GoHuskies Magazine: Sept. 2017

September 2017

IN THIS ISSUE From the Athletic Director’s Desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Ultimate Husky Fan’s Guide to Fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 10 Questions With ...

Women’s Soccer’s Amanda Perez . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 UW alum and Sounders star Cristian Roldan is living the dream — in more ways than one. . . . .14 Coleman Shelton is the center of attention. . . . . . . . 22 The Shot: Indelible images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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GOHUSKIES VOLUME 11 / ISSUE 2 / SEPTEMBER 2017

For Information on Advertising, Please Call Scott Boone at (206) 221-3071.

GoHuskies Magazine is published seven times a year by Washington IMG Sports Marketing, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.

GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE Washington IMG Sports Marketing 3910 Montlake Boulevard – Box 354070 Seattle, WA 98195

All material produced in this publication is the property of IMG College and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from IMG College and the University of Washington Athletic Department.

Please send all address changes to the attention of Tyee Club at University of Washington; Box 354070; 202 Graves Building; Seattle, WA 98195-4070 or by email at huskies@uw.edu.

EDITOR Brian Beaky WRITERS Mark Moschetti

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK

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very year, the Husky Athletic Department serves hundreds of student-athletes, providing them with coaching, equipment, academic support and competitive opportunities at a worldrenowned educational institution. The quality of the athletic and competitive opportunities that our student-athletes experience here cannot be replicated anywhere else.

More importantly, however, the University of Washington provides our student-athletes with the opportunity to grow and develop as scholars and leaders. This is, without a doubt, a wonderful and unique place to learn, train, compete, live and grow. The staff and faculty at the University of Washington put in long hours, year-round, to ensure that our student-athletes can enjoy everything that this department and this campus has to offer them. Their commitment and dedication to enhancing the Husky experience for all who attend school here is unparalleled, and I count myself fortunate to be a part of this dynamic team.

Our fans, donors and supporters are also an essential part of our team, playing an integral role in our successes. Without your willingness to dedicate your time and energy to our programs, the concept of “being a Husky” would have very little meaning or appeal. Because of you, our stands and sidelines are loud and raucous and our outreach into the community is widespread. Whether you volunteer at our events, participate on our advisory boards, donate to the University and the Ath-

Jennifer Cohen

letic Department, or cheer from the stands, Husky Athletics would not be the same without you. I truly appreciate everything that you do.

This year is full of great promise and the potential to accomplish amazing things. Please come out and join us (a number of showcase events are highlighted herein!) as we cheer on the Huskies on the football field, the soccer pitch, the volleyball court and out on the running trails of Seattle. GO HUSKIES!

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mason Kelley, Jonathan Moore, Don Jedlovec, Red Box Photography, UW Athletics ADVERTISING

Scott Boone (206) 221-3071 scott.boone@img.com DESIGN Robert Becker, Katie Erickson 4114 198TH St. SW, Suite 5 Lynnwood, WA 98036 P: (425) 412-7070 • F: (425) 412-7082 varsitycommunications.com

Football & Men’s Basketball Flagship Radio Station: KOMO Newsradio AM 1000 & FM 97.7

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GoHUSKIES

Ultimate HUSKY FAN’S

ROAD MAP

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By Brian Beaky Editor, GoHuskies Magazine

So, you consider yourself a die-hard Husky fan, do you? A true believer,

a hopeless addict. You follow the Dawgs at home and on the road, DVR football and basketball games in the event you have to miss one, and follow the live stats online during the Women’s College World Series each spring. You were even seen around town loudly praising the virtues of Kelsey Plum, Chantal Osahor and the Husky women’s basketball team during their record-setting last two seasons. If you were cut, you’d bleed purple.

OK ... well, have you ever been to a Husky track meet? How about a crew race? What about a tennis match, soccer game or golf tournament? There are 22 varsity athletic teams at the University of Washington — how many have you actually seen in person?

Or even on TV? If you suddenly find yourself questioning the depth of your loyalty, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Even among the halls of Husky Athletics, it’s rare to find someone who has actually seen, in person, all of Washington’s men’s and women’s teams compete. (This writer was proudly one of those few — until they went and added beach volleyball. Even I have some catching up to do.)

But, good news: this is the year you can join the privileged few.

