Northern Sun Presidents Rise to Occasion

May 6, 2008 | NCAA Release

By Gary Brown, NCAA News
Presidents from every Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference member institution have pledged their support to Division II’s game-environment initiative.

The Northern Sun is the first conference to demonstrate unanimous support after presidents of league governing boards convened with the Division II Presidents Council two weeks ago to talk about game-environment issues.

Presidents and chancellors at the April 23 meeting signed a pledge form that stated:

“The Division II Presidents Council and representatives from Division II conference governing boards affirm that athletics events should reflect the values of higher education and the mission of each institution. Division II emphasizes learning and development in a personal setting. As chancellors and presidents, we are concerned about the uncivil behavior exhibited at college athletics contests, and, thereby, pledge to work together to make respectful, family-friendly events a standard of the Division II experience.”

Presidents at the April 23 meeting signed the form, but many also pledged to take the matter back to their conferences for additional support. It took only a few days for the Northern Sun members to get on board. At the league’s spring meetings April 28, Presidents Council member and Southwest Minnesota State President David Danahar and Minnesota State Moorhead President Roland Barden relayed actions from the earlier meeting to their Northern Sun peers.

“We explained our discussion about game environment and how it was desired for us to present a strong position on this for practical and ethical reasons,” Danahar said. “As you can see, there was no confusion about the importance of monitoring the atmosphere at our collegiate events.”

The presentation included a preview of the new Division II game-environment Web site (www.diicommunity.org/gameenvironment/), which features one of the league’s member schools, Winona State, as an institution that has implemented programming and tools to create a positive atmosphere at basketball events.

“As you might expect, that presentation played very well with our group,” Danahar said.

Northern Sun athletics directors, senior woman administrators and faculty athletics representatives also viewed the presentation at the league meetings to ensure that all levels of athletics oversight understood the value of the initiative.

Division II’s game-environment effort is one that combines the need for sportsmanship from players and coaches on the courts and fields, but extends to ensuring that the venues are family-friendly, comfortable and lively. The newly launched Web site, which includes resources, success stories and teachable moments about game-environment issues, launched with almost 50 suggestions already from Division II members about staging a positive game environment. Those examples are expected to grow – much like the community-engagement ideas did – as more members use the site in the coming months.

Signatures on the Northern Sun game-environment pledge card:
David Danahar, Southwest Minnesota State
Robert Oliver, Augustana (South Dakota)
Jerry Fischer, Mary (on behalf of President Sister Thomas Welder)
Bill Wade, Minnesota Duluth (on behalf of Chancellor Kathryn Martin)
Jon Quistgaard, Bemidji State
Charles Casey, Minnesota-Crookston
Judith Ramaley, Winona State
Earl H. Potter, St. Cloud State
Alan Walker, Upper Iowa
Robert Holst, Concordia-St. Paul
Richard Collings, Wayne State (Nebraska)
Richard Davenport, Minnesota State Mankato
Patrick Schloss, Northern State

Minnesota Moorhead President Roland Barden signed the pledge at the April 23 Division II meeting; Davenport and Schloss pledged support via conference call.

NSIC Britton/Kelly Awards Announced

May 1, 2008 | Full Release

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced Southwest Minnesota State University’s Tyler Fischer as the 2008 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award winner and Winona State University’s Kallie Tellefsen as the 2008 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. The Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence, in its 24th year, recognizes the NSIC’s top male student-athlete, while the Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award, in its 23rd year, is presented to the NSIC’s top female student-athlete.

The Britton Award was created in 1985 in honor of Dr. William Britton, a longtime faculty representative at Bemidji State University. The Kelly Award is named in honor of Willis R. Kelly, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Minnesota, Morris. A member of the NSIC Hall of Fame, Kelly also coordinated the Minnesota-Morris Physical Education Department from 1970-87. She became the first director of women’s intercollegiate athletics at Minnesota-Morris in 1976 and was later promoted to athletic director for the whole department. Kelly passed away in 1988.

The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.2 or better (on a 4.0 scale); evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual’s primary sport.

The 18 student-athletes nominated for the NSIC’s two most prestigious awards will also be honored as NSIC Male and Female Honor Student-Athletes of the Year at their respective institutions. Fischer and Tellefsen will be recognized Friday, July 25 at the 2008 NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet at the Best Western Kelly Inn and Convention Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Fischer and Tellefsen will each receive a $1000 post-graduate scholarship.

2008 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
Tyler Fischer, Southwest Minnesota State University
Tyler Fischer, a native of Gettysburg, S.D., becomes the first student-athlete to repeat as the NSIC Britton Award winner after being named last year as a junior. The senior Agribusiness major with an emphasis in Management, Finance and Marketing is a three year starter, and four-time letterwinner for the Mustang football team. Fischer has completed his Pre-Chiropractic Curriculum and plans to work for NFO in Washington, D.C. after graduation from SMSU. Academically Fischer holds a 3.76 GPA while being named to the Dean’s List every semester. He was also a three-time NSIC All-Academic team member, awarded the SMSU Presidential Academic Scholarship, the Paul Pearson Memorial Scholarship, the Cenex Scholarship and was named SMSU Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007 & 2008. Fischer has been the President of the SMSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee since 2004. He is also involved with the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisor Board, College Republicans, the University Sportsman Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as well as being an Officer of the Ag Club. He was also a part of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team in 2007, which game national exposure.
On the football field, Fischer has competed in 43 of 44 games over his career and was awarded the Glen Galligan Award. He was NSIC All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2005 & 2007, SMSU Special Teams Player of the Year in 2004 and was third on the team in tackles in both 2005 & 2006.
In his spare time, Fischer is a participant in Mustang Readers (reading in elementary schools); YMCA Youth Day; was Captain of the Relay for Life team raising $3,700 for American Cancer Society; he helped organize a food drive which obtained over 1,500 pounds of food and over $1,000 for the Marshall Food Shelf; and was involved in many other various volunteer jobs on campus and in the community. Fischer joins Bruce Saugstad (1989) as Southwest Minnesota State Britton Award recipients.

