Bison Illustrated April 2015

ander and Dave How Lawrence Alex w p of players with lo Richman led a grou t NCAA tournamen expectations to the

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APRIL 2015

CONTENTS

feature

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JOURNEY TO THE SUMMIT

They were the only ones who believed they could do it. With questions mounting before the season, take a look back at the 201415 Bison men’s basketball season and their improbable run to the NCAA twournament.

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THE ONES WHO WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH

We speak to six players from the Bison men’s basketball team and they explain the team’s mindset and their personal experience from the 2014-15 season.

40 BUILT FROM WITHIN In their first season together, head coach Dave Richman and his staff accomplished what many believed was impossible. But the ties many of them had prior bonded them to push a team to greatness.

AT A GLANCE 52 Ready. Set. Compete.

64 Golf Gimmes

53 Brandt Berghuis

70 Krista Menke

54 Maddie Van Beek

78 Batter Up

55 Colin Paarmann

84 Where Are They Now?

56 Lexy Boschee

104 Swany Says

58 Battle Beyond the Track

106 Pop Quiz

MEETING AT THE SUMMIT

FOLLOW US

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@bisonmag

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50 We catch up with Summit League commissioner Tom Douple on the new Summit League basketball tournament facility, the success of the Bison and the state of the league compared to its peers.

MEET THE TEAM

APRIL 2015 | VOLUME 9 ISSUE 9 Bison Illustrated is a free publication distributed monthly (12 times a year).

Our mission is to help promote North Dakota State University Athletics, provide a quality and fun reading experience and to improve the way of life in our community. The publication is mailed to homes across the US and has newsstand distribution throughout North Dakota and Minnesota.

MIKE

BRENT

MICHAEL

PUBLISHER Spotlight Media PRESIDENT Mike Dragosavich ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Paul Bougie EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Andrew Jason

PAUL

LISA

JESSE

EDITOR Joe Kerlin DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Geiger, George Stack, Ryan Koehler, Billy Schnase CONTRIBUTORS Josh Swanson, Joe Kerlin, Jace Denman, Brian Shawn

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BOUGIE

KRISTEN

COPY EDITORS Lisa Marchand, Erica Rapp, Aubrey Schield GENERAL MANAGER Brent Tehven SALES MANAGER Craig Holmquist MARKETING/SALES Tracy Nicholson, Paul Hoefer, Paul Bougie, Alicia Stuvland, Tank McNamara

AUBREY

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ERICA

SOCIAL MEDIA Kristen Killoran, Samantha Day CIRCULATION MANAGER Codey Bernier PHOTOGRAPHY J. Alan Paul Photography, NDSU Athletics, Tiffany Swanson, Joseph Ravits, Andrew Jason

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JOE

EMILY

ADMINISTRATION Heather Hemingway SPECIAL THANKS Ryan Perreault, Wes Offerman, Ryan Anderson, Jeff Schwartz, Colle en Heimstead WEB DEVELOPER Lydia Gilbertson DELIVERY Chris Larson, Peyton Berger, Hal Ecker

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Never In Doubt, Right?

FROM THE EDITOR If you haven’t already, now would be a great time to stop doubting or giving up on the Bison men’s basketball team next season.

Joe Kerlin Editor, Bison Illustrated

I

WISH I COULD take credit for writing that introduction sentence a year ago. But like you, and the last person that picked up this magazine, no one expected the Bison to make the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season.

Before this season, we accepted the process of coaches recruiting a talented class and waiting for them to become seniors before making a splash on the national scene. Well, senior Lawrence Alexander and first-year head coach Dave Richman were on a mission to break that mold.

Alexander, the star point guard and Summit League Player of the Year, used that doubt to fuel

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the fire he quietly brewed from within.

This season shouldn’t have been a surprise. We’ve seen Alexander take over in big moments. The game-tying three against Oklahoma is exhibit A in Alexander’s collection of evidence for his supernatural clutch gene.

But he was no stranger to the moment if you remember him hitting a game-winning three against Oakland his freshman season. There’s only a shoddy video on YouTube and a box score to prove it, but you’ll see No. 22 Alexander (the number he wore freshman year) bury a shot from behind the arc in a hostile environment. By all accounts, he was the perfect leader for this young and talented Bison basketball team.

joe@bisonillustrated.com

@bisonmag

bisonillustrated

@joebisonmag

“He’s going to be a tough guy to replace,” said freshman guard Paul Miller. But who better for Miller to learn from than Alexander?

The same questions and doubts will likely be back next year for the men’s basketball team. They lost their leading scorer and a floor general that rarely spent time on the bench, averaging over 38 minutes every game.

But everyone else that played a vital role in this team’s success, Kory Brown, Chris Kading and AJ Jacobson to name a few, have big time experience and the sweet taste of the Big Dance fresh in their memory.

So before you begin to write off the Alexander-less Bison, examine all that’s returning.

Jacobson and Miller are more

than ready to hoist threepointers with more success, Carlin Dupree is already the squad’s glue guy, facilitating the offense, and down low, where do you start? Dexter Werner is fresh off the best game of his career that broke the Internet for several hours, and Kading is a proven rim-protector whose offensive game has only gotten better by the season.

Don’t look now, but the Bison are fueled to continue this run of success behind the leadership of Richman and his assistants.

The only thing to worry about now for Bison fans is, can we fit the whole team on the basketball hoop for the cover next year?

Go Bison,

Joe Kerlin

Growing, growing and more Growing FROM paul bougie CONTACT ME

701-478-7768 paulbougie@spotlightmediafargo.com

B

ison Nation is growing and shows no sign of slowing. Student athletes keep performing, and and on their faces, smiles are glowing. And we at Bison Illustrated are still going! In fact, we are going to keep going all summer long.

Now let me explain my Willy Wonka-style rant. First, our student athletes. We still have track and field doing great things, the NDSU softball team is shaping up to be a force to be reckoned with and the baseball team is right there as well. All of the other athletes not competing are under the watchful eye of Coach Kramer and his staff to make them even better next season.

Now, didn’t we just get back from Texas? Oh yeah, spring

football is under way! And let’s not forget about the men’s basketball team going to the dance. Also, a hearty congrats to the Bison women’s basketball team on their success as well.

It just never stops; there is always more. That’s why I am proud to inform you that Bison Illustrated will not go away in the summer; we will be adding issues in June and July. June will include a full wrap-up of the summer sports, and July will be a special “Where are They Now?” issue.

So, keep reading and keep cheering.

And go Bison.

Paul Bougie

BISON

FUN

IN RHYTHM All season, Bison guards Kory Brown and Lawrence Alexander would stay loose before Bison basketball games with a little dance called the “Nae Nae.” The Nae Nae was popularized in late 2013 when an Atlanta-based dance crew went viral on the internet. It was adopted by the Bison basketball team last season and the dance routine continued this season. In this photo, Brown and Alexander bust a move before the Summit League quarterfinal game against Denver, a 61-50 victory for the Bison.

Check out bisonillustrated.com

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

BACK TO THE

Summit

No one said the ascent was going to be easy for the men’s basketball team. In fact, most said they’d never make it. They said they’d be buried alive before reaching the Summit League tournament, that they simply lost too much talent and they’re too young. But time and time again, the Bison proved its expedition back to the top was not only possible, but it was going to happen. Led by its soft-spoken and grizzled veteran, Lawrence Alexander, and new shot caller Dave Richman, the mountain of doubters and disbelievers didn’t stand a chance during the Bison’s journey to the Summit.

BY JOE KERLIN | PHOTO BY J. ALAN PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

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NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE LOSE 50-85 Texas Austin, Texas LOSE 56-87 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa WIN 68-55 Kennesaw State Fargo WIN 74-66 Hampton Fargo WIN 64-63 Minnesota-Crookston Fargo WIN 72-51 Montana State Bozeman, Mont.

LOSE 65-78 Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, Miss.

Photo by Joseph Ravits

NOVEMBER’S PEAK PERFORMER

26.7 mpg 9.8 ppg

42.2% fg 44% 3fg

LOSE 57-69 Montana Missoula, Mont.

PAUL MILLER

The true freshman burst onto the scene against Hampton when he scored 17 points for the second game in a row and added six rebounds.

WIN 71-42 North Dakota Fargo WIN 55-46 Akron Fargo LOSE 52-53 Kent State El Paso, Texas WIN 61-50 Alcorn State El Paso, Texas WIN 83-59 Northland College (Wis.) Fargo

T

here’s no question the Bison came into the 2014-15 men’s basketball season with a chip on its shoulder.

Placing fifth in the pre-season Summit League poll only fueled the fire more for a team that was already replacing its top three scorers from last season. With two Power 5 conference opponents to begin the season, the Bison stumbled out of the gates, but they quickly found their footing with wins over NCAA tournament participant Hampton and in-state rival North Dakota.

UNDERGROUND

North Dakota State and Coastal Carolina are the only FCS/Mid-major teams to play in FCS playoffs and NCAA tournament the past two years.

Photo by Joseph Ravits

DECEMBER’S PEAK PERFORMER

26.9 mpg 13 ppg

8.7 rpg 2.4 stocks (steal+blocks)

The last three Summit League Champions have all won back-to-back League titles.

DEXTER WERNER

As much as Dexter Werner impressed offensively, his impact on the defensive end was much more notable with his tenacious and never-ending motor.

The Bison have qualified for three NCAA tournaments in their seven years of eligibility for the postseason in Division I.

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CONFERENCE PLAY WIN 72-66 Oral Roberts Fargo WIN 72-69 South Dakota State Fargo WIN 75-72 Omaha Omaha, Neb. LOSE 67-71 South Dakota Vermillion, S.D. WIN 61-48 Western Illinois Fargo WIN 69-61 (OT) IUPUI Indianapolis, Ind. LOSE 71-77 Fort Wayne Forth Wayne, Ind.

