UAA to enshrine Wasilla woman

WASILLA - Allegra Butler came to Alaska for the adventure. She stayed in the state for the adventure. And somewhere along the way the Michigan native and Wasilla resident put together a hall of fame basketball career at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Earlier this month, UAA announced Butler - the former Allegra Stoetzel - is one of three former UAA standouts who will be inducted into the Seawolf Hall of Fame on Oct. 15.

&#8220I was really surprised,” Butler said. &#8220There are a lot of people they could choose to be in the hall of fame. I feel really honored and lucky they chose me.”

Butler - who shares the hall of fame class of 2006 with former hockey standout Derek Donald and Harry Larrabee, one of the most notable names in the history of UAA athletics - has become a staple in the Valley sports community since her four-year career with the Seawolf women's basketball program. Although she does not hail from the Mat-Su area, Butler, who moved to the area in 1999, is firmly planting her roots in Valley sports.

When she's not on the golf course, she may be on the basketball court. And when Butler's not on the hardwood, she's in the classroom with her Wasilla Middle School students. And when she's not there, she's probably fishing, on a trail or even doing a little bit of coaching.

&#8220That's what I do - sports, recreation, any kind of activity,” Butler said.

Butler's not much of a reader, she joked. She's not the type who is content with sitting at home on the couch.

&#8220I like to be a little adventurous,” Butler said.

After graduating from UAA in 1996 with a degree in physical education, Butler decided to leave Alaska and head back to the Midwest. But that was only temporary. She coached at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne for a couple of seasons. During her playing career, Butler said, all she thought she wanted to do was coach basketball. After giving it two seasons, Butler decided she needed another dose of adventure up north. So she returned to Alaska.

Butler returned to the state and began working at the Palmer Golf Course. That allowed her to concentrate on another one other athletic passions - golf. Soon she found about as much success on the links as she did on the court, winning the Alaska Women's State Amateur titles in 2003 and 2004.

Golf didn't take her away from basketball though. For the last five seasons, Butler has been a member of the Anchorage Sports Officials Association, refereeing basketball games at the middle school and high school level. Last year she was chosen to work the 4A state title game.

In August Butler begins her second year as a teacher at Wasilla Middle School. She has coached at the college level and taught high school students in the past, but feels the middle school is where she wants to

be.

&#8220The kids in college, most of them have their minds made up,” Butler said. &#8220I think I can do the best work at the middle school level - make a positive impact in their lives.”

Butler said she tries to tell her students to simply work hard and do the right things.

&#8220Kids know the difference between right and wrong, but that doesn't mean they always do (the right thing),” Butler said.

Butler said she was fortunate to possess the skills on the basketball court she could use to help build a future for herself. Not wasting God-given ability is a big thing, she said, and another important message she always tries to relay to their students.

During a four-year career that began in 1992, Butler stormed into the UAA record books, setting 13 school records. Six of those mark still stand today. Her single-game scoring record of 41 points is still the school's best, and nobody has eclipsed her career marks of 460 assists or 191 three-pointers.

A native of Spring Arbor, Mich., Butler said Alaska and UAA fit all of her needs when she was ready to make the leap to college basketball.

&#8220I always wanted to go away from where I grew up. I wanted to go west of the Mississippi. I wanted to go somewhere I didn't have to ride a bus to all the games,” Butler said. &#8220Alaska really fit the bill.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.