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First impressions: What we learned about new Washington AD Troy Dannen
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First impressions: What we learned about new Washington AD Troy Dannen

The Huskies' new AD spoke with reporters on Tuesday for the first time.

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Christian Caple
Oct 10, 2023
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First impressions: What we learned about new Washington AD Troy Dannen
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Photo courtesy of UW Athletics.

SEATTLE — Troy Dannen grew up on a farm in Iowa, and he grew up a Sonics fan.

He recalled hearing his parents talk about “Downtown” Freddie Brown, a University of Iowa alum, as a child. He remembers watching Jack Sikma on television. When he was athletic director at Northern Iowa, his alma mater, the school appeared in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as a No. 5 seed at KeyArena in Seattle.

Dannen said he couldn’t help but think to himself: “This is where the Sonics played!”

Washington’s new athletic director met the media for the first time on Tuesday, at a press conference inside UW’s Conibear Shellhouse. Dannen also spoke with reporters for a few minutes afterward, passing along his Sonics memories in service of a broader point.

“How you build a fan base (is) getting the kids engaged,” Dannen said. “What’s going on right now, you can hook kids for life by being a part of this. They’re going to remember Michael Penix, right? They’re going to remember things that happen at this stage of their life forever.”

Here’s what else to know about Dannen — who comes to UW after eight years at Tulane — following his first press conference.

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