In the following pages, we chart a road map that will guide you through the fall’s biggest events, making sure you don’t miss a single key moment — or a single fall-sport team — along the way. Follow this Ultimate Husky Fan Road Map, and you can confidently say that you’re one of Washington’s most devoted fans.

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Montana

USC (W)/Stanford (M)

We know this is a bold endeavor for you, so we’ll ease you into it.

The road map starts off at a venue you’re certainly familiar with — Husky Stadium, home of Washington football for the last 95 years and the place where it’s likely many, if not most, of your favorite Husky sports memories have been made. Coming off of last year’s 12-2 record, Pac-12 title and an appearance in the College Football Playoff, the Huskies deserve a packed house for their season-opener. Whether to cheer the Huskies to what will hopefully be the first of many wins in 2017, to reconvene once again with the friends and family who make Husky gameday special, or simply to cherish a sunny afternoon in the Greatest Setting in College Football, the seasonopener with Montana is a can’t-miss event for any Husky die-hard.

Looking to knock off two sports at once? Or meet and get autographs from your favorite Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign players? Or watch the Huskies do battle with both the defending NCAA women’s and men’s soccer champions? Then circle Oct. 19 on your calendar. Sounders/Reign Night at Husky Soccer Stadium kicks off at 5 p.m., when the Husky women host defending NCAA champ USC. Then, at 8 p.m., the Husky men take on the NCAA men’s champion, Stanford. Meet stars of the Sounders and Reign, and help the Huskies defend Seattle’s reputation as the beating heart of America’s soccer culture, against the best the nation has to offer.

Seattle University

USC

OK, here’s where things start to get interesting. Friday, Sept. 15, is Local Soccer Night at Husky Soccer Stadium, where youth soccer coaches, parents and players are invited to pack the stands to watch two of the state’s most historic women’s soccer programs battle toe-to-toe. With tickets available at special rates to large groups (say, your child’s youth soccer team), and fun activities planned throughout the evening, it’s the perfect chance to sample this year’s Husky squad, which features eight returning starters, including two U.S. Women’s Under-23 National Team trainees.

Whether coming for the activities, or just for the game, you won’t leave disappointed.

No sport has been sweeping the nation — heck, the planet — quite like eSports. Tens of thousands pack into NBA arenas to watch the world’s most talented eSports teams go head-to-head in the most popular video games (many made right here at home by companies like Microsoft and Bellevue’s Valve). On Friday, Oct. 27, the Husky volleyball team joins the fun by celebrating eSports night — no, they’re not going to trade in their nets and balls for game controllers and comfy chairs, but they will feature some of the region’s top competitive players and game demos. And of course, don’t forget to stick around for the live action at 6 p.m., as head coach Keegan Cook takes the controls and leads his pack of Huskies against top rival USC.

Oregon

UCLA

Outside of Washington’s men’s and women’s crews, no Husky team has achieved as much success over the last decade as Husky volleyball. Fifteen-straight NCAA Championship appearances.

Eleven Sweet 16s. Nine Elite 8s. Four Final Fours — and the 2005 NCAA Championship. That winning tradition has been bolstered by a home crowd unrivaled by any in the West, where “Point, Huskies!” is every bit as iconic as “Touchdown, Washington!” On this particular Wednesday, the Huskies host Teacher Appreciation Night, with outstanding local teachers recognized throughout the match (for information on nominating your favorite teacher, visit GoHuskies.com).

Oh, they also host rival Oregon in a crucial Pac-12 home tilt — let’s pack the house so that our teachers know how much we care ... and the Ducks get a little taste of our passion, too.

In what will unquestionably be one of the most memorable nights in Husky Stadium history, Washington will unveil a statue of legendary coach Don James prior to the Huskies’ homecoming game with UCLA on Oct. 28. The statue — paid for by private donations, including many from James’s former players — will be erected on the Northwest Plaza, alongside that of Jim Owens. The ceremonies will continue throughout the game, including former players voicing their tributes to James on the Jumbotron, and more. Not only will the game be a homecoming for fans, but also for the opposing coach — UCLA top man Jim Mora played four years for James at Washington, and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant on The Dawgfather’s staff in 1984. With the ceremonies throughout the game, and the unique opponent on the field, it’s certain to be an unforgettable night for all.

