Bison Illustrated December 2016 by Spotlight Media

BISON ILLUSTRATED DECEMBER 2016

December 2016

STARS SHAC OF THE

JOSH RODRIGUEZ

TAYLOR THUNSTEDT

DEXTER WERNER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURE

STRONGER TOGETHER The Bison men’s basketball family-driven culture has elevated the program to the top of the Summit League. Sure, talent and hard work have helped them become a relentless mid-major program, but what ties them all together is their chemistry within the locker room.

42 WOMEN’S HOOPS Maren Walseth’s women’s basketball program is rounding into form. In her third year, Walseth believes the pieces for success are in place and now all that’s left to do is play ball.

56 WAITING ON THE COMEBACK WHAT’S INSIDE 34

Will Veasley

Holly Enderle

Kyan Brown

Early Signing Period

Carlin Dupree

Quinten McCoy

Ryan Martin

Kelli Layman

Morgan Paige

108

SHAC Ribbon Cutting

Brianna Jones

112

Tailgating

Jarrod Garnett

120

Team Makers

Matt Nagel

126

FCS Playoffs

Ben Tynan

132

Swany Says

info@spotlightmediafargo.com

@bisonmag

bisonillustrated.com

facebook.com/bisonillustrated

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

100 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

After a big win over Iowa State, NDSU wrestling has arrived in the Big 12. The talent gap is shrinking and the youth and talent on NDSU’s squad will provide a bright future.

Jared Maher used to make big plays for the Bison defense. But his greatest play while at NDSU may have been capturing the heart of former women’s basketball player Beth Bue.

MEET THE

TEAM MIKE

BOUGIE

Meet Spotlight Media’s Other Magazines

ANDREW

Design & Living Magazine

JOE

RYAN

NICOLE

TRACY

ERICA

JESSE

SARAH

LUCAS

JENNY

PAUL

HEATHER

NATE

RYLEE

SAM

TANK

With temps dropping and the holidays nearing, Design & Living hit the streets to search out some of the area’s best local shopping. Our gift to you, this guide showcases holiday decor, home accents and unique ideas for a simple, stress-free and beautiful holiday season. From setting the table in style to warm accents and yuletide charm, use this guide to keep your shopping smart and your dollars local.

Fargo INC! We met, interviewed and photographed hundreds of people this year, and each one of them brought something different to the conversation. Join us as we celebrate our first birthday and revisit all the great things that happened in Fargo business in 2016.

Fargo Monthly

BRITTNEY

DEVIN

PAUL

BRADY

ETHAN

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

This month, Fargo Monthly takes a look back some of the great community highlights of 2016, from events and happenings to all of the new local businesses that opened their doors, for a year-end rewind.

DECEMBER 2016 | VOLUME 11 ISSUE 5 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.

PUBLISHER Spotlight Media PRESIDENT Mike Dragosavich ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Paul Bougie EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Andrew Jason EDITOR Joe Kerlin DESIGN/LAYOUT Ryan Koehler, Sarah Geiger, Brittney Richter CONTRIBUTORS Josh Swanson, Joe Kerlin, Paul Bougie, Ethan Mickelson COPY EDITORS Erica Rapp, Ethan Mickelson, Devin Joubert MARKETING/SALES Tracy Nicholson, Paul Hoefer, Paul Bougie, Tank McNamara, Jenny Johnson, Lucas Albers PHOTOGRAPHY J. Alan Paul Photography, Paul Flessland BUSINESS OPERATIONS Heather Hemingway MANAGER SPECIAL THANKS Ryan Perreault, Wes Offerman, Ryan Anderson, Jeff Schwartz, Colleen Heimstead, NDSU Athletics DELIVERY Mitch Rapp, Hal Ecker, Nolan Kaml

FOR ADVERTISING CALL 701-478-SPOT (7768) or email info@spotlightmediafargo.com

Bison Illustrated is published monthly by Spotlight Media LLC. Print quantity exceeds 40,000 per issue. Printed in the U.S.A. Bison Illustrated does not necessarily endorse or agree with content of articles or advertising presented. Bison Illustrated assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Bison Illustrated is NOT an official publication of North Dakota State University. Send change of address information and other correspondence to: Spotlight Media LLC. 15 Broadway N, Suite 500 Fargo ND, 58102 or info@spotlightmediafargo.com

EDITORIALS

EDITOR’S NOTE

College Football

Nirvana FROM JOE KERLIN

joe@bisonillustrated.com

was going to name this “Soccer Lesson” or “Footie Fails,” but considering the world’s most popular game is the 14th most popular sport in North Dakota— and that’s being generous—I had to trick you into reading about the relationship between soccer and Bison football.

Not many of you think about Germany. Why would you? There’s not much going on there that we, as Americans and North Dakotans, have to concern ourselves with outside of former NDSU baller, Taylor Braun, continuing his professional basketball career in the country that’s winless in its last two World Wars. But Braun plays in Ulm, Germany. That’s 140 kilometers away from where I want to take you. Let’s go to Munich. Munich, a city of over 1.2 million people, is located in the federal German state of Bavaria, Germany’s richest region. It’s no surprise its soccer club, Bayern Munich, is the richest in the country and fourth richest in the world. That, in of itself, has lent Bayern (the German word for Bavaria) exposed for ingrained hatred across the soccer world. Most of the hate stemming from its own country where soccer fans learn at an early age: “Zieht den Bayern die

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

bisonillustrated

Lederhosen aus”: “Pull down the Bavarians’ lederhosen”. Socioeconomical reasons aside, Bayern has been the most successful club in all of Europe and in its domestic league. They have won the Bundesliga (Germany’s top professional soccer league) the past four years and have taken the title six times in the last nine seasons. Jealousy is bound to sneak into the brains of rival supporters. To make matters worse for Bayern, they’re fan base has grown into one of the most arrogant in all of soccer. Checkout this quote from a Bayern Munich supporter’s article on Bleacher Report last year titled “4 Frustrating Things About Being a Bayern Munich Fan Right Now.” “Winning titles and trophies is fun, but the shine very quickly comes off it when there’s no one around to challenge you for it.” Winning titles and trophies is fun, but? But what? Isn’t that what they play for? The right to win their league’s title no matter the competition? And this was written in the midst of a four-year championship run. Talk about being underappreciative. Bayern fans are known for not getting up during regular game days. They show up, but mentally, they’re checked out until further European competition, when they get to play

You never know what to expect from playoff football. The last five postseasons have been generous for us at NDSU. Don’t forget that.

@bisonmag

@joebisonmag

the top clubs from Spain and England. This is like only caring about Bison football when they play Iowa or Kansas State. What a sad way to go through your fan life. All games matter. Imagine being a Kansas fan, whose house is more likely to get hit by a twister than their favorite team winning a conference game. In fact, their win over Texas is easily one of the Top 3 moments in Jayhawk football history, if not No. 1. NDSU is 81-6 since 2011 going into this year’s playoffs. By most accounts, they’re the Bayern Munich of the FCS. Bison Nation has been unquestionably spoiled by the amount of success and fans across the nation know it. Whatever happens in the month of December, don’t turn into Bayern supporters. If the Bison win, great. We’ll celebrate until Frisco is dry and we’ll make another championship magazine while counting our championship blessings. If the Bison were to falter, we can still hold our heads high knowing that we’ve done nothing in our lifetime to be as lucky as we are to support a program like NDSU. Win or lose this month, life as a Bison fan has been pretty darn good and we should all appreciate the last six years appropriately.

SINCERELY,

Joe Kerlin

BOUGIE’S NOTE

Thank You and

Goodnight FROM PAUL BOUGIE

Editor’s Note: Turn on AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” while reading to properly set the mood.

“

nce a Bison, Always a Bison.” We have heard this phrase used around past NDSU studentathletes, coaches and university alumni. Now, I have an opportunity (kind of) to live it.

This will be my last official associate publisher note in Bison Illustrated. I am happy to announce I will begin a journey of my own. I am leaving Spotlight Media and launching “House of Bouge Creative,” my own marketing, branding and consulting agency. It will have a staff of one: me. But this has been a dream for a long time, and I’m not getting any younger. I would like to take this time to thank a few people who have been with me at Bison Illustrated for the past three glorious years. First, the boss, Mike Dragosavich. Mike, you are a true friend and I can never thank you enough for what you have done for me the past three years. I know we have a few projects we will still work on together, but this has been a great ride.

Next, Joe Kerlin, the man behind Bison Illustrated. Never before have I seen a person with the drive and passion that Joe has, and not just for his job, but for everything he involves himself with. Then, we have to thank the rest of the Spotlight Media staff. You are all dear friends and I will miss seeing you every day. I also have to thank my lovely wife, Barb. She has supported me in everything I have ever wanted to do. Without her, this move to start a new business would have never been a reality. It would be stuck in my brain and never allowed to see the light of day. Don’t you worry, I’ll still be in the West Lot with my plastic tailgating-approved mug. I will still be part of Bison Nation. Shoot, maybe Joe and Mike will let me take up a part of a page for my views on NDSU Athletics. One can only dream, right? Lastly, thank you, to all of you for reading and supporting Bison Illustrated. We are very lucky to have a publication of this quality about our program that highlights the passion that every studentathlete puts into the game. See you all soon and go Bison!

SINCERELY,

Paul Bougie

BISON SHOTS

Photo by Joe Kerlin

he SCHEELS Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex was patriotically introduced to Bison Nation before the first regular season basketball game was played in the newly renovated stadium. An American flag nearly the size of the court was stretched out for the national anthem by the FM Acro Team as Tigirlily belted the “Star-Spangled Banner” in front of a crowd of 5,005. The Bison beat Arkansas State in their first regular season game at the SCHEELS Center at the SHAC, 76-66. Paul Miller led all scorers with 24 points. Bismarck, North Dakota native Dexter Werner added 16 points and five rebounds. Read more about the men’s basketball team on page 32.

Did We Miss Something? Let us know and send us your pictures: joe@bisonillustrated.com

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

BISON SHOTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Stronger Together The NDSU basketball team has scoffed in the face of adversity and plans to continue growing as one this season. By Joe Kerlin Photo By J. Alan Paul Photography

exter Werner, Carlin Dupree, Paul Miller and A.J. Jacobson are not only the upperclassmen leading the charge for the men’s basketball team on the court, they’re a vital piece of the culture building process. These four mainstays have played a lot of basketball together, but they want to let Bison Nation know they’re just hitting their stride.

Read More 28

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Who’s Who?

(From left to right) Dexter Werner, Carlin Dupree, A.J. Jacobson and Paul Miller

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Family First For head coach Dave Richman, it’s always been about three factors when recruiting the next generation of Bison basketball players. What type of person you are. How good of a student are you in the classroom. And, then, if you can be competitive in a strong Summit League conference. Over and over again, fans and reporters alike read and listen to NDSU men’s head basketball coach cover the three main factors in what to expect from incoming recruits. It was more of the same during the early signing period on November 9. “I want to make this loud and clear,” Richman said at the podium after announcing the three newest members of the basketball program. “What we do all the time starts with who you are as a person. Secondly, what kind of student you are and third, what talent and potential you have, and the opportunity you have to be in this program.”

Got Bench? With junior Malik Clements out for the year, NDSU will need a strong showing from its youth. #30 Spencer Eliason, Sophomore Chardon, Nebraska #42 Dylan Miller, Sophomore Panama, Illinois #23 Deng Geu, Redshirt Freshman Sioux Falls, South Dakota

It’s a strong group of reasons to bring in a recruit. In theory, it sounds great. It’s #24 Tyson Ward, Freshman to the point and what people Tampa Bay, Florida want to hear. But sometimes, #11 Jared Samuelson, these statements get so Freshman ingrained in the vocabulary This was the Gretna, Nebraska of coaches that it tends semifinals—a to pass as coach-speak or do or die the politically correct way game—against to pitch your program to fans. So is the No. 1 seed in the tournament. It was Richman and NDSU practicing what a bold statement with NDSU’s season they preach? hanging in the balance. You better believe it. It’s always been about the people first and learning life lessons along the way for the Bison basketball program. Richman proved it last year when he made the tough decision to sit his leading scorer for one game. It wasn’t against a nonconference, Minnesota State-Morris type of opponent, either. He made the decision in the middle of the Summit League Tournament. 30

Paul Miller, who scored 12 points in 32 minutes against IUPUI in the quarterfinals, was suspended for “not meeting expectations,” according to Richman. In Miller’s absence, Carlin Dupree stepped in. Earlier that January, the junior had a two-week hiatus from the team. Dupree missed six games during a crucial stretch of the season and what did he bounce back and do with

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

the season on the line? He poured in 22 points in 38 minutes, including the game-winning bucket with four seconds left. Dupree left the team in January after a loss to Oral Roberts. Three games earlier, he lost his starting job to freshman point guard Khy Kabellis. Dupree left the team on what was reported as a dispute with Richman over playing time. “I don’t support the decision, but I support Carlin,” Richman said after announcing his departure. Two weeks later, Richman and the team opened their arms back to Dupree. “It’s important that if you ever

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Will Veasley Previous School: Illinois State have a situation in life, first and foremost you have to communicate,” Dupree says now reflecting on the lesson he learned last January. “If you don’t communicate, certain things can be interpreted incorrectly or misunderstood. I feel like when that communication takes place, it can help you and that individual in that situation or people in the situation.” What was communicated loud and clear was Richman and the Bison basketball family weren’t going to leave one of their brothers in the dust. Richman and NDSU’s team showed they’re character, yet again, in welcoming Dupree back to the family. NDSU’s culture is starting to bleed its way into the minds of players and coaches across the nation. Even this year, when Richman needed to find two more assistants to fill out his staff, he didn’t have to look hard to find someone chomping at the bit to come to Fargo. “I respect the little things that he’s done,” first-year assistant Kyan Brown said. Brown, who’s spent the last eight seasons in Tulsa, Oklahoma, assisting Scott Sutton and the Oral Roberts basketball program, filled a vacancy on Richman’s staff this May. Brown

took notice of Richman standing by his word when he suspended Miller in the conference tournament and when he allowed Dupree back on the team. “I think a lot of coaches talk about that, but when it comes time to do it, I don’t know many guys that follow through with it.” Will Veasley, another new assistant, along with Brown, sees the similarities between NDSU and the program he played for at Butler. “More from a culture standpoint,” explained Veasley. “The beliefs of holding each other accountable on the court, off the court, servant leadership and just being good people, and we value our kids.” NDSU’s culture has brought them to four Summit League Championship games in a row. The Bison were ranked third in the conference’s preseason poll this fall, but they know, with the tight bond on and off the court, expectations will always exceed what outsiders tend to believe is possible.

