Rick was a standout prep athlete at Roseau High School, winning two MN State Hockey titles and earning a scholarship at UND. Upon graduation and a successful collegiate career, he was hired to teach and coach at the newly established Red River High School in the fall of 1967. Ulvin was tasked with starting the Red River hockey program from scratch and set out to create a culture of competitiveness and respect for the fledgling program. In over a decade of coaching, Ulvin achieved that feat, leading the Riders to two state titles and five runner-up finishes. His tenure included the infamous eight overtime classic vs. GFC in the 1977 State Championship. Ulvin was named ND Coach of the Year twice during his career. During his time at RR, he was also an assistant football coach and girls' golf coach, leading the girls to a runner-up finish in 1976.