Elise (Olsgaard) Erickson made leaps and bounds during her tenure at MSU Moorhead. A two-time Minnesota State High School League Champion in both the 100 and 200 meter dash, Erickson continued her success at the collegiate level.
She joined the Dragons women’s track & field team in the second season of the program existence. She began to pace the Dragon sprinters as she set and broke multiple records in 1975, and increased her times throughout her career. She was plagued by injury in her upperclassman years, but still participated with top-five finishes in the region.
Upon her graduation in 1978, she had led the team to six Minn-Kota Conference Championships, three in each indoor and outdoor, as well as winning individual title in six indoor events and five outdoor events. Erickson’s name was listed four times on the conference indoor records sheet with the best times in the 50-yard (6.3, 1976), 60-yard (7.1, 1977), 220-yard (26.2, 1977), the sprint relay (1:11.15, 1978) and on the 440-yard relay team (51.2, 1977). She also held the league’s outdoor records in the 100-yard (11.1, 1975), 100-meter (12.8, 1978) and 220-yard (25.7, 1976).
In addition to her honors in the league, she also holds many of the first records at MSUM, including the current No.3 fastest time in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 11.93 in 1976. When she exited MSUM she held records in four individual events and was on four of the relay record setting teams.
Erickson graduated in 1979 with a degree in Physical Education and Health Education at MSUM. In 1980, she became the graduate assistant for athletic training at North Dakota State, which turned into a full time position for the Bison. In 1989 she became the athletic training curriculum director at NDSU where she spent ten years.
A resident of Moorhead, Erickson and her husband Roger have two children. Lisa currently serves on the Moorhead School Board, a position she’s held for 13 years.