Will Veasley comes to NDSU with an impressive playing pedigree. He wasn’t the flashiest scorer or on the cover of magazines during his college days at Butler University, but he was a vital cog in the Bulldog lineup that made a Cinderella run to the 2010 National Championship game against Duke. Simply put, Veasley is a winner. He was on the court when Gordon Hayward’s half-court heave clanked off the rim, ending Butler’s 22-game winning streak going into their matchup with Duke. In fact, Veasley won a record-tying 117 games while at Butler and played all but two minutes in the championship game his senior year. Since college, Veasley bounced around playing in Japan and in the NBA’s D-League. He was the video coordinator at IUPUI for a year before taking the same position at Illinois State. This year will be his first as a full-time college assistant.

Cleaning Up Turnovers One of the most astonishing facts about the men’s basketball team was that they ranked 23rd in the country in turnovers last year, averaging 10.5 per game. At the same time, they ranked 331st 31

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Total Games Played Going into 2016-17 NDSU’s roster may look young, but its core is well versed in college basketball. Senior, Carlin Dupree 85 games Senior, Dexter Werner 76 games Junior, A.J. Jacobson 61 games Junior, Paul Miller 58 games Sophomore, Khy Kabellis 32 games

out of 346 teams in assists with, you guessed it, 10.5, a game. NDSU’s two lead guards, senior Carlin Dupree and sophomore Khy Kabellis, will do most of the ball-handling this season. If the beginning of the season is any indicator, they will share the backcourt through the nonconference games this season. This means most of the facilitating and ball possession will fall on their plate. The duo only shared the backcourt five times last season, including the final two games of the Summit League Tournament. Kabellis took over the point position at the beginning of league play and saw his assist to turnover ratio fall back to about 1:1 from about 3:1 when he was coming off the bench during nonconference play. The freshman took his share of lumps last season but is emerging as an on-the-court leader for the Bison this season as a sophomore. “We challenged him the other day to lead the league in assists, lead our team in assists and make open jump 32

shots,” head coach Dave Richman said prior to NDSU’s trip to the High Point Tournament in North Carolina. “He’s got a bright future and I say that only because Khy wants to have a bright future. Khy works at having a bright future.” Kabellis’s wingman in the backcourt, Dupree, has been plagued with the turnover bug for the majority of his career. The senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, handled the ball tremendously well his sophomore season, leading the Bison in assists with 86 and committed under two turnovers a game. Last season, Dupree digressed, ultimately costing him his job. “Definitely my decision-making,” Dupree admitted was the reason behind his high turnover rate last season. “I think I was rushing too much, not patient enough.” Kabellis and Dupree’s teammates have shown the utmost confidence in the guards to lead them this season. Specifically, A.J. Jacobson, who says it will help free him up off the ball to setup for open shots.

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

“It’s awesome to have both those guys out there,” Jacobson said. “They’re two guys that can facilitate plays and can get into the paint and create shots for guys like me, guys like Paul (Miller). I think they’ve been playing really well together and are starting to mesh really well out there together and hopefully as the season goes on, they get more and more comfortable playing together.”

A.J.’s Ascension It was a challenging road back to the court for A.J. Jacobson this preseason. Eight weeks before the season tippedoff against Arkansas State, Jacobson tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his shooting thumb. The injury kept him off the practice court for seven weeks. He was finally able to return a week prior to the Arkansas State game. Head Coach Dave Richman was able to see Jacobson was fresh the week leading up to the game, but was worried the rust was affecting his scoring ability. Richman said he wasn’t good at all during Thursday’s practice.

MEN’S BASKETBALL STRONGER TOGETHER

Kyan Brown Previous School: Oral Roberts

Jacobson’s rust certainly didn’t show in the first game a day later. The junior was four-of-five from the field and was active defensively. “What you can’t put a quantifiable mark on, so to speak, is how tough somebody is, what kind of competitor somebody is,” Richman said. “The kid got out there and just started flying around and competing, making plays that didn’t really pertain to how he was playing offensively, and I thought that relaxed him offensively and he played well.” What’s been the most surprising apsect of Jacobson’s game early this season has been his work defensively. Through two games, Jacobson already had seven blocks, the amount he had in 28 games his freshman season, and he already has half as many blocks as he did as a sophomore. Richman said Jacobson has always been a smart defender. The only difference now is his

body. Jacobson even caught the attention of head football coach Chris Klieman this offseason, when Klieman told Richman in the weight room that Jacobson looks like a different kid. “He’s not a superior athlete in the Summit League and he doesn’t have great size or unbelievable strength to him,” Richman said. “But he makes up for that in basketball intelligence, and understanding who he is guarding, personnel base. But also that toughness, (he’s) not afraid to stick his nose in.” Jacobson is out to a fast start in his junior season. His work defensively has rounded his overall game into shape, which is bad news for the rest of the Summit League. With Jacobson taking the next leap in his game and a team fueled to get back into the NCAA tournament, the NDSU men’s basketball team is ready to take the mid-major basketball scene by storm. * * *

First-year assistant basketball coach Kyan Brown joined the staff at NDSU in May. He spent the last eight seasons at his alma mater Oral Roberts. Brown has scouted NDSU for numerous years while coaching in the Summit League and during that time, he also developed a relationship with Bison head coach Dave Richman. Brown has been brought in to help with the post players at NDSU due to the departure of former assistant coach Eric Henderson, who took one of the assistant coach vacancies at South Dakota State this spring. Brown arrives with 14 years of college basketball coaching experience. He played 77 games for the Golden Eagles during his college career. Brown started 26 games his senior year at Oral Roberts and averaged 7.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACHES

BRINGING THE BUTLER WAY Interview with first-year assistant coach Will Veasley

Coaching Timeline Video Coordinator, IUPUI – 2012-13 Video Coordinator, Illinois State – 2013-15 Director of Basketball Operations, Illinois State – 2015-16 Assistant, NDSU – Present

*This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Q&A Bison Illustrated: How did you first connect with Dave Richman? Will Veasley: Me and Dave know some of the same people. He actually got my name from a coach that works in the same AAU system that I played for. He started calling around and got my number, we got on the phone, and you could just tell he was somebody that really, just from a basketball standpoint to a coaches standpoint to a family standpoint, that he’s really similar to the way I see myself. He came out, we had dinner, him, me and my fiancé, we talked, and it wasn’t even about basketball. Me and him, we talked about life, we talked about family, we talked about everything but basketball. BI: What did you know about the North Dakota State program prior to getting the job? WV: I love the game of basketball. I’ve seen or heard about just about every program there is. I pay attention to everybody. But North Dakota State, I’ve known about them since joining the Summit. And when it changed from the Mid Con and they joined, they have been one of the better teams. I knew about Ben Woodside, and all those guys. I watched them versus Oklahoma and Gonzaga, in the NCAA Tournament. I’ve known about them a little bit. Of course, I didn’t know it was a place, like my Butler days, was really similar to the way we do things. 34

BI: You played at Butler and played in the 2010 National Championship game. How is it similar to NDSU? WV: More from a culture standpoint. The beliefs of holding each other accountable on the court, off the court, servant leadership and just being good people, and we value our kids and our people. BI: Do the guys know you started and played a ton of minutes in the 2010 National Championship game against Duke? WV: No, honestly, they’ll bring it up, but that’s the only time. If they bring it up, I’ll talk to them about it and have some fun with it. Other than that, not really. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great time in my life. BI: I have to ask. Did you think Gordon Heyward’s shot at the buzzer from half-court was going in because he was off by about an inch?

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

WV: I knew that was coming (laughs). With Gordon, anytime the ball left his hands, I knew there was a pretty good chance that whatever type of shot he took, it had a pretty good chance of going in. From the moment it left his hands, I didn’t have any doubts that it was going in. We had 22 or however many wins in a row. You just expect, “Alright, we’ve won 22 in a row, here goes number 23 after this shot goes in.” I definitely thought it was going in though. BI: What’s different with this position at NDSU compared to the other jobs you’ve had at other programs? WV: I love just being able to be on the floor and being able to voice my opinions. Having input and helping young guys just get better at basketball, guys who want to play, who want to compete and want to get better. * * *

MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACHES

Coaching Timeline Assistant, Metro Christian Academy (Tulsa, Okla.) – 2001-02 Assistant, Arkansas-Ft. Smith – 2002-04 Assistant, Missouri State – 2004-08

SUMMIT LEAGUE EXPERIENCE Interview with first-year assistant coach Kyan Brown *This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Q&A Bison Illustrated: How did you develop a relationship with NDSU head coach Dave Richman? Kyan Brown: I’ve known coach for several years. When I was assistant at Oral Roberts University and he was an assistant up here at North Dakota State, we’d bump into each other from playing and in the Summit League Tournament, and we’d bump into each other at a couple Final Fours. So we built a relationship that way. We exchanged numbers, kept in touch. At a couple Final Fours, he brought his wife and I brought my wife, and we actually all hung out down there as couples. My phone rang one day when I was driving home and he called to run something by me, and I wasn’t expecting the job offer but that’s what I got. BI: How hard was it for you to leave a school you played for and a team you’ve coached for years?

KB: It was extremely hard. The university, I have a high respect for. But another reason was because of my boss down there, Scott Sutton, who I have a lot of respect for, not just as a basketball coach, but as a human being. At the end of the day, I think everyone has to do what’s best and what they think is best for them and their family. And in this profession, to move forward and stuff like that, I just thought we made a move that would be better for me and my family moving forward and ultimately, I don’t know when that road’s gonna come to an end. Eventually, I have a dream of one day becoming a Division I head basketball coach. I just really felt a strong relationship (with NDSU). It was time to make a move. I didn’t really want to get too stagnate in one place and it seemed like a great opportunity, especially in a town that supports us. BI: What goes into the transition of getting a new coaching job and what were you doing when you arrived in May? KB: You jump all the way in. In this business, when you get the call and you take off, it’s like you’re cutting ties with one and jumping in with the other. It’s an immediate departure. I got the call, got the job, moved up here a week later. My family was down there doing their thing and I was with the (NDSU) guys at the end of their regular school

Recruiting Coordinator, Oral Roberts – 2008-12 Assistant Coach, Oral Roberts – 2012-16 Assistant Coach, NDSU – Present

year. They’re doing summer school, I’d go home to see the family, and I was jumping right into recruiting by calling guys and, over the years, you build contacts with coaches and stuff like that. I was spreading the word, stuff like that. I asked Coach Richman what they needed, he told me what he wanted me to start looking at (for recruiting). So it’s a whirlwind. You’re kind of doing all of the above. I’ll tell you what, five months has gone by a lot faster than you think when you’re going to a brand new place. BI: What are you hoping to take away from your time at NDSU? KB: I was told a long time ago, the job of the assistant coach is to come in and the first part is to assist. My job is to make his (Richman’s) job easier. I’ve been so happy with him and the way the community has taken me and my family in that I just have a smile on my face 24 hours a day. Even when I sleep I’ve got a smile on my face. I just love where I’m at right now. I want to come in, I want to do my job, I want to make his life easier and I just want to win a bunch of basketball games in green and gold. The rest will take care of itself. Just gotta focus on that, focus on what’s ahead of us, throw on our gloves and go out and win some games.

* * * 35

MEN’S BASKETBALL CARLIN DUPREE

ONE LAST GO AROUND

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

he beginning of Carlin Dupree’s 2016 was tumultuous to say the least. Last year, as a junior, he was tabbed as the starting point guard coming into the season, taking over for 2015 Summit League Player of the Year Lawrence Alexander. Khy Kabellis took over the starting point position at the turn of the calendar year and Dupree left the team for two weeks. He settled his misunderstanding with the team and returned to basketball. In a heroic twist, something that Dupree isn’t a stranger to, he came up huge for the Bison in the Summit League Tournament when sophomore guard Paul Miller was suspended for the semifinal game. Just like he showed his freshman season against Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament when he dropped four points in a minute of overtime, Dupree put the Bison on his shoulders again. He scored 22 and 19 points in the final two games of the tournament and stormed into his final offseason as a Bison with a tremendous amount of momentum.

In His Own Words Dupree’s emotions coming into his senior season. “Last ride, I mean, at the same time I’m very excited, but at the end of the day, just not seeing them (teammates), every day is going to be a little different. I feel like it’s all for the best. My time is up, but I’m just going to enjoy this moment and enjoy every day.”

