Utah Valley University breaks ground on basketball practice facility


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OREM — With one turn of a shovel, Utah Valley second-year coach Mark Pope knew he was locked in.

The days of dodging baseball players, physical education students and overzealous track athletes that once hit former basketball coach Dick Hunsaker with a shot put are coming to close at Utah Valley University.

The school broke ground on a $3.5 million practice facility for the men’s and women’s basketball team Wednesday morning, and with the ceremonial first shovel of the NUVI basketball center, the 14,500-square-foot facility signaled the next chapter of Pope’s coaching career.

“It’s really exciting for us,” Pope said. “It’s a really important step among a thousand steps to take as a program to get to the level we want to get to. We’re proud of the people who have partnered with us, and grateful for this administration that has let us move so fast on this and chase it as fast as we can.

“That’s the feel of the university: the beauty of Utah Valley is they allow you to come here as a student, coach, faculty member or dean, and chase any great ideas as fast as you can and try to turn it into a success.”

Pope led the Wolverines to a 12-18 overall record and 6-8 finish in Western Athletic Conference play in the first season of his first head coach job in college basketball. But he knew he needed more — and the practice facility will help allow for many of those additions, said Utah Valley President Matthew Holland.

Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News file photo
Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News file photo

The new facility adds on a program that has only been a full Division I member since 2009, but has brought in significant success in its short time as a four-year institution, including a Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship in Hunsaker’s final year.

“When I came to the university, we had a great basketball program. Dick Hunsaker had built something very special,” Holland said. “I told the schools they needed to let us into the WAC and we’d be competitive right away. Dick Hunsaker helped me prove that, and we are very grateful for what he built.

“In terms of moving forward, we know that to compete we have to have facilities and private support and resources. As we looked for the new coach, we were looking for someone that had that kind of leadership, enthusiasm and charisma — and we got it in spades in Mark Pope.”

Current and former players mingled with high-profile donors and alumni of the school during Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, including Utah Valley all-time leading scorer Ryan Toolson, who currently plays in Europe.

Among the key contributors to the building were NUVI executive chairman Keith Nellesen and Vivint co-founder and CEO Todd Pedersen, as well as former Utah Valley State College and BYU star Travis Hansen.

“UVU is a special place in our community,” said an emotional Nellesen, who is originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho. “We love Utah County because of what it has done for our family.”

Hansen stopped by to re-live past glory days at the university where his eventually longstanding professional career in Russia began. Before he led the Cougars with 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a senior prior to being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, Hansen was a tough, smart-shooting UVSC freshman who averaged 11 points, five rebounds and four assists on 47 percent shooting.


In terms of moving forward, we know that to compete we have to have facilities and private support and resources. As we looked for the new coach, we were looking for someone that had that kind of leadership, enthusiasm and charisma — and we got it in spades in Mark Pope.

–UVU president Matthew Holland


The Mountain View High product impressed BYU coaches during a summer activity in which he shattered a backboard at the then-David O. McKay Center.

But before all that, he was a UVSC student who met his wife LaRee in Orem and made plans to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile.

“It’s special for the community, for UVU, for me and my family,” Hansen said. “We have amazing memories here. My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in my year here, and a lot of my memories are her sitting in the stands.

“I met my wife here, and it allowed us to be around good people, go on a mission, go to BYU. We think a lot of good choices and blessings are attributed to the days of UVSC when I was here.”

Once construction on the building is complete next fall, Wolverine basketball players will no longer have to worry about competing for limited space in the school’s P.E. Building with baseball players, track athletes and physical education classes — a conflict that once led to Hunsaker being struck by a stray shot put several years ago, women’s basketball coach Cathy Nixon recalled.

In 22 years, Nixon also recalled sharing the now-UCCU Center with high school state tournaments, concerts and other county-regulated events. On one occasion, she opened her office door and saw a tiger making its way to the floor for a circus event.

Needless to say, having her program’s own space will be a welcome change.

Photo: Lynsey Craig, UVU Athletics
Photo: Lynsey Craig, UVU Athletics

“I’m the kind of person that likes to dream big, and I did dream that big,” Nixon said. “We saw our opponents who had them, played at some big schools.

“This has absolutely been a dream come true for us. I’m so grateful for coach Pope, President Holland, Val Peterson, and those who made this happen. Our commitment is to make good use of it.”

Part of the deal to fund construction on the Wolverines’ basketball court was the direct partnership between Utah County and the public university. But it presented plenty of challenges, as Nixon pointed out.

“I think it’s great for our university to have community events in here all the time,” Pope added. “It’s great, and it brings people to the university. It’s a huge resource for us. Any time we can get people on campus, it’s a huge deal for the university.

“But it’s a huge challenge for us.”

Those challenges were substantially alleviated Wednesday, but a lot of people came together to make it happen. No one was more appreciative than the current players, though — even if some of them won’t get to play in the soon-to-be-constructed facility.

“We do not forgot those who have contributed to the program,” said Wolverine post Isaac Nielson, a BYU transfer. “We are all-in, and coach Pope makes sure we remember that when we are practicing. This is greater than us as a team, and we should put all our heart, blood, sweat and tears into building this program.” .

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