South Lake Tahoe native Jerod Haase donates to UAB athletes

The following is a story about Jerod Haase, STHS '92, a highly recruited basketball player who was the Nevada AAA Player of the Year after leading the Vikings to a Nevada state title. He donated $46,000 to pay the UAB basketball players' cost of attendance which covers college bills, travel and other expenses.

UAB men's basketball coach Jerod Haase has always looked at the bigger picture.

His goal isn't just to build UAB into one of Conference USA's best; it's to build the Blazers into being a national power despite the label of being in a mid-major conference.

UAB renovated its locker room and players lounge in the summer of 2013 and just completed coaches' office renovations. The next phase of UAB athletics facility improvements include suites for Bartow Arena and an improved practice facility.

So it should come as no surprise that Haase, who got a pay raise to $1 million per year after leading UAB to an NCAA Tournament win over third-seed Iowa State, is paying cost of attendance for the UAB men's and women's players this season.

As ESPN first reported, Haase donated $23,000 for each program for players on both teams, because UAB's thletics budget for this school year had already been set when the NCAA passed cost-of-attendance. This will pay most of the players' stipends.

Both programs also didn't use their full scholarship allotment this season (the UAB men have 12 of an allowed 13, the women 14 of 15), so the money saved on that scholarship can be reallocated to aid with full cost-of attendance.

"It showed how much he cares about us," UAB guard Nick Norton said. "He's always putting the team and the school first. That's just the type of guy he is."

Haase jumped on the chance to help out the programs.

"So much of the reason I'm in coaching, the biggest reason, is my experience as a player at Kansas," Haase said. "I always felt that Coach (Roy) Williams, every decision he made, was based on what's best for the players.

"I always want to do what's best for the players and make decisions based on what's best for them."

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