What to expect from Dupree. “I feel like most importantly, turnovers. Last year was bad for me with those. My sophomore year, I was pretty good at it. But, last year, it was bad. That’s just a personal

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

goal for me, taking care of the ball, assists to turnover ratio, I want that to go up. That’s going to be my goal, but more so, being a leader, too. We have a young team so helping them out is very important and letting them know that when we lose, you can’t let that compile into another loss. Get better every day and stuff like that.”

Addressing turnovers “My decision-making has to get better. I felt my sophomore year it was getting a little better. It was good at times and then I got to a point where I felt like I was at my best. Last year, I got away from it and I think I was rushing too much, not patient enough.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL CARLIN DUPREE

Career Stats 87 Games Played 52 Starts 23.9 Minutes/Game 6.3 Points/Game 3.3 Rebounds/Game 1.79 Assists/Game 89 Steals

His feelings after opening up to the public about leaving the team for two weeks last season. “Honestly, I just always understood that people wouldn’t understand (what he was going through). That was okay with me as long as my family actually understood. What anyone else thought, I really didn’t care. For the most part, getting something off your chest and letting people understand from your side is always a good thing.”

Teammate accepting him back on the team. “No pressure. Right away, I mean, I felt no different from when I left, they had open arms and 38

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

everybody communicated with me and I was glad to be back. They said they were glad to have me back so I was getting a good vibe from everybody and that helped me progress throughout the rest of the season.”

Being named to the Summit League AllTournament Team in 2016. “What’s given me more of a boost is the loss (in the championship game) to be honest with you. We obviously didn’t want it to end. We have a new arena now and we want to show the fans that we appreciate them coming out and playing in front of them has been awesome for the past three years, but having a new feel (in the new arena) is different. We just want to win at the end of the day.” * * *

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Climbing Back Into Contention

The NDSU women’s basketball team introduces six new faces to a strong veteran core. By Joe Kerlin Photo By J. Alan Paul Photography

annah Breske, Brianna Jones, Taylor Thunstedt and Emily Spier are the veterans with a big task ahead of them this year. From molding young talent to leading the Bison women’s basketball on the floor, this quartet of leadership has one goal - getting back into the Summit League Tournament. The raw talent is there. It’s the molding process that will make or break the 2016-17 version of Bison women’s hoops.

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Who’s Who?

(From left to right) Hannah Breske, Brianna Jones, Taylor Thunstedt and Emily Spier

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Who’s New? The definitive list of six freshmen on the roster. #5 Anna Goodhope, Forward - Sioux Falls, S.D. #12 Sarah Jacobson, Guard - Fargo, N.D. #20 Autumn Ogden, Forward - Marshall, Wis. #21 Rylee Nudell, Forward - Buffalo, N.D. #24 Tyrah Spencer, Guard - Oakdale, Minn. #32 Reilly Jacobson, Forward - Waukee, Iowa

Maren’s Mold Entering her third year as the NDSU women’s basketball head coach, Maren Walseth has transformed the Bison program into her mold. The young roster is riddled with Brooke LeMar types. Quick and explosive guards that get up and down the court like a spread offense in football, chucking passes everywhere around the ballpark. There’s no stop in the young Bison ballhandlers. The fresh legs have sparked a young and energetic firework into the hands of opponents and Walseth. But, again, they’re young. Of the four upperclassmen on the women’s roster tasked with helping the youth grow, three were brought in during the Carolyn DeHoff regime: seniors Emily Spier and Hannah Breske and junior Taylor Thunstedt. These three may have been brought in expecting to fit a different system, but Walseth is quick to praise them for their tireless work ethic and transition into a style of basketball they weren’t 44

expecting to play when they signed their letters of intent.

and more positive experience on and off the court collectively.”

“I give a lot of credit to Hannah, to Taylor and Emily,” Walseth said prior to the beginning of the season. “All three, in their own ways, have worked hard to maybe change their mentality or change what they thought their college careers were going to look like, to meet where I want to go and the pace I want to play at and the standards I want our team and program to have.”

With six freshmen on the team this year, there’s one senior for every two rookies. The process of assimilating them into the Bison program was a big task that was addressed early. Walseth said the welcoming process started during freshman move-in day, June 11. The six returning players on the roster were assigned to one of the six freshmen.

The transition was especially fast for Spier and Thunstedt. They both came off the bench in 2014-15, but seamlessly fit into the starting rotation last year and early this season.

“I had the pleasure of welcoming Autumn Ogden,” senior Brianna Jones said. “We were there to greet them and help them and make that first day a little bit easier. It helps them and their parents.”

It’s not what they bring on the court, though, says Walseth. The culture she’s instilling has trickled down to the captains. “In changing a culture somebody has to be the example and for a while I was the example,” Walseth said. “They’re (veterans) certainly feeling a part of that and wanting to have a different

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

The returners have been attached to the hip of the first-year Bison since, going to the grocery store with them and helping in any way possible. So far the nurturing process has worked. Every freshman has played through NDSU’s first road trip of the season. Sarah Jacobson, Tyrah Spencer

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Ryan Martin Previous School: Minnetonka High School

and Rylee Nudell have logged starts and are averaging over 13 minutes a game. The youth has injected energy into a roster that only returned six players from last year. The help hasn’t been obvious in the win-loss record, but there’s no quantifiable stat for the importance of raising the competitive edge on the practice court. “It starts in practice with the competition,” Walseth said. “I think everybody sits a little straighter, works a little bit harder, pays a little more close attention to the details because there is somebody who is pushing (for) your spot and pushing the envelope.” Having a full team at practice is something the team struggled with last year. The Bison had nine players on the roster, not even enough bodies to go five-on-five. Add a knock here and knock

there, finding a fresh five was difficult for Walseth’s group. The depth became an issue especially in games if foul trouble mounted. Thunstedt played four games of at least 40 minutes of basketball and 16 games with at least 37 minutes as a sophomore. In a double-overtime game against South Dakota, Thunstedt played every minute. Fifty minutes of up and down action during a 94-96 loss against the eventual Summit League runner-ups. The freshmen have helped ease the load early on the 2016-17 version of the Bison. Walseth’s group will go as far as their youth will take them. And for most of the returning players, a trip back to the Summit League Tournament is all they could ask for.

Getting Creative

Ryan Martin has had an interesting journey back to Division I basketball. Even during his playing career, Martin took the path less traveled. He played two years at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas. He then cracked his way on to the Wichita State roster during the 2005-07 seasons and played in the 2007 Sweet Sixteen for the Shockers. After Martin’s playing career ended, he picked up a clipboard and headed back to Coffeyville to coach the men’s basketball team. Then, he headed back to school to get his master’s at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and assist the men’s team. After receiving his second college degree, Martin headed west toward the University of Northern Colorado to be an assistant coach on the men’s basketball team. Three years later, he ended up in Minnesota, coaching various teams in the Twin Cities. That’s where NDSU women’s head coach Maren Walseth found Martin. He was hired as an assistant coach for women’s basketball this September.

Taylor Thunstedt played 1,040 minutes of basketball last year 45

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Total Minutes Played Going into 2016-17 Even with six freshmen on the roster, six veterans return with big minutes from last year. Taylor Thunstedt, Junior 35.9 minutes/game Emily Spier, Senior 30.4 minutes/game Brianna Jones, Senior 27.3 minutes/game Megan Gamble, Sophomore 21.2 minutes/game Kennedy Childers, Sophomore 20.7 minutes/game

her, specifically looking for her to run in transition more with other folks bringing the ball up. Also, using her pull-up more. There are other things and matchups that we’ll be able to exploit, but helping her understand and being confident in other aspects of her game. If she can (make) 83 threes, I’ll be excited for that as well, but there has to be more to her game.” in just 29 games. That was the highest mark in the Summit League and in the Top 60 nationally. She played basketball two hours longer than a car ride to Frisco, Texas from Fargo.

game, but Walseth used the injury to grow Thunstedt’s mental capacity for the game. One of the advantages in doing so is growing her ability to play with more players like herself.

Thunstedt’s minutes were the secondhighest per game registered in Bison history. All that time on the court didn’t come without any wear and tear for the point guard.

“I think it will benefit us a lot when she doesn’t have to play 40 minutes,” said first-year assistant Morgan Paige, who’s worked with the guards this preseason. “I think if we can get her down in minutes, you’re going to see a higherquality Taylor. She might up herself in production and being able to be fresher longer and giving us more offensively or defensively or from a leadership standpoint when she doesn’t have to be exhausted.”

Thunstedt underwent shoulder surgery after the season. “It was really tough right away,” Thunstedt said. “It was tough for me not to be able to shoot when I wanted to or when the team was out there practicing.” Although it was initially hard for Thunstedt to watch from the sidelines during summer workouts, head coach Maren Walseth saw the injury as an opportunity for Thunstedt to grow her game. The guard already had a shot, which her record 82 three-pointers proved last year. She’s quickly developing a pull-up 46

NDSU will play with multiple guardheavy lineups this season. Thunstedt will have to share the ball-handling and backcourt duties with freshmen Sarah Jacobson and Tyrah Spencer. Thunstedt got a little taste of that style of play last year when Megan Gamble was healthy. “She’s really blossomed in that and understands how that’s helpful and beneficial for our team,” Walseth said. “But it also takes some pressure off of

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

Thunstedt returned from her shoulder injury and has been able to play at 100 percent since the beginning of preseason. She’s picked up where she left off last year, averaging 15 points through the first three games while sharing the point guard position. Although they’ve only played three games together, Thunstedt, Jacobson and Spencer’s chemistry is strong. “It’s been great to see them play off of Taylor and they have a really good chemistry,” Paige said. “We’ve been working a lot on that tandem guard offense so anybody playing the one or Taylor—if she has the ball in her hands—feels more comfortable flowing into the offense, doing some stuff so she doesn’t always have to bring the ball up the court. So you can bring her off screens and do more off the ball, as well as with the ball, it’s been a really nice balance.” One of the freshmen who has helped free up Thunstedt from opponents is Jacobson. The freshman is a Fargo native, played at Shanley and was

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLIMBING BACK INTO CONTENTION

Morgan Paige Previous School: awarded North Dakota’s Miss Basketball last season. She earned her way into the Bison starting lineup from the first game this season while battling monumental expectations from the locals who have watched her play since she was a freshman in high school. Jacobson is North Dakota Class A’s all-time leading scorer with 2,371 points. She arrives with the family pedigree no one in Bison basketball history can rival. Her brother, A.J. Jacobson, is a junior on the men’s basketball team and her mother, Pat (Smykowski) Jacobson, was an All-American for Amy Ruley. Pat played from 1985-89 and is currently second on the all-time leading scorers list at NDSU. “I really want her to worry about her and tune out the other noise that comes along with who she is or who her last name is or where she grew up,” Walseth said of her freshman guard. “I have high expectations for her, expectations to compete, too, when appropriate, run her team, to communicate, to take the shots we work on in practice.” Jacobson might be averaging over 10 points through the first three game of the season, but she isn’t the only rookie making an impact. Spencer, a Bloomington, Minnesota product has also

worked her way into the starting lineup. Walseth said Spencer is one of quickest players she’s ever coached. Spencer will play an important role on defense for the Bison with her unnatural athleticism while her offensive game develops. “I’m excited for this group,” Paige said about her guards. “Especially the youngsters. They have shown a lot of maturity and basketball IQ that maybe this group has not been used to seeing before. Multiple kids that have this IQ to make decisions and to have instincts to make the next play and make a decision that affects somebody else in a positive way.” Make no mistake, Thunstedt will be the straw that stirs the drink this season. With help around her with a young, freshlegged backcourt, Thunstedt will be given the opportunity to flourish. But just like any other Bison student-athlete, individual accomplishment won’t be the measuring stick for a successful season. A winning conference record and a chance to make some noise in the Summit League Tournament will determine if the future has finally arrived for Walseth’s program.

Iowa State

Morgan Paige is one of the youngest coaches in the NDSU Athletic Department. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin two years ago after a successful basketball career for the Badgers. Paige currently ranks 18th in all-time scoring at Wisconsin with 1,230 points. She was also named third-team AllBig Ten in 2013. Paige is from Marion, Iowa, where she lit up the high school women’s basketball scene. Paige was coached by her mom Sherryl, who retired after her high school career was over to follow her brother. Paige’s brother, Marcus Paige, played for four years at the University of North Carolina and is currently on the Utah Jazz roster after being drafted in the second round by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2016 NBA Draft. North Dakota State is Paige’s first coaching job. She was in her master’s program at Iowa State before coming to Fargo, and she plans to get back in school later this spring.

* * * 47

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACHES

BACK TO COLLEGE Interview with first-year assistant coach Ryan Martin

Coaching Timeline Men’s Assistant, Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) – 2007-08 Men’s Graduate Assistant, University of Missouri-Kansas City – 2008-10 Men’s Assistant, Northern Colorado – 2010-13 Women’s Assistant, Eden Prairie High School – 2013-2015

*This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Men’s Assistant, Minnetonka High School – 2015

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Men’s Head Coach, Minnetonka – 2015-16

Q&A

Women’s Assistant, NDSU – Present

Bison Illustrated: You coached at the high school level last season. How did an opportunity to coach at NDSU come up? Ryan Martin: I was an AAU coach in the Twin Cities area and I actually brought up one of my players here for an official visit last October. That was the very first time I ever met Maren (Walseth). We just connected from there and kept the relationship going, and I was lucky enough to be able to come on campus for an interview and lucky enough to get this job. BI: What did you see in the program that made you decide to take the job? RM: I saw that the program was headed in the right direction. I came to practice a couple times last year, you could just see that there was something there and I was really close with Patrick Harrison, who was here, and we would have conversations and he knew I was looking to get back into college coaching. I think we all felt like this was probably a really good place for me to come and get my feet dug in on the women’s side. BI: You mentioned coaching at the AAU level. Have you seen some of the women on the roster play back in high school? RM: I saw Tyrah (Spencer) a lot in the Twin Cities. I saw Sarah (Jacobson) a 48

lot because she played for the Fury. I actually coached against Reilly Jacobson last summer in North Tartan Meltdown.

right into the fire, and then me did inhome visits with younger kids the next week so I had to hit the ground running in all aspects.