Photo by Joseph Ravits

JANUARY’S PEAK PERFORMER

10.25 ppg 5.5 rpg

WIN 61-54 (OT) Denver Fargo

51.6% fg 2.25 stocks (steals+blocks)

KORY BROWN

Kory Brown has built his reputation on the defensive side of the ball during his first two seasons at NDSU, but throughout his junior year, he showed glimpses of greatness on the offensive end.

WIN 64-62 Western Illinois Macomb, Ill. WIN 64-57 Omaha Fargo WIN 71-47 South Dakota Fargo WIN 73-69 (OT) Denver Denver, Colo.

LOSE 58-68 South Dakota State Brookings, S.D. WIN 57-48 IUPUI Fargo WIN 66-62 Fort Wayne Fargo LOSE 58-74 Oral Roberts Tulsa, Okla.

A

fter two home conference wins to start the season, the Bison shocked everybody but themselves when they remained near the top of the Summit League standing for the entire season. AJ Jacobson recovered from an early season injury and emerged as the Bison’s second leading scorer while defensive specialist Kory Brown started producing more offensively before he was slowed by a knee injury in February.

But there was no doubt Lawrence Alexander carried the Bison through the entire conference season and was rewarded for his efforts by being named Summit League Player of the Year.

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Photo by Kimberly Hill

FEBRUARY’S PEAK PERFORMER

38.3 mpg 21.25 ppg 4.9 rpg

46.3% fg 51.7% 3fg

LAWRENCE ALEXANDER

The reality is that Lawrence Alexander was a peak performer all season for the Bison. No one at Scheels Arena left their seat after the IPFW game as they stayed to give the senior one final salute during Senior Day. Alexander’s father, Lawrence Sr., mother Terry and son, Lawrence III, was by the senior’s side the entire night.

MEN’S BASKETBALL SUMMIT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

A

lthough the Bison were co-Summit League Champions, they received the No. 2-seed in the postseason tournament with a tough matchup against a Denver team that took them to overtime in both games during the regular season. The Bison prevailed in a tightly contested ball game and survived a battle with Oral Roberts on Monday in the semifinals. This set up a battle of the Dakotas for the Summit League crown and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

The last time NDSU met South Dakota State in a Summit League final was in 2013 when the Jackrabbits, led

by Nate Wolters, defeated the Bison 73-67. Lawrence Alexander’s six threes and 25 points proved he wouldn’t let the Bison falter this time around. In a back and forth, physical game, the Bison extended its lead to eight with three minutes remaining. After two missed free throws in the final minute, the Bison were able to hold on for the victory when Deondre Parks’ game-winning three-point attempt missed left. The Bison were dancing for a second consecutive season.

SUMMIT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT PEAK PERFORMER

37.3 mpg 15.3 ppg

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5.3 rpg 42.4% fg

AJ JACOBSON

After battling back from an early season injury, AJ Jacobson peaked right when his Bison team needed him the most. He scored 46 points in three games at the Summit League tournament.

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WIN 61-50

DENVER

AJ Jacobson scores a career-high 23 and leads the cold shooting Bison to the semifinals after a hard-nosed game against Denver.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WIN 60-56

ORAL ROBERTS

Lawrence Alexander blocks Bobby Word’s potential go-ahead shot to give NDSU their third-straight trip to the championship game.

WIN 57-56

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

The Bison strung a 17-4 run in the second half to take the lead and never looked back, stunning a crowd of 9,033 at the Premier Center.

Photo by Gabrielle K. Hartze

Photo by Gabrielle K. Hartze 27

E C N A D S T LE abrielle

yG Photos b

e

K. Hartz

Kory Brown shows off his dance moves in the middle of his teammates after earning his second trip to the Big Dance.

Chris Kading and Dexter Werner combined to play excellent defense against the Jackrabbit's big Cody Larson, but Kading also got his on the offensive end.

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Summit League Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Lawrence Alexander hoists the net after leading the Bison back to the Big Dance.

Hundreds of Bison fans stormed the court after Deondre Parks’ shot veered right and the game clock ran out. Nearly 9,000 Jackrabbits fans sat in silence as the Bison celebrated their second consecutive Summit League title.

Freddy Coleman was on the 2009 Bison team that went dancing and in his two years as an assistant, he’s helped the Bison get to back-to-back NCAA tournaments.

Former Bison basketball player Marshall Bjorklund lifts his former point guard Lawrence Alexander in the air during the court storm.

Dave Richman and his daughter, Ellie, celebrate on the court after the Bison victory over South Dakota State.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

NCAA TOURNAMENT SOUTH REGION

LOSE 86-76

I

GONZAGA SEATTLE, WASH.

t was David versus Goliath in the second round of the NCAA tournament as the Bison were pinned as a 15-seed going up against one of the top 10 teams in the country in the 2-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Bison stayed within striking distance for the entire 40 minutes with tough, clutch baskets in some big moments. Dexter Werner led the charge with a career-high 22 points and was followed by Lawrence Alexander who scored 19 points in the last college basketball game of his career. Paul Miller and Kory Brown also contributed with double-digit scoring performances.

It appeared the Bison were going to get ran out of the gym early in the second half before they strung together a 16-4 run with 11 minutes to play. But the surge wasn’t enough as the 7th ranked team in the country fended off the Bison resolve to advance with a ten point victory, 86-76.

Photo by Stephen Brashear

Photo by Stephen Brashear

NCAA TOURNAMENT PEAK PERFORMER

24 min.

22 points

4 reb.

10-14 fg

DEXTER WERNER

The NCAA tournament game didn’t finish in the Bison’s favor, but for a couple hours Friday night, sophomore forward Dexter Werner was the talk of social media. Basketball fans across the country praised the big man for his relentless motor and nearperfect shooting performance against Gonzaga’s 7-footers.

Photo by Stephen Brashear 31

THE PLAYERS

By Joe Kerlin Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

O ne of the reasons the men’s basketball team was overlooked coming into the 2014-15 season was the belief that they lacked depth and experience on the roster. With six seniors gone, only two starters coming back and a handful of unproven talent on the bench, expectations were low. But all it took was one senior’s resolve and attitude to create a no-one-believes-in-us mindset that washed over the team. Depth quickly became a non-factor with Lawrence Alexander, AJ Jacobson and Carlin Dupree averaging over 32 minutes a game and the Bison only going seven deep.

Each of these seven had vastly different roles this season and here are six of their stories.

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THE PLAYERS

Position: Guard Year: Senior Hometown: Peoria, Ill.

Minutes/Game - 38.5 Points/Game - 18.9 Rebounds/Game - 4.5 Assists/Game - 1.7 Field Goal % - 43 Three Point % - 44.1

People have doubted Lawrence Alexander since he was a kid. They told him he’d never play Division I college basketball, he’d never start for four years and he’d surely never lead his team to the NCAA tournament his senior year.

Alexander never listened, and when he did pay attention his senior year, it lit a fire in him to leave college basketball the only way he wanted to.

“It’s the best way to go out your senior year, to bring your team back to the NCAA tournament,” Alexander said. “And I did everything I could do to get back there.”

Alexander was named Summit League Player of the Year, the Summit League tournament MVP and was flattered when his head coach, that has been with him every step of his college journey, acknowledged his hard work after losing to Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament.

“All of us have some shoes to fill with LA being gone,” said junior Kory Brown who quietly led his friend and teammate off the court for the last time in his Bison career.

Alexander will graduate this summer from NDSU and has signed an agent to help continue his basketball career professionally either in the States or Europe.

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THE PLAYERS

Position: Forward Year: Junior Hometown: De Pere, Wis.

Minutes/Game - 26 Points/Game - 5.3 Rebounds/Game - 3.9 Block/Game - 1.5 Field Goal % - 48.1

Position: Guard Year: Junior Hometown: Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Minutes/Game - 26 Points/Game - 8.3 Rebounds/Game - 4.9 Assists/Game - 1.6 Field Goal% - 48.7 Three Point% - 34.3 Kory on the NCAA tournament this year compared to last year...

“There were just a few different guys playing on the court.

Six guys that were gone and couple guys stepped in and that was basically the only difference. We had the same pride, same mentality to win the game.”

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Chris on his role this season...

“I think it was just adjusting to my new role and I think it was the same for everybody because even at the beginning of the year, LA wasn’t used to having that big scoring load on him. Kory and everybody else were doing different things, I thought I got better at knowing what to do in different times of the game.”

THE PLAYERS

Position: Forward Year: Sophomore Hometown: Bismarck, N.D.

Minutes/Game - 19.9 Points/Game - 8.4 Rebounds/Game - 5.4 Blocks/Game - 1 Field Goal % - 51.2

With the way Dexter Werner played against Gonzaga, it’s no surprise he found 2,000 notifications on his phone once he turned it on after the game. His careerhigh 22 points against Gonzaga turned the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year into a Twitter sensation overnight when he was trending country-wide for several hours during and after the first-round loss.

“It was definitely a different look than I’ve gotten before because they were just hugging out to the wing and I had 10 feet on either side of me to drive on my guy,” explained Werner. “I definitely got us some wide-open looks because (of) how they game-planned for LA and AJ.” Werner said he was happy to be out on the court this season after one redshirt season and one year mostly spent on the bench.

The Bismarck native was ready to make an impact when he got his opportunities early in the season.

“I just approach it with an edge for all of the games. It’s more of a team aspect,” Werner said. “Just people thinking it was going to be a down year for us and I just channel that and go out there with the whole team and prove people wrong as a group.”

Werner said he will bring that same edge with him next year and explained how everybody will have to work even harder with Alexander gone.

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THE PLAYERS

Position: Guard Year: Freshman Hometown: Waukesha, Wis. Position: Guard/Forward Year: Freshman Hometown: Fargo, N.D.