2008 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
Kallie Tellefsen, Winona State University
Kallie Tellefsen, a senior from Andover, Minn., becomes Winona State’s third Kelly Award winner, joining Kathryn Kramer (2006) and Karen Darveaux (2003). Tellefsen saw much success in both the classroom and on the field. With a 4.0 GPA she was named to the WSU Dean’s List every semester as well as the NSIC All-Academic Team three-times. In 2006 she was named NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-Central Region Honorable Mention and well as ESPN The Magazine All-District V Academic Third Team. In 2007 she was named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team and ESPN The Magazine All-America Second Team. She was also a four-time Thrivent Financial Scholarship and Presidential Honors Scholarship recipient as well as the Randolph Miller Foundation Scholarship recipient. She was also one of 58 student-athletes nationwide to be awarded the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
On the field Tellefsen helped the Warrior soccer team to a regular-season Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship and a berth in NCAA Division II regional tournament play in 2007. She started every game at Winona State from 2004-2007 (89 games) while scoring nine goals, four game winners to go with 13 assists in her career. She was a four year letter winner and a two year captain. She was also named NSIC All-Conference First Team, NSCAA/Adidas All-Central Region Third Team, and ESPN The Magazine Third Team All-District V.
In her free time Tellefsen participates in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which does a variety of fund-raisers throughout the year. She is also involved in the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and the Exercise Science Club.

Southwest Minnesota State Athletics Earns Community Engagement Award From NCAA

April 17, 2008 | Full Release

The SMSU Youth Football Clinic had 105 participants and was just part of the 2007 Ag Bowl

INDIANAPOLIS: Southwest Minnesota State University is one of 21 Division II institutions to be selected to receive the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) Conference Award of Excellence, it was announced this week.

Southwest Minnesota State, which hosted the inaugural “Ag Bowl” on Oct. 6, 2007, was the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference selection and will receive a $500 grant that can be used for other community-engagement efforts.

The Ag Bowl was created to bring together agriculture, higher education and the community of southwest Minnesota.  Two days of events were held on campus featuring activities for all ages highlighted by the SMSU football game versus Concordia-St. Paul.  Ralco Nutrition of Marshall was the title sponsor for the Ag Bowl while other sponsors including Hormel, The Schwan Food Company, Boerboom Farms, Crow's Seed, Land O’ Lakes Purina Feed, Garst Seed and the Linder Farm Network.

“We are honored to receive the Award of Excellence from NACMA recognizing the SMSU Ag Bowl as the top civic engagement event of the year in the NSIC,” said Chris Hmielewski, SMSU director of athletics.  “The award is the result of a great vision and the hard work of many SMSU staff, community and booster club members, the Marshall businesses, and the agricultural community of southwestern Minnesota.”

In addition to the Ag Bowl, the inaugural “Smokefest”, sponsored by Runnings Farm & Fleet, was held as 15 teams competed for the $1,000 grand prize.  The week before the event SMSU received the Governor's Proclamation making the Smokefest one of three state championship events held in Minnesota each year.  This allowed the grand champion to enter the lottery to attend the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. (Read More)

Braaten Named NSIC Assistant Commissioner for Compliance

April 11, 2008 | PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. - NSIC Commissioner Butch Raymond announced today the hiring of Melissa Braaten as the NSIC Assistant Commissioner for Compliance. Braaten’s duties will include overseeing NSIC Compliance, the NSIC Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and administrating NSIC Championship events. With the addition of Braaten, the NSIC Office now has four full-time employees as the league expands to 14 teams and 18 sports in the 2008-09 academic year. Braaten will officially begin her duties on July, 1, 2008.

Braaten, a native of Stillwater, Minn., joined the NSIC staff in the spring of 2007 as the office’s full time intern. Prior to her internship, she attended Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D. where she played basketball for legendary coach Curt Fredrickson and graduated with a degree in Fitness Management and Sports Marketing with a minor in Coaching. Braaten, a 2002 graduate of Stillwater High School, currently reside in Vadnais Heights, Minn.

“The Conference Office is very pleased to add Melissa to its full-time administration. Having worked within the office over the last year as an intern we are very familiar with Melissa. She has demonstrated outstanding skills in organization, communication as well as a willingness to lead various projects. Her background in the NSIC makes her very passionate to the work she does. We are happy to have someone of her caliber join our staff,” commented Raymond.

In 2008-09 the NSIC will become a 14-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II Conference with teams located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

2007-08 Winter All-Academic Team Announced

April 1, 2008 | Full Release

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has announced its All-Academic Teams for the 2007-08 winter athletic season. To be eligible for this honor, the student-athlete must be a member of the varsity traveling team and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better. Furthermore, the student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at the institution represented with one full year completed at that particular institution. (Click For Full Release)

NSIC / US Bank All-Sports Award Standings (Through Winter Sports)

March 11, 2008

St. Paul, Minn. - Winona State holds a 13.5 point lead following the winter sports season in the NSIC/US Bank All-Sports Award competition. Only three points separate the sixth through second place teams with six spring sports remaining to determine the 2007-08 NSIC/US Bank All-Sports Award. Winona State earned the men's basketball title, Concordia-St. Paul took home the women's basketball title, Upper Iowa took home wrestling while the University of Mary swept the Indoor Track & Field Championships. Points are awarded by giving the winner of each title in a conference-sponsored championship points totaling the number of teams in that sport plus one. The next place finisher receives points totaling the number of teams less the number of places from first place. Ties at any level shall result in the totaling of points and distributed equally.

1	Winona State	63.5
2	MSU Moorhead	50
3	Wayne State	49.5
4	University of Mary	49
5	Northern State	48.5
6	Concordia-St. Paul	47
7	Bemidji State	33.5
8	Upper Iowa	30.5
9	Southwest Minnesota State	27
10	Minnesota, Crookston	11

North Dakota Sports Legend Retires From Helm of  U-Mary’s Athletic Program

February 15, 2007

Bismarck, ND — Al Bortke, known among fellow athletic directors across the country, for his fiery, hard-nose style as a basketball coach and respected administrator, announced today he is stepping down as the University of Mary’s athletic director and assuming an associate role in the program.

“It has been a privilege not only to have been associated with several generations of some of the finest student-athletes in the country, but also to have had the opportunity to help shape what has developed into one of the most comprehensive athletic programs in the Upper Midwest,” said Bortke. “Being a part of the program’s and the university’s growth has been very rewarding. These are exciting times at the University of Mary, and I look forward to continuing to serve in this new role.”

“No person has done more for the University of Mary athletic program than Al Bortke,” emphasized Sister Thomas Welder, president. “Beyond what he has meant to this university, his strong values have touched the lives of so many coaches and student athletes and people in the Bismarck-Mandan community, as well as his own family. His dedication to the University of Mary is heartfelt; but more importantly, we are forever grateful for his contribution to society as a servant leader.”