BI: You’ve been at the college level and the high school level, now you’re back in Division I. How does that help NDSU?

BI: You came in at a good time with the new Sanford Health Athletic Complex complete. What do you think?

RM: I think that’s what’s so unique about our staff. We’ve all been in different places and have had different journeys because we can all bring a different viewpoint on the game of basketball to our program, to not only bring new ideas to the table, but help enhance what we already do here.

RM: I was actually at UMKC, in the old BSA days, so I remember coming to shoot around, both years I was there. The shot put being behind one set of the bleachers, hearing the discus hit the ground, having the track athletes, running around the track while we’re trying to have shootaround, so it’s night and day for us as far as us being able to get into (recruiting) conversations that we weren’t able to get into before because of the facility. Now, we feel like we can get into any conversation with any kid.

BI: You came in the first week of September. What did Coach Walseth have you do right away? RM: My first two weeks were very busy. My very first weekend here, we had Macey (Kvilvang) on campus, Emily (Dietz) on campus and Danneka (Voegeli), and I was just getting thrown

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

* * *

Coaching Timeline Graduate Assistant, Iowa State – 2015-16 Assistant, NDSU – Present

WRITING THE FIRST PAIGE Interview with first-time assistant Morgan Paige *This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Q&A Bison Illustrated: You were playing in the Big Ten while Maren Walseth was coaching at Penn State. Is that how she found out about you looking for a coaching job? Morgan Paige: She did coach against me when I played when we were both Big Ten products. She called and through the grapevine knew I was interested in coaching. I was a GA (grad assistant) at the time and she felt that would be a good fit for this program and that’s kind of really what happened. Knowing what I could bring from the floor from a lead guard perspective and correlating that to the coaching side. BI: You didn’t finish grad school at Iowa State, is that something you’ll continue to work on while you’re at NDSU?

MP: Yeah, most of my credits will transfer so I’m not having to start over, per se. I just don’t know when. I’ve talked with academic advisors, I just don’t know when I’d start classes. We’re trying to figure that out now. It won’t be anything huge because now I have way more responsibility to the program and the girls and the recruiting and every other piece that it will be one class a semester. I’m not worried about it right now. BI: So this is like a super internship in some ways for you? MP: Yeah, it’s been awesome. Now, my mom, being an English teacher, she’s like, “Are you going to go back?” And I’m like, “Yes, I’ll finish eventually, but right now I really like what I’m doing.” BI: Speaking of your mom, she coached you in high school. Is that where your interest in coaching began? MP: I have not been in it very long, but I’ve been around coaching for so long that when I got to the college level and I was playing basketball, and I was talking to my position coaches and the conversations that we would have were so different than some of the conversations that other teammates would have. They would show that

to me, like, “Have you even thought about coaching? You have a different perspective because you’ve had coaching parents.” It took me awhile to agree with them. I told them I never wanted to be a coach, my mom was a coach, I never want to do that. But the more and more I grew into it, I’m so much like them, it makes sense that I absolutely love doing it now. BI: What are you going to bring to the table? MP: I think each one of us on staff is very different. Me being the youngest on staff, not only can I connect with the players when I sit down and we’re talking about life on the court, off the court type scenarios, there’s not a ton of age gap where I have been through it before and I can help guide them through it because I know where it’s going. And then, the ins and outs of Division I basketball, but also because of these different experiences. I’ve played at a really high level in a BCS school, Big Ten, I’ve played overseas, I’ve done basketball on my end for the longest and the highest I could go. I can bring that and teach these girls that also have that passion, that drive to play and be successful and get the best out of them. It’s been great so far. * * * 49

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BRIANNA JONES

RIM RUNNER S

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin enior forward Brianna Jones is in her second season on the women’s basketball team. She transferred from Danville Area Community College in Daville, Illinois, where she was a two-time all-conference player. She’s also a winner—an attitude head coach Maren Walseth is trying to instill in the Bison. Jones’ record at DACC was 46-18. Jones splashed on the scene at NDSU in her first game. She hauled in a career-high 19 rebounds in a loss against New Mexico State. Jones reached double figures in seven games last year. Her first career doubledouble came against Delaware during the San Diego State Thanksgiving Classic. She would end the season with a teambest 7.7 rebounds per game and ranked sixth in the Summit League. Jones is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana and is known for patrolling the paint on defense. Offensively, Jones prefers her left hand and quick spinning post moves to maneuver her way to the bucket. Jones is one of the three seniors on the women’s roster.

In Her Own Words When Brianna knew NDSU was where she wanted to be.

“I came here on a visit in March 2015, I did play pick up with the girls and they formally offered me when I was on my visit, and they think I went home three or four days after the visit, Pretty much right after the visit, I knew this is where I wanted to go, just talking to my family like a few days later, I called up Maren and told her this is where I wanted to be.”

The differences between JUCO and Division I basketball.

“I think the biggest differences of coming from a JUCO to a Division I 50

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

school is just the pace of the game, and just the strength of the players. A lot of girls, they’ve been lifting weights since day one, so having to catch up in the weight room so you can compete with these girls, but I think it’s a transition that you can definitely do if you put your mind to it. It’s not an easy transition but this is where I’ve always wanted to be.”

The biggest learning curve?

“I would say trying to get to know my teammates. Learning everyone’s roles that they play and with a new set of coaches, what the roles they want for you. You can think they want you to do one thing, but they want you to do something else, or add onto your

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BRIANNA JONES

2015-16 Rewind 29 Games Played 27 Starts 6.9 Points/Game 7.7 Rebounds/Game 41.4% Field-Goal Percentage 19 Blocks

game so just getting to know myself again as a player at this level versus at a junior college level. Just putting in more work.”

Playing the post position on a team that likes to run up and down the court.

“I wouldn’t really say it’s hard, it just takes work. It takes hard work, but it’s not hard. This is what I love to do so anything she (Maren Walseth) asks me to do I’m going to be willing to do it. Everything she does ask us to do and wants everybody to do is to only make us better. There are no negatives.”

Finding her voice within the team

“I definitely feel a lot more comfortable this year, and I think that I have a lot of people that are looking to me and coach always says, ‘say what you have to say, people will listen, people will follow,’ so I’m definitely not as hesitant as I was last year. I have amazing teammates. No matter who is the one speaking, we all respect one another. Respect what they have to say about the game, practice, so it just makes it easier for me.”

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

Waiting on the Comeback NDSU wrestling has experienced individual success, but this season, it’s time for the team to rise. By Joe Kerlin Photo by Andrew Jason

he Bison finished seventh in the Big 12 last season and qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA Championships. It wasn’t good enough for a program that’s back in the spotlight. This year, with a big conference win in its back pocket, the Bison wrestlers are ready to bring this proud program back in the national conscious.

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who?

(From left to right) Clay Ream, Andrew Fogarty, Ben Tynan and Josh Rodriguez

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

The Upset The North Dakota State wrestling program opened the SCHEELS Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex with a bang this November. In what was possibly the biggest dual win in program history, the Bison knocked off No. 14 Iowa State in dramatic fashion. Cordell Eaton’s major decision and Ben Tynan’s pin gave NDSU the lead in total team points going into the last match. The closer, the 125-pound two-time NCAA Championship qualifying Josh Rodriguez stepped onto the mat for the finale. The match was over before you could blink an eye. The senior from Guadalupe, California, won big, defeating the Cyclones’ Kyle Larson 25-9. The victory was NDSU’s first over a ranked opponent in a year and a half, and can be equated to what the football team did to Northern Iowa back in 2011. Back in 2011, NDSU had already left its mark in Division I FCS football when they made a run all the way to the quarterfinals of the playoffs and were the No. 3-ranked team in the country. On Halloween eve, UNI paid a visit to the Fargodome to play NDSU for the fourth time since the Bison moved to the FCS. The Bison had yet to beat its old North Central Conference rival 58

who now joined them in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

and at the end of the match, that’s what the score showed. Our effort was great.”

The No. 2-ranked Panthers were riding a three-game win streak over the Bison before a Brock Jensen and D.J. McNorton led Bison offense outlasted the UNI defense to a 27-19 victory. You know the rest. NDSU goes on to win its first of five straight FCS National Championships, including five wins in its last six games against UNI. They had finally arrived in the MVFC.

Jarrod Garnett reiterated Nagel’s comments about each wrestler closing in the final period. He added that was the game plan all along, saying that’s why they condition the wrestlers so hard.

The wrestling team is looking to do the same in the Big 12. They aren’t likely to win the national championship this year, but defeating a Top 15 team and a program that has suddenly become a peer within the conference in Iowa State is a good start. It was the first time NDSU has beaten Cyclones, who finished 12th nationally last year, avenging three-straight dual meet defeats, including a 42-0 shutout in 2008.

“We used MatBoss and it breaks it down by the period. And in the third period, we outscored Iowa State 3620. We out scored them by 16 total match points, and I think that speaks volumes for what we’re trying to do,” Garnett said. “Ryan Napoli, who is a former college wrestler himself, is our strength coach. He works only with us and football. He does a lot of muscle conditioning with our guys and he makes sure their muscles are holding up out there.” The Bison begin their Big 12 record 1-1, losing to No. 17 Oklahoma the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

NDSU’s second season in the Big 12 is off to a hot start.

J-Rod and Jarrod

“Boy, I think we wrestled really well,” first-year assistant coach Matt Nagel said after the upset over Iowa State. “I don’t think we won a whole lot of the first periods but we won every single third period and that’s what mattered

Josh Rodriguez, or J-Rod as his teammates and coaches call him, is coming off another season of falling short of his goal at the NCAA Championships. He was one win short of making the eighth place cut off for All-American.

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

Seasoned Vets Josh Rodriguez Career Record: 78-33

Jarrod Garnett

Clay Ream Career Record: 47-30 Mitch Friedman Career Record: 27-25 Ben Tynan Career Record: 20-12

Rodriguez emerged his freshmen season in 2012-13 when he was forced into action early, only months off the high school mat. He notched a 22-15 record, spending most of the season behind NDSU’s first All-American in the Division I era, Trent Sprenkle. The following season, Rodriguez redshirted and went undefeated while wrestling unattached at tournaments. He was ready for the spotlight as a redshirt sophomore, wrestling as the number one 125-pounder for the Bison. He didn’t disappoint going 20-8, winning the NCAA West Regional over two other ranked opponents and qualifying for his first NCAA Championship. Rodriguez went 2-2 and was on the trajectory toward finishing as an All-American before his career is over. Rodriguez’s bid for All-American status was put on hold for another year after last season’s junior campaign. In the second round of the NCAA Championships, Rodriguez would lose to the eventual 125-pound champion Nico Megaludis from Penn State. During wrestlebacks, Rodriguez

beat Central Michigan’s Brent Fleetwood 7-0 and Cornell’s Dalton Macri 5-4. He was one win away from claiming a Top 8 finish, and clinching an All-American spot, but was pinned by Northern Iowa’s Dylan Peters. With one season left, Rodriguez wasn’t wasting any time this offseason. He was back on the makeshift practice mat in the grocery store off 19th Avenue two days after nationals. “I want to start already,” Rodriguez said last April. “I remember losing at nationals in (2015) and thinking, ‘Wow, I have two years left. This feeling sucks.’ Now I felt it again this year (2016) in the Round of 12. I just couldn’t be more ready to get the season started again.” “Josh reminds me of myself,” assistant coach Jarrod Garnett said. Garnett wrestled at Virginia Tech from 2008-13. He qualified for the NCAA Championships four times in five years. After going 2-2 his first time at nationals, he finished one win away from All-American status his second year, just like Rodriguez.

Previous School: Lehigh University

Jarrod Garnett arrived in Fargo with more wrestling accomplishments than any wrestler to step on the mat during the Division I era at NDSU. During his time at Virginia Tech, Garnett won ACC Rookie of the Year, was a three-time ACC champion at 125 pounds, placing second his freshman year, finished sixth in the country in 2013 earning himself an All-American title and he finished with 126 career wins, which ties him for third-most in Hokie school history. Garnett went to Bucknell after graduation in 2013 to be an assistant coach. He then spent a season as a volunteer assistant at Lehigh University before making it to Fargo. Entering his second season at NDSU, Garnett’s main focus is with the lighter-wrestlers, around the 125, 133 and 141-range. He’s also helping 125-pounder Josh Rodriguez become one of the top wrestlers in his weight class.