Minutes/Game - 32.8 Points/Game - 11.6 Rebounds/Game - 4.2 Assists/Game - 1.8 Field Goal % - 41.3 Three Point % - 40.3

AJ on how his freshman season went... “I had a blast with these guys. I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with any other teammates and these guys are the best teammates out there. Me personally, I felt like I got a little better every day. I got better throughout the course of the year. I didn’t start how I wanted to start, but I just kept getting better and persevering through all that stuff.”

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Minutes/Game - 28.5 Points/Game - 6.7 Rebounds/Game - 3.8 Assists/Game - 1 Field Goal % - 37.9 Three Point % - 38.1

Paul on getting better this summer...

“I’m looking forward to getting in the weight room with Coach Miller and then working out with the coaches. … I’d say I’m mostly going to focus on myself physically. I think the weight room will be a big key.”

LAWRENCE ALEXANDER

Lawrence Alexander has stamped his name into Bison basketball lore over the past four years. Take a look back at his career highlights that help his case for being one of the best Bison basketball players in the long history of the program.

Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

11/11/2011 – Near triple-double during first game of career – 13 points, nine rebounds, eight assists 1/28/2012 – Game-winning three with 4.1 seconds left to beat Oakland, 78-75 12/29/2012 - Carried the Bison with 18 points and six assists to a win against rival SDSU 12/11/2013 – Bison beat Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and LA goes for 16 points and 14 rebounds 2/1/2014 – Notches his 1,000-point with 20 points at Denver 3/11/2014 – Wins first Summit League championship over IPFW, 60-57 3/20/2014 – Hits game tying three-pointer at the end of regulation in first round of NCAA tournament. Bison won in overtime 1/2/2015 – First career 30-point game, scored 31 against Oral Roberts at home 2/7/2015 – Breaks long-standing three-pointers made single-game record by hitting eight against South Dakota 2/7/2015 – Breaks Bison record for most wins in a career 2/21/2015 – Scores 27 points and made five three’s during his final home game as a Bison 3/10/2015 – Makes six threes and scores 25, winning back-to-back Summit League tournament championships 38

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600 – Fourth Bison of all-time to score more than 600 points in a single season 1,700, 500, 400 – Only player in NDSU history with over 1,700 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in a career 1,755 – Fourth in Bison history for career points 90 – Career Wins in Bison uniform 45-19 – Career Record in Summit League play 34 – Number of times LA has played over 40 minutes 103 – Number of three-pointers made during his first three seasons 100 – Three-pointers made his senior season, a Bison record +9.3% – Differential in three-point percentage from first three seasons to senior season 227 – Three-pointers attempted his senior season, a Bison record

???? ?????

2012 Summit League Newcomer of the Year 2012 CollegeInsider.com MidMajor Freshman All-American 2013 All-Summit League second team 2014 All-Summit League honorable mention 2015 Summit League Player of the Year 2015 All-Summit League first team 2015 Summit League Tournament MVP 2015 All-Tournament team 2015 Mid-Major All-American

Photo by Joseph Ravits

"We loved LA back in March 2013 when we featured him and several of his teammates on the cover of Bison Illustrated. These are some of our favorite photos we took over his career."

By Joe Kerlin | Photos by J Alan Paul Photography

When NDSU first established itself as a national power in football during the 1960s, the process of hiring a new coach came from within the program. When Darrell Mudra left, his assistant Ron Erhardt took over, who then passed the torch to Ev Kjelbertson, then Jim Wacker and so on. The same process has started with the men's basketball program.

Beginning with Tim Miles, the head coaching job has been passed from Saul Phillips to seven-year associate head coach Dave Richman. And it couldn't have been a better start to the Richman era for the men's basketball program. We caught up with Richman and the rest of his staff just days after their NCAA tournament appearance.

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PLAYED North Dakota State College of Science STUDENT ASSISTANT GRADUATE ASSISTANT North Dakota State (2003-2005) ASSISTANT COACH North Dakota State (2005-2007) ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH North Dakota State (2007-2014)

HEAD COACH What are you feeling in those moments when you’re addressing the team at the end of the game against Gonzaga?

“It’s funny, you know. I grew up in a coaching family and I’ve been around it my entire life and you’re really not prepared in those situations for what you’re going to say, and it just kind of flowed out and I suppose sometimes that’s the best stuff. There’s so much that goes into those six months; so many memories and so much blood, sweat and tears. It just kind of pours out of you. Especially when you have someone who is so special like Lawrence (Alexander). I mean, to me personally, to my family, my wife and girls, but you know more importantly to this entire program and community, that kid means a lot.”

What’s something you learned during your first year as a head coach?

“I think there are a couple things.

There’s always a decision to be made, whether it’s in game, at night, or a recruiting conversation with an assistant coach in your office, administratively, there’s always a decision to be made and that’s good.

As an assistant you have a ton of ideas and you always want your ideas applied. Now it’s my job to sift through it all and decide if it’s a good decision and it’s going to ultimately better our program. That was probably the biggest adjustment. ... You know, you always wonder ... how you’re going to handle certain situations or whatever. and I’m not saying me or we handled them perfectly, but you surround yourself with good people and good players and with a lot of those decisions you end up looking pretty good. But I’m smart enough to realize there’s a lot of hard working people behind the decisions I made — that we made throughout the course of the season.”

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PLAYED Williston State College and Dickinson State GRADUATE ASSISTANT University of North Dakota (2005-2007) ASSISTANT COACH Augustana College (2007-2010) VIDEO COORDINATOR Colorado State (2010-2011)

ASSISTANT COACH

DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS Colorado State (2011-2012) and Nebraska (2012-2014) ASSISTANT COACH North Dakota State (2014-Present)

What were some things you thought the team could take advantage of against Gonzaga?

“A couple things we thought we’d have to do is play fast. We talked to a few coaches in their league and we thought we had to get early buckets in transition because when they’re in the half-court, they’re really good and then exploit some mismatches. Their big guys are huge, but they don’t move their feet that great and that was something Dex (Dexter Werner) was going to take advantage of, but for LA, we knew things were going to be tough.”

How do you think the team played?

“I thought we played well. Obviously, there was a little lull there after we got up early, but they’re really good and a team of runs. They’re going to put three or four runs on you and I think we put some runs on them. You look at the Iowa game and Iowa was never within 11 points of them in the second half. We had (their lead to) six a couple of times.

So I was really proud of the guys and of the staff and to be a part of North Dakota State.”

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PLAYED North Dakota State (2007-11) ASSISTANT COACH Concordia (2011-13)

ASSISTANT COACH

ASSISTANT COACH North Dakota State (2013-Present)

What was the mood like in the locker room after the game knowing LA had just played his last game?

“It was a bittersweet thing. Like I said, we had zero expectations going into this year of everybody and what they thought this team was going to be. And us sitting in Seattle, Washington getting done playing a two-seeded Gonzaga team that we had our chances at. We gave them our best blows and like I said, it was bittersweet. It’s bitter for the fact that one of our family members is moving onto the next stage of his life, but it’s sweet to see what this team has done over the course of six months.

That’s the fun thing about college basketball; that you see each team grow. Like I said, you have that one guy that leaves and it’s a big chunk of the locker room. It was definitely a bittersweet moment.”

PLAYED Wayne State (1996-2000) COACH Wayne State (2000-2004) GRADUATE MANAGER Iowa State (2006-2007)

ASSISTANT COACH

ACADEMIC LEARNING SPECIALIST Iowa State (2007-2009) HEAD BOY’S BASKETBALL COACH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL - Burlington Catholic Central High School (2009-2014) ASSISTANT COACH North Dakota State (2014-Present)

Do you think about what you were doing a year ago when you were a principal of a high school?

“You know, it’s pretty surreal to be honest with you. It was a great experience. Thinking about my life and family a year ago sitting at a high school game in a school of 185 kids and the next year you’re playing in the NCAA tournament, it’s pretty special. But we knew long before that, we knew right when we got here the culture. The people were just tremendous. Obviously making the NCAA tournament helps, but we knew we were in the right place a long time before that.”

PLAYED North Dakota State (2006-2010) DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS Wofford (2010-2011) ASSISTANT COACH Minnesota State-Moorhead (2011-2013) DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS North Dakota State (2013-Present)

DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

Anything you can take this year and carry on the rest of your coaching career?

“I’ll just remember a lot. Just his (Lawrence Alexander) ability to step up in the moment. So many times this year, we needed a basket or two or three and he’d be able to come up with it. He had so many big games; so many big moments that you can’t expect that going into games because he delivered so many times and that’s why he was MVP and everything for our team. He’s the reason behind where we were at the end of the season. I’ll remember that most of all. Off the court he’s what everybody says; he’s a great kid and fun to be around. Our whole team was.”

STRENGTH COACH

GRADUATE ASSISTANT Northern Michigan, U.S. Olympic Education Center (2000-02) HEAD STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH Long Beach State (2002-05) ASSISTANT AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING North Dakota State (2005-11)

This team seems pretty tightly-knit to one another.

Were they always this close this offseason?

“They were very much a work in progress. I think we obviously had one leader and one upperclassman and I think he (Lawrence Alexander) was the guy that really willed this team to achieving what they achieved. But it was definitely a work in progress and you saw it over and over again that the team grew and got better as the season went along. But we did not start out that way.”

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THE COMMISSIONER

Tom Douple helps hold the Summit League banner while the 2013-14 Bison men's basketball team celebrates its league championship last year in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photo by Inertia Sports Media, LLC)

at the Meeting Summit Summit League commissioner Tom Douple checks in with Bison Illustrated on the growing success of the league and the competitiveness among its members.

Interview by Joe Kerlin

*See the full interview with Tom Douple in the June edition of Bison Illustrated.