Bortke’s legendary 35-year tenure began in 1973, when he assumed the dual role of University of Mary’s athletic director and head men’s basketball coach. His 335-156 collegiate record (1973-1989) places him second in career wins among all college men’s basketball coaches in North Dakota. During that time, Bortke demanded a lot from his student athletes in their sports and even more from them in the classroom. (Read More)

Upper Iowa Athletics Director Receives Hall of Fame Induction

February 8, 2007

Written by: Sheila Miller, Director of Public Relations, Upper Iowa University

FAYETTE, Iowa - On Tuesday, Feb. 12, Upper Iowa University Athletic Director Gil Cloud will be inducted into the Union High School Hall of Fame in Tulsa, Okla. Cloud served as the district athletic director at Union High School for 15 years (1976-91) and is the originator of its hall of fame.

Cloud explained the purpose of a hall of fame at this level is to recognize state-champion individuals and teams, but is also similar to the collegiate level in that it is a venue for fundraising. "When I was the athletic director at Union, the area was one of the fastest-growing in Tulsa at the time," explained Cloud. "A lot of money was needed to support their athletic program." (Read More)

NSIC / US Bank All-Sports Award Standings (Fall)

November 15, 2007

St. Paul, Minn. - Winona State holds a 12.5 point lead following the fall in the NSIC/US Bank All-Sports Award competition. The Warriors took home championships in three of the six fall sports this fall. The Warriors took home regular season titles in football, soccer and men's golf as they accumulated 44 points. MSU Moorhead used a sweep in both men's and women's cross country along with a fourth place finish in volleyball to amass 31.5 points for second in the standings. Points are awarded by giving the winner of each title in a conference-sponsored championship points totaling the number of teams in that sport plus one. The next place finisher receives points totaling the number of teams less the number of places from first place. Ties at any level shall result in the totaling of points and distributed equally.

1	Winona State	44
2	MSU Moorhead	31.5
3	University of Mary	29.5
	Wayne State	29.5
5	Concordia-St. Paul	28
	Northern State	28
7	Bemidji State	24
8	Upper Iowa	17.5
9	Southwest Minnesota State	15
10	Minnesota, Crookston	9

2006-2007 REGIONAL WINNERS NAMED FOR DII SCHOLAR AWARDS
MSU Moorhead’s Trautwein North Central Region Winner

September 12, 2007 | Full Release

Indianapolis - - Sixteen regional winners of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award have been announced. A male and female Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be selected from the 16 regional winners, eight men and eight women. MSU Moorhead’s Jessica Trautwein was this year’s North Central Regional winner.

This award, sponsored by Disney Sports Attractions, provides the opportunity for Division II to highlight the extraordinary achievements of its student-athletes. DII CCA President and Commissioner of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Jim Naumovich explains that the award showcases the talent at the NCAA Division II level. “Division II has the best of both worlds,” explains Naumovich, “great athletes and great students.”

Jessica Trautwein, a native of Fargo, N.D., was a two sport athlete at MSU Moorhead, competing in track & field and women’s basketball. She was the 2006-07 NSIC Kelly Award winner, the highest honor a student-athlete can earn in the NSIC. Trautwein was an All-American high jumper in 2006 and holds the MSU Moorhead record in the triple jump. She also was the NSIC Outdoor Track & Field long jump and triple jump champion in 2004, 2005 and 2006 as well as the high jump in 2004 and the heptathlon in 2005. She was named NSIC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2005 and 2006 as well as MSUM Female Athlete of the Year in 2005. Trautwein also played for the 2005 NSIC Women’s Basketball Championship team and was named Most Improved Athlete that season for the Dragons. In the class room, Trautwein is a 4.0 student. She was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in Track & Field in 2006 as well as being named to the NSIC All-Academic team five times. The Mathematics Education major has been named to the Dean’s List every semester and was awarded the MSUM Department of Mathematics Certificate of Achievement in 2003-04 as well as the MSUM Upperclassman Math Scholarship in 2005-06. In her free time Trautwein works as a senior high volunteer group leader, at Castaway Young Life summer camp, as an adult GED tutor, as a Fargo Park District Youth Baseball/Softball Supervisor and at the Fargo Park District Playground. Trautwein joins Teresa Greenwood (1987), Amy Tenute (1994) and Lindsey Hartmann (2005) as MSU Moorhead’s Kelly Award recipients. (Read More)

NSIC Announces Men's & Women's Basketball Holiday Hoopsfest

July 30, 2007 | PDF Release

Sioux Falls, S.D. - Representatives from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and the Sioux Falls Sports Authority announced today that beginning in 2008, the NSIC Holiday HoopsFest will be held in Sioux Falls during the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Holiday HoopsFest will feature the men’s and women’s teams from 8 NSIC schools playing 16 non-conference games. The games will be played at the Sioux Falls Arena and the Elmen Center, located on the Augustana College campus. Four games will be played at each location each day.

The 2008 Holiday Hoopsfest will be held on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30, with game times scheduled for 1, 3, 6 and 8 p.m. The event will be held on the corresponding dates after Thanksgiving each year.

To ensure strong attendance at the event, the men’s and women’s teams from Augustana College and Northern State University will play in the event each year, and will play their games at the Arena. The additional 6 NSIC schools will rotate every other year. Pairings will be set up so that teams will play games against teams they do not play a second time in NSIC play.

The Sioux Falls Sports Authority will work cooperatively with the NSIC office and the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau in putting on a first-class event each year. The Sports Authority and the NSIC office will also work closely with the management of the Sioux Falls Arena and the Elmen Center on plans and organization for this event each year.

The Sioux Falls Sports Authority, working cooperatively with the NSIC Office, will enlist corporate sponsorship from the Sioux Falls business community and the surrounding region to assist in supporting this event each year.

As part of the Holiday HoopsFest, a banquet will be held on the Friday after Thanksgiving each year. All participating teams and representatives from the Sioux Falls Sports Authority, Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the NSIC will be in attendance. After that banquet, teams are welcome to attend the “Parade of Lights” pre-Christmas celebration in downtown Sioux Falls or the Sioux Falls Skyforce home opener, if it is scheduled at the Arena that night.

The Holiday HoopsFest is expected to benefit both the NSIC and the city of Sioux Falls. As the NSIC expands to 14 teams in 2008-09, this event will assist in promoting the league as a premier NCAA Division II conference doing great things in the Upper Midwest. In addition, 16 Upper Midwest basketball teams and their fans, all within 7 hours or less driving distance, will converge in Sioux Falls each year. The NSIC Holiday HoopsFest is expected to have an economic impact of $1,000,000 or more per year for the city each year. This event will also showcase Sioux Falls to people from the Upper Midwest region each year.