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

His third year at Nationals, in 2011, Garnett took a step backward finishing 2-2. He stormed back after a redshirt season, to qualify for his fourth NCAA Championship meet in 2013. Garnett stumbled out of the gates, losing his first match as the fifth seed. He crawled his way back winning the next five matches placing sixth, one spot behind NDSU’s Trent Sprenkle, Rodriguez’s predecessor. “He’s not afraid of going out there and wrestling through positions and he loves scoring points and he doesn’t do the whole ‘show respect toward his opponent’ thing,” Garnett said of Rodriguez, who he’s been coaching for over a year. “He goes after guys no matter who it is and that was something that drew me in right away.” Garnett, like Rodriguez, was on the cusp his entire career and a win here or a win there from being truly great. Garnett finally reached his goal his senior season, and all the signs shown in November are pointing in Rodriguez’s direction. Rodriguez won by technical fall in the first dual against Iowa State this year. After closing out the upset victory, he breezed to his fourth Bison Open 60

Championship recording two pins and another technical fall. “He’s already a great wrestler and working with him, there haven’t been a ton of changes,” Garnett said. “He’s already good on bottom. He typically gets away from everyone. The one thing we had to change was his riding. He’s typically a guy who is so comfortable on his seat, so he wouldn’t ride guys. Being on top, being a hammer on top, takes a lot out of guys, but not only gets you the riding point, but it takes a lot out of guys and now, especially with near falls being worth four points, for holding a guy on his back. I think it’s more important that we’re good in that position. With the amount of takedowns he’s able to get combined with the ability to turn guys, I don’t think there’s anybody who can beat him in the country.” Rodriguez began the season as the 8th ranked 125-pound wrestler in the country. Based on the preseason ranking, Rodriguez would qualify for a spot among the All-Americans and, like Garnett, going down in his school’s history books. But Rodriguez said in April he wants to go further than that. “My goal is to be a national champion.”

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

A Good Mix Josh Rodriguez isn’t the only returning Bison with NCAA Championship experience on his resume. Clay Ream, a junior from Wentzville, Missouri, is back wrestling at 149 pounds. Ream lasted three matches in the 2016 NCAA Championships, which was one match less than he lasted in 2015. But his one win was monumental. After dropping his first match, Ream was set to wrestle North Carolina’s twotime All-American Evan Henderson. Ream chased him all over the ring, defeating the eight-seeded Henderson with a technical fall. Junior Mitch Bengtson also returns for the Bison after qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2015. He was set to represent NDSU at 141 before a lower-leg injury put him in a walking boot. In the meantime, Bison fans can expect juniors Joe Umlauf and Tommy Walton, who is down from 149, to duke it out for the 141-pound spot on the roster.

WRESTLING WAITING ON THE COMEBACK

Newcomers

Matt Nagel

Cordell Eaton Redshirt Freshman Long Grove, Iowa Andrew Fogarty Redshirt Freshman Jordan, Minnesota

Previous School:

Carter Nielsen Redshirt Freshman Foley, Minnesota

Concordia-Moorhead

Tyler McNutt Redshirt Sophomore Saint Joseph, Missouri

The Bison will also feature youth among the experienced core group of starters, specifically at 165 with Andrew Fogarty, who won his match up against Iowa State along with 197-pound Cordell Eaton. “I think that was what we were really pleased with,” assistant Matt Nagel said. “With 165, Andrew Fogarty, coming out in his first college dual meet and getting into a good match with a kid that has been around a long time and coming through with a big win and then also, Carter Nielsen is another redshirt freshman. He didn’t come away with a win, but he had a ranked opponent, and a returning all-American, but still, it was a good showing that he’s still going to be in the mix as well. “To have three redshirt freshmen, in that type of environment against that dual meet team, was really, really exciting.” The Bison finished seventh as a new member of the Big 12 conference last season. They were third among the Western Wrestling Conference members that merged into the Big 12. South

Dakota State finished fourth and Wyoming was fifth and finished nine points ahead of NDSU. “It was a little disappointing for us,” Garnett said. “But as we looked toward this year, even though we still have some young guys in the lineup, they are really experienced. When you look at us putting a young guy like Cam Sykora, Andrew Fogarty, Carter Nielsen and Cordell Eaton into this lineup. They’re young, but they’re very talented.” Garnett and Nagel both agree this team’s grit and determination will be the ultimate separator between them and established Big 12 programs. “Our number one goal is to be one of the first Western Wrestling Conference teams that’s going to bridge the gap to be right in the mix for a Big 12 championship,” Nagel said. “And we’re moving in the right direction with the young kids that we do have.”

Matt Nagel has been a popular name in the wrestling world around the Fargo-Moorhead area for nearly a decade. He took his first coaching job as an assistant at Concordia, where his dad Clay Nagel was the head coach. Nagel had an accolade riddled wrestling career at the University of Minnesota. Nagel, a Frazee, Minn. native, was an All-American for the Gophers in 2005. He finished his career with 100 wins at 165 pounds. Nagel was named the Cobbers’ head coach in 2014 and was twice named the NCAA West Region Coach of the Year. He helped 22 Concordia wrestlers earn a spot at the NCAA National Meet. Nagel kept the Cobbers in the Top 10 all three years as a head coach. After the departure of assistant coach Manny Rivera to Cal StateBakersfield, NDSU and Nagel’s former Gopher teammate Roger Kish hired him onto the Bison staff. His focus will be the middleweights, coaching the 149, 157 165, 174-pound wrestlers.

* * * 61

WRESTLING ASSISTANT COACHES

YOUTH MOVEMENT

Coaching Timeline Assistant, Bucknell 2013-14 Volunteer Assistant, Lehigh University 2014-15 Assistant, NDSU Present

Interview with second-year assistant coach Jarrod Garnett *This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Q&A Bison Illustrated: How did you get the job at North Dakota State before last season? Jarrod Garnett: I actually got ahold of (Roger) Kish myself when I was competing at Virginia Tech back in college. I was familiar with a lot of the North Dakota State guys. NDSU’s (Hayden) Zillmer, (Steven) Monk, (Josh) Rodriguez, just seeing them around at events and seeing their success and how tough a lot of the guys were. For me, I kind of took notice of what type of team that Roger had here, and eventually, when I got into coaching and I was at Lehigh, and I was looking to make a move and do something a little different, I got ahold of him and lucky enough for me, Coach (Manny) Rivera had been familiar with me just from coaching at UVA (Virginia), and our rivalry there. So when my name came across the system over here, I think Manny put in a pretty good word for me and got Roger really interested. BI: How did you sell yourself to Roger that you were the guy for the job? JG: For me, it was preaching a lot of the youth factor. I’m able to get on the mat every single day with the guys and be that lightweight coach that they haven’t really had in the past. I think my youth and me being able to get on the mat to go along with my social media experience. I’m a guy that’s very in tuned with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat, and that type 62

of stuff. I know that’s a lot of things fans enjoy and pay attention to at least one of those four. I think that’s a lot of what I bring as well. Just a lot of different ideas on how to market the program, which is something I spent a lot of time doing in my days at Bucknell and Lehigh so that was another major piece. Ultimately, it was my on-themat success and experience. Wrestling for a guy like Kevin Dresser who was a national champion for Iowa, a lot of what I do is modeled after what he did with us. When I committed to wrestle at Virginia Tech, I think we were 45th in the country the year prior and now, fast-forward eight years later, he’s built a Top 4 program. BI: When it’s all said and done, what are you hoping to take away from your time in Fargo? JG: I see this time being at North Dakota State, no matter how long it may be and I could foresee it being quite a long time. These are my growing years, having three years of coaching experience under my belt already, and

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

obviously drawing my experience as an athlete, this is where I’m going to not only find out about myself and what type of coach I am, but I get to be a part of a program that’s young and having a major hand in building something. And seeing the fruits of your labor pay off down the road, much like it did in my time as an athlete, watching that system and how it happens, I hope to takeaway and learn everything I need here at North Dakota State to be a head coach down the road. BI: You’re focusing on the lighter weight wrestlers. What did you think of Josh Rodriguez when you came in? JG: Josh reminds me of myself just because what made me take a look at him was, I was a guy that was always right there, on the cusp, every single year of getting it done and it took me until my senior year to finally break through and Josh has been the exact same way. He’s very talented, very athletic, very strong for his size and very technical. He gets after it.

* * *

WRESTLING ASSISTANT COACHES

Coaching Timeline Assistant, Concordia (Minnesota) – 2009-14 Head coach, Concordia – 2014-16 Assistant, NDSU – Present

JUMPING ACROSS THE RIVER Interview with first-year assistant coach Matt Nagel *This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin

Q&A Bison Illustrated: How far back does your relationship with head coach Roger Kish go? Matt Nagel: When he was a freshman and sophomore (at the University of Minnesota), I was a junior and senior, team captain and stuff. I was an upperclassman in his recruiting process, so we got to know each other well there, and then wrestling on the varsity team for two years, while he was a 184-pounder and I was a 165-punder. We went on all the trips and stuff together so we got to know each other well there. I did some coaching and stuck around after my senior year as well so then, when

he moved up here, it was the same year that I moved up here to coach at Concordia and he came over to NDSU. We’ve known each other for awhile BI: How did you end up getting the assistant coaching position? MN: It had been something that we had talked about a number of times before. The experience I had at Concordia was great and I wouldn’t take anything back from it just because it was good to see that level and get my feet wet as far as being a head coach. It was a great experience. At the time, Coach (Manny) Rivera was really the right-hand man here so when he took off, the vacancy came open and we just started some conversations and stuff and at the time it felt like a good move for my family and a career change for me at that time. BI: What can you bring to the table as an assistant for Coach Kish? MN: I think it’s good just with the mentorship with the kids. Having to take care of everything over at Concordia and really answer all the

questions was really valuable for me to come over here and utilize those skills I used over there. It was also good to see the different perspectives from the different levels. Being a Division I wrestler and then going down to a Division III and then coming back to the Division I level, it really gives you an all around perspective on how things work. BI: Have you had the chance to peek over the river from time to time and see what’s been happening surrounding the Bison wrestling program since Kish got here? MN: Absolutely, I mean I think that was one of the biggest things that intrigued me. I’ve really been following them throughout the process, we’ve even worked together in a number of different things as far as supporting each other’s programs, where they’re coming to our dual meets or we’ll come over to theirs, and things like that. We even match up some things with all of our guys, to work out together in the summer time and it really benefits everybody. But the reality of it is, it’s been fun to watch the progression of what these guys have done with Coach Kish and Rivera and Garnett and how they’ve bridged the gap here in the (conference) transition. * * * 63

WRESTLING BEN TYNAN

LIVING THE HEAVYWEIGHT LIFESTYLE

Photos and text by Joe Kerlin oger Kish and the North Dakota State wrestling program had one of the best heavyweights in the NCAA West Region in 2015. Evan Knutson was a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier and just missed being an All-American his senior season. He left a giant void in the NDSU program. Suddenly, transfer Ben Tynan made the decision to join the Bison from Highland Junior College in Des Moines, Washington. The heavyweight spot was in good hands. Tynan had just grown into his heavyweight frame his second year at Highline. He finished his sophomore season with AllAmerican honors going 26-4. He transitioned seamlessly into the Bison wrestling program last winter. Tynan exploded onto the scene at NDSU when he won his home-opening match in overtime against Virginia’s Pat Gillen. Tynan finished fifth in the Big 12 last season. After starting his senior season with a Bison Open title and a pin against Iowa State, Tynan has his eyes on the NCAA Championships this spring.

In His Own Words How Tynan ended up wrestling for a junior college. “I actually wasn’t expecting to wrestle in college after high school. That junior college (Highline) was talking to me and I was kind of back and forth whether to do it or not and finally, my mom was there to kick me in the butt and said, ‘Go, keep wrestling,’ so I decided to do it.”

Not always wrestling in the heavyweight division. “Between my first and second year at the JUCO, I finally started putting on weight and thickening out. Freshman year in high school,

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

I was at 103. I was the smallest guy on the wrestling team, then I had an awkward growth phase all through high school and then I started wrestling at Highline at 197. About half way through the season, I bumped up to heavyweight because I liked it and then it worked out.”

The potential he saw in the NDSU wrestling program.

“I did some research, and there were some other colleges talking to me but I was looking at their past wrestlers and they were AllAmericans and some other schools were looking pretty bad so I came here and I saw how much of a beast of a team there was and I wanted to be a part of the program.”

WRESTLING BEN TYNAN

2015-16 Rewind 20-16 Overall Record 7-3 Dual Record 5 Pins 5th Place at Big 12 Championships Bison Open Champion 5th Place at Warren Williamson/ Daktronics Open

Explaining his eccentric and confident demeanor on the mat.

“I picked that up in the last couple of years. Wrestling at a JUCO, I took pride in just my wrestling and me as a person. Not only was I a small heavyweight when I first started, but I was also the junior college guy and I would be wrestling bigger schools and I was always in their face. I always took pride in being from a small school and believing I could beat you. I ain’t scared of no D-I guys. Yeah, so they see this random JUCO guy they don’t know with bleached hair.”

Let’s talk about the hair.

“Started in high school, just stuck with it, kind of liked it. I started with a little high school angst, getting back at my parents, I wanted to rebel a little bit, so I just bleached my hair, and then I was that punky kid, but I liked it.”

What’s to like about this year’s team?

“We have a mean wrestling team. That’s what it is. Young, mean and lean. We have an upand-coming team. There are a couple of us seniors. I think it’s cool having these younger guys that are a little more fresh, filling in these big spots and they’re excited to do it.” * * *

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

SOCCER HAT TRICK HOLLY

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED â&#x20AC;¢ D EC EMBER 2 016

Hat Trick

Holly

Interview by Joe Kerlin Photo by Paul Flessland

The Interview

ophomore striker Holly Enderle had a breakout 2016. The Plymouth, Minnesota, native made her intentions clear that this fall was her season when she notched her first-career hat trick in NDSU’s 4-1 drubbing of North Dakota. Enderle continued to beat goalkeepers all season and ended second in the Summit League in goals scored. NDSU fell in the first round of the Summit League tournament, but with Enderle returning in 2017 as a junior, the Bison are poised to remain in championship contention.