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THE COMMISSIONER Bison Illustrated: The Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., was quite the spectacle for the basketball tournament this year. What does having an arena like that do for the prestige of the league?

Photo by Gabrielle K. Hartze

Tom Douple: "That tournament has become a very special place that we’ve been able to host over the years and then this year, moving into that new arena, I can tell you it’s as good of arena as anywhere in the country. Bison fans are out in Spokane, (Wash.,) last year and in Seattle this past weekend and in talking with many of them, they said without a doubt the Premier Center is better. It just adds some things that we’re able to do and with our teams, especially with the fans that come out and support the tournament. Talking to other colleagues they’re wondering, ‘How are you drawing so many people to a men’s and women’s tournament? You‘re holding them together and they stay at the same hotel, do you have issues with that?’ And I say it’s been the greatest thing that we have. It’s a great setup, it’s a great formula. Coaches coming in that are new to our league just say, ‘Wow, this is different, this is good.’ It’s our premier event and we treat it as such. I’m glad to see we have a lot of support for it. I think it helps our teams prepare for the postseason as well."

Photo by Tyler Ingham

BI: How did NDSU’s victory in the NCAA Tournament help change people’s perception of the Summit League?

TD: "It was a huge win for us last year.

The publicity that that win generates is tremendous not only for the university but for the league as well. It adds some credibility for what we’ve been doing for a long time, which is developing programs and being very competitive at the regional level and now we feel that we’re being competitive at the national level. That victory showed, especially against a team as recognizable as Oklahoma, that we’re here to play the game and compete against the very best."

BI: What’s the status of the Summit League compared to other mid-major conferences around the country?

Tom Douple presents NDSU's Taylor Braun with the 2014 Summit League Tournament MVP award after the Bison took home its first championship since 2009.

(Photo by Inertia Sports Media, LLC)

TD: "We think we’re doing very well as a league. We have nine solid members, there’s a commitment among the presidents and chancellors for athletics, and we’re in the middle of a building boom which speaks for itself. Last year, we had Western Illinois and Fort Wayne both upgrade their basketball facilities and this year, IUPUI moved into a new basketball arena at the Indiana fairgrounds, and Omaha is building their new arena along with USD and, of course, NDSU. There’s a commitment out there and it shows with the building of the facilities. We think our teams are very competitive among the other mid-major conferences, which bodes well for ourselves.

We just finished a very competitive basketball season and had some great showings at the postseason. We think we’re in pretty good shape."

Photo by Tyler Ingham 51

TRACK TEAM

READY. SET. COMPETE. Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

The NDSU women's track team has won seven straight outdoor Summit League championships and has been picked to continue its record-breaking streak this spring. As the women fight off conference foes while wearing a discus-sized target on their backs, the men are looking to retain sole possession of first place in the Summit. Last season, the men tied with South Dakota for first place and finished second to the 'Yotes during the indoor season. With a deep-rooted culture of excellence, these athletes are ready to compete to help preserve the track program's championship tradition.

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BRANDT BERGHUIS

BRANDT BERGHUIS TRACK HACK Brandt is holding a hammer, but they only throw those during outdoor competitions. The weight throw is the substitute during the indoor season.

INFO Year: Junior Event: Thrower Hometown: Rosemount, Minn.

High School: Rosemount HS

ACCOLADES 2013, 2014 - NCAA West Preliminary Rounds participant in the shot put and hammer throw 2014, 2015 - Summit League Academic All-League Team 2015 - Summit League Indoor champion in the weight throw

Have you told your former roommate and NDSU AllAmerican Casey Orgon that you broke his record?

"Yeah, he was actually here to watch it. He was giving me a hard time telling me I should’ve broken it sooner, but he’s a good buddy of mine. We go fishing and hunting together. ... We go to Bemidji or other places in North Dakota. He’s a good buddy of mine and it's kind of crazy living in the same house as him, seeing how he trained and how he worked and he was a good role model for me."

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MADDIE VAN

BEEK

MADDIE VAN BEEK TRACK HACK Distance runners would never run in the second lane. They always battle for the inside lane.

INFO Year: Senior Event: Long Distance/Steeplechase Hometown: Perham, Minn.

High School: Perham HS

ACCOLADES 2012, 2013 - First team All-Summit League Cross Country 2012 - Summit League champion in the 3,000m steeplechase 2014, 2015 - Summit League Indoor Championships Track MVP 2014 - Summit League Indoor Track Athlete of the Year 2014 - Third woman to win indoor titles in the mile, 3,000m and 5,000m at the conference meet Five Summit League indoor event titles in two years

What's the culture of the track team?

"The track team is so big, but I feel like we’re all so close-knit and we’re all supporting each other at every meet and at every event. Maybe I don’t see Emily (Lesser) do the throws, but I’m so excited to hear about her success, you know what I mean? So even though I don’t always understand the sprinting times and the throwing distances don’t always click in my head, it’s awesome to see them succeed."

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COLIN PAARMANN

COLIN PAARMANN TRACK HACK Colin Paarmann will be "fiddling" with his long jump approach going into the outdoor season.

He'll be adjusting his strides so he can use his speed to his advantage more.

INFO Year: Junior Event: Multi-Events Hometown: Mankato, Minn.

High School: Mankato East HS

ACCOLADES 2013, 2014 - Two-time fifth place Summit League Championship finisher in 60 meter 2014 - Placed third in the triple jump, fourth in the long jump and fifth in the 110m hurdles at the Summit League Outdoor Championships

How rewarding is it for you to receive your first All-Summit League honors?

“It’s been a long time coming. I would have really liked to have gotten it in three events in long, triple and hurdles, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I felt thankful and I was happy that I got it in two events and it just goes to show that hard work and a little bit of patience will pay off in the end.”

55

LEXY BOSCHEE

LEXY BOSCHEE TRACK HACK The high jump is just one of five events pentathlon athletes compete in during a track meet. Sixty meter hurdles, shot put, long jump and 800 meters are the other events.

INFO Year: Junior Event: Multi-Event Hometown: Kalispell, Mont.

High School: Glacier HS

ACCOLADES 2015 -Summit League Indoor Pentathlon Champion 4th Pentathlon - Third place in 60-meter at Summit League Indoor Championships

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What’s it going to take to continue the success as a track team?

“I think we always have a target on our back just because we have won so many championships, so it’s important for everybody to keep that in their minds and compete their hardest and not just expect to win, which is something a lot of people seem to do.”

MADDIE VAN

BEEK

BATTLE BEYOND THE TRACK Interview by Joe Kerlin | Photo By J. Alan Paul Photography

Maddie (McClellan) Van Beek has had a tumultuous 12 months. It all started last season after the Drake Relays when she received the paralyzing news that her thenfiancĂŠ would begin a long battle for his life.

The Bison track star and future English teacher put her acclaimed running career on hold and stood next to her boyfriend as he fought brain cancer. Last summer, before the surgery, Maddie and Daryl Van Beek got married and so began the long road to recovery. As Daryl finds his footing back in the real world, Maddie is dedicating herself to finishing her track career as strongly as it started her freshman year.

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MADDIE VAN

THE CON VER SAT ION

BEEK

You had an eventful summer.

How is Daryl feeling?

“He’s doing really well. He has to go back in April. He has to do check-ups for a while, but he’s feeling back to normal. He’s finally in a normal routine like a normal human being. … He works for an insulation company, …

Cross Insulation in West Fargo. He had switched companies and he had only been working there for about a month when he found out (about his cancer) so we were just so lucky that he was even on health insurance by having the recent switch, because he went about a month without. It just blew my mind how lucky we were, because everything worked out to where he was covered and he was able to get a lot of help in that way. He’s back at work full-time and just enjoying life.”

What was it like talking about the experience during the commencement speech you gave to the Winter 2014 graduates?

“I was a little nervous about it, but I thought (if) someone cared about me enough to nominate me then I should probably do it, so I went for it. I didn’t know exactly what the process is like and how rigorous that would be and I had to go through quite a few meetings; go record your speech on video and then give your speech in person and then do an interview. It was kind of intense but I’m really glad I did it.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE.

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MADDIE VAN

BEEK

CON TIN UED

What inspired you to use your and Daryl’s story and to come up with the “overcoming adversity” theme?

Coming into college, did you think you would win as many Summit League Indoor Championships as you did?

“I didn’t go straight to it because I wanted to keep it open and think of what kind of message do I really want to send. It’s my whole graduating class and the people I went to school with, what do I want them to leave with. It was just obviously so close to my heart and on my mind all the time so for me, some times when you give a message, it means the most to give it through an experience you went through, something you can share as your own experience.”

“Honestly, I don’t think about the numbers. I just love racing; I love track and I love the Bison. Every year I’ve done multiple events, so coming into conference, I knew I wanted to do the 3K, the mile and the 5K because it’s fun for me to just go out and do my best in all my events. Conference isn’t the time to go out and try and run a fast time. It’s more about going out there and getting points for your team and I want to do the best that I can.”

What’s your plan after the outdoor season?

You won the Summit League Championship in the steeplechase during your sophomore year, but you haven’t won since. What’s it going to take to get back on top of the podium?

“This is my last semester, which is just crazy. You know, I don’t have any set plans right now. I know I want to be a teacher some day. I’m really passionate about teaching and I loved my experience with student teaching. ...

But I don’t know if I’m ready to be done running yet. That’s kind of what I’m thinking for next year, so I think if I were to get a teaching job right now, and try to also continue training, I wouldn’t be able to do both 100 percent and I don’t want to do that.”

What has your distance coach Andrew Carlson said to you about it? He ran professionally.

