Published Mar 15, 2023 by Emily McLaughlin

Catherine Stevens, the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the Ted Stevens Foundation are pleased to announce the signing of a deed of gift to bring the papers of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens to UAA. This agreement paves the way to transfer the senator’s official records to UAA for historical preservation, as well as for public access and scholarship.

“It was Ted’s wish for his official papers, as well as those of other prominent Alaskans, to be donated to the university. I am pleased to honor this wish, and I look forward to sharing his legacy through his collection,” said Catherine Stevens, widow of the late Sen. Ted Stevens.

Sean Parnell, chancellor of the UAA, added, “UAA is honored to become the home for Sen. Stevens’ archive. Thank you to Catherine Stevens for bringing this remarkable collection to our university. We are dedicated to preserving the senator’s records and making them accessible for the benefit of all.”

“As the current repository for the senator’s papers, our Foundation’s archival team has been working diligently to prepare his records for transfer and public release,” said Karina Waller, Ted Stevens Foundation executive director. “We look forward to working with UAA on the process for conveyance of the collection.”

Published Mar 15, 2023 by Chris Bieri

The 2022-23 season has been an undeniable success for the University of Alaska Fairbanks hockey team.

But over the last 10 days, the Nanooks have gone from ferociously checking their opponents to frequently checking their phones. UAF wrapped up its regular season on March 4, posting a 22-10-2 record. The mark puts the Nanooks, who have no conference affiliation, as a contender for an at-large berth in the 16-team field for the NCAA tournament.

Conference tournaments wrap up this weekend, leaving the Nanooks, “on pins and needles,” according to UAF head coach Erik Largen, as they await Sunday’s tournament selection show.

“You’re checking your phone constantly and watching bits and pieces of highlights and scrolling through social media trying to decipher what teams you need to win and whatnot,” Largen said.

The object of their checking and scrolling has not only been other teams’ scores but the men’s Division I PairWise Rankings. The PairWise is a system which mimics the process for determining the teams in the NCAA men’s tournament.

As of Tuesday, the Nanooks were ranked No. 15 in the PairWise. Six champions of conference tournaments are offered automatic berths in the tournament, leaving 10 at-large spots.

While that ostensibly puts UAF inside the top 16, the two teams playing for the title in the Atlantic Hockey tournament — Canisius and Holy Cross — are both rated much lower than UAF. That bumps the Nanooks down to No. 16 and right on the cutting edge for the national tournament.