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Stanford

Washington State

For starters, it’s Stanford — and if you know anything about Husky volleyball, we shouldn’t have to say much more than that. In 2014, Washington set a Pac-12 record, packing 8,646 fans into Bank of America Arena to see the Huskies take down the Cardinal. That’s a great number — but it also means that there were about 1,354 empty seats. This year, we’re going to break that record — and Husky volleyball legend Krista Vansant is going to help. The four-time All- American and two-time Honda Award winner (volleyball’s Heisman Trophy) will return to Hec Ed on Nov. 8 to see her jersey raised to the rafters of the arena prior to the Stanford game. In addition, fans will have the chance to meet Krista and get autographs after the game. Honor a Husky legend, be a part of a record-breaking crowd, and help the Huskies take down Stanford, all on one memorable night!

It was 10 years ago — in celebration of the 100th Apple Cup football game between Washington and Washington State — that Boeing partnered with both schools to become the title sponsor of the annual rivalry game. Well, this year, they’re taking it a step further. The Boeing Apple Cup Series recognizes the longtime rivalry between the two schools goes far beyond just football — that’s why every matchup between Washington and Washington State on the field, pitch, court or cut this year will be tallied up to crown the overall champion of the Boeing Apple Cup Series, giving every sport a chance to make an impact. This game, on Nov. 3, is the first Apple Cup Series event of the year — and your support will help ensure the Huskies put the first points on the board.

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NCAA West Regional You thought we’d forget cross country, didn’t you? No way. Usually, Husky fans have just one chance to catch the cross country squads in action at home, at September’s Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park — that’s why cross country is often the last sport a die-hard Husky fan crosses off of their to-do list. If you miss them in September, though, you’ll have a second chance on Nov. 10, when the West’s top collegiate teams convene at Jefferson Park Golf Course for the NCAA West Regional Championships. Not only are the Huskies annual contenders for the West Region title, but it’s highly likely that many competitors running at Jefferson in November will be donning their national team’s colors in future Summer Olympic Games. Don’t miss your chance to see them before they become stars.

Washington State We’ll end back where we began — in the stands at Husky Stadium, our voices stretched as far as they’ll as we roar our support for the Dawgs and try to notch another point in the Boeing Apple Cup Series. Not only will this mark the final home game for several Husky seniors, and not only is it the biggest rivalry game the team will play all year ... it’s also the night when Washington will honor longtime radio play-by-play host Bon Rondeau, who retired following the 2016 season. Multiple generations of Husky fans can immediately conjure up Rondeau’s voice calling the team’s most iconic moments, from the 1991 National Championship, to the Whammy in Miami, “All I Saw Was Purple,” upsets of Miami in 2000 and USC in 2009, and last year’s incredible run. On Nov. 25, not only will we cheer the Dawgs to what we hope will be another Apple Cup win, we’ll also recognize the man who brought most of our favorite Husky football memories to life. It’s a game any true Husky fan — and certainly the “Ultimate” Husky fan — won’t want to miss.

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GoHUSKIES

10 QUESTIONS WITH...

WOMEN’S SOCCER SENIOR MIDFIELDER AMANDA PEREZ What does it feel like to play at Husky Soccer Stadium?

“It always feels like a privilege. It’s a mixture of excitement, nerves and pressure because you’re playing at home, in front of your home fans, and Dawgs win at home! There’s nothing like playing good soccer and coming out with a win, and then hearing our victory song.”

What is something the coaching staff has taught you off the field?

“Something [head coach] Lesle [Gallimore] and [associate head coach] Amy [Griffin] have really instilled in me is that it’s cool to be smart. Trying hard and challenging yourself in the classroom is something we should always try to do.”

Who is your biggest inspiration?

“My older sister, Veronica Perez. I was lucky enough to grow up in the same house as my role model. I got to see firsthand what it took to become a two-time World Cup player. Her every-day determination, discipline and love of the game influenced me and pushed me. I loved watching her accomplish her dreams and was constantly motivated and convinced that I could do the same.”

What’s it like to play in the Pac-12 conference?

“It’s competitive and challenging, week-in and week-out. Every team poses a different challenge. Being able to play and compete at a high level consistently is what makes this conference so much fun.”

What is your favorite thing about living in Seattle?

“The soccer community. With UW, the Seattle Reign, and Sounders FC, you have a city that supports every level of the game. It’s amazing to be in one of the few cities in the country that does that.”

Why did you choose UW? “I loved the culture and people within the program.”

What are your favorite things to do in the summer in Seattle?

