers make several laps around the course that started at the corner of Harpst and B Streets, made a left on Laurel, traveled through the parking lot behind the Library, down to LK Wood and left on Harpst.

Photo Courtesy of Rebecca Phipps
Joe Zaizar placed fifth in the Men’s D road race hosted by Humboldt State University.

HSU had a strong showing in the Men’s C/D combined crit, with Alvin Garlejo, Stephen Allen, Gianpaul Ferioli and Kristoffer Dean competing in the event. Pearl, Garlejo and Allen raced as a three-some to win Saturday’s Men’s B Team Time Trial–an event where riders race against the clock.

In the Men’s A crit, Luke Ramseth shot off of the front from the start gun, immediately sending the field into panic as all riders fought to stay in contact as he surged up B Street. Ramseth’s speedy pace-setting soon took a toll and riders were falling off the back and soon getting pulled out of the race by the chief race official. Ramseth finished in the top 10. He finished eighth in Saturday’s 60-mile road race. Teammate Ryan Spaulding finished 13th on Saturday. Ramseth led HSU’s Men’s A Time Trial Team with Spaulding and Nate Abel to a second place finish on Saturday.

For more race results, see Humboldt State Cycling on Facebook.

HSU Cyclist, Haley Umayam (right), at the Berkeley Streets Criterium.

Berkeley Streets Criterium

Hayley Umayam, known for her speed up hills, took second place in the Women’s B crit on Sunday, which ended on the block-long climb up Bancroft Way, right in front of the Berkeley Art Museum. Teammate Alvin Garlejo rode like a rock star, at first winning a prime and then finishing sixth in the Men’s D crit. Joe Zaizar got 11th in that same race. Ryan Spaulding flatted during the Men’s A crit, but made a wheel change faster than you can kick off your cha-cha shoes, and got back in the race to finish 7th. Making a brave return from an injury suffered during a crash in Stanford a few weeks ago, Stephen Allen placed ninth in the Men’s C crit. Nancy Vargas finished third and Marina Marcroft fifth in the Women’s C. Garlejo, Zaizar, Vargas, Marcroft and Daniel Draskins, who finished the Men’s D race, are all newcomers to collegiate cycling. They are making incredible gains in their performance each week, certainly showing the depth of HSU’s Cycling program.

Crockett Road Race

Saturday’s road race started near the town of Crockett, a few miles north of Berkeley. The course winds along Carquinez Scenic Drive on the San Pablo Bay before turning sharply right up the steep McEwen Road just a few miles before the finish line. Some riders dread the climb. Steven Pearl embraced it like a conga line, stomping on his steel Surly Pacer up the beast of a hill to get third in the Men’s B road race. Nate Abel finished behind him in fourth. Umayam, again showing she is a dancing, climbing queen, finished 5th in the Women’s B road race. Garlejo got 2nd and Zaizar 14th in the Men’s D. Vargas and Marcroft finished in the top five in the Women’s C.

Top finishers in each race are awarded points that go toward their upgrades and to the team’s overall conference standing. Cyclist Nate Abel earned enough points this weekend to upgrade to Men’s A–the highest category in competitive collegiate cycling.

The bike race will start at the corner of B and Harpst Streets. Riders will crank their pedals up the hill and make a left onto Laurel Drive. They’ll ride through the Library parking lot, make a left turn onto LK Wood Blvd., which will be rerouted for car traffic, and then make another left onto Harpst Street and ride the course several more times.

About 200 cyclists from collegiate teams all around the state are expected to participate in the event, including riders from Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis and Cal Poly. Citizens and non-collegiate riders will also take part in the criterium, which has separate starts for beginner and advanced riders.

During Sunday’s race, the streets and course will be closed to traffic. Vehicles driving to and from campus that morning will be directed to use the B Street entrance at 14th Street. Course marshalls will direct cars to the parking lot behind Harry Griffith Hall. Cars needing access to the parking lot across the street from the College Creek Apartments will be allowed to cross the race course under the direction of course marshals, who will make sure the course is first clear of any racers. Disability parking will remain available behind the Library. Other vehicles will be directed according to the race traffic plan.

This is the second year HSU Cycling is hosting the bike race on campus. The club has taken extra measures to make sure the campus community can enjoy the event. Last year, the race was a success, and the home team took home medals.

HSU Cycling is also hosting a road race and team time trial in Loleta on Saturday, Mar. 24. The team competes in the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference and is poised for some podium finishes.

The team is holding a movie night fundraiser on Thursday, Mar. 22 at Far North Climbing Gym. For more information on the race and the club’s fast riders, visit Humboldt State Cycling’s Facebook or humboldtcycling.wordpress.com.

Photo Courtesy of Joe Zaizar
Ryan Spaulding cruises in front of the pack, keeping a steady pace for the 68 mile road race at Paicines, Calif.