Photo by NDSU Athletics

Maddie Van Beek broke the indoor 5,000-meter dash and the distance medley record this winter. She also holds the school record in the outdoor steeplechase event. Van Beek will look to break her own record this spring during her final track season at NDSU. 60

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“He’s been an amazing coach and an awesome resource and a great person to talk to about running and just about future plans so he’s been great. Honestly, he told me, ‘If you’re worried about people questioning whether you should continue running after college, don’t worry about it, because people will question it. But do it because you love it and that’s what you want to do.’ He said, ‘One hundred percent do it if that’s what you want to do.’ He’s super supportive and great to talk to about it.”

“Last year, I was really excited about how things were going. Then of course, with Daryl’s situation, running just became – well my priorities completely changed, and so I had to take some time off from running. That honestly was huge for me this year because I had to kick my butt to get back into shape all fall, because I was planning a wedding, I was back and forth with Mayo (Clinic) for months. That just totally changed everything. I had my meeting with Andrew before every season to evaluate how things went last season and (to) make goals for the next season, which is super helpful. But looking back, it was kind of like, ‘Okay, I had to really come quite a ways from coming in in the worst shape that I’ve been in in a really long time to get back to where I wanted to be.’ So I was just happy I was able to still run well and PR (personal record) for the team this year. I think it set me up really well to have the best outdoor season I’ve had. I definitely feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I’m ready for more.”

GOLF TIPS

GOLF SEASON

2

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 Out

Junior

TIP: Swing Down (pg. 65)

Senior

TIP: Full Body Drive (pg. 66)

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Tot

Head Coach TIP: Short Putts (pg. 68)

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PAR

4

Date

Score

4

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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D A P R I L 2 015

4

3

5

4

3

5

36

4

Attest

3

4

3

5

4

3

5

4 35 71

Net Score

HOLE Blue Tees White Tees Yellow Tees Handicap

Handicap

is right around the corner, so we called upon the Bison men’s golf team to improve our massive handicaps this summer. They gave us some quick pointers while giving us insight into what it’s like to play golf at the Division I level.

CONNOR HOLLAND

Bison Tip

Junior West Fargo, N.D. Favorite Club: 7-Iron

"A lot of golfers just try to kill it, but shorter is better. It’s all about contact; it’s not about how hard you swing, it's how it's hit. ... When you’re taking it (club head) back open, it just comes through like that so you’re just going to get that big slice. You don’t want to break your lead arm. Also, you have to swing down and just trust the loft it (club head) gives you."

Biggest challenge in college golf?

Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

"Distance. I was never a long hitter by any means, but the jump to high school to college distance wise was the biggest adjustment for me because you’re playing courses that are over 7,000 yards every single tournament. Instead of nine irons, you have five and six irons — just that distance factor. Not many people know this, but golfers actually lift. That’s the big key. Core, legs are the main and arms never hurt."

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Bison Tip

TRENT OLSON

Senior Horace, N.D. Favorite Club: 6-Iron

“For hitting a drive far, a lot of people think that you just swing back fast and swing through harder. But it ... helps when you slow down on your backswing and make a complete turn. Even with me, I’ll sometimes think that when I go after one to just swing harder, but it’s important to always remember more power always comes from making a full turn, getting it complete, and set on top and then coming down. The swing is more with the body swing than just clubs. It’s just about making sure you get all of your weight behind the ball. You have to make sure your shoulders are turned and then swinging.”

Biggest challenge in college golf?

“In high school I think the courses we played were a little easier, so in college I would just take a driver off of every hole at the start and it took me awhile to find out you can’t just hit a driver on every hole; sometimes that’s not the best play. You have to hit it good and straight. Sometimes it just makes more sense to hit irons off long holes, when it gets tighter up the fairway the further you go.”

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STEVE KENNEDY

Biggest challenge for freshman golfers?

“The biggest thing is just, on the course, just the fatigue that these guys go through. We just finished our first tournament and we’re out on the course and I’m checking on these guys and the common theme with them is, ‘Coach, my feet are sore, my legs are so tired.’

We do endurance; they’ve been lifting all winter so it’s not that they’re out of shape, but these guys get out on the golf course at 7 in the morning and we’re not done until 7:30 at night. So they walk for 12 and a half hours, they eat lunch while they walk, they carry a 35-pound bag, and if you lose focus for five, 10 minutes, your round is shot.”

What can they do to remained focused all day?

“We preach get a song in your head. In between shots you get a little break from the mind game. A lot of these guys will get some sort of country song in their heads. It’s just about figuring something out that’s going to work for you.”

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Coach Second Year Coach 20-Year High School Coach Favorite Club: Putter

KRISTA MENKE

BIO Senior Right-Handed Pitcher Friend, Neb. Friend High School 2014 NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team 2014 Summit League Tournament MVP 14x Summit League Pitcher of the Week Saying you’re doing yourself a disservice by not watching Krista Menke pitch is an understatement with the way this senior has been shutting down hitters this season. Menke is on a torrid pace this season to chisel her name near the top of the Bison record book. Wins, appearances, completed games are all lists that Menke will be the top three or four in before the end of her career.

Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

79-31 3 109 89 7 725.1 27

Record No-Hitters Games Started Complete Games Saves Innings Pitched Shutouts

*Stats current through March 22

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What do you throw?

KRISTA MENKE

“I throw a lot of screwballs, curve and this year I have a rise ball that’s actually decent, so I’ve been working on that throughout the offseason to just improve my game a little bit and then my changeup is coming along as well.

You don’t normally throw fastballs in college unless you’re throwing like, 73 miles per hour.”

– Krista Menke

WINS *Fourth most in Bison history 73

Do you have a fastball?

KRISTA MENKE

“My freshman year I didn’t have the best control so I threw fastballs. … It’s all about location with fastballs. During my freshman year, I didn’t know a lot about different teams and I was very ignorant but it helped me, because it helped me not make a team bigger than what they were on paper.”

– Krista Menke

APPEARANCES *Third most in Bison history

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KRISTA MENKE

What has Menke improved on since you met her two years ago?

“She’s picked up a lot of movement. I think she’s just gotten stronger through the years and it shows with her work ethic. She’s very good at realizing that every workout in September matters to what you want to do come May. Especially this year it’s been even more.

Every single workout you can see that she knows every workout matters and it’s an opportunity to get better, so we’re better at the end of the season.”

– Brynne Dordel, pitching coach

*Fourth most in Bison history

STRIKEOUTS

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20140217 Bison Illustrated.indd 1

2/18/14 4:51 PM

AMANDA GRABLE

T he only place you can find a San Diego Padres fan in the middle of North Dakota is at the hot corner of the diamond at North Dakota State University. No, not inside the confines of Newman Outdoor Stadium; look west and you’ll see the smooth swinging Amanda Grable peppering softballs in every direction within the chain link fences at the Ellig Sports Complex.

By Joe Kerlin | Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

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A

AMANDA GRABLE

lthough she doesn’t wear her Padres Pride on her sleeve, due to the team’s lack of winning over the past half-decade, Grable is still proud to claim she’s a lifelong fan and reminisces about going to Padres’ home games at Qualcomm Stadium as a young aspiring ball player.

Grable admits she was heart broken for weeks after she learned about his death while she was more than a thousand miles away from her hometown of Santee, Calif., located in the middle of San Diego county. Gwynn died while Grable was working at her summer internship for Louisville Slugger.

“My mom used to take us out of school on Thursdays to go see them play,” Grable remembers. “I was at Tony Gwynn’s last game as a Padre; he was a big part of me growing up.”

Grable was one of 15 college baseball and softball players traveling with Louisville Slugger this past summer, attending softball and baseball tournaments around the country promoting the most used fastpitch bat. She traveled to

Maryland, Colorado, Georgia and Florida this past summer while making it back to Fargo for offseason workouts.

“We were mostly just promoting,” Grable said. “First, it was more of a learning experience about the product so we could explain to people why you should pick our bat over other, or why our technology is better or different.”

The Bison cleanup hitter also had the softball success to back up what she was selling. During her junior season, Grable CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

79

AMANDA GRABLE

AMANADA GRABLE Position: Infielder Hometown: Santee, Calif.

Games Played: 181

Photos courtesy of NDSU Athletics

hit the eventual game-winning homerun she first moved to Fargo, she had to move when the Bison beat Auburn in the out of the shell she buried herself in NCAA Regionals, hit .323 and led the during her childhood in California. team with 10 homeruns and 48 runs batted in. The senior “I used to never really talk “I like it here. I’m to people,” Grable said. “But is on pace for another careeryear this season with a batting open to anything, coming to the Midwest I’ve average well into the .400s. gotten better at it.”

Grable will graduate this summer after her internship with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

“I picked sports and recreation as my major because I want to be in sports,” Grable said. “I can tell you a lot more about sports than most girls can.”

but I’m definitely excited for another two years because how nice the people are and I can be around the softball team as well.” Amanda Grable

Grable was always a sports nut growing up, but she wasn’t very sociable. When

RESUME:

80

The shift began during her freshman year and interacting with people around NDSU. She points out one particular day when she was walking inside the FargoDome with cohead coach Jamie Trachsel.

“One of the workers started talking to us and I just walked on the other side of Jamie and she started talking, because I was like ‘I don’t know this guy,’” Grable giggled

MAJOR: Sports and Recreation Management EXPERIENCE: Louisville Slugger, F-M RedHawks

B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D • A PR I L 2 015

ACCOLADES:

at her past awkwardness. “And she (Trachsel) was like ‘that was rude.’ And I was like ‘I don’t know him, like he could be a robber. I don’t know.’”

After Trachsel assured her Fargo isn’t like California, Grable started opening up to Fargo’s warm and welcoming community.

Now out of her shell, Grable is pursuing her lifelong dream of working in the San Diego Padres marketing or advertising department. But for now, the next step for Grable is graduate school at NDSU. “I like it here,” Grable said. “I’m open to anything, but I’m definitely excited for another two years because (of) how nice the people are and I can be around the softball team as well.”