“Summers in Seattle are a blast. I love doing something active like playing soccer or basketball with friends. After that, I typically just like going to coffee shops and hanging around the lakes with a good iced coffee and a book!”

What are some of your earliest soccer memories?

“Most of my earliest memories involve me kicking the ball around during my oldest sister’s practices and games. I was always the little sister trying to learn how to pass and trap the ball well enough to the point where her and her friends would let me join!”

Who were your favorite players growing up?

“Carine, Gary and Simon Ireland. They were my club coaches and former professionals. I looked up to them and trained with the goal to one day be able to play at their level.”

What do you love most about playing soccer?

“I really love everything about the game. But, if I have to choose something, I guess it would be the feeling of success and accomplishment when you connect with your teammates. I love the feeling when everyone is working and talking together and a bunch of parts feel like one.”

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D eam

Come T ue PAGE 14

GoHUSKIES

From Montlake to MLS to the U.S. Men’s National Team,

By MARK MOSCHETTI For GoHuskies Magazine

CRISTIAN OLDAN is living a dream

TAKE A CHANCE. Cristian Roldan took one by leaving the comforts of home and family.

The University of Washington men’s soccer program took one on Roldan.

Ultimately, so did the Seattle Sounders.

Now, after two years as a Husky and into his third with the Sounders, home for Roldan is right here in the Pacific Northwest.

And all those chances – regardless of who was taking them – are yielding their rewards.

“Leaving home, let alone California, was pretty difficult,” Roldan said following a Sounders training session. “As kids growing up in a Latino household, part of our culture is not to leave home.

“I’m just happy it has all worked out, and we’re in a better place because of it.”

Having turned 22 in June, Roldan’s “better place” is on a rapidly rising career arc.

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D EAM COME TRUE

“You could tell when he came back from the national team camp that it energized him a little bit,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer says. “We’ve always believed he could play at that level. Now, he is actually finding that out for himself.”

It started as a lightly recruited high school player in Pico Rivera, Calif., shot skyward at Washington, and just recently saw him earn his first cap as a U.S. Men’s National Team player when he suited up on July 15 for a 3-0 victory against Nicaragua in the CONCACAF Gold Cup regional championship tournament.

“It was very emotional. I never thought as a kid that I’d play for the national team, let alone play professional,” Roldan said. “It was always a dream of mine, and I was able to achieve it.”

Roldan did not see any playing time that night in Cleveland, but “I felt like part of the team. The guys are very friendly, and it’s GoHUSKIES

something that I want to have in my career going forward,” he said. “I think it’s going to make me hungrier for more.”

WHO IS THAT KID?

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s one of the country’s top youth soccer tournaments, the annual Surf Cup in San Diego attracts many college coaches. In 2012, Washington’s Jamie Clark was among them.

Roldan wasn’t on Clark’s recruiting radar – nor was he on anyone else’s, in large part because he wanted to play for his El Rancho High

School team and a local Pico Rivera club, instead of joining one of the elite-level organizations.

Clark was winding up a long day at the tournament when stopped to check on another game that included a team being coached by a friend of his.

“All of a sudden, his team was getting taken apart by this central midfielder,” Clark recalls. “I asked a few people who he was.”

That central midfielder was Cristian Roldan.

“We knew we wanted him straight away,” Clark says.

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D EAM COME TRUE

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hroughout the rest of the weekend, Clark did the legwork to arrange for an official visit, which ultimately took place a few months later in Seattle.

Not long afterward, Roldan took a chance … and said yes to Washington.

“That was the biggest decision that they probably made, and the biggest decision I’ve made,” Roldan said of becoming a Husky. “I’m just very happy and very fortunate that it worked out.”

Worked out, indeed. Fresh off his Gatorade State Player of the Year Award as a high school senior in the spring of 2013, Roldan immediately became an impact player at Washington. He started 22 games as a freshman, scored seven goals and earned five assists as the Huskies reached the NCAA Elite Eight. He was named Pacific-12 Freshman of the Year and Soccer America’s National Freshman of the Year.

“I played on a small local team back in California, so I didn’t know if I was capable of playing Division-One soccer,” Roldan said. “When I got to Washington, the coaches put a lot of confidence in me and started me from the very beginning. I think that definitely helped.”

Roldan kept it up as a sophomore in 2014, adding another three goals (two of them game-winners) and two assists to help UW win the Pac-12 championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

During Roldan’s two years, the Huskies forged a 28-7-7 record, with back-to-back NCAA appearances. Along with all that team success, he experienced growth both in and out of the game.

