It happens in gymnasiums on the plains of Kansas, the coast of California and deep in the heart of Texas.

At some point, the moment always comes when people see the name on the front of the jersey and start to make the connection.

Johnson & Wales . . . why does that name sound familiar?

And then . . .

Bam!

"Most people look at us and go, 'Isn't that a cooking school?' " said Andrea Austin, a sophomore forward on the women's basketball team.

When your most recognizable graduate is celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, it is nearly impossible to avoid the poultry and pastry images associated with Johnson & Wales University.

Those images are only enhanced by the olfactory nerves as you walk through the halls of the culinary college on Johnson & Wales' Denver campus.

Yes, Johnson & Wales - anchored by its flagship university in Providence, R.I. - is known as one of the top culinary schools in America, but the student-athletes and administration at J&W's Denver campus are determined to show there's more to the school than future Food Network stars.

"It's not like we're trying to downplay (culinary arts)," said men's basketball coach/athletic director Jeff Culver, "but we always want to make sure we're communicating everything else we have to offer."

Things such as the college of business, the college of hospitality and, of course, athletics - a staple at virtually every university across the nation.

"Athletics has a unique ability to bring attention to the school," dean of students Jeff Ederer said. "If we were just a cooking school, or if we just had business programs, that's a technical institute. We're a university. We want to provide a well- rounded experience."

Brick by brick

In tough economic times, nothing speaks louder than a jackhammer.

At the forefront of J&W's athletic expansion effort is a $6.9 million renovation of the Wildcat Center on the north side of campus.

The center, set to reopen in the fall, will be home to the men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams - the school's four current varsity programs.

"When you have all these other colleges pulling back, we're moving forward," university president Bette Matkowski said. "The message we are giving is, 'We are healthy. We are strong. We have the resources to get through these tough times.' "

Because Johnson & Wales does not offer athletic scholarships, the renovated Wildcat Center is an important asset for Culver as he tries to expand the school's profile.

The basketball and volleyball programs currently compete at the

NAIA level, but Culver eventually hopes to gain the NCAA Division III status enjoyed by the J&W Providence campus.

"That's a big piece for us," Culver said as a crane worked on the roof of the Wildcat Center. "Without (good facilities), it's tough to take that next step."

Home cooking

Promoting itself within the region also is a key for Johnson & Wales, as it seeks to establish a respected athletic program in Colorado.

It bought the former Colorado Women's College campus southwest of old Stapleton Airport in 1999 and opened in 2000. Students, faculty and staff consider the school to be a "hidden gem" - sometimes too hidden.

"I didn't have any idea about it," said Andrew Baker, a junior forward who attended Legacy High School in Broomfield. "Most people don't have any idea what Johnson & Wales is, or where they're at."

Baker, who transferred from Otero Junior College last year, is one of several Colorado residents to "discover" Johnson & Wales.

Austin never had heard of the school until she read about it in a pamphlet while attending The Classical Academy High School in Colorado Springs.

"Usually, you don't combine those two things together," she said. "My friends are like, 'You're just going to bake all day and play basketball.' "

Austin, incidentally, is the only varsity athlete enrolled in the culinary college, which goes against another preconceived notion.

"I hear, 'Do all the players cook?' " Ederer said. "I'm like, 'No. Actually, I'm sure some of them are quite bad at it.' "

Building a home

Because of ongoing construction at the Wildcat Center, Johnson & Wales practices and plays home games at Manual High School, a few miles to the northwest.

The volleyball teams practice during the day and the basketball teams take the court primarily at night.

Home games draw modest crowds, with most of the spectators coming from the Manual High School community instead of the J&W student body.

"The student draw will be significantly greater when they just have to rummage out of the residence halls," Culver said.

Baker hardly can wait for the Wildcat Center to reopen. He gets constant updates from Culver and is itching to put on a hard hat for a sneak peak.

"I'm excited - super excited," he said. "It gets old traveling to Manual every day. It's exciting to think we're going to have it on campus."

The college 'experience'

The ripples of excitement began in earnest when Culver, president Matkowski and Ederer all arrived at J&W within a six-month span in 2005.

Among his first tasks, Ederer held group sessions with students to find out what they wanted from the college experience. The feedback took him by surprise.

"Students overwhelmingly wanted to see a good athletics program," he said.

Matkowski, a former tennis player, had no problem investing in athletic expansion - as long as it was done the right way.

Athletes would remain students first, and their philosophy would be represented by four C's (none of which stands for culinary): competition, character, community and career.

"I'm really behind having an athletic program," Matkowski said. "I believe in healthy minds, healthy bodies, healthy hearts."

Johnson & Wales will add healthy legs to its athletic program in the fall, when men's and women's cross country become varsity sports.

Soccer, golf, tennis and baseball also could join the list in coming years, along with booster clubs and corporate sponsorships.

"I don't think we're going to be in the NCAA Division I Top 10 any time soon, but we're growing something," Ederer said. "We're not forcing it but letting it grow the right way."

Small steps

In his three-plus years at Johnson & Wales, Culver already has seen impressive growth, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Because there are no other NAIA schools in Colorado, travel expenses account for a large portion of the modest $400,000 annual budget. That leaves little money for recruiting, which often is done through word of mouth.

"I'll ask (potential recruits), 'Do you know about us?' " Culver said.

"It seems like the last four years, it's gotten better. They know us outside the cooking and culinary arts."

Final exam

Culver and his men's basketball team could get a boost later this week when it plays in the Association of Independent Institutions tournament in Gary, Ind. The winner of the four-team tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament.

"Not bad odds there," Culver said of his team's chances of advancing to nationals. "I never like traveling across country because you never know what's going to happen."

Culver and his players probably can count on one thing. At some point this week, the Johnson & Wales name will trigger an image.

Hey, aren't you a cooking school?

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