I AM UAA: Brad Gorham

Mechanical Engineering '12
Hometown: Anchorage, AK
Fun Fact: Co-Captain of Seawolves Hockey

Those of us with older siblings know well enough that their hobbies can become our hobbies, sometimes due to adoration and sometimes due to ease of logistics for the parental units. Either way, UAA Seawolf Brad Gorham started skating at the ripe old age of 4 because his older brother, five years his senior, was already into the sport.

But even though he started in his brother's footsteps, Brad has definitely made tracks of his own. The 2004 Service High School grad skated for the Cougars and then went on to three years of junior hockey in Montana and British Columbia before settling into Ohio State University for his freshman year of college.

"My goal was always to play college hockey," says the 25-year-old forward turned defenseman.

Coming from Service, maybe it was inevitable that Brad was going to return to wearing green and gold; by his sophomore year of college he had been recruited by UAA to return to his hometown. And although he never expected to play as a Seawolf, he says, "I grew up watching UAA play. It was nice to come home."

Now in his third full season and senior year at UAA, with a WCHA All-Academic Team honor under his belt, Brad is leading his teammates on and off the ice for a second year as one of four team captains. It's a role that he was voted into by his peers as well as his coaches.

"We have a lot of young guys, so as captains we help to get them on the right track," he says. "It's a big adjustment coming to school and playing hockey. In juniors, you're just playing hockey. But college hockey is a big adjustment with classes and balancing everything."

So are there transferrable skills between the hockey rink and the classroom?

"Absolutely," Brad says. "I've learned a lot from hockey just from the time commitment and work ethic you have to put into it to be successful, and that applies to the classroom as well. With either one, you have to be dedicated to doing well."

Off the ice, Brad hopes to capitalize on his skills in math and science by becoming a mechanical engineer. For the past two summers he has interned with a local oil and gas company, but he's also open to new opportunities in hockey.

"I'd love to play professionally. Maybe go to play in Europe. Maybe the Aces. I'm waiting to see what happens and what opportunities arise."

No matter what is next on the horizon, though, Brad looks back on his time at UAA as a very positive experience. To prospective and incoming students, he says, "You're definitely going to get a good education. And, if you're playing sports, the Athletic Department takes great care of their athletes. It's been a great place to play hockey."