“Off the field, it was about being a good person and being gracious. The coaching staff preached that,” he says. “On the field, it was the defensive mindset. I didn’t appreciate defending as much as I did until I got there. I think that helped me going forward and helped me transition into the Sounders.”

Following his sophomore year, Roldan felt ready to make that transition.

“I received an offer after my first year in college, but I had to decline it because I just didn’t feel it was the right time,” he says. “As the second year went on, I started to develop and started to become the player I wanted to be.”

Leading up to the 2015 SuperDraft, various MLS coaches and team front office officials called Clark. He gave them essentially the same pitch.

“I told them whatever his ceiling is, he’s going to reach it,” Clark says. “If he was a role player, he would do it to the best of his ability.

If he was going to be a starter, he would bring his lunch pail every day. If he was going to be a star, he would be a dream player: a star who would get his teammates to play with him.”

Roldan was still on the board when the Sounders got their turn at No. 16.

“It was a dream come true for me,” Roldan said. “I’m glad the Sounders took a chance, just like I’m glad the University of Washington did. Hopefully, I’ve repaid them with my work on the field and my hard work off the field, as well.”

Roldan saw action in 22 games as a rookie, then was in 33 games (starting 28) as the Sounders came from the depths of the league table in midseason to win the 2016 MLS Cup. This summer, he had played 21 of 22 games as the calendar flipped to August, going all 90 minutes in each one.

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D EAM COME TRUE On July 19, he scored the game-winner to beat D.C. United, 4-3, helping Seattle make MLS history as the first team to come from three goals down and win in regulation time.

Just four days later, he scored twice in 97 seconds – the fastest two goals for a league game in team history – in a 3-0 whitewash of the San Jose Earthquakes.

And all of this just days after earning his first USMNT cap.

“You could tell when he came back from the national team camp that it kind of energized him a little bit,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer says. “He senses that he can play at that level.

“We’ve always believed he could play at that level,” Schmetzer adds. “Now, he is actually finding that out for himself.”

THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON

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oldan still considers himself to be a student of the game.

That mindset extends to the classroom, where he continues to work toward his sociology degree by taking one online class per quarter. When it’s completed, Roldan will be one of the first in his family to earn a four-year degree. It’s something that means a lot not just to him, but to the entire UW men’s soccer program. In August, the UW men’s soccer team invited dozens of underpriveleged young players from throughout the local soccer community to the team’s game against New Mexico. The outing was arranged in partnership with The Dream Project, a program initiated by UW students to provide first-generation and low-income high school students in the Seattle area with assistance on SAT prep, financial aid applications, finding scholarships and other college-access barriers. Kids in attendance had the chance to meet Husky players, tour the campus and ask questions of students, tutors and others.

“Since I’m part of a first-generation family, it was always my goal to finish college,” he said. “I’m doing everything in my power to finish. It’s going to take a longer process. But eventually, I’ll finish and I’ll be able to tell my kids that I graduated.”

Perhaps his most important lesson?

Sometimes, you just have to take a chance.

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COLEMAN SHELTON

Overlooked as a prep, senior is at the “center” of the action for the highly ranked Huskies

eing at the center of it all is perfectly fine with Coleman Shelton.

Then again, being at left guard or right tackle works just as well.

The point is this: Wherever the versatile fifth-year senior sets up on the offensive line, he can be counted on to get the job done for the Washington Huskies.

“I always looked at it as wherever I can help out the team, I’ll play,” Shelton said after an early-August practice in 90-degree temperatures on the field adjacent to Husky Stadium.

“I didn’t want to limit myself to playing one PAGE 22

By MARK MOSCHETTI For GoHuskies Magazine thing, so I’ve tried to play as many as I can.

“But I definitely like center a lot.”

The UW definitely likes having him there – and with good reason.

Shelton is coming off the best season of his career, having started all 14 games at center to help the Huskies go 12-2, win the Pacific-12 Conference championship, and advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

His work was rewarded with second-team All Pac-12 honors. He also was voted the team’s Lineman of the Week for the seasonopening victory against Rutgers, and the conference title game win against Colorado.

“It’s definitely something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Shelton said of the wildly successful 2016 campaign. “It was exciting, it was historic – it was cool to be a part of.”