2014 Summit League All-Tournament Team, 2012 All-Summit League First Team, 2013 All-Summit League Second Team, 2014, 2013 Summit League Winter/Spring Honor Roll

Severson, Wog

Adam Wogsland Attorney

Rachel Meske Paralegal

Tara Hutchinson Paralegal

Kirby Graff Attorney

Nathan Severson Attorney

Amber Hayes Paralegal

gsland & Liebl Attorneys at Law

Stephanie Anderson Legal Assistant

Greg Liebl Attorney

Kara Hendrickson Office Manager

S W & L Attorneys Attorneys (701) 297-2890 4627 44th Avenue S Suite #108, Fargo

www.swlattorneys.com Luke Heck Attorney

Samantha Helland Legal Assistant

MARY KOSMATKA

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MARY KOSMATKA

WHERE

ARE THEY

NOW?

MARY (GRAMENZ) KOSMATKA: SOFTBALL GREAT

By Joe Kerlin | Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

The Bison softball program began in 1976, and through its first 19 seasons had cycled through 10 coaches. Softball simply wasn’t working at North Dakota State, as the team would often limp through single-digit-win seasons.

Finally, in 1995, Mitch Henson was named head coach and the program started moving in the right direction when in his first season, the team improved their win amount from four in 1994 to 19 in 1995. But the team was still 13 games under .500.

MARY KOSMATKA

T

he second season of the Hanson

remember one of the gal’s dad said, ‘Oh

era marked a turning point for the

NDSU, you have way more skill than their

Bison softball team. The program

team there,’” recalls Kosmatka. “Needless to

started to find consistency in its

say, that girl went to SDSU and it was lots

coaching and the talent-level of

and lots of fun to beat the crap out of them

the players was raised. Maybe the most

after two years.”

important piece of the new puzzle Hanson

Kosmatka was named to the 1999 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-America second team and was a four-time NFCA All-North Central Region (1996-97-98-99) member.

Photo courtesy of NDSU Athletics

was piecing together was an infielder

The NDSU softball team started beating the

from Maplewood, Minn., Mary (Gramenz)

crap out of everybody over the next four

Kosmatka.

years, including a 6-1 record against SDSU in Kosmatka’s junior and senior seasons.

“It was a beautiful school,” said Kosmatka, who was recruited by then-assistant coach

During her freshman season in 1996,

Darren Mueller the summer before her

the Bison won 37 games and had its first

freshman year. “I knew I wanted to play

winning season in 14 years. Kosmatka was

somewhere, I just didn’t know where.”

the North Central Conference Freshman of the Year and was named to her first NCC

“So when I was being recruited, some of the other people I played with – like I remember one of the gal’s dad said, ‘Oh NDSU, you have way more skill than their team there’ ... Needless to say, that girl went to SDSU and it was lots and lots of fun to beat the crap out of them after two years.”

– Mary (Gramenz) Kosmatka

Kosmatka was a star at Tartan High School,

all-conference team – one of the four she

where she was a three-time all-conference

was on during her career.

and was all-state her senior year after leading the St. Paul Suburban Conference

The momentum of the program didn’t

in batting. There were skeptics around

stop there. In 1998, the Bison made its first

Kosmatka when she made the decision to

NCAA Division II Regional, where they

go to the beautiful school in Fargo, many

placed fourth. Kosmatka and the Bison

miles from her home.

finally won their first NCC Championship her senior year and also won their first

“So when I was being recruited, some of

NCAA Regional.

the other people I played with – like I

Kosmatka shows her Bison Pride while being enshrined in the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2014.

Photo courtesy of NDSU Athletics

87

MARY KOSMATKA

The Bison made their first NCAA Division

the players couldn’t make it back to their

II national tournament in 1999, in Salem,

hometowns for the holiday.

Va. This trip was memorable for another reason for Kosmatka. Her husband, Jason,

Kosmatka didn’t know what to expect from

made the trip to Virginia with some friends.

college, and experiences like that with her

“He wouldn’t leave me alone,” laughed

team created a bond that was stronger than

Kosmatka.

she could’ve ever imagined.

Jason and Mary met at NDSU and have been

“We all had very different interests,”

married 10 years. They had their first child

Kosmatka said. “But it was nice to know on

last spring, a future ball player named Abel.

the field we were close. We knew what to expect from one another; we knew what the

Kosmatka was enshrined in the Bison

other people were capable of doing.”

Athletic Hall of Fame this past fall, but this university is more to her than a place where

Kosmatka moved to Burnsville, Minn.,

she played softball and met her future

before settling down for good in Prior Lake,

husband.

Minn., but to this day, she and Mueller share Christmas cards and she tries to keep

“The community itself is huge. This

tabs on the success the softball team has

school – you get a lot of support,” said

continued in Division I.

Kosmatka. She also reflected on the Easter dinners she and her team would

Kosmatka majored in health development

have at Mueller’s mother’s home when

and family sciences while at NDSU, after

Kosmatka holds her Hall of Fame plaque, North Central Conference championship trophy, and her secondteam Division II all-American trophy.

she experienced working in a group home with older adults with developmental disabilities during one of her summer jobs in Fargo.

Remaining in the social work field as an adult, Kosmatka still has her occasional run in with the Bison while living in the Cities.

She admits she still has to hold back from blurting “Go Bison!” when seeing a fellow NDSU alum wearing the school colors. The emotional attachment to the school that Kosmatka's career batting average was .381 with 33 home runs and 246 RBI. She also holds the Bison record in career triples (17) and is second in doubles (66) and total bases (504).

allowed her to continue her softball career still runs thick in her blood.

“I literally get so excited, and just watching College GameDay and I’m on the elliptical, I get teary eyed,” admitted Kosmatka. “Like, who almost cries while you’re trying to exercise? I don’t know if very many colleges

Photo courtesy of NDSU Athletics

are that way; I just can’t imagine it.”

89

2015

SPORTING CALENDAR APRIL/MAY

UPCOMING

25 Baseball Western Illinois

1 Men’s Track and Field Lyle

25 Football Green & Gold

1 Women’s Track and Field

25 Softball South Alabama

1-2 Men’s Track and Field

(Fargo) 1 p.m.

Spring Game (Fargo) 1:30 p.m.

(Mobile, Ala.) 2 p.m., 4 p.m.

26 Baseball Western Illinois (Fargo) 1 p.m.

28 Baseball North Dakota (Grand Forks) 6:30 p.m.

APRIL 7 Baseball Northern State

16-18 Men’s Track and Field

29 Baseball Mayville State

7 Women’s Golf UMKC

17 Baseball Oral Roberts 18 Softball Fort Wayne (Fort

MAY 1 Baseball Fort Wayne (Fargo)

p.m.

1-3 Men’s Golf Summit League

(Fargo) 5 p.m.

Invitational (Kansas City, Mo.) (Shoal Creek)

7 Men’s Golf

Redhawk Invitational (University Place, Wash.) (Chambers Bay)

8 Baseball Dakota State (S.D.) (Fargo) 5 p.m.

10 Baseball South Dakota

State (Brookings, S.D.) 3 p.m.

11 Softball South Dakota State (Fargo) 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

11 Baseball South Dakota State

Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)

(Fargo) 6:30 p.m.

Wayne, Ind.) 9:30 a.m., 12

18 Baseball Oral Roberts (Fargo) 1 p.m.

Illinois Beu/Mussatto Invitational (Macomb, Ill.) (Harry Mussatto)

11 Men’s Track and Field

20 Baseball Winnipeg (Fargo)

14 Baseball Minnesota

(Minneapolis, Minn.) 3:05 p.m.

15-16 Men’s Track and Field California Invitational/Mt. SAC Relays Multis (Azusa, Calif.)

15-16 Women’s Track and

Field California Invitational/Mt.

SAC Relays Multis (Azusa, Calif.)

16-18 Women’s Track and

Field Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)

Field Howard Wood Dakota Relays (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

2 Softball IUPUI (Fargo) 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

2 Baseball Fort Wayne (Fargo) 1 p.m.

3 Softball IUPUI (Fargo) 11 a.m.

3 Baseball Fort Wayne (Fargo) 1 p.m.

20-22 Women’s Golf Summit 20-21 Men’s Golf Western

State (Brookings, S.D.) 1 p.m.

1-2 Women’s Track and

(Fargo) 12 p.m.

Husker Spring Invite (Lincoln, Neb.)

12 Baseball South Dakota

Championship Lompoc, Calif. (La Purisima)

Howard Wood Dakota Relays (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

19 Baseball Oral Roberts

11 Women’s Track and Field

(Fargo) 11 a.m.

6:30 p.m.

Lyle Hokanson Classic (Fargo)

Waynes, Ind.) 10 a.m.

League Championship (Seaside, Calif.) (The Bayonet)

12 Softball South Dakota State

(Fargo) 5 p.m.

Hokanson Classic (Fargo)

19 Softball Fort Wayne (Fort

(Brookings, S.D.) 1 p.m.

Husker Spring Invite (Lincoln, Neb.)

SEASON

5 p.m.

21 Baseball North Dakota (Fargo) 6:30 p.m.

22 Softball Minnesota

(Minneapolis, Minn.) 2 p.m.,

4:30 p.m.

24 Softball South Alabama (Mobile, Ala.) 6 p.m.

24 Baseball Western Illinois (Fargo) 6:30 p.m.

24-25 Women’s Track and

Field Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa)

Senior and Minot native Emma Kusick putts during the 2013 Cobber Open in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

(Photo by Dennis Hubbard)

24-25 Men’s Track and

Field Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa)

91

CHEMISTRY QUIZ

Bill

Carlson? ld What wou Bill say?

B

ill Carlson bombs it down the fairway, but do his teammates Trent Olson and Connor Holland think he has the best drive? We asked Olson and Holland that question and more to see how well they know their talented teammate Carlson.

