2009-10 UNH MEN’S ICE HOCKEY MEDIA GUIDE
Jerry Azumah Performance center
Jerry Azumah ‘99
As a starting tailback at the University of New Hampshire, Jerry Azumah ‘99 earned a reputation as an unstoppable record-breaker. By the time he graduated from the university and joined the Chicago Bears as a fifth-round draft pick, he had already smashed four NCAA Division I-AA career records and been awarded the Walter Payton Award for his outstanding achievement as the nation’s top offensive player. At the age of 25, he did it again. With a gift to fund the Jerry Azumah Athletic Performance Center, he was the youngest UNH alum on record to give a gift of more than $100,000 to his alma mater. The gift provided funding for the renovation and complete overhaul, including stateof-the-art equipment of the University’s strength and conditioning facility located in the UNH Field House. “His National Football League profile will tell you that Jerry Azumah was 5-11, weighed 195, and played defensive cornerback with the Chicago Bears,” said Marty Scarano, University of New Hampshire athletic director. “What those statistics miss is the size of Jerry Azumah’s heart. We are so proud to have Jerry’s name affiliated with the University of New Hampshire. Jerry was a leader while attending UNH and continues to set a great example as a graduate.“ Azumah is the son of Theophilius and Bertha Azumah, natives of Ghana, who now live in Worcester, Mass. He came to UNH in 1995 as a freshman, majored in sociology, and minored in justice studies. “My scholarship at UNH allowed me to pursue my interests in the classroom, build a successful college football career and changed my life on every level,” says Azumah. “I’m pleased to be able to make a major contribution to my university and to bring new opportunities to today’s student athletes.” During his four years at UNH, Azumah was an All-American tailback and has been referred to as a player who comes along once in a coach’s lifetime by Coach Bill Bowes. He holds numerous University records, including the record for touchdowns rushing (60) and touchdowns overall (69), and Division 1-AA records for rushing yards (6,193), all purpose yards (8,376) and points scored (424). He has had the six best and eight of the top ten UNH rushing games ever and holds the all-time Division 1-AA rushing record of 6,193 yards. At that time, he was the only runner in Division 1-AA history to have four 1,000-yard seasons. Azumah is one of the only players in the history of the NFL to make the transition from playing an offensive position to being a starting cornerback on the defensive side of the football. In 2003 he became the only Wildcat to ever play in the Pro Bowl, where he excelled as a return specialist. He was a full-time starter at cornerback from 2001 through 2005 and made significant contributions on defense. Azumah holds the distinction of being the last Chicago Bear to score a touchdown at Soldier Field when he intercepted Donovan McNabb in a divisional playoff game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles and ran 39 yards for a touchdown on Jan.19, 2002. The play gave the Bears a 14-13 lead in the third quarter. Azumah announced his retirement from NFL football in 2006 due to injuries, but he continues to keep in touch with his alma mater and is always looking for new ways he can help the University, the athletic department and the Wildcat fooball program.
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The Jerry Azumah Athletic Performance Center features state-of-the-art strength and conditioning equipment provided for through the generous gift of Azumah. The 4,000 square-foot facility features: • 5,000 pounds of Olympic Weights • 7,000 pounds of Iron Grip Dumbells • 14 Powerlift Platform Stations • 5 Adjustable Benches
• 12 Hammer Strength Machines • 8 Reverse Hypers/Glutham Machines • 15,000 pounds of Iron Grip Weights • 2 Pilar Systems
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