Club riders Luke Ramseth, Ben Barry and Ryan Spaulding raced in the Men’s A Team Time Trial (TTT) in Paicines, Calif., on Saturday morning, the first of three bike races hosted by Stanford University’s cycling club this past weekend. Hayley Umayam, Traci Kroll and Kaydee Raths raced in the Women’s A TTT. It was the first time HSU Cycling competed in the event, where riders from the same team raced against the clock at speeds of more than 30 miles-per-hour for 12 miles. The men’s team finished in fourth place and women fifth against the larger teams of Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

Following Saturday’s trial, HSU cyclists competed in a long road race over Panoche Pass, with an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet. Freshmen Marina Marcroft finished her first-ever collegiate race, placing well in the Women’s C category 36-mile road race. Other finished of note were Umayam who got fifth in the Women’s B race and Ramseth who finished in the top ten of the Men’s A 68-mile road race.

On Sunday, the team traveled to Morgan Hill for a second impressive day racing, but this time in the criterium, which was a short loop around a few blocks next to the Specialized Bicycle headquarters. HSU’s men were a show a force in the Men’s A 60-minute race. Several teams staged attacks, but Barry closed down the gaps, bringing teammate Ramseth up toward the front in position for the final sprint. Ramseth finished 7th in one of the toughest and fastest races of the weekend.

Photo Courtesy of Joe Zaizar
Hayley Umayam sits in the draft, letting a Santa Cruz rider take her up the hill at Paicines, Calif.

Umayam finished seventh in the Women’s B criterium, while teammate Raths stunned the crowd with several attacks, finishing 12th. HSU’s Alvin Garlejo raced his way into the winning break and finished ninth in the Men’s D 25-minute crit, while teammate Jack Thorpe finished with the pack, getting 25th. Gianpaul Ferioli finished 20th in the Men’s C field, which had to be restarted twice after crashes took out several riders, including HSU’s Stephen Allen, who suffered cuts and bruises.

Marcroft finished 10th in her first-ever criterium, in the Women’s C category, and teammate Nancy Vargas maintained her big smile through the same race finish line in 12th place—also competing in her first-ever collegiate bike race. Traci Kroll finished 11th in the Women’s A 45-minute crit and Nate Abel had a strong race in the large Men’s B field, with an unofficial finish of 17th place.

(Lto R) Beth Larson, Coordinator of the North Coast Concussion Program, throws the soccerball and student assistant Aoibheann “Bean” Cline takes notes, as former HSU soccer plalyer, Tamlyn Tsubota, heads the ball.

Larson (’10, M.S. Kinesiology) found that players who self-reported as headers, those who use their heads to strike the ball, scored significantly worse on cognitive tests given pre-and post-season. Those who self-reported as non-headers scored as well, if not slightly better than on their initial test. Headers also scored significantly worse in the area of visual memory.

Part of Larson’s work with the program is to collect baseline cognitive data on all HSU student athletes in the pre-season. With an Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing, or ImPACT, test, she is able to evaluate players’ thinking and reasoning skills, including attention span, reaction time and memory. If an athlete suspects a concussion during the season, Larson can administer the test again and compare the results. Even if a personal baseline hasn’t been established, the volume of data already collected provides a normative database that any individual can be measured against.

During her graduate work, Larson used methods, including cognitive testing, to study concussion, depression and sub-concussive blows in high school and college athletes. Sub-concussive blows are repeated hits people, in this case soccer players, take to the head without feeling immediate effects of a concussion. In many cases, players downplay immediate effects, like headaches, as “normal.”

Tamlyn Tsubota, a former HSU soccer player, sports a modified waterpolo cap with a sensor to help program coordinator Beth Larson monitor the physical impact of soccer heading.

“A person who heads the ball a lot might say he made it through unscathed, but maybe he’s a little more aggressive than he would have been otherwise. Maybe he’s a little worse at math,” Larson says. While no definitive links between sub-concussive blows and long-term cognitive impairment have yet been made, the research that she and her students continue to do at the program is helping create better connections when it comes to our understanding of the human brain.

Coaches, sports organizations and lawmakers are now taking these types of findings into consideration. Many coaches no longer require heading sessions in general practice and up to 30 states have preventative laws on the books, Larson says. “No one’s saying it should be outlawed. But my thought is that heading is probably not great, especially for younger players.”

Athletes aren’t the only people subject to mild-traumatic head injuries such as concussions. The program offers free baseline testing to HSU students, staff and faculty, but anyone who thinks he or she has suffered a concussion can meet with staff at Humboldt State’s concussion program for low-cost testing.

However the injury was sustained, Larson says, it’s not a good idea to keep exerting the brain if someone suspects a concussion. A secondary blow or jolt to the head or body, even a cognitive task that requires focused concentration, could cause more harm, even death.

“In any case, self-awareness is key,” she says. “If you think you’ve suffered a concussion or another form of mild-traumatic brain injury, ask yourself: ‘Am I feeling out of the ordinary? Is something off?’ Then come visit us.”

For more on the North Coast Concussion Program, contact Larson at Elizabeth.Larson@humboldt.edu or 707.826.3533.

To read the full New York Times blog, visit http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/a-new-worry-for-soccer-parents-heading-the-ball/.