THE QUESTIONS

BILL’S ANSWERS

TRENT OLSON

CONNOR HOLLAND

1. Who has the longest drive on the team?

Not Trent

We are all similar in distance

We are all similar, but Trent is a little ahead

2. Who do you think is the best professional golfer on tour right now?

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy

+1

Rory McIlroy

+1

Augusta National

Augusta

+1

Augusta National

+1

Play on the PGA tour or to be a CFO of a company

Professional Golfer

+1

PGA tour player

+1

5. How old were you when you when you first picked up a golf club?

4

4 years old

+1

5 years old

6. What’s the best facet of your golf game?

Short game

Putting

Resiliency on the putting green

Garth Brooks

Jake Owen

Jake Owen with the team in Florida

Hockey

Hockey

3. What golf course would you like to play at most?

4. What’s your dream job?

7. Who is the last musician you saw in concert?

8. What’s your favorite sport other than golf?

5-8

+1

Hockey

+1

4-8 93

KIDS

ONLY

WORD SEARCH

S WORD D TO FIN

DAVE RICHMAN VAUGHAN JAYDEN OLSON GRABLE FREDDY COLEMAN

ALEXANDER DEXTER SUMMIT LEAGUE TOM DOUPLE KRISTA

KOSMATKA VAN BEEK LEXY BOSCHEE BERGHUIS HOLLAND

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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D • A PR I L 2 015

ANSWERS: 1. Twelve to 22 jersey number change 2. “ST” removed from jersey 3. Black stripe removed from ref’s jersey 4. “Edith Sanford Breast Cancer” changed to “Sanford Breast Cancer” 5. Jersey color changed

96

SPOT THE 5 5 DIFFERENCES KIDS ONLY

BRIAN SHAWN

Winning is winning

The formula might change, but the attitude doesn’t

BRIAN SHAWN is the play-by-play man for the NDSU men’s basketball team, and covers the football team for KVLY.

Brian Shawn breaks down the differences between the 2013-14 and 201415 Bison men’s basketball teams with a little help from a Bison coaching legend, Erv Inniger.

W

atching the North Dakota State men’s basketball team over the last two years has been a treat. What is most impressive to me is how well the Bison play to their strengths, shadow what might be perceived as weaknesses and adjust their style of play. The 2013-14 Bison and 2014-15 Bison both made the NCAA tournament, both won the Summit League regular season and tournament championships, but did it in different ways. So just what are

By Brian Shawn the differences?

12 34

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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D • A PR I L 2 015

1

POST PLAYERS

NDSU had Marshall Bjorklund and Jordan Aaberg last season and both are traditional post players that can play with their back to the basket and consistently score inside. This year’s Bison squad was challenged from that perspective. They really didn’t have a “true” back-to-thebasket player. However, what Chris Kading and Dexter Werner provided was the ability to handle the basketball, use the dribble to create space and hit the occasional outside jumper. Most importantly, the Bison were able to defend the post as well as anyone.

Erv Inniger’s Take

“Go back to the tape and watch Chris Kading on the defensive end.

Don’t undervalue how significant his role was on this team. Huge.

Huge.”

2

NO HOME FOR THE BISON TO ROAM

NDSU has won 25-straight home games and did not lose at Scheels Arena this year.

The Bison got to practice on their home floor nine times.

NINE. The Bison Sports Arena was no treat, but it was a home with a locker room that provided consistency for the coaching staff. Head coach Dave Richman’s team practiced in five different facilities.

Seriously.

Erv Inniger’s Take

“That is a credit to the senior and coaches.

Dave said it brought them closer together, but a lot of teams would have let it be their crutch if things didn’t go well. (They were) a special group.”

BRIAN SHAWN

3

SHORTENED BENCH The Bison played the season with seven players, two of whom did not play in a college basketball game prior to the season and two others that played sparingly.

Last year’s squad had more bodies to go to and experienced seniors prepared for the rigors of league play. At some point, you had to wonder if the this year’s Bison were going to be able to maintain a high level of play with so many guys having to play so many minutes.

Give credit to their strength coach Jason Miller for helping develop a lot of young guys and maintaining their conditioning throughout the season. Richman was also careful in how he managed practices. The Bison would go hard in shot-spurts to stay sharp, but he was careful and it showed. The Bison never looked like a team struggling late in games physically and would often play their best stretch in the last 10 minutes.

Erv Inniger’s Take

“As a former coach, I can tell you that what Dave Richman did with seven players is almost impossible.

Managing game preparation while limiting fatigue is so, so difficult when you don’t have the bodies.”

4

OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY

Richman would be the first to tell you that this year’s squad was “challenged offensively at times.” That is a contrast to last year’s team, who shot over 50 percent from the field. NDSU had to rely more on one or two players to shoulder the offensive load, which often meant tough shots with the shot clock winding down.

Lawrence Alexander was over 42 percent from three-point range, taking some difficult long-range bombs from 25 feet. Richman turned the reigns loose on LA this season because he knew that was his best chance of winning games.

It paid off.

Erv Inniger’s Take

“The Bison may not have had the options they had in the past, but they rarely took bad shots. They’d pass up good shots early for great looks later. That takes a lot of discipline.”

BY JACE DENMAN

S

pring is finally here and so is the time where our neighbors and friends seem to wake from a long winter hibernation. People are now in their driveways and front lawns after what has felt like years. We don’t recognize the neighbor kids who sprouted a few inches since the fall or the new family that moved in down the street. Similarly, the North Dakota State athletic program has been evolving and many things seem unfamiliar.

The Bison changed last winter, but some things remained the same. The men’s basketball team was undergoing changes with a new coach and players in new roles with the team. What remained the same were the results.

Picked to finish fifth in the increasingly difficult Summit League, the men accepted the challenge and new roles the same way the football team had this fall. The Bison were tied for the conference regular season title and went on to win the conference tournament and punch their ticket for their second straight appearance in the NCAA basketball tournament, otherwise known as the Big Dance.

While the Bison haven’t yet won the NCAA Division I basketball championship, they have, much like the football team, built a winning tradition for the program that will reap the benefits for years to come.

Not only did the Bison have success that was recognized with a bid into the NCAA Tournament, individual performances were awarded beginning with Dexter Werner winning Sixth Man of the Year, Lawrence Alexander earning as Summit League Player of the Year and first year head coach Dave

Richman claiming Coach of the Year. All these accolades are another set of awards for an athletic program that seems to add more to its trophy case by the month.

I couldn’t help but be proud of all three of the schools from the Dakotas, since each were not picked to do any better than fourth, while watching the Summit League Tournament.

Honestly, it was surprising looking back at those preseason projections, especially after the way the Bison and Jackrabbits dominated

“While we love watching football and basketball, we should not forget about the softball and wrestling teams this season”

during the regular season.

In fact, all three were in the tournament semifinals with NDSU taking down SDSU for the title.

to the All-Summit League first team for her accomplishments. Following her were junior forward Holly Johnson, who was named to the All-Summit League honorable mention team, and freshman guard Taylor Thunstedt, who was named to the All-Newcomer Team.

2014-15 was a great start for Walseth and I believe there will be many more highlights to come.

While we love watching football and basketball, we should not forget about the softball and wrestling teams this season. The Bison softball team is off to a great start this season with highlights including wins over five Power 5 conference opponents.

The Bison grapplers have added another conference championship to the hardware collection and sent a school record six wrestlers to the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

As this issue of Bison Illustrated hits the stands, the focus will begin to shift back to the football team as it prepares to defend its fourstraight FCS National Championships with its spring practices culminating with its annual spring game.

The Bison women’s basketball team finished an unsatisfying campaign; however, it was a year of improvement and growth under new head coach Maren Walseth.

The Bison will have multiple practices leading up to its annual Green and Gold Spring Game on April 25. What new wrinkles will the coaching staff start to implement for its latest title defense? We will have to pay close attention to the position battles and hope for good health come April 26.

Walseth led the Bison to a five-win improvement from last season and the most victories in five seasons. Senior guard Brooke LeMar led the way and was chosen

What does all this mean? It means Fargo isn’t just the home of championship football teams, but champions in all sports.

Beware the Herd!

* Jace Denman is a South Dakota native that has found his way into the middle of Bison country. Denman co-hosts a weekly podcast called “Gene & Jace’s PodBash.” The podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn and at podcastgarden.com.

10 0 B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D • A PR I L 2 015

swany says MORE THAN COLD WEATHER AND WOOD CHIPPERS: North Dakota State and Fargo turning heads with big things

T

he questions are enough to make me want to reach into my computer bag and hurl a fistfull of lutefisk at the offender. Because, being a good North Dakotan and all, I just so happen to carry a couple pounds of stinky fish with me if I ever need it. I keep it right next to the year-round tire chains you need to drive through 63 feet of snow, and, of course, the seemingly perpetual bottle of moonshine that gets me through those really cold winter nights. Uff da.

I better back up. Why in the name of Ole and Lena am I carrying around a stinky fish, and who am I throwing it at? Let’s start with every Kent Brockman at a national tournament that quips about the hinterlands of Fargo, cold weather, and, a wood chipper.

It wouldn’t be overboard cliché if you didn’t joke about the wood chipper. And it’s not just misinformed journalists. I swear, half my clients from out-ofstate start each phone call with a variety of this ear-piercing question: “How is the weather, is it snowing there?” Yep, sure is, it’s mid-July, but let me grab my North Face and boots and venture out into the great white beyond.

I’m a proud North Dakotan.

