Game Changers
By Chelsea Bailey, director of marketing, College of Business Administration
At first glance, Mike Gabinet and Evan Porter have little in common except their job title: coach.
One is Canadian, the other, a corn-fed Nebraskan. One made his mark with a hockey puck, the other a baseball.
But there are similarities — and no shortage of accolades — between the two.
Both hold business degrees from UNO. Both are storied student-athletes who went on to play professionally. And both now are in their first years leading NCAA Division I programs with the opportunity to write the next chapter at their alma mater.
As new head coaches, these two Mavericks are laser-focused on creating their team cultures, hoping to develop not just talented athletes but also players who will reach their full potential long after they hang up their cleats … or skates.
Both coaches sat down to talk with the UNO College of Business Administration about their days as students, careers post-college and plans for their Omaha teams.
Mike Gabinet (BSBA 2004)
During his five-year tenure coaching college hockey, Mike Gabinet has already tasted the fruits of success that stem from hard work … and a little luck. In his first stab as a head coach, his team finished 36-0.
That earned Gabinet a Coach of the Year award and a spot in the Canadian college hockey history books as the first rookie head coach to lead a team to an undefeated season.
The 35-year-old native of Edmonton, Alberta, is no stranger to setbacks, though. Gabinet played professionally for eight years in the American Hockey League, ECHL and across Europe, but he battled injuries.
“So I got to watch a lot of hockey,” he says. “I always enjoyed dissecting the game.”
Coaching felt like a natural next step. When his professional career ended, he volunteered his time and got his foot in the door. He served as an associate coach then head coach at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, which he led to that undefeated season.
Soon after, UNO came knocking, offering him a post as associate head coach in 2016.
“It’s a big decision when you have a family,” says Gabinet. It meant moving his wife, Antara, and young son Noah across the continent. “It was a big decision but an easy decision because it’s Omaha. I have really fond memories of going to school here and being a student-athlete here.”
A 2001 Los Angeles Kings draft pick, Gabinet played defense for the Mavericks from 2000–2004 and graduated with a business finance degree. He still ranks 10th all-time in points by a UNO defenseman.
“I owe a lot to what I have in my life today because of my time here at the school, getting my education and setting up my hockey career.”
In April 2017, Gabinet was named the third head coach in UNO hockey history, replacing Dean Blais. A few days before the announcement, Antara gave birth to daughter Jordyn in Omaha.
Amid recruiting, hiring new staff and planning the season, Gabinet is deliberate about establishing a culture that endures. A prolific reader and podcast consumer, he also prioritizes his own professional development. Every Monday night he makes time for a call with his mentor. Periodically, he interviews business executives and NHL coaches, seeking advice on managing time, teams and adversity.
Such commitment to personal and professional growth underlines how he runs his program, from the team’s core values to a quote posted in their locker room: Champions take personal responsibility to get better every day.
“I think we have one of the best spots in the country to go to school and play hockey,” Gabinet says. “So the culture is really, really important to me. I think it’s my job to protect that culture and create an environment for people to get better.”
Evan Porter (BSBA 2009, MBA 2016)
Starting tee-ball at 4 years old, Evan Porter dreamed of going pro one day. “Like all little leaguers,” he says, “I wanted to play in the big leagues.”
He nearly got there. In 2009, Porter was drafted by the Phillies, taking him to teams in Pennsylvania and then Florida, where he was eventually released. In 2010 he signed with the Solingen Alligators in Germany.
“I played well enough to be able to bounce around Europe the next few years,” he says.
From Sweden to Australia to Holland and back to Sweden.
“It’s pretty cool the number of people I’ve met in other countries,” he says, “Different cultures, different experiences and different styles of baseball.”
One of the most decorated players in UNO history, Porter had a winning style during his days at UNO. He was a four-year starter at shortstop (2005–2009) and two-time All-American. He also was part of teams that earned a berth to the 2007 NCAA Division II College World Series, set a school record with 45 wins (2006 and 2008) and won the 2008 NCC championship.