Below are the pairings for the first two years of the NSIC Holiday HoopsFest:

2008 NSIC HOLIDAY HOOPSFEST

Saturday, November 29
at Sioux Falls Arena
1 p.m. Northern State Women vs. Minnesota-Duluth Women
3 p.m. Northern State Men vs. Minnesota-Duluth Men
6 p.m. Augustana College Women vs. Southwest Minnesota State Women
8 p.m. Augustana College Men vs. Southwest Minnesota State Men

at Elmen Center
1 p.m. Upper Iowa University Women vs. Bemidji State Women
3 p.m. Upper Iowa University Men vs. Bemidji State Men
6 p.m. Minnesota State-Moorhead Women vs. Wayne State Women
8 p.m. Minnesota State-Moorhead Men vs. Wayne State Men

Sunday, November 30
at Sioux Falls Arena
1 p.m. Northern State Women vs. Bemidji State Women
3 p.m. Northern State Men vs. Bemidji State Men
6 p.m. Augustana Women vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead Women
8 p.m. Augustana Men vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead Men

at Elmen Center
1 p.m. Upper Iowa Women vs. Southwest Minnesota State Women
3 p.m. Upper Iowa Men vs. Southwest Minnesota State Men
6 p.m. Minnesota-Duluth Women vs. Wayne State Women
8 p.m. Minnesota-Duluth Men vs. Wayne State Men

2009 NSIC HOLIDAY HOOPSFEST

Saturday, November 28
at Sioux Falls Arena
1 p.m. Northern State Women vs. Minnesota State-Mankato Women
3 p.m. Northern State Men vs. Minnesota State-Mankato Men
6 p.m. Augustana Women vs. Concordia-St. Paul Women
8 p.m. Augustana Men vs. Concordia-St. Paul Men

at Elmen Center
1 p.m. Winona State Women vs. Minnesota-Crookston Women
3 p.m. Winona State Men vs. Minnesota-Crookston Men
6 p.m. St. Cloud State Women vs. University of Mary Women
8 p.m. St. Cloud State Men vs. University of Mary Men

Sunday, November 29
at Sioux Falls Arena
1 p.m. Northern State Women vs. Minnesota-Crookston Women
3 p.m. Northern State Men vs. Minnesota-Crookston Men
6 p.m. Augustana Women vs. St. Cloud State Women
8 p.m. Augustana Men vs. St. Cloud State Men

at Elmen Center
1 p.m. Winona State Women vs. Minnesota State-Mankato Women
3 p.m. Winona State Men vs. Minnesota State-Mankato Men
6 p.m. University of Mary Women vs. Concordia-St. Paul Women
8 p.m. University of Mary Men vs. Concordia-St. Paul Men

 

NSIC Announces Scheduling Concepts for 2008-09 Season

July 30, 2007 | PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference held their annual summer meeting this past weekend at the Best Western/Kelly Inn in St. Cloud, Minn. Administrators and coaches from all ten NSIC institutions as well as from the four school joining the league in 2008-09 met to discuss multiple issues including scheduling. Athletic Administrators from all 14 institutions, with input from their coaches, voted on scheduling concepts for the 2008-09 season. Listed below are the concepts for the schedules for the 2008-09 seasons.

Sport	No. Conference Games	Misc.
Football	10	North/South Division; Division Champions & Overall Champion
M/W Basketball	20	Non-Divisional; 8-team postseason tournament; NSIC Holiday HoopsFest to be played in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Soccer	13	Non-Divisional; 8-team postseason tournament
Baseball	32	Non-Divisional; 6-team postseason tournament
Softball	26	Non-Divisional; 8-team postseason tournament

 

NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet

July 28, 2007 | HOF Release

2007 NSIC Hall of Fame - Randy Smith - MSUM, Bill McDonald - SMSU,
Daryl Henderson - WSU, Jim Kretchman - NSU, Marc Hamren - BSU

St, Cloud, Minn - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference held their 8th Annual Summer Kickoff Event highlighted by the Hall of Fame banquet Saturday night at the Best Western/Kelly Inn in St. Cloud, Minn. The NSIC inducted five former student-athletes to the Hall of Fame. Marc Hamren (BSU - Swimming), Bill McDonald (SMSU - Wrestling), Daryl Henderson (WSU - Cross Country), Jim Kretchman (NSU - Football), Randy Smith (MSUM - Cross Country). The NSIC also honor the Kelly Award winner (Jessica Trautwein - MSUM) and Britton Award winner (Tyler Fischer - SMSU) as well awarding the NSIC All-Sports Award.

 

University of Mary Approved For NCAA DII Status in 2007-08 Season

July 24, 2007 | PDF Release

University of Mary President Sr. Thomas Welder & UMary QB Blair Sandy

Bismarck, N.D. - When the University of Mary began its trek towards active membership in NCAA Division II in 2005, the journey was expected to last at least four years. Due to a strong commitment by U-Mary to swiftly and effectively meeting NCAA guidelines and regulations, the NCAA has waived the last two required years of provisional status and the university will become an active member of the NCAA on September 1, 2007.

The swift approval of U-Mary for active membership is believed to be one of the quickest in NCAA history. Moreover, the waiver of its final two years of provisional status was not requested by the university. The active membership approval granted by the NCAA means all Marauders athletics teams and student-athletes are immediately eligible to compete in all NCAA and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship events beginning with the upcoming 2007-08 season.

“Both the NCAA and the University of Mary continually strive to achieve a ‘balance’ emphasizing both academic excellence and athletic achievement to create an environment that leads to the student-athlete’s personal development and progress toward graduation and successful employment,” said University of Mary President Sr. Thomas Welder.

The past two seasons, U-Mary was ineligible for national post-season championship play while the Marauders transitioned to NCAA D-II active status. Last year, the Marauders could only compete in NSIC tournaments where champions did not automatically qualify for NCAA tournaments.