“But now, we can’t really think about that.

We have to get ready to go for this season.”

Shelton, whose name was on this spring’s watch list for the Rimington Trophy (presented annually to the country’s top center) is doing exactly that — and his linemates are following suit. For a stretch of several years,

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TWO GREAT SCHOOLS ONE GREAT TRADITION The Apple Cup is a Washington tradition and one of the great rivalries in all of college sports. Whether you’re cheering for the Dawgs or screaming for the Cougs, Boeing is proud to be the title sponsor of this annual matchup between two great competitors.

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“ HE’S OUR FIELD GENERAL.” the o-line hadn’t been the Huskies’ strong suit. But, things took a turn for the better last fall — and the 6-foot-4, 299-pound Shelton, who essentially is the leader of the group, is expecting even more improved play in 2017.

“Confidence, definitely. Not swagger,” he replied when asked which of those two qualities best described the preseason mood down in trenches. “We’re definitely an offensive line that has built years on years with each other. So everyone knows each other pretty well. Even the young guys coming in are fitting in well. We just feel like a good unit.”

A (MOSTLY) HIDDEN GEM

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eing part of that unit was far from a given for Shelton. Despite earning numerous accolades during his days as a two-way lineman at Loyola High School in Pasadena, Calif. (he was rated the No. 19 center in the country by rivals.com), he was very lightly recruited.

“It was definitely a long process,” he said. “I got an offer from Washington, and I committed right away.”

Offensive line coach Scott Huff, beginning his first year with the Huskies, said it’s not unusual for players of Shelton’s quality to slip through the cracks – and they often make themselves into even better players because of it.

“As hard as everyone thinks they work at recruiting and leaving no stone unturned, it still happens,” he said. “Coleman came in with a chip on his shoulder. He’s smart and tough – and those two things make a good offensive lineman any day.”

Appreciative of his opportunity, “I wanted to come up here and play as hard as I could for the chance to help this team out and return Washington to glory,” Shelton said.

After not playing as a true freshman in 2013, Shelton saw action in 13 games the following autumn – all at right tackle – with seven starts.

In 2015, he started all 13 games: two at left tackle, two at left guard and nine at right guard. At season’s end, Shelton was presented with UW’s John P. Angel Lineman of the Year Award.

Finally in 2016, Shelton won the starting center spot, a position he still covets more than any other.

“I feel like I fit well here,” he said. “I get to command everything. It’s something that fits my personality and the way I like to play football.

You get to command, make the calls, tell pretty much everyone where we’re going, or just start the communication.”

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Huff agrees that the position and Shelton’s personality are just the right combination.

“It plays to his strengths, and certainly to his leadership ability, the way he sees the field and kind of commands the whole thing,” he said. “He’s our field general. He can play a lot of positions, but that (center) position in particular really breeds those attributes – and he has them.”

SHELTON

Shelton was presented with UW’s John P. Angel Lineman of the Year Award in 2015.

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NOT JUST TOUGH – SMART, TOO

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helton has certain attributes in the classroom, as well.

He has completed all requirements for his degree in sociology, and was named Academic All Pac-12 honorable mention following the 2016 season.

But some of his favorite coursework still takes place on the football field. Huff can see that versatility has been a terrific teacher for Shelton.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach one or two guys who have played different positions,” he said.

“It has really helped him out with where he is right now with his game and understanding the offense.”

Even under those searing temperatures during the first week of fall practice, Shelton’s exuberance made it clear that he was ready to play a game right then and there.

“We feel good together, and we’re just happy to be back on the field and excited for the season to get here,” he said. “We’re real confident in ourselves right now.”

A bright guy such as Shelton no doubt has given some thought to his future, both on and off the field.

For now, however, the future is nothing further away than the next drill.

“We just have to work toward winning every day and winning each practice, each rep, each down,” he said. “I just know that I love to play football, and I love being out there with the guys next to me. And I have fun every day when I go out there.”

Especially now that he’s at the center of it all.

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RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR

Bailey Tanner (senior, San Clemente, Calif.) shows off her 2013, 2015 and 2016 Pac-12 Championship rings during a photo shoot prior to the 2017 season. Tanner and the Huskies will work to defend their title beginning with the Pac-12 home opener against Utah in Alaska Airlines Arena, Friday, Oct. 6.

Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES

To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit www.HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com PAGE 28

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