At State Games, UNMC a success on and off court

With approximately 16,000 athletes coming to Nebraska to participate in the State Games of America, volunteers, staff and athletes from UNMC made sure that the university was well represented both in the games and on the sidelines.

UNMC’s silver medal basketball team included, left to right, Jacob Wardyn, Deion Brown, Jeremy Johnson, Connor Larson, Tyler Tilmon and Bobby Peterson.

A sponsor of the games, UNMC sent 21 volunteers to assist at the events, primarily to help monitor the figure skating competitions held in Ralston as front line first aid volunteers. Volunteers were on hand to help when one skater fell and broke her arm, said intramural coordinator Ricky Fulton.

In addition to signage at the Ralston Arena, UNMC manned two information booths, giving away not only information on the university and Nebraska Medicine, but also branded bottles of sun screen that proved quite popular with athletes.

In addition, three teams from UNMC’s intramural leagues — a basketball team and two volleyball teams — medaled at the event, against what Fulton called tough competition, with the basketball team taking silver in its division, and the volleyball teams scoring a silver and a bronze.

UNMC’s partnership with the State Games allowed it to expand its brand both within the state and beyond, as athletes throughout the country competed, said Keith Swarts, director of business services.

“The State Games of America was a wonderful venue for UNMC to build on its brand identity,” Swarts said. “In addition, it was exciting to see students and staff from UNMC and its intramural league enjoy such success in these events.”

“I thought it was a good experience for all of us,” Fulton said. “We raised the profile of the university, and for our teams it was a healthy activity. And as far as the overall event went, I thought it was very successful, very well organized.”