“The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference would like to congratulate officially the University of Mary for gaining active membership in NCAA Division II,” said NSIC Commissioner Butch Raymond. “We feel that the ability to gain active membership status two years earlier than normal is a reflection of the outstanding leadership of the university administration and the hard work of the athletic department. This definitely enhances the competitiveness of the Northern Sun and the University of Mary to compete nationally at the NCAA Division II level. The real winners are the U-Mary student-athletes who can now compete for championships and post-season honors." Read More

 

NSIC Announces 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees

June 28, 2007 | PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced their 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees. The induction ceremony will be held Friday, July 27, at the Best Western Kelly Inn and St. Cloud Convention Center in conjunction with the NSIC’s eighth-annual Summer Kickoff.
The class of 2007 includes: Marc Hamren, Bemidji State University; Bill McDonald, Southwest Minnesota State University; Randy Smith, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Jim Kretchman, Northern State University; and Daryl Henderson, Winona State University.

Founded in 1986, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC, former men’s conference) Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those who made significant contributions to the conference, to create favorable publicity and public relations for the league and to help preserve the history of the NIC, its member institutions, student-athletes, and other significant individuals affiliated with the league. For the first two inductions (1986 and 1990) each selection hailed from the NIC. In 1992-93, the Northern Sun Conference (NSC, former women’s conference) and the NIC merged, creating the current Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). After annual inductions since 2000, today’s NSIC Hall of Fame now boasts 123 members.

The 23-member Class of 2000 was the first to include standout female student-athletes in the former NSC. The 2000 inductees entered the Hall at the inaugural NSIC Summer Kickoff Event in Becker, Minn. The distinguished class of 2001 was enshrined in Willmar, Minn., as the conference moved the annual Summer Kickoff Event. This year’s NSIC Hall of Fame includes five prominent inductees that are being recognized at the eighth-annual NSIC Summer Kickoff Event, at its new home in St. Cloud, Minn.

Each NSIC school (who has been a member for the past seven year or more) is asked to submit one candidate per institution for induction into the Hall. Each of the selectees are derived from individuals who have been affiliated with the NSIC, NIC, NSC and their member institutions.

In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in the following areas:1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, and 5) team. Other worthy candidates that do not fall into the above categories are also considered. The conference will provide two plaques, one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented. A history of each inductee will be kept in the league office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees.

2007 NSIC Hall of Fame Inductees

Marc Hamren, Bemidji State University
Marc Hamren was a national champion in the 200 Breaststroke in 1972 for the Bemidji State Beavers. The Northfield, Minn. native also earned NIC Swimmer of the Year Award in 1972, as well as being honored as the Harry F. Bangsberg Student Athlete of the Year. Hamren has six other top 12 finishes in the nation in his collegiate career (1969-12th in 200 Breaststroke; 1970-6th in 200 Breaststroke & 10th in 100 Breaststroke; 1971-10th in 200 breaststroke; 1972-3rd in 100 Breaststroke and 6th in 400 Medley Relay). Hamren was a three year captain for the Beavers before graduating in 1972 with a degree in Physical Education and Health. In 1973, he earned his Master of Education degree from the University of Idaho. Hamren currently teaches Physical Education at Richfield Middle School, and is the head coach of the Richfield Spartans Boys and Girls Swimming teams. He is also the coach of the Richfield Swim Club.
He and his wife Pamela met and were married while students at Bemidji State. Pam teaches pre-school at Wooddale Nursery School in Eden Prairie. They have been married for 37 years and have four daughters:
Stephanie teaches Special Education for District 287, is married, and has 3 daughters and a son.
Michelle teaches 2nd grade at Centennial Elementary in Richfield, is married, and coaches the Richfield Boys Team with her dad. Michelle swam four years for the University of Minnesota. Becky is married and has a son. She swam four years at St. Cloud State, where she was captain of the team her senior year. Kimberly also swam at the University of Minnesota and has a daughter.

Randy Smith, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Randy Smith, long time member of the Health and Physical Education Department at Minnesota State University Moorhead, served as the head women’s cross country and track and field coach from 1979 to 1994. During that 15 year period he guided the Dragons to four conference and four District 13 cross country team titles. His teams finished in the top 10 three times at the national championships and earned two All-Americans. In track and field the conference team title was awarded to the Dragons nine straight years and his teams had eight top ten finishes in the indoor and outdoor national championships. He coached 10 student-athletes to national champion status 20 times and 12 others were runner-ups. He produced four consecutive national relay titles with the 1982 two-mile relay squad establishing a NAIA National Record. He garnered numerous NSIC cross country, indoor and outdoor coach of the year honors and was recently inducted into the MSUM Hall of Fame. Randy completed at the University of Kansas where he was a seven-time All American in the high jump utilizing the straddle technique. Following his 1974 NCAA and USA Track and Field champion titles he was ranked 3rd in the U.S. and 10th in the world. In 1991 he was inducted into the University of Kansas Athletic Hall of Fame.

Dr. Jim Kretchman, Northern State University
Jim Kretchman excelled in four careers at Northern State University from football player, football coach, and professor of health-physical education to athletics director. He began his association with Northern State’s athletic program as a player in the 1950’s. In his gridiron exploits with the Wolves, he earned Little All-American honors while playing for the legendary Coach Clark Swisher. Kretchman, a native of Faulkton, S.D. at one time held the NSU football records for rushing in a game (242) and for a career (4,121) before having them broken in the late 1990’s.
Kretchman earned his bachelor’s degree in 1956 and a master’s degree in 1958 from NSU. He gained high school coaching experience at Leola, Webster and Aberdeen Central High Schools. He added collegiate experience as a graduate assistant at NSU (1957-58) and the University of Wyoming. Kretchman received a doctoral degree from the University of Wyoming in 1967 and that same year accepted a position as an assistant coach in football, wrestling and track at Northern State. He inherited the head football job at Northern State in 1968 from Swisher, his former coach. Kretchman guided the Wolves to a perfect record in his rookie season and his football team went on to win 67 games in his 12-year coaching career, which was third most all-time at NSU.
NSU has honored his playing and coaching abilities by naming him to the NSU athletic hall of fame in 1976 and the alumni coach of the year in 1986. Kretchman moved from the football field to the office in 1980 when he was named Swisher’s successor as NSU athletic director. He added another honor to his list of accomplishments when he was inducted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in the spring of 1993. Kretchman stepped down as athletic director at NSU in 1999 after nearly twenty years at the helm. Jim and his wife, Bonnie, have three children, Jeff, Amy, and Jill.