“When I got here, it felt like a good fit. I remember walking around (campus) and doing the school stuff first and then the soccer stuff after and I was like, ‘Mom, I want to go here, even if I don’t want to play soccer.’ I just liked the school so, even if I’m not offered a scholarship, I would still want to attend school here. School is definitely the priority for me.”

Bio Position: Forward Height: 5’11’’ 2016 Class: Sophomore Hometown: Plymouth, Minn. High School: Robbinsdale Armstrong

Why did you choose NDSU?

How did head coach Mark Cook find you? “I played for the Minnesota Thunder Academy and he used to be the director of coaching. He talked to my coach and I played hockey in the winter, so he finally got around to seeing me and then it started from there and I came up for a visit and decided to come.”

Hockey rinks are being put up around town. Are you getting ready for the pond hockey season? “Maybe a little bit. As long as I don’t get hurt, they wouldn’t mind me playing again.”

SOCCER HAT TRICK HOLLY

TAKE 1

TAKE 2

What’s something you have grown to enjoy about Fargo that maybe didn’t hit you right away when you were on your visit?

You live with fellow sophomores Hanna Norman and Roxy Roemer. What do you three like to do in your free time?

“I got to know a lot more people from the cities that also played on the same club as me. Everyone tells you that Fargo is, ‘There’s nothing out there,’ but there’s actually a lot to do here so I’ve just grown a greater appreciation for the city of Fargo. I just like all the people I’ve met, too.”

“Sometimes we like to go to the Wellness Center and play ping-pong in the offseason. Other than that, normally when we can get a break, just sit down on the couch and watch a movie. Most of the time, that’s fine for us. We’re with each other, we’re a little trio. It’s always us everywhere.”

What was the biggest transition you’ve had to make on the pitch since coming to college?

What are some of the bigger improvements you’ve made in your two years here?

“It’s pretty physical. Anything can happen. In high school, it’s either a team is bad or good, and here, anyone who shows up that day can go for the win. You have to give it your all every time.”

“Definitely my technical ability. I feel pretty athletic. I have size and stuff, but my technical ability needed to be picked up so I’m still working on that and it’s getting better. Ball handling, footwork, my touches and stuff like that.”

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

TAKE 3

What does Bison Pride mean to you? “It means having pride in everything you do on and off the field. Giving it your all, and just pushing others around you to do their best with that same sense of pride.” * * *

2016 Stats Starts: 19 Goals: 10 Assists: 2 Points: 22 Shots on Goal: 25 Game-Winning Goals: 3 Hat Tricks: 2

SIGNING DAY NEW WAVE OF BISON

NEW WAVE

BISON

By Joe Kerlin Photo by Paul Flessland

ational Signing Day has been turned into a pseudo-holiday for college football fans across the country. It’s an opportunity to peek into the future and discover where programs are headed. Signing day has also turned into a competition for fans to see how their school’s recruiting class stacks up against their rivals in the region. But football’s day doesn’t come until after the season in February. The first National Signing Day of the season, for the other programs in the athletic department or the “early period,” takes place in November. Men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s golf, baseball and softball all took center stage on November 9 as the head coaches announced the new studentathletes that will arrive at NDSU next fall. Here’s the new crop of Bison coming to Fargo next fall.

READ MORE 101

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JARED AND BETH MAHER

In a chance meeting, the two went head-to-head in a basketball scrimmage. Jared Maher and his talented football teammates were on the women’s home court and up against some of the fiercest athletes in the old Bison Sports Arena, including Beth Bue. Whether the scrimmage was intentionally set up as a matchmaking tactic is unclear, but its effect is evident in the couples’ 13 years of marriage. After meeting in a more formal setting at a wedding, Jared and Beth began dating, sharing their passion

102

for all sports and pushing each other’s ability in countless oneon-one games. Even though they competed often, they were also each other’s biggest fans. “I had just got done playing football when we started dating but she still had two years of basketball left, so I got to be a Beth Bue fan,” said Jared.

CHAMPIONS UNITE From 1996 to 2000, Jared battled opponents while solidifying his place on the defense as a

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

linebacker. As a graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Bismarck, North Dakota, he led the Bison in tackles his last two seasons and was selected first team All-American his senior year. Jared was a two-time first-team All-North Central Conference linebacker. In his senior year, he helped the Bison make a playoff run that ended in the Division II semifinals. As a graduate of Austin High School in Minnesota, Beth ruled the court from the three-point line from 1999 to 2003. She made

her mark as a Bison by setting the career record for three-point field goals attempted and made with 72 total three-pointers in 33 games her senior season. The record stood for 13 years and was broken last year by Taylor Thunstedt. But one record remains. Her nine three-pointers against Northern Colorado in 2002 still stands as the most threes by any men’s or women’s basketball player in NDSU history. After graduating from NDSU, Jared took a leap into the

business world, founding Maher Financial Group and building it from the ground up. Beth went on to earn her master’s degree in elementary education and now she’s teaching classes at NDSU through a collaborative program with Valley City State University. She is also currently going back to school at NDSU, working toward her Ph.D. in adult education. On top of it all, Jared and Beth have four children: Annabelle (10), Emmalise (7), John (4) and Sylvia James (10 months), who

GOLD STAR WHERE ARE MARCHING THEY NOW?BAND JARED MARCHING AND BETHTOWARD MAHER VICTORY

are all prime candidates for continuing their family’s rich Bison lineage. Playing baseball, basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics and music, the young Mahers seem to share the same passion for athletics as their parents.

very musical, but they’re in the midst of playing basketball right now. Our Saturdays are made up of balancing Bison football and our girls’ games.”

“The most important thing for us is that they have fun doing several different things,” said Jared. “Our boy recently said he wants to play football like his dad. He’s in taekwondo right now and doing great. Our girls are

The Maher marriage united two families with long lines of Bison history. Beth’s sister, Lisa, continued in her sister’s footsteps at NDSU, playing at the guard position for the women’s basketball team from 2004-2008.

104

A LONG LINE OF BISON

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

“We always joke that I’d beat her in a game outside the threepoint line and she’d beat me down the court,” said Beth. “We are definitely different players, whereas I was a shooter, power forward position while she was a fast, point guard type.” Jared’s grandfather, John Maher, played baseball for NDSU in the 1940s and his uncle, Dan Maher, played football in the 1970s. Beth’s brother-in-law, Adam Witt, husband of sister Emily, played on the men’s basketball

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JARED AND BETH MAHER

team as a guard, too. While they aren’t the stars of game day anymore, Jared and Beth still exude the same passion and excitement for Bison athletics, now with a little help from their own Bison “fans-intraining.” “We’ve had our season tickets for about 11 years now so we’ve sat by the same people and they know when Jared’s coming. Playoff season hits, this guy doesn’t sit down and he does not shut his mouth,” said Beth. “And they accept that,” said Jared. 106

LOOKING FORWARD Drawing on the discipline they learned as student-athletes, the Maher family’s future is sure to be filled with games of all sorts as well as professional achievements. Beth will continue to work toward her doctorate while Jared maintains his passion for finance. “I always wanted to work with finance and people on an individual level,” Jared explained. “It’s not something that was easy to get started, but I figured, ‘Why not start when I was young and used to working really hard?’”

B ISO N ILLUSTRATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

Going forward, Beth and Jared will draw on their devotion to working hard in their hectic lives, a formula that has warranted much success in their athletic, professional and personal endeavors. “Hard work pays off,” said Beth. “I went back and was ironically looking through old boxes and in all my newspaper articles I said, ‘Hard work pays off,’ and it does.” * * *

SHAC RIBBON CUTTING

Ribbon Cutting By Joe Kerlin Photos by Paul Flessland

fter twoplus years of renovation and a decade-plus of planning, the Sanford Health Athletic Complex (SHAC) was introduced to Bison Nation with a simple cut from an oversized scissor. North Dakota State President Dean Bresciani was joined by Director of Athletics Matt Larsen, SCHEELS Chairman of the Board Steve Scheel and Sanford Health Executive Vice President Paul Richard in cutting NDSU into a new era. “So what does this facility mean for Bison Athletics moving forward? For me, it’s one word: transformational,” Larsen told the crowd of donors, student-athletes and coaches. “Transformational for our student-athletes, the ability to train, compete and learn in a world-class facility. Transformational for our coaches, the ability to educate, mentor and coach our student-athletes in this facility.” Bresciani, Larsen, Richard and Scheel all spoke to the crowd before the yellow Bison ribbon was cut.

108

A.J. Jacobson, an NDSU men’s basketball player who spoke at the SHAC’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2014, also spoke to give thanks to the more than 450 donors who gave gifts to make the SHAC project a reality. The guests at the ribbon cutting also received a tour of the facility. They were able to climb up and down the SCHEELS Center and peek around the west side of the building that is generally closed to the public. Attendees also received the first look at the Tharaldson Hall of Fame in the west lobby of the SHAC. “The impact of their support will be felt by Bison Athletics for decades to come,” Larsen said about the various donors who gave big gifts. “But it’s more than just their names on the exterior of this building and the financial support of this project that makes their partnership so special. It’s the genuine relationships that we share with the people in these organizations that see the positive impact they have on the student-athletes.”

BISO N ILLUSTRATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

SHAC RIBBON CUTTING

109

REMEMBERING OFFICER MOSZER

Remembering THE LATE

OFFICER

MOSZER

By Joe Kerlin Photos by Paul Flessland

eorge Vinson’s friend was killed earlier this year in the line of duty. Jason Moszer was a fellow police officer, friend and brother to many in the Fargo Police Department and the community. His memory continues to live through the community in many capacities. This fall, his memory was brought to the West Lot during Bison football tailgating. Vinson has had a tailgate bus for the past three years. Before this season, he decided to finish the decal-work by honoring his fellow police officer that was tragically killed in a standoff this past February. “We loved Jason. He was one of our brothers and we miss him, so we thought honoring him in this way would be cool,” Vinson said. “He’s here with us when we’re doing our thing.” Vinson estimates 40-50 Bison fans cycle through his tailgating spot before every game to honor Office Moszer. Even onduty police officers make sure they drop in to say hello to their coworkers. “We appreciate that,” Vinson said. “We really appreciate the support and us putting it on is a way to show who we are and what we’re about and a lot of people are still supporting us through this and that’s really cool.” * * * 111

TAILGATING BISON FANS

TAILGATING

FUN BISON WITH THE

FANS

112

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED â&#x20AC;¢ D EC EMBER 2 016

TAILGATING BISON FANS

114

BISO N ILLUST R ATED â&#x20AC;¢ D EC EMBER 2 016

NDSU BBQ BOOTCAMP

NDSU

BBQ BOOTCAMP By Joe Kerlin Photos by Paul Flessland

ontinuing our NDSU BBQ Bootcamp series, we caught up with Associate Head of Animal Sciences Eric Berg once again in the West Lot to see what the NDSU Meat guys had on their grill before the Bison football game. For Senior Day, the BBQ Bootcamp cleaned out the meat locker to present what was left of their beef and pork. As great as the meat buffet was, a fruit stole the show. Chopped apples smothered in bourbon sauce had visitors coming back for more just outside the Bootcamps tailer. Also featured was a breakfast style shot, that included a chunk of waffle and a slice of sausage covered in maple syrup. To get all the rubs and sauce recipes from the BBQ Bootcamp, go online to ag.ndsu. edu/ansc/extension-1/bbq-boot-camp. Make sure you check out all 30 recipes on their web page and try them for yourself at the next BBQ Bootcamp. If you missed your opportunity to experience the BBQ Bootcamp, you may have to wait until next year. But who knows? The men and women of NDSU Animal Sciences may return if the football team goes down to play a game in a little town just south of Fargo, in Frisco, Texas.

116

BISO N ILLUST R ATED â&#x20AC;˘ D EC EMBER 2 016

NDSU BBQ BOOTCAMP

117

TEAM MAKERS EXIT INTERVIEW WITH TERRY LUDLUM

Exit Team Makers with

Interview

Terry Ludlum

There will be a changing of the guard at the Presidential-level of Team Makers this January Interview by Joe Kerlin Photos by Paul Flessland

erry Ludlum became Team Maker’s president in January 2015. The road to the presidential role was a long time coming for this avid philanthropic Bison fan. What started as a way to meet with friends and talk about their favorite Bison-related subjects, being a Team Maker quickly turned into a way of life for Ludlum. He wasn’t satisfied with just going to games and cheering from the stands. This NDSU alum wanted to find an avenue for him to help a program he held close to his heart. A “Bison Insider” opportunity was possible with his commitment to NDSU Athletics through Team Makers. Ludlum served as the first two-year Team Maker president. The change in the Team Maker executive committee structure allowed Ludlum to chase more ambitious goals for the NDSU Athletics fundraising group. He received the

120

opportunity to work more diligently with Director of Athletics Matt Larsen on projects like extending the budget over three-year, five-year and 10year periods. They explored potential revenue sources and continually growing Team Maker membership. In 2016, Team Maker’s expanded their budget by 33 percent to $5.2 million. Membership has also jumped to over 4,000 members. It was a successful two years as president for Ludlum. Now, his focus will shift to the two years he will spend on the executive committee as the past president. Here’s what he had to say about his time as President and his goals for the future of Team Makers. This interview has been edited and condensed for print. Read the entire exit interview with Terry at bisonillustrated. com.

BISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

“We’re dealing with a completely different critter. Back, not very long ago, about 12 years ago, we were dealing with $600,000 and about 700 members. Now we’re in the $5.2 million range and 4,000 members so it can’t be that same executive committee philosophy.” – Terry Ludlum

TEAM MAKERS EXIT INTERVIEW WITH TERRY LUDLUM

Bison Illustrated: When you decided to jump into more of a leadership role with Team Makers, how did your mindset change into more volunteerism? Terry Ludlum: “I think the one thing that’s changed most in the years that I’ve been involved. It’s gone from being able to join Team Makers to get a seat (in the Fargodome) to now, there haven’t been seats available for a number of years. So it’s truly a philanthropic adventure to go out and raise funds, and so people need to give for the right reasons, as opposed to getting a better seat. Now, those that want to pay more, you’re really not only getting involved in Team Makers to support football, you’re getting involved in supporting every athlete in every program.”

BI: Team Maker dues for season tickets have been a hot topic around Bison Nation. What’s the strategy behind that? TL: “So Bruce (Grubb, the past President who spear-headed the ticket redistribution) and (Pat) Simmers and I met at Labby’s every Friday afternoon for a month, and we went through the print out of what everybody was paying for every seat in the dome. We started to go through and check off who we thought was at somewhat of the market value, who was below, was there anybody above, and if they were above, should that dictate the market value. That was the start of what to do and what we think this section is worth. What are folks paying for now, and what do we think they would pay.”

BI: Do you ever see those season tickets ever reaching their market value? TL: “There’s a program in place and they want to have that in place probably within the next six years. So, anybody who’s deemed at below the current market value, they were sent a letter last year saying that you will see these increases over these seats. And if that’s something you’re uncomfortable with, please let the athletic department know, let Josh Hemingway know that if seats might open up in different areas, we can move those around.” BI: Did fans understand they were paying under the market value for these seats and that you’re doing this to ultimately help the athletic program and not just jacking up prices because you can? 121

TEAM MAKERS EXIT INTERVIEW WITH TERRY LUDLUM

TL: “There were some folks that responded immediately who said, ‘We think you’re being greedy that you’re gouging.’ But again, when you’ve got 600 groups waiting in line for the tickets, we’re trying to balance that to the loyalty component of it. We felt that this was addressing the loyalty component along with, if you’re uncomfortable, we can seat you somewhere else when they become available. Once we realize where we’re going, what kind of numbers do we truly need to satisfy the scholarships, then we knew we needed those revenue sources also.” BI: What was it like being the president of this fundraising organization when NDSU went 122

forward with cost-of-attendance? TL: “We had a budget established, then Matt (Larsen) came forward and said, ‘Okay, gentlemen, what are your thoughts here? Do we want to look at cost-of-attendance and if we do, how do we want to implement that? Do we want to select certain athletes? Do we want select certain teams, certain programs?’ And I think, it quickly came out from a consensus standpoint, that if we’re going to fund cost-of-attendance, we’re doing it across the board, every sport and every athlete.” BI: What’s going to be your role now as the past president? TL: “I see the past president’s role

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

on the committee as to get the new members acclimated to the system. If you’re going to give a $100 to Team Makers, it’s important that everybody on the executive committee and the fund drive committee understands where that $100 is used. And that’s been a difficult thing because they’re used to be so many different funding components—through Team Makers and the Alumni Association—you have a clouded message as to where it was going. I think now and over the last few years, we’ve done a better job of defining and saying, ‘Yours goes toward the scholarships. Wonderful. In this fund, it goes toward brick and mortar.’ We’ve clearly defined those, so now I think that’s the role of the past president, is to be able to pass

that message along on the executive committee. And then, the other part of it is to look for new folks that want to come on the executive committee that are interested in it because now, with the two-year term of offices, you’re looking at about a nine, 10, 11year commitment.” BI: We’ve seen a push to get more young professionals involved. Will that continue? TL: “That’s really been an important side of what we’re trying to do recently is making sure that we have different philosophies on the committee. Those that understand the athletic system and those that have been a part of it, like former

athletes, and then that young business model that comes in with different ideas. I think it’s important we continue to nurture that a little bit and then go out and find these folks to continue making this stronger. We’re dealing with a completely different critter. Back, not very long ago, about 12 years ago, we were dealing with $600,000 and about 700 members. Now we’re in the $5.2 million range and 4,000 members so it can’t be that same executive committee philosophy. That ‘I’ll just shake hands with everybody’ way of thinking, that’s getting a little more difficult.” * * *

THANK YOU FOOTBALL SENIORS

THANK

YOU SENIORS “I

t may be a small class, but it’s the right group of seniors,” reiterated head football coach Chris Klieman during Senior Week. It was another senior class filled with amazing accolades as these 10 players round out their careers as nothing short of Missouri Valley Football Conference champions. The goal of the Bison every year is to win their league. This class never failed. From transfers like King Frazier and Quinten McCoy, to fiveyear guys like Eric Perkins and Zack Johnson, this class of 10 young men were the staple of Bison Pride.

Accomplishments Over The Past Four Years 53-4 Overall Record 31-2 Home Record 29-3 Conference Record 19-0 Nonconference FCS (including playoffs) 3-0 Against FBS Four MVFC Championships Three FCS National Championship

Special Thanks to: #2 Quinten McCoy #13 Eric Perkins #22 King Frazier #25 Chase Morlock #41 MJ Stumpf #47 Pierre Gee-Tucker #66 Zack Johnson #70 Jack Plankers #78 Landon Lechler #97 Brad Ambrosius

124

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

THANK YOU FOOTBALL SENIORS

125

FCS PLAYOFF RANKING WHIRLWIND

FCS PLAYOFF

RANKING WHIRLWIND After weeks of drama, NDSU, FCS Playoff Find Their Bearings By Joe Kerlin Photo by Paul Flessland It was a famous fictional anchorman named Ron Burgundy and Chicago Cubs’ first baseman Anthony Rizzo who said it best: “I’m in a glass case of emotion.” NDSU fans knew the feeling all too well on November 3 when the first FCS Playoff Rankings were released live on ESPN U. The passion fueled NDSU fans collectively grabbed their pitchforks and headed to the internet to express their displeasure with the first unveiling of the FCS Playoff Committees rankings. They weren’t without justification. NDSU, with four Top 25 wins at the time and a win against Iowa, was ranked fourth in the initial poll. The Bison were three spots behind Jacksonville State, who was undefeated in the FCS, a No. 2-ranked undefeated Sam Houston State team and a one-loss Eastern Washington, whose only loss came in Fargo in September. The FCS, in an attempt to start the discussion about the original college football playoff, released three Top 10 polls in three weeks throughout November. Along with generating conversation about the FCS, the idea behind the rankings release was to give a snapshot to fans about who the committee thought were the 10 best teams in the FCS, and ultimately, who would get a bye in the first round with a Top 8 seed. 126

NDSU would move up to No. 3 in the second poll release and, to much of the gratification of Bison fans, NDSU was bumped to No. 1 in its final release. Morehead State University Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson, chair of the selection committee, came out after the first rankings were released to explain the process on Bison 1660. The committee is split into four regions called the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC). The Central Region is comprised of two athletic directors from Missouri Valley Football Conference, Ohio Valley Conference and Pioneer League. Each RAC ranks teams in their three-conference region. These rankings are sent to each of the 10 athletic directors on the FCS Playoff Committee. Then, each committee member emails Hutchinson a Top 10 and the rankings are created from there. There are no face-to-face or phone conversations between committee members during the Top 10 ranking process during the season. The only conversation that happens is between the six members in each of the four RACs until the FCS Playoff Committee meets in Indianapolis during the final weekend of the season. During that final meeting, the 10-1 Bison were selected as the No. 1 seed, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

FCS PLAYOFF RANKING WHIRLWIND

127

FCS PLAYOFF

RANKING

SHAKE-UP November 3

November 16

1. Jacksonville St. – 7-1 2. Sam Houston St. – 8-0 3. Eastern Washington – 7-1 4. NDSU – 7-1 5. James Madison – 7-1 6. The Citadel – 8-0 7. Richmond – 7-1 8. Chattanooga – 8-1 9. Charleston Southern – 5-2 10. Central Arkansas – 7-1

1. NDSU – 9-1 2. Eastern Washington – 9-1 3. Jacksonville St. – 9-1 4. James Madison – 9-1 5. Sam Houston St. – 10-0 6. The Citadel – 10-0 7. Central Arkansas – 9-1 8. Richmond – 8-2 9. North Dakota – 9-2 10. South Dakota St. – 7-3

November 11

Final FCS Playoff Bracket Top 8

1. Jacksonville St. – 8-1 2. Eastern Washington – 8-1 3. NDSU – 8-1 4. James Madison – 8-1 5. Sam Houston St. – 9-0 6. The Citadel – 9-0 7. Chattanooga – 8-1 8. Richmond – 7-2 9. Central Arkansas – 8-1 10. North Dakota – 8-2

1. NDSU – 10-1 2. Eastern Washington – 10-1 3. Jacksonville St. – 10-1 4. James Madison – 10-1 5. Sam Houston St. – 11-0 6. The Citadel – 10-1 7. North Dakota – 9-2 8. South Dakota St. – 8-3

FCS PLAYOFF RANKING WHIRLWIND

FCS PLAYOFF

TOP FOUR RESUMES

NDSU

(#1 Seed, 10-1)

EASTERN WASHINGTON

9-1 – Against FCS 1-0 – Against FBS (Iowa) 2-0 – Against Nonconference FCS (Wins: Charleston Southern, Eastern Wash.) 5-1 – Against Top 25 Opponents 52-32 – Opponents Combined Record (3rd in FCS) 56th – Sagarin Rating (Highest in FCS)

9-1 – Against FCS 1-0 – Against FBS (Washington St.) 1-1 – Against Nonconference FCS (Win: Northern Iowa) 3-1 – Record Against Top 25 Opponents 42-40 – Opponents Combined Record (52nd in FCS) 72nd – Sagarin Rating (2nd in FCS)

(#2 Seed, 10-1)

JACKSONVILLE JAMES STATE MADISON (#3 Seed, 10-1)

(#4 Seed, 10-1)

8-0 – Against FCS 1-1 – Against FBS (Win: Coastal Carolina, reclassifying to FBS; Loss: LSU) 1-0 – Against Nonconference FCS (Win: Liberty) 2-0 – Against Top 25 Opponents 31-34 – Opponents Combined Record (80th in FCS) 84th – Sagarin Rating (6th in FCS)

10-0 – Against FCS 0-1 – Against FBS (North Carolina) 2-0 – Against Nonconference FCS (Morehead State, Central Conn. St.) 2-0 – Against Top 25 Opponents 44-43 – Opponents Combined Record (57th in FCS) 80th – Sagarin Rating (3rd in FCS)

129

FCS PLAYOFF RANKING WHIRLWIND

QUARTERFINALS

SECOND ROUND

FIRST ROUND

December 9/10

December 3

November 26

1 NORTH DAKOTA ST. (10-1)

*CAL POLY (7-4) SAN DIEGO (9-1)

8 SOUTH DAKOTA ST. (8-3)

*VILLANOVA (8-3) SAINT FRANCIS (PA)

(7-4)

*CHATTANOOGA (8-3)

5 SAM HOUSTON ST. (11-0)

WEBER ST. (7-4) *NEW HAMPSHIRE (7-4)

4 JAMES MADISON

(10-1)

LEHIGH (9-2) *YOUNGSTOWN ST. SAMFORD

(8-3)

3 JACKSONVILLE ST. (10-1)

(7-4)

*WOFFORD (8-3)

6 THE CITADEL (10-1)

CHARLESTON SO. (7-3) *RICHMOND (8-3)

7 NORTH DAKOTA (9-2)

N.C. A&T (9-2) *CENTRAL ARK. (9-2)

2 EASTERN WASH. (10-1)

ILLINOIS ST. (6-5) 130

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED â&#x20AC;¢ D EC EMBER 2 016

FCS PLAYOFF RANKING WHIRLWIND

FCS PLAYOFF

SEMIFINALS

December 16/17

FINAL

January 7

BRACKET CHAMPION

NOTE * = HOST INSTITUTION 131

SWANY SAYS

swany says WELCOME TO

DECEMBER: When it matters most FOLLOW @swany8

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

t was a stadium, an actual real life college football stadium, like the ones you see on television. For two 8-year olds that watched college football every Saturday in front of the 19-inch Zenith in the living room, Dacotah Field on Fargo’s north side was massive. It was a quantum leap from the single set of bleachers running 10 rows high and as many seats wide at the football field on the east side of Maddock, North Dakota. The scale of it—just the scale of it. The green Astroturf. This big, white-sided building called the Bison Sports Arena towering behind the east end zone. That, too, was an imposing, real-life arena. The enormous bleachers at Dacotah Field complete with a press box running what seemed like the length of the south side. The scoreboard, back of the opposite end zone from the BSA, even showed down-and-distance, displayed scrolling messages, and implored fans in one permanent ad to tune into 970 AM or WDAY-TV.

