Former Student Athlete Turned Mentor

Martin Jarmond ’01 oversees day-to-day operations at The Ohio State University Department of Athletics, but his most important job is being a mentor to student-athletes.

“There is nothing better than being able to help someone and for them to say that you played a small role in how they developed or where they ended up,” said Jarmond, deputy athletic director and chief of staff at The Ohio State University.

The support Jarmond received as a UNCW student-athlete sparked a desire to help young people develop and navigate their own journeys.

Jarmond, who was recently named to the Sports Business Daily Journal's Forty Under 40 Class of 2017, was a member of the UNCW men’s basketball team from 1998-2001. He served as team captain and was selected for the CAA All-Academic team in 2000. One of his fondest memories at UNCW was when the team won the CAA tournament in 2000, which punched the Seahawks’ ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

“I’ll never forget all of the people that lined the streets coming into town and all over campus when we pulled into Trask,” he recalled. “It was as if the entire Wilmington community all came out to welcome us home. The pride and joy that our Seahawk basketball team brought to campus and the community is something I’ll never forget.”

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Power of Positive Mentoring

Patrick Boykin ’94, ’12M has firsthand experience with the power of positive mentoring.

As he began his career, legendary UNCW leaders like Chancellor Emeritus James Leutze and former basketball coach Jerry Wainright offered Boykin advice and guidance. They also asked him to mentor a new generation of Seahawks.

“After I graduated, Chancellor Leutze, Coach Wainwright and others would reach out to me periodically to assist with classroom discussions, mentoring basketball players and other needs for which they needed community input,” said Boykin, a commercial relationship manager with PNC Bank. “The relationships that I formed while there, and post-graduation, have formed a certain level of loyalty to UNC Wilmington.”

In fact, Boykin, along with two of his UNCW basketball teammates – Corey Stewart ’95 and Mika’il Petin – are establishing a nonprofit organization to help youth in Wilmington.

“The purpose of the organization is to give youth in our community the tools necessary to be successful through mentorship, education and sports."

Read more about Patrick at We Are UNCW.

FORMER SEAHAWK INSPIRES STUDENTS

Kindergarteners at nearby College Park Elementary School recently raced to good health with help and inspiration from their teacher, former UNCW swimming and diving standout Melissa Milstead.

Milstead, the Colonial Athletic Association’s Swimming and Diving Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year for two straight years in 2006 and 2007, encouraged her class to exercise by running for two years in a row.

Last year, Milstead’s first grade class ran a 26.2-mile marathon and this year, her kindergarteners have done the same. Milstead’s class of five and six-year-olds started their marathon in January and kept count of their laps around the track until they reached the distance of a full marathon.

“If you ask them, they’ll tell you ‘I’m exercising my heart,’” said Milstead of her kindergarten class. “They even ask to run laps.”

Milstead, who has run competitively in marathons and tackled triathlons, was also the recipient of the school’s Chancellor’s Cup Award for Academic Excellence following her senior year at UNCW.

“She’s having a tremendous influence on the lives of her students and enabling them to feel good about themselves,” said UNCW Head Swimming and Diving Coach Dave Allen of his former student-athlete. “She’s giving them a head start on learning a healthy lifestyle, which can carry them through the rest of their lives.”

The College Park Elementary students even helped pass out medals to this year’s 2011 Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon winners. In fact, Milstead’s class received identical medals to reward them on completion of their own marathon.

Milstead was excited to get her class involved and was proud to watch her students complete their goal for the second year in a row.

“Doing this is really great because it gets them excited about exercising and having a healthy lifestyle, while promoting cooperation and support for one another.”

Submitted by UNCW Athletics Intern, Erin Hamil

Meet UNCW's New Athletic Director Jimmy Bass, at the TEALgate!

UNCW's new AD, Jimmy Bass will be attending the Cape Fear Alumni Chapter's TEALgate on Nov. 18, before UNCW takes on Morehead State.

Bass was UNCW’s first full-time athletics fundraiser in 1986. He also served as Executive Director of the UNCW Student Aid Association (Seahawk Club), and Associate Director of Athletics. Bass has spent the past three years at East Carolina University, where he had great success as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations. Prior to his most recent position with ECU, he held other positions at Mississippi State, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, and Davidson. Bass also has experience in development, ticketing, marketing and Alumni Relations. At NC State, he served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the Alumni Association.

The TEALgate is a great opportunity for alumni and friends to meet Jimmy, while enjoying food, drinks, games and Seahawk Spirit!

First Seahawk To Reach MLS Ranks Stays Focused

Many kids dream of being a professional athlete. They work hard, focus, and sometimes it all works out. At age five, Brad Knighton '06 was into many sports, enjoying the competitive nature and team environment, but as he got older he knew soccer would be his future.

During the summer of 2003, Brad received a phone call from UNCW Soccer Coach, Aidan Heaney. During a visit to campus, the rising soccer star quickly realized that despite numerous college choices, he was destined to become a Seahawk. While playing for UNCW, Brad was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Atlantic Region Second-Team after leading the Seahawks to their fourth consecutive trip to the CAA Tournament. He also earned First-Team All-CAA honors while setting a school record with a career-low 0.83 GAA in 2006-07 that ranked him third in the league. "The accolades that Brad received at UNCW were the result of his determination and hard work," said Coach Heaney. "I know he's always going to do what it takes."

The opportunity for Brad to realize his dream came in January 2006, when he became the first Seahawk to join Major League Soccer. Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Coach Heaney, Brad signed with the New England Revolution as the number 3 goalkeeper. Earning a spot on an MLS roster may have been a big undertaking, but Brad soon realized that his next challenge was to remain focused. "Coming into practice every single day and knowing [there are not many chances] to play is tough. It will take a toll on anyone. Being able to have that mental toughness and fight through it those first two years has made me a better person on and off the field."  Brad's determination and ability to always give 110% gave him the edge to beat out the number two goalie and get more action in the games. His high performance caught the attention of the Philadelphia Union, the 16th ranked team in the league, and he was picked up in this year's Expansion Draft.

Brad is currently living in Pennsylvania with his wife Britney, a 2007 UNCW nursing graduate, who works for Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. They are expecting their first child in February.

Like Brad, UNCW alumni are reaching their goals and achieving success all over the world. Take a look at the last post on the Seahawk Summer Feature and learn about Ryan Crecelius '06, an entrepreneur who has his eyes on Wilmington's future.