Fiercely proud. Maybe too proud. I suppose that’s what happens when you’re fifth

10 4

B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D • A PR I L 2 015

BY JOSHUA A. SWANSON *Swanson is a native of Maddock, N.D., a proud NDSU alum and a life-long Bison fan.

generation. It gets engrained in your DNA. It’s what I know, it’s who I am. My great-greatgrandparents boarded boats in Europe before Teddy Roosevelt was hunting the Badlands.

They broke this prairie, helped make it the breadbasket of the world, struggled through the Great Depression and war, and yet, somehow, here I am, and here we are. I was born here, educated here, wouldn’t move for anything from here, and will be buried here one day.

So the comments about the weather get tiresome. The remarks about flyover country tedious. That’s why I feel the urge to pull all those questioners aside and scream, “Hey, buddy, have you ever been to North Dakota? It’s a pretty damn good place. It’s not always cold.

You won’t find better people anywhere. You can sit at the lake and cast a line in the quiet if that’s your thing. Sample some world-class food at the HoDo or Mezzaluna then hop over to one of our local breweries. Or, try golfing at Bully Pulpit before taking in the Medora Musical.

But if I hear one more word about the weather … uff da.”

There are big things happening in Fargo, and the rest of North Dakota, that don’t involve blizzards and wood chippers.

We sure aren’t the version portrayed by the Coen brothers in their 1996 cult movie hit.

The real Fargo, home of North Dakota State, metro population 225,000, is a thriving economic and cultural powerhouse on the banks of the Red River.

Oh, by the way, besides having the four-time defending FCS football champions, we’re home to a pretty good basketball team too, one that is emerging as a mid-major powerhouse.

Despite falling short to Gonzaga 86–76 in the NCAA tournament, the Bison gave the ‘Zags all they could handle and then some.

After pushing their lead to 18 with 14:58 remaining, it looked like Gonzaga was going to run NDSU out of the gym. The Bison didn’t come to Seattle, Wash., for a blowout, though, and stormed back, cutting the lead to six with a real chance to win. While the Bison didn’t pull off the upset, there we were, on a national stage, going toe-to-toe, punchfor-punch, late in the second half with a team that many have going to the Final Four. Make no mistake, Dave Richman and his staff are building something special in Fargo.

I think that’s why I relate to this team and our university – why I identify so much with being a Bison. We don’t back down. We don’t buy into the background noise. We don’t accept the label “small school,” and we sure don’t accept any artificial glass ceilings the outside world may think we have being “up here”

follow

on the 49th parallel. We’re proud of who we are. While some in the national media can’t resist moving beyond the woefully inaccurate stereotype painted by the Coen brothers, for those of us living in the real Fargo, we know who we are, and we know there are some big things happening.

Fargo than a wood chipper and cold weather. This basketball team has taken on the persona of its community, a community as vibrant as any you’ll find in this year’s tournament brackets.

“There might be a perception nationally of Fargo; we don’t really care about that,” said Bison coach Dave Richman, himself a North Dakota native from Wahpeton, a quick 40-minute drive down I-29 from Fargo. “Our perception is we’re going to get tough-minded, selfless individuals that care way more about the team than they do themselves and then just work.”

According to Forbes magazine, Fargo is the fourth fastestgrowing small city in the United States. Livability.com, a website dedicated to showcasing America’s best places to live, ranked Fargo as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live, and placed the city in its lists of Top 10 Best Cities for New College Grads and Top 10 Best Downtowns. Do an Internet search and you’ll see that Fargo is in more Top 10, 50, and 100 lists of places to live, work, go to college, and raise a family as anyplace in the country.

Consider that perception a reality. For the second straight March, our basketball team let the rest of America know there’s more, much more, to NDSU and

Here’s a sampling of what Livability had to say about one of the many jewels of the Peace Garden State. “The hub of one of the fastest growing metropolitan

“We don’t back down. We don’t buy into the background noise.

We don’t accept the label ‘small school,’ and we sure don’t accept any artificial glass ceilings the outside world may think we have being ‘up here’ on the 49th parallel. We’re proud of who we are.”

areas in the country, Fargo, N.D., provides new college graduates with a booming job market, affordable housing and amenities for an active lifestyle.

It’s also considered one of the safest places to live in the U.S.,” adding that, “newcomers are often surprised by the city’s thriving entertainment scene” and “the area’s many parks, trails and golf courses.” They concluded with this high praise – “Fargo is becoming more of an ‘it’ spot every day.”

Forbes and Livability are just a few of the many taking notice of a new Fargo, a Fargo that shatters the misconceived perceptions and stereotypes raised by the Coen brothers.

The Coen brothers’ “Fargo” is about as close to reality as Kabul, Afghanistan is to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Men’s Journal named Fargo one of their “Best Places to Live” for, among other things, low taxes, low unemployment rates, clear air and quality of life. These articles universally praise downtown Fargo’s coffee shops, bars, restaurants, art galleries, and places like the iconic Fargo Theatre that line its busy streets.

The story is getting out.

It’s become so cool, one of ESPN’s biggest shows, College GameDay, has broadcast from downtown each of the past two years. Last September, ESPN’s Chris Fowler told the Associated Press that he, along with the rest of the GameDay crew, knew they’d be returning to Fargo as soon as their inaugural trip ended. This is how the show’s executive producer, Lee Fitting, described downtown Fargo. “This is a combination of ‘College GameDay’ meets Wrigley Field meets Champions League soccer intensity.”

This support is not unique to Fargo. It permeates the rest of North Dakota and the Red River Valley. “There’s a tremendous attitude and selfless attitude

@swany8

within our Bison Nation, within Fargo, the state of North Dakota, the Red River Valley, the FM area is just tremendous in the support we get,” Richman explained. “And the resources that come from that support, that help us get to it.” Richman is referring to the team’s new state-of-the-art practice facility, training center, and, of course, the $50 million renovation to their arena, scheduled to open the fall of 2016.

The headline of a recent Forbes story sums things up, “No Joke: It Couldn’t get Much Better in Fargo.” Thanks to the region’s thriving technology, industrial, agricultural, health care, and energy sectors, “North Dakota leads the nation in virtually every indicator of prosperity,” and boasts “the highest rates of net in-migration, income growth, and job creation.” In 2014, wages rose an astounding 8.9 percent, twice as much as Texas and Utah, who shared second place honors among states. The national average for increase in wages, if you’re curious, is 1 percent.

As this story gets out, and it’s getting out, any perceived disadvantages we have in recruiting will quickly become advantages. “Stick around,” concluded Richman. “The old saying: those who stay will be champions. In the recruiting game, to the kids, and I was just telling my father this the other day – we’ll promise you two things: it’s going to be a lot of hard work, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.” That mixture of hard work and fun in Fargo has worked pretty well. “You can see those efforts being rewarded by back-to-back NCAA tournaments.”

And if you don’t believe me, you’re more than welcome to visit. In fact, maybe you should before next year’s tournament.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the real Fargo.

POP

QUIZ Who is your favorite actor/actress and why?

What’s one of your pregame rituals?

Definitely the sun and the beach, that is where I will be every day when I get back to California, then coming back here to start lifting again with my boys!

My favorite actress would have to be Sandra Bullock because she is just such a great actress and I swear she never ages.

One of my pregame rituals would definitely have to be putting my makeup on and my bow, it’s just when I know I am ready to go!

Spending time relaxing on the lake with friends and family.

Leonardo DiCaprio, because it’s Leo.

Running wide receiver routes for Aiden Hook after warming up.

Going to the lake or going camping.

Mark Wahlberg because he’s a tough guy. He always plays awesome roles in movies.

Spray my jersey with perfume before the game and fold it to put into my bat bag.

Getting back on the golf course and going to the lakes.

My favorite actor is Adam Sandler, because The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison never fail to make me laugh.

Before each game when we’re stretching in the outfield I’ll take a moment to just take it all in and get familiar with my surroundings.

Channing Tatum, he’s easy on the eyes.

I lay out my clothes the night before, and only eat eggs for breakfast before a tournament.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

CHEYENNE GARCIA Garcia is the shortest Bison athlete at 4 feet 11 inches, but her offensive numbers are larger than life. The second baseman has a career batting average over .300 and has been named to the Summit League second team twice.

SOFTBALL JOHN SKRBEC Skrbec plays the hot corner for the Bison baseball team like it’s a walk in the park. He only committed two errors last season and is ranked as one of the top third basemen in the Summit League.

BASEBALL ALEX SOBRERO Sobrero led the Bison in hitting last year with a .390 batting average. She was named to the 2014 Summit League AllTournament team, All-Summit League First team and NFCA AllMidwest Region third team.

SOFTBALL DAVID ERNST

BASEBALL

Ernst has made a habit of striking out hitters in the Summit League and he finally proved himself on the highest stage last season when he struck out six batters against Oregon State in the NCAA Regionals and only allowed two runs in seven innings.

CASSIE WURM Wurm is a Hudson, Wis. native and a three-time conference player of the year in high school.

As a Bison, she finished 14th in the Summit League her sophomore year and keeps making improvements during her junior year.

WOMEN’S GOLF 10 6

B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D A P R I L 2 015

I am looking forward to spending time with friends and family on the lake. I am also very excited to start my finance internship in Minneapolis.

If you could create any class at NDSU to take, what would you want to learn to do?

Who is your favorite musician?

A student athlete class teaching us how to manage time because it is so hard, especially during season.

My favorite musician would probably have to be Jack Johnson. I can always listen to his music and I love it!

Take a choreographed dance class taught by Parker Trewin and Jay Flaa.

Lynyrd Skynyrd.

I would create a class about making educated guesses for freshmen to take when they first get here to NDSU.

I like a lot of artists so it’s hard to narrow it down, but if I had to pick one it would probably be Mac Miller.

I would create a shooting/ archery class where you learn to shoot different guns and bows and could even ​get your hunter safety certification done too.

Eric Church

I would like to learn how to ride African animals, such as the elephant.

Ed Sheeran

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