In the classroom, Porter majored in marketing and enjoyed his business classes — except statistics. He’s indebted to Professor Janet Pol, who worked in the stats lab, helping him and other players on the team.
“She was probably one of the more impactful professors in my undergrad experience,” he says. “I never even had a class with her.”
Something else that made an impact: CBA Dean Louis Pol and Janet showing up at his games, one as far away as Florida.
“It meant a lot,” Porter says.
Porter returned home in 2012, joining UNO baseball as an assistant coach while continuing to play overseas. He also pursued his MBA, graduating in 2016.
That same year, UNO Athletic Director Trev Alberts offered him the top job.
It’s been a whirlwind ever since.
“To take over a program is a unique experience,” says Porter, 30. “I have learned a lot and look forward to learning more as the years go on.”
A lot of what he learned about leadership and organizational culture as an MBA student is resonating now, he says. As for the future, Porter is focused on finding the right players to fit the culture he’s building.
“I get really excited when we bring a recruit in who’s interested in business,” he says. “It’s easy to talk about how great all the professors were for me and how much I’ve taken away from my business college experience here. It has a special place in my heart.”
Long term, Porter’s goal is to build a successful program, one that’s embedded in the community and in which players can take pride.
“This is a dream job that I’m in right now, being the head coach of the program I care about so deeply and played for,” he says. “I’ve got my undergraduate and graduate degrees here. I love this school. I love Omaha. I love the community. I want this program to be as successful as possible.”
Trio of Mav greats inducted into UNO Athletics Hall of Fame
Three former Maverick student-athletes were inducted into the UNO Athletics Hall of Fame during the fourth Alumni Night of Honor at the Thompson Alumni Center Oct. 19. Inductees included Cody Garcia (wrestling), Anja Puc (track) and Tanis J. Hastmann Walch (golf). With their induction the Hall of Fame grows to 117 members.
Cody Garcia — Wrestling
A four-time All-American and twice a national champion, Cody Garcia wrestled for the Mavericks from 2005-10. He won the national championship at 125 pounds in 2006 and, following a redshirt year, won another championship at 125 in 2008. Moving up to 133 pounds in 2009, he finished third nationally and was the runner-up at that weight as a senior in 2010. A member of three national championship teams, Garcia finished his career fourth in school history with 147 career wins. His 48 wins earned during his senior season rank second all time at UNO for a single season. He earned a degree in secondary education in 2012.
Anja Puc — Track
Anja Puc ran for the Omaha track & field team from 2007-2011, during which time she was a three-time national champion and eight-time All-American. She won the 800 meters indoors and outdoors in 2010 and was part of UNO’s national championship 1,600-meter relay team in 2009. A native of Medvode, Slovenia, Puc also was the MIAA 800-meter champion indoors in 2010 and 2011 and a member of the MIAA champion 1,600-meter relay teams in 2009 and 2010. Outdoors, Puc was MIAA champion in the 800 meters in 2009 and 2010, the 1,500-meter champion in 2010, and a member of the champion 400-meter relay in 2009 and 1,600-meter relay in 2010. She was an All-MIAA performer 11 times, holds four school records and is part of two others. She earned UNO’s Connie Claussen Senior Career Achievement Award in 2012. Puc earned a degree in international studies in 2012.
Tanis Hastmann Walch — Golf
UNO’s only All-American in women’s golf, Tanis Hastmann is one of the all-time scoring leaders with a career average of 80.07 during her career from 2001-2005. She was the individual medalist each year at the North Central Conference Championship, leading the Mavericks to two titles and a runner-up finish. She also was a four-time member of the All-NCC team and a member of the Academic All-NCC team in 2003. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Hastmann owns the school record for best 72-hole score at 314, a mark shot during the 2005 NCAA Division II National Championship when she finished 17th overall. It was one of two career NCAA championship appearances she made. Walch earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2006.