Bill McDonald, Southwest Minnesota State University
Bill McDonald excelled for the Mustangs wrestling program from 1985-1989. He was the first SMSU wrestler to be a four-time NAIA All-American. His highest national finish was in the 1987-88 season when he placed second at 158 pounds. He wrestled at 150 pounds his three other seasons, placing eighth nationally in 1985-86, sixth in 1988-89 and fifth in 1986-87. McDonald holds the SMSU records for career takedowns (443) and takedowns in a single season (133). He also ranks second in most matches won (112) and third in winning percentage .835 (112-22-2). McDonald was NAIA Bi-District Champion in 1988 and 1989 while placing second in 1986. He was named SMSU Male Athlete of the Year in 1987-88 as well as his team’s most valuable wrestler that year. The Mustangs won two NIC Champions with McDonald on the squad (1986-87 & 1988-89).
McDonald graduated in 1990 with a degree in Health & Physical Education. He has been coaching football and wrestling at various schools since he graduated. His wrestling teams have won numerous conference championships over the years and three section championships between 1999 and 2006. McDonald has been honored with Section Coach of the Year Award in 1999, 2003 and 2006. He is currently in his 18th year of teaching and has accepted a position at Watertown-Mayer Middle School. Bill and his wife Lis live in Montrose, Minnesota with their three children Brian and Jamie (10), and Nikki (6).

Daryl Henderson, Winona State University
Daryl Henderson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Winona State University in 1978 with a degree in Mathematics. During his tenure at WSU he competed in cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field. He left WSU holding 12 school records in track & field and was the NIC record holder in the mile run with an astounding time of 4:08.3. He was also the NIC Cross Country Champion in 1976 & 1977 as well as an NAIA All-American in ’77. He competed in five national tournaments in his career including a seventh place finish in the 1977 NAIA outdoor track & field 1500m. In 1978 he finished 11th in the NCAA DII 5000m at Nationals. He was an eight time all-conference selection in the three different sports he competed in. Henderson went on to become the cross country coach at Winona State and was hailed as NIC Coach of the Year in 1988, the same year the Warriors won the NIC Championship. He was also named NAIA District 13 Coach of the Year in ’88 as he led the Warriors to a 12th place finish nationally in the NAIA. For the past 11 years Henderson has been a computer programmer for flight operations with Northwest Airlines before retiring recently. He currently volunteers as the secretary of the Eagan Communicators Toastmasters Club; instructs at the Agape Acres - Therapeutic Horseback Riding for Disabled Children; and is a tutor for the Sareen Ministries, teaching English as a second language for Somali immigrants. Henderson, his wife Manyee and son Danny currently reside in Eagan, Minnesota.

 

National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics U.S. Sports Academy Directors Cup

June 12, 2007 | NACDA Release

Cleveland, Ohio - For a third straight year Winona State University has come up with it best performance in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (Nacda) U.S. Sports Academy Directors Cup Division II final standings. This year the Warriors finished 42nd in the all-sports standings with a school best 353.25 points. Those numbers broke last year’s WSU best at 60th place and 240.5 points. In the 2004-05 season WSU was 69th with 224 points.

Of the 14 programs the Warriors had the opportunity to score points in, WSU received points from nine different sports, including a perfect six-for-six in the spring season. Those programs were baseball, women’s golf, men’s golf, softball, women’s tennis and women’s outdoor track and field. Warrior men’s basketball came up with the top point total with 90 for finishing second in the national tournament, while the women’s indoor track and field team followed with 66.75 points by finishing in a tie for tenth place at the national meet. Football started things for the Warriors by making the regional playoffs and scoring 25 points.

It was the 12th season of record for the Director’s Cup and the ninth overall and eighth consecutive year the Warriors garnered points for competition in national tournament play.

The 2006-07 Director’s Cup champion for Division II was Grand Valley State University with a total of 995.75 points.

Points in the Director’s Cup are earned for competition in NCAA Division II national tournament competition.

 

NSIC Boasts Two of Top Four in Men’s Basketball Attendance

May 30, 2007 | NCAA Release

Indianapolis – The NCAA announced men's basketball attendance figures for the 2006-07 season. Winona State and Northern State both ranked in the top four in average attendance at home games this season. Winona State came in second as they averaged 3,377 fans per home event. The Warriors led the nation in overall attendance with 70,926 fans attending their 21 home games. Central Missouri State led the nation with an average of 3,640 fans per game (65,520 at 18 home games). Northern State, who led the nation in 2005-06 in home attendance, came in fourth as they averaged 3,160 fans at their 18 home games (56,886 total). SW Minnesota State came in 21st with 1,955 fans per home game (15 – 29, 325).
The NSIC as a conference came in third place in the nation with an average of 1,507 fans per home contest, up 88 from a year ago, the highest increase in the nation at the DII level.

Rk	Division II	G/S	Attendance	Avg.
1.	Central Mo. St.	18	65,520	3,640
2.	Winona St.	21	70,926	3,377
3.	Virginia St.	12	38,849	3,237
4.	Northern St.	18	56,886	3,160
5.	South Dakota	15	41,923	2,795
6.	Augustana (S.D.)	14	37,671	2,691
7.	Washburn	11	29,170	2,652
8.	St. Cloud State	15	35,712	2,381
9.	Benedict	14	32,740	2,339
10.	Cal St. Bakersfield	11	25,006	2,273

 

Northern State Third in Nation in Women’s Basketball Attendance

May 30, 2007 | NCAA Release

Indianapolis – The NCAA announced women’s basketball attendance figures for the 2006-07 season. Northern State came in third in the nation as they averaged 2,402 fans at their 12 home games (28,824 total attendance). The Wolves have now ranked in the top three in the nation in attendance the last three years after coming in second in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

The NSIC as a conference came in fifth place in the nation with an average of 619 fans per home contest, down one spot from a year ago.

Rk	Division II	G/S	Attendance	Avg.
1.	Washburn	14	35,875	2,563
2.	Emporia St	14	33,887	2,421
3.	Northern State	12	28,824	2,402
4.	Mo. Western State	16	34,804	2,175
5.	North Dakota	19	38,912	2,048

 

NSIC Announces Spring All-Academic Team

May 23, 2007 | PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has announced its All-Academic Teams for the 2007 spring athletic season. To be eligible for this honor, the student-athlete must be a member of the varsity traveling team and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better. Furthermore, the student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at the institution represented with one full year completed at that particular institution. Click Here for Full Listing