It was November 1990, my first North Dakota State football game. The Bison were playing in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals against Cal Poly, a team from somewhere in California, a bastion of beaches, sports cars, and movie stars. It was cold. I remember Pa Swany bundling his boys into 132

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

their snowmobile suits and those old winter boots—you know the boots—the ones with the brown sides and darker brown toes that every kid growing up in North Dakota has had since the dawn of time. Dad and his friends were wearing their Carhartts, and although this is without any supporting evidence, probably enjoying their hot chocolates a lot more than we were enjoying ours. The wind penetrated everywhere and it was overcast, not a glimmer of sun shimmering in the sky, all gray. It was the kind of weather you got used to as a kid at recess growing up in the Midwest. Come wind chills of minus 40 degrees and driving snow, they sent you outside to run around for 20 minutes, where, like your homesteading pioneering ancestors, you and your friends learned to build forts from massive snow blocks to keep out the cold. Not so much the visitors from California. The NDSU media guide confirms my memory of the weather conditions that day: “Cool temperatures and gale-force winds did not help the Californians cause.” Some Bison players had short-sleeve shirts under their uniforms. That’s a special kind of tough, man. Meanwhile, Cal Poly players huddled en masse inside heat boxes with Knipco heaters arranged on their sideline. The Bison rushed the ball 65 times for 452 yards in a 47-0 rout. In a stat straight from Darrell Royal’s mouth, the legendary Texas football coach who was known for saying three things can happen

SWANY SAYS

“Operation Desert Storm and the first Gulf War loomed on the horizon, prompting Cal Poly’s head coach Lyle Setencich to quip after the game, ‘I told you that coming in here was like going to Iraq with a .22 (caliber gun), didn’t I.’” when you pass and two of them are bad, the Bison completed one-of-four passes that day for 11 yards. Operation Desert Storm and the first Gulf War loomed on the horizon, prompting Cal Poly’s head coach Lyle Setencich to quip after the game, “I told you that coming in here was like going to Iraq with a .22 (caliber gun), didn’t I.” I’ve been hooked on all things Bison ever since that day over 26 years ago, though, admittedly,

maybe not quite as much as my brother. Any time we were in Fargo after that game, whether in January or July, he made Pa Swany drive past Dacotah Field and take us to the Varsity Mart. It’s no coincidence that, years later, he would end up working for NDSU Athletics. A signed game program from then head coach Rocky Hager sits on display in his office at the SCHEELS Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex with prophetic words

about him becoming a Bison. Not to be outdone, my office on the third floor at Vogel Law Firm looks like it belongs somewhere on campus with so much Bison memorabilia filling the shelves and walls that one of our senior attorneys and a fellow NDSU fan jokingly refers to it as “the dorm room.” All I’m missing is a tattered couch and beer fridge. Among my favorite items are the two Bison figures made of North Dakota lignite coal standing guard over my desk. Fittingly, one of them was a gift from the University of North Dakota School of Law for speaking at a law review symposium. The Bison now attempt to add a 14th national championship trophy to the collection after a gutty 10-1 regular season. NDSU claimed their sixth-straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and the well-deserved No. 1 seed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Somehow, though, this season feels different from the last five title runs. 133

SWANY SAYS

Despite the MVFC title and having one of the most difficult schedules in the FCS, there are skeptics. Lost in the shuffle is the fact the Bison beat four other playoff teams and then No. 11 University of Iowa—something Jim Harbaugh’s University of Michigan couldn’t do—ensuring the Road to Frisco runs through the Fargodome, where NDSU is 16-0 in the playoffs. This team is the most battle-tested squad in the FCS. Yet, there are questions from some corners wondering if NDSU has enough in the tank to get back to Texas because they didn’t pile up video game scores on opponents, even though seven of their 11 opponents ranked when the Bison played them. Each December for the last five years, I’ve addressed that question. Let me do so, again. Yes. While the Bison offense is a little more diverse than it was the last time we played Cal Poly in the playoffs, some things haven’t changed. We still rely on the power run game and a stifling defense, which has powered the program to even greater heights since winning our eighth national championship in 1990. That day at Dacotah Field 134

may be a memory, but one thing remains constant. The culture. The tradition. Bison Pride. The way this team handles its business, there is an intangible that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. This is why NDSU gets back to Frisco. The intangibles, coming up big when it matters most. Tre Dempsey with his highlight reel interception against Eastern Washington to set up Lance Dunn’s game-winner one play later. Easton Stick dragging Iowa defenders in his wake when his team trailed late in the game on the way to Cam Pedersen’s clutch 28-yard field goal for the win, after the Bison defense held the Hawkeyes to a must-have three-and-out, forcing a punt. MJ Stumpf trucking Western Illinois’s Lance Lenoir, stopping him cold in his tracks at the one-yard line, keeping Lenoir out of the end zone and preserving a fourth quarter lead. It’s next man up and next man showing up big – like against Northern Iowa when Matt Plank intercepted a pass in the red zone with minutes left in the game to ice a giant road win at the UNI-Dome. It’s the Bison offense grinding out tough yards to run out the clock and seal another MVFC

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

championship when everyone inside the DakotaDome knew where the ball was going. That kind of toughness and fortitude isn’t sexy. It isn’t headline-grabbing or eye-popping, and it can’t be quantified on the stat sheet. But it wins games. It wins championships. Like the famous Justice Potter quote from a bygone United States Supreme Court case, although I can’t quite describe it or put my finger on it, “I know it when I see it.” There’s something special about this Bison team. After NDSU beat Eastern Washington in a 50-44 overtime thriller earlier this fall, Bison head coach Chris Klieman summed it up. “What can you say about those guys in that locker room. They always feel like they have an opportunity to win. They never feel like they’re out of it. They play for each other.” In December, that’s what matters most, it’s all that matters. It’s Bison Pride. Some things will never change. Everyone up for the kickoff, the march is on!

* * *

BISON CROSSING

Bison Crossing 1 3

5 6 7

8 10

11 13

Across

Who sang the Star Spangled Banner at the grand opening of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex (SHAC)? Morgan _____’s brother Marcus played four years of basketball for North Carolina. This man was NDSU’s Team Maker president for the last two years. This NCAA championship qualifying wrestler grapples at 125 pounds.

Which first-year assistant coach wrestled for the University of Minnesota and went on to head coach at Concordia in 2014 before coming to NDSU?

Down

Which wrestling assistant coach finished his college career with 126 wins, tying him for third most in Virginia Tech history?

An assistant coach working alongside Amy Ruley during women’s basketball’s glory days in Division II.

This soccer forward from Plymouth, Minn., ranked second for goals scored in the Summit League last season.

Which basketball player tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his shooting thumb, and was cleared to play again a week before the season opener against Arkansas State?

6. 8. 11.

This former Butler University basketball player is now an assistant men’s basketball coach. Brian __________ is the chair of the FCS Playoff selection committee. This NDSU heavyweight wrestler has been bleaching his hair blond since he was in high school.

ANSWERS 9. Paige 10. Terry Ludlum 11. Ben Tynan 12. Josh Rodriguez 13.Matt Nagel

Which NDSU men’s basketball player has played in the most games going into the 2016-2017 season?

1. Jarrod Garnett 2. Kelli Layman 3. Holly Enderle 4. Carlin Dupree 5. AJ Jacobson 6. Will Veasley 7. Tigirlily 8. Hutchinson

4. 7. 9. 10. 12. 13.

SEE

THE O T S R E W ANS

LEFT! 137

BISON WORD SEARCH

WORD SEARCH

S WORD D TO FIN

MORGAN PAIGE RYAN MARTIN DAVE RICHMAN KYAN BROWN SPENCER ELIASON

ALEXIS THOMAS LUCAS JOHNSON KELLI LAYMAN QUINTEN MCCOY OFFICER MOSZER

TYLER MCNUTT MATBOSS BEN TYNAN MARK COOK NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

139

141 ANSWERS: 1. NDSU logo missing from jersey 2. The letters “AR” missing from Arkansas State 3. Buffalo Wild Wings missing from hoop 4. Bison Head logo missing from Dexter’s shorts 5. NODAK Mutual LED sign missing letter “U”

SPOT THE

DIFFERENCES ORIGINAL SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

POP QUIZ

POPQUIZ

WITH NDSU ATHLETES

What is your favorite thing about winter?

How do you motivate yourself to study for final exams?

What was your favorite holiday tradition as a child?

My favorite thing about winter is going ice fishing.

To motivate myself for exams I have a good breakfast and listen to my favorite songs.

My favorite tradition was having family get-togethers to celebrate the holidays.

My favorite thing about winter is staying indoors, being cuddled up on the couch drinking hot chocolate & watching Christmas movies all day long.

I motivate myself with food. I don’t eat dinner until I have all my work done for that night.

My favorite holiday tradition was decorating the Christmas tree with my family and eating sugar cookies all day.

Simple. Just pass the exam. Who wants to fail an exam?

Thanksgiving, in general, is my favorite holiday and will always be, because I enjoy being thankful for all that I have.

Zack Johnson

This senior offensive guard was named to the AP All-American third-team and All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team in 2015. The Apple Valley, Minnesota native has played a total of 56 games in his Bison career.

Football

Brianna Jones

Basketball

This senior forward from Indianapolis, Indiana, scored in double figures in seven games last season while ranking sixth in the Summit League in rebounds per game. She’s played every game in her Bison career since transferring from Danville Area Community College.

Carlin Dupree

Basketball

This senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, plays guard and scored a career-high 22 points last season in a comeback victory over IPFW in the Summit League Tournament semifinals. Included in his heroics, he scored the winning bucket with four seconds to go.

My favorite thing about winter is absolutely nothing. Winter is not my favorite thing in this world, especially in Fargo.

Hannah Jessen

This defensive specialist from Boyd, Minnesota, has played in 29 matches this season. As a senior, she made 97 digs in 2016 and is a repeat selection on the Summit League’s Fall Honor Roll and Commissioner’s List.

I love how in the early morning the sun shines through the iced over tree limbs. They sparkle and make beautiful colors!

I tell myself that if I work really hard for my exams, I can eat more Christmas cookies when I get home for the holidays

VOLLEYBALL

We still do this, my family does a “Christmas bomb” where we empty out all our Christmas decorations so they cover our entire living room and then we listen to Christmas music and decorate for the holidays!

Ben Tynan

WRESTLING 142

The senior from Kennewick, Washington compiled a 20-12 record with five pins last year. He went 2-2 and placed fifth at the Big 12 Championships in Kansas City. Tynan spent the first two years of his college career at Highline Community College.

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

Christmas music and holiday scented candles

Kish-hours

Forcing myself to believe in Santa Claus even though my older siblings said he wasn’t real.

What is the most memorable gift youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever received?

What is the first thing you would buy after winning the lottery?

The most memorable gift that I received was a new bike when I was little.

The first thing I would buy would be a brand new pickup truck.

I will never forget when I got the lime green nano MP3 player the year it came out. It was hidden in a jacket I got and when I realized it was in there, I was the happiest girl in the world.

If I won the lottery, the first thing I would do with the money is send my family on a nice vacation somewhere tropical.

When I got my first Xbox.

I would put money away for my daughter Kaelyn to pay for her college one day.

After spending most of the year away from my family, I always consider quality family time to be my most memorable gift.

Maybe a peppermint mocha? I think I would just give the money to my parents to help with the family farm.

The PlayStation 2. Not only did that machine have the best graphics, but it was my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first DVD player.

A vehicle that can withstand the extreme winters of Fargo.

SPORTS CALENDAR

SPORTS CALENDAR DECember

16 Men’s Basketball at North

2 Wrestling at Northwestern

19 Women’s Basketball at

(Evanston, Ill.) 7 p.m.

Dakota (Grand Forks, N.D.) 8 p.m.

2 Women’s Track and Field

Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, Texas) 7 p.m.

Dakota Classic (Fargo) 1 p.m.

20 Women’s Basketball vs.

2 Men’s Basketball at North

UC Santa Barbara (Edinburg, Texas) 4:30 p.m.

Carolina A&T (Greensboro, N.C.) 6 p.m.

20 Men’s Basketball at

Dakota Classic (Fargo) 1 p.m.

Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.) 6 p.m.

3 Women’s Basketball at

28 Women’s Basketball vs.

2-3 Men’s Track and Field Milwaukee (Milwaukee, Wis.) 2 p.m.

South Dakota State (Fargo) 7 p.m.

3 Football vs. Cal Poly or San

28 Men’s Basketball at South

Diego (Fargo) 2:30 p.m.

Dakota State (Brookings) 7 p.m.

4 Wrestling at Dragon Open

29-30 Wrestling vs. Midlands

(Moorhead, Minn.) 9 a.m.

4 Wrestling vs. Indiana (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1 p.m.

4 Wrestling at SIU Edwardsville (Edwardsville, Ill.) 2:30 p.m.

Championships (Evanston, Ill.) All Day

31 Women’s Basketball at Denver (Denver, Colo.) 2 p.m.

31 Men’s Basketball vs. Omaha (Fargo) 2 p.m.

5 Women’s Basketball at Oakland (Mich.) (Rochester, Mich.) 6 p.m.

JANUARY

7 Men’s Basketball vs. North Dakota (Fargo) 7 p.m.

9 Wrestling vs. Maryland (Fairfax, Va.) 4 p.m.

9 Wrestling at George Mason (Fairfax, Va.) 5:30 p.m.

10 Women’s Basketball vs. North Dakota (Fargo) 7 p.m.

4 Women’s Basketball vs. South Dakota (Fargo) 7 p.m.

5 Men’s Basketball vs. IUPUI (Fargo) 7 p.m.

6 Wrestling vs. Northern Colorado (Fargo) 7 p.m.

12 Women’s Basketball vs. Mayville State (Fargo) 7 p.m.

14 Men’s Basketball vs. UC Davis (Fargo) 7 p.m.

144

B ISO N ILLUST R ATED • D EC EMBER 2 016

Senior Dexter Werner, has kept his defensive reputation this season. He’s averaging more than two steals per game through the first two weeks of the season.

BER M E C E D 2016