Winona State Captures Third Consecutive NSIC All-Sports Award

May 17, 2007| PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. -- Winona State University captured the 2006-07 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) All-Sports competition with 96.5 points, 21 points ahead of second-place Concordia-St. Paul who finished with 76.5. Last year, Winona State narrowly edged Wayne State by only 2.5 points to win the award as Winona State and Minnesota-Duluth still remain the only two schools to win the NSIC All-Sports Award in its eight year history.
Winona State won or shared five titles during the 2006-07 season including men’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and were co-champions in softball. Their men’s basketball team also appeared in their second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship game after winning the 2005-06 National Championship; the first NCAA team championship in NSIC history. Winona State also finished second in five sports: baseball, football, women’s golf, women’s indoor track and field and women’s outdoor track and field.
Concordia-St. Paul narrowly edged out Wayne State for second place by one point. The Golden Bears won titles in volleyball and women’s basketball while finishing tied for second in women’s soccer. Wayne State won the baseball, women’s cross country, men’s indoor and men’s outdoor track and field championships to earn their 75.5 points.
MSU Moorhead came in fourth with 73 points and a men’s cross country championship; Northern State was fifth with 56 points; Southwest Minnesota State was sixth with 54.5 points and a co-championship in women’s softball; Bemidji State was tied for seventh with 54 points and a football championship; University of Mary also tied for seventh with championships in women’s indoor and outdoor track and field; Upper Iowa was ninth with 48 point with championships in women’s golf and wrestling; and Minnesota, Crookston was tenth with 17 points.

2006-07 NSIC All Sports Competition Final Standings

1. Winona State (14)	97.5
2. Concordia-St. Paul (15)	76.5
3. Wayne State (14)	75.5
4. MSU Moorhead (15)	73
5. Northern State (16)	56
6. SW Minnesota State (10)	54.5
7. Bemidji State (14)	54
7. University of Mary (17)	54
9. Upper Iowa (12)	48
10. Minnesota-Crookston (10)	17
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NSIC Announces 2007 Britton and Kelly Award Recipients

May 9, 2007| PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced SW Minnesota State University’s Tyler Fischer as the 2007 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award winner and Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Jessica Trautwein as the 2007 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. The Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence, in its 23rd year, recognizes the NSIC’s top male student-athlete, while the Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award, in its 22nd year, is presented to the NSIC’s top female student-athlete.

2007 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
Tyler Fischer, Southwest Minnesota State University
Tyler Fischer, a native of Gettysburg, S.D., is a junior Agribusiness major with an emphasis in Management, Finance and Marketing. A two year starter, and three-time letterwinner for the Mustang football team, Fischer has completed his Pre-Chiropractic Curriculum and plans to attend Chiropractic School following graduation from SMSU. Academically Fischer holds a 3.7 GPA while being named to the Dean’s List every semester. He was also a 2005 & 2006 NSIC All-Academic team member, awarded the SMSU Presidential Academic Scholarship, the Paul Pearson Memorial Scholarship, the Cenex Scholarship and was named SMSU Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007. Fischer has been the President of the SMSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee since 2004. He is also involved with the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisor Board, College Republicans, the University Sportsman Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as well as being an Officer of the Ag Club. On the football field, Fischer has competed in all 33 games if his career. He was NSIC All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2005, SMSU Special Teams Player of the Year in 2004 and was third on the team in tackles in both 2005 & 2006. In his spare time, Fischer is a participant in Mustang Readers (reading in elementary schools), YMCA Youth Day, Move-In Day and many other various volunteer jobs on campus and in the community. Fischer joins Bruce Saugstad (1989) as Southwest Minnesota State Britton Award recipients.

2007 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
Jessica Trautwein, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Jessica Trautwein, a senior from Fargo, N.D., was a two sport athlete at MSU Moorhead, competing in track & field and women’s basketball. Trautwein was an All-American high jumper in 2006 and holds the MSU Moorhead record in the triple jump. She also was the NSIC Outdoor Track & Field long jump and triple jump champion in 2004, 2005 and 2006 as well as the high jump in 2004 and the heptathlon in 2005. She was named NSIC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2005 and 2006 as well as MSUM Female Athlete of the Year in 2005. Trautwein also played for the 2005 NSIC Women’s Basketball Championship team and was named Most Improved Athlete that season for the Dragons. In the class room, Trautwein is a 4.0 student. She was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in Track & Field in 2006 as well as being named to the NSIC All-Academic team five times. The Mathematics Education major has been named to the Dean’s List every semester and was awarded the MSUM Department of Mathematics Certificate of Achievement in 2003-04 as well as the MSUM Upperclassman Math Scholarship in 2005-06. In her free time Trautwein works as a senior high volunteer group leader, at Castaway Young Life summer camp, as an adult GED tutor, as a Fargo Park District Youth Baseball/Softball Supervisor and at the Fargo Park District Playground. Trautwein joins Teresa Greenwood (1987), Amy Tenute (1994) and Lindsey Hartmann (2005) as MSU Moorhead’s Kelly Award recipients.

The Britton Award was created in 1985 in honor of Dr. William Britton, a longtime faculty representative at Bemidji State University. The Kelly Award is named in honor of Willis R. Kelly, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Minnesota, Morris. A member of the NSIC Hall of Fame, Kelly also coordinated the Minnesota-Morris Physical Education Department from 1970-87. She became the first director of women’s intercollegiate athletics at Minnesota-Morris in 1976 and was later promoted to athletic director for the whole department. Kelly passed away in 1988.
The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.2 or better (on a 4.0 scale); evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual’s primary sport.

The 19 student-athletes nominated for the NSIC’s two most prestigious awards will also be honored as NSIC Male and Female Honor Student-Athletes of the Year at their respective institutions. Fischer and Trautwein will be recognized Friday, July 27 at the 2007 NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet at the Best Western Kelly Inn and Convention Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Fischer and Trautwein will each receive a $1000 post-graduate scholarship.

NSIC TO EXPAND TO 14 TEAMS IN 2008-09

April 2, 2007 | Full PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. – Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Commissioner Butch Raymond has announced the results from the NSIC Board of Directors teleconference call dealing with expansion. The Board of Directors, consisting of the ten NSIC Presidents/Chancellors, voted to expand the NSIC to 14 teams with the addition of Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.), the University of Minnesota-Duluth (Duluth, Minn.), Minnesota State University Mankato (Mankato, Minn.) and St. Cloud State University (Saint Cloud, Minn.). These four institutions, which were all voted on individually, will begin participating within the NSIC in the 2008-09 season.

“The NSIC is pleased to welcome these four institutions into our league. We feel all four of these programs are a good fit with strong academic traditions in NCAA DII athletics. The competitiveness of these athletic teams will enhance all 17 sports that we currently offer,” commented Raymond.

Minnesota State will hold a press conference in Mankato today, April 2nd at 5:30 p.m. in the Johnson Alumni Room in Taylor Center. Augustana College will hold a press conference in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Severson Lounge in the Commons Building on the Augustana Campus on Tuesday, April 3rd at 3:00 p.m. Minnesota Duluth will hold their press conference at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4th in the Hall of Fame room of the Sports & Health Center. St. Cloud State will announce the day and time of their press conference in the near future.

Three of the four institutions are very familiar with the NSIC as they are former members. Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State were all charter members of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC). With the four additions, the NSIC will now consist of 14 teams over a five state area with nine institutions hailing from Minnesota, two in South Dakota, and one in Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota. Full PDF Release

Questions from the media can be directed to NSIC Commissioner Butch Raymond at 651-288-4015 or 651-485-9406

NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

October 18, 2006 | Full PDF Release

Northern State Tabbed 2006 NSIC WBB Preseason Favorites

Northern State edged out MSU Moorhead as the favorite in the NSIC Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll. MSU Moorhead received five first place votes and Northern State four, but the Wolves edged out the Dragons in overall points 84 to 82. Concordia-St. Paul came in third in the poll with 78 points and one first place vote. Last year’s NSIC regular season and tournament champions from Wayne State (NE) were picked fourth in the poll with 65 points.

 

 

Northern State's Noelle Hall Named Preseason Player of the Year

Noelle Hall
6-1 F/C
Junior
Altura, Minn.
Lewiston-Atlura HS
Northern State

Hall was named first team all-conference after leading the NSIC in blocked shots per game (1.89) in 2005-06. She had seven double doubles and was named NSIC Player of the Week on February 20th, 2006. She had 20 or more points or 10 or more rebounds in nine separate games this season, ranking second in the NSIC in field goal percentage (.555), third in scoring (15.6) and in rebounding (8.1). She scored a career high 25 points against Concordia St. Paul while posting four 24 point performances. Hall has amassed 787 points and 426 rebounds in only 57 games in her two year career at Northern State. In 2004-05 she was named NSIC Freshman of the Year as she led the NSIC in rebounds with 6.9 rpg.

 

NSIC Men's & Women's Cross Country Championship Set for Saturday

October 17, 2006 | Full PDF Release

Site: University of Minnesota
Les Bolstad Golf Course
Larpenteur Ave. and Cleveland, St. Paul
(2275 W. Larpenteur Ave.)
http://www.csp.edu/athletics/crosscountry/NSIC_Cross_Country_C.html

Race Information:
Men’s Race - 8K - 12:00 p.m.
Women’s Race -6K - 1:00 p.m.

2005 Individual Champions
Men - Dane Moreland, MSU Moorhead
Women - Erin Norenberg, Wayne State

Men’s Quick Facts
Nine of the Top 10 Runners from 2005 are back in 2006, including 2005 Champion Dane Moreland

Women’s Quick Fact
There will be a new champion in 2006 with the graduation of Erin Norenberg. Only four of the top ten finishers from 2005 are returning in 2006.

NSIC Radio Spotlight Show No. 3

October 17, 2006

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/wild/wmedia/nsic3_oct17.wax

NSIC Soccer Players of the Week

October 16, 2006 | Full PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#3 Holly Sutton
Junior, Forward
Elk River, Minn.
Elk River HS
Winona State University

Sutton scored a single goal in the Warriors 4-0 win over Minnesota, Crookston. She backed that up with a two goal performance, including the game winner, in the Warriors win over Bemidji State. The win secured a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular-season title for the Warriors as they are 7-0-1 with one NSIC game left. This marks the second time this season Sutton has been named offensive player of the week.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#0 Emily Barnes
Fr., GK
Alexandria, Minn.
Alexandria HS
SW Minnesota State

Barnes recorded 18 saves in her first two collegiate starts in goal. She had a .857 save percentage as the Mustangs went 1-0-1 on the week, tying MSU Moorhead in 2OT and defeating Concordia-St. Paul in 2OT.

NSIC Volleyball Players of the Week

October 16, 2006 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
Erin Contons
OH, 5-9, Jr.,
Apple Valley, Minn.
Apple Valley HS
SW Minnesota State

Erin Contons hit .347 over the week as the Mustangs went 3-0 and extended their winning streak to ten matches. Contons had 55 kills in the nine games for an average of 6.11 kills per game. She also added 37 digs, six blocks, and two aces during the week. This marks the second consecutive week and third time this season Contons has been offensive player of the week.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#10 Melanie Perez
Libero/OH, 5-8, So.
Rio Piedras, PR
Western Nebraska CC
Northern State

Perez averaged 7.83 digs per game as the Wolves went 2-0 for the week, defeating the University of Mary and MSU Moorhead, each in three game matches. Perez had 20 digs against Mary and 27 against MSU Moorhead as the Wolves improved to 13-11 overall and 7-7 in the NSIC. This marks the third time this season Perez has been named defensive player of the week.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#8 Monica Ashburn
S, 5-7, Jr.
Hector, Minn.
SW Minnesota State

Ashburn averaged 14.00 assists per game for the Mustangs as they extended their win streak to ten matches. The Mustangs hit .284 for the week behind Ashburn, who also added 13 digs, six blocks and two aces. This marks the first time this season Ashburn has been named setter of the week.

NSIC Football Players of the Week

October 16, 2006 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#17 Silas Fluellen
QB, 5-11, 220, Fr.
Bellevue, Neb.
Bellevue West HS
Wayne State

Fluellen threw for career high 325 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-40 loss to Bemidji State. Fluellen completed 18 of 39 passes for an average of 18 yards per completion with a 63 yard long.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#52 Zach Coauette
ILB, 6-3, 235, Jr.
Crookston, Minn.
Central HS
Minnesota, Crookston

Coauette led the Golden Eagles defense with a 20 tackle performance in a 0-24 loss to the University of Mary. The 20 tackles (4 solo, 16 assisted) ties for the second most total tackles in a single game this season in division II. Coauette made his return to the Golden Eagle lineup last week after missing the first five games of the season.

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#14 Michael McDonald
K/P, 6-0, 175, Jr.
Muskegon, Mich.
Catholic Central HS
Bemidji State

McDonald had eight points as he connected on two second-quarter field goals to help BSU take a 19-17 lead into halftime after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter. McDonald moved into second place on BSU’s career kick-scoring list and sits just four points from first place all-time at BSU. In the Beavers 40-37 win over Wayne State he averaged 57.6 yards on seven kickoffs with one touchback; averaged 45.3 yards on four punts with a 49-yard long and one punt downed inside the 20.