Bison Illustrated December 2021

D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 1

C O M P L I M E N TA RY

WEST FARGO'S JARED FRANEK AND THE REST OF THESE NORTH DAKOTA ATHLETES ARE MAKING AN IMPACT VERY CLOSE TO HOME.

PRIDE OF THE PRAIRIE

CONTENTS

16

COVER STORY 14

PRIDE OF THE PRAIRIE

12/2021

22

RECURRING

28

8 Editors Note 50 Swany Says 54 Schmidty’s Slant 58 Team Makers

16 Kelby Anderson 20 Jake Reinholz 26 Jared Franek 32 Cody Mauch 36 Jacob Rodin 40 Grant Nelson 44 Tyler Kliniskie 48 Statewide Bison

42 FIND US ONLINE

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4

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FROM BRADY DRAKE

Pride of the

Prairie

I

It’s always great to see the hometown kid succeed.

There’s a connection you feel to their triumphs. You may know their family members. You may have seen the work that they put in day in and day out.

Or you may have simply watched them from afar.

Whatever the case may be, you feel a certain sense of pride knowing they’re cut from a similar cloth as your own.

FROM THE EDITOR

This is one of the many great things about North Dakota State athletics, watching North Dakota kids succeed at the highest level and knowing that our local athletic programs have the right stuff to produce a No. 2 Overall NFL Draft pick, national champions and All-Americans.

This annual Pride of the Prairie issue is a celebration of that. We interviewed

seven athletes that graduated from North Dakota high schools. Their hard work, dedication and North Dakota pride make them the Pride of the Prairie.

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 16 ISSUE 8 Bison Illustrated is a free publication distributed monthly (8 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 Mike Dragosavich EDITORIAL Editorial Team Lead Brady Drake Graphic Designer Kim Cowles Creative Strategist Josiah Kopp Editors Geneva Nodland, Grant Ayers Contract Photographer Jeremy Albright Contributors Josh Swanson, Nolan Schmidt INTERACTIVE Business Development Manager Nick Schommer Business Development Associate Kellen Feeney Videographers Tommy Uhlir, Robert Whiteside Graphic Designer Ben Buchanan ADVERTISING VP of Business Development Paul Hoefer Paul@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Sales Representatives Al Anderson Al@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Zach Willis Zachary@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Devan Maki Devan@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Client Relations ClientRelations@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Client Relations Manager Jenny Johnson Marketing Designer Christy German ADMINISTRATION VP of Human Resources Colleen Dreyer Account Strategist Cassie Wiste Office Administrator Jessica Mullen Operations Administrator Kodi Geris-Schroeder DISTRIBUTION Delivery John Stuber

FOR ADVERTISING, CALL 701-478-SPOT (7768) or email info@spotlightmediafargo.com Bison Illustrated is published by Spotlight Media, LLC. Copyright 2021 Bison Illustrated & bisonillustrated.com All rights reserved.

No parts of this magazine may be reproduced or distributed without written permission of Bison Illustrated. Bison Illustrated and Spotlight Media, LLC is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. Spotlight Media, LLC accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers.

Send change of address information and other correspondence to: Spotlight Media LLC. 4609 33rd Ave S Suite #304 Fargo, ND 58104 or Info@SpotlightMediaFargo.com

CHECK OUT

SPOTLIGHT MEDIA'S OTHER MAGAZINES

In this issue, we highlight 10 new businesses we’re excited about. 10 places we chose to feature in this magazine aren’t necessarily the 10 things that we are most excited about, there are far too many businesses in and around the community worth experiencing! They simply provide a glimpse into some of the new gems that help create the community we call home.

In 2021, we had the pleasure of speaking to an assortment of brilliant, creative and hard working business professionals. In order to properly celebrate them, we decided to take a look back at many of the great photos we took in 2021.

For this year’s Design & Living Holiday Shopping Guide Issue, we wanted to showcase the rich Scandinavian culture FargoMoorhead offers. We connected with some of our favorite Scandinavian-inspired gift shops in the area, selecting some of our favorite gift items to share with you along the way. Merry Christmas from the Design & Living team!

MEET OUR TEAM AT GRANT - Editorial

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“We have been working with SWL for 8 years. They help us with HR practices, contracts, and other legal issues that come up. I love how progressive and proactive they are.

They have always felt like a partner and not just a law firm we call when we need something.”

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PRIDE OF THE PRAIRIE

NORTH DAKOTA STATE HAS ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENTLY SUCCESSFUL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT’S EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS THAT A HIGH NUMBER OF ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES HAIL FROM ITS VERY OWN BACKYARD WHICH IS ONE OF THE LEAST POPULOUS STATES IN THE COUNTRY. ALL OF THE ATHLETES IN THIS ISSUE EXEMPLIFY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE NORTH DAKOTAN. THEY ARE THE PRIDE OF THE PRAIRIE. 14

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JOSIAH KOPP

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SENIOR, NDSU TRACK & FIELD/XC

KELBY ANDERSON

THE

K

BISMARCK BLAZER

Kelby Anderson comes from a long line of great runners. Both her parents are runners and she hails from our state capital, Bismarck.

And, it just so happens that Bismarck has a tendency to produce really strong runners. In fact, a Bismarck school has won 15 of the last 17 team cross country championships and 11 of the last 15 team track & field championships in the state.

However, despite very strong performances, Anderson never captured an individual championship in either sport during her high school career. But that didn’t stop her. Since stepping on campus at NDSU, Anderson has dominated better competition than she faced in high school, winning individual conference championships in the outdoor 1500m and 10,000m as a redshirt freshman, an individual conference championship in the indoor mile as a sophomore and individual conference championships in the indoor 3000m and 5000m as a junior which also earned her Most Outstanding Performer honors. As a junior in cross country, she was also the Summit League individual champion and Summit League Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

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BISMARCK HAS A LONG TRADITION OF PRODUCING GREAT TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES. DID YOU AND YOUR TEAMMATES DO ANYTHING SPECIAL TRAINING GROWING UP? In high school, we got together and did summer training as a team and I think that was probably very important.

I feel like getting together as a team in any sport is really important, especially for running.

Maybe that's the secret. There are more hills in Bismarck than out east so maybe that's it. Maybe it's more hill training. I don't know.

WHEN DID YOU START TO TAKE RUNNING MORE SERIOUSLY AS A SPORT AND SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD COMPETE IN COLLEGE? I think I've always taken it pretty seriously. It's always been one of my main sports and I'm a very competitive person so I feel like I've always taken it pretty seriously.

But I didn't really think about college sports until my junior and senior years of high school.

WERE YOUR PARENTS RUNNERS? Yes, both my parents are very active and my mom ran for the University of Mary. We're all very active people.

YOU NEVER WON AN INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN ANY EVENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL. YET, YOU'VE CAPTURED MULTIPLE INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE SUMMITT LEAGUE, HOW BIG OF A LEAP HAVE YOU MADE THROUGHOUT YOUR COLLEGE CAREER? I think a lot it has to do with the environment I'm in here. Everyone is very supportive. Even across sports, everyone is very supportive. I think that has a lot to do with it. Also, there's just a higher level of training here.

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Q&A DID YOU HAVE A LIGHT BULB MOMENT WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMED TO CLICK? Not really, it just seemed to kind of happen.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BISMARCK? I like the trails. There's a lot more trail running there.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN YOUR HOME STATE AT A COLLEGIATE LEVEL? It means a lot. It shows there's a lot of support here. The Bison family runs strong in North Dakota. It's kind of nice that we have our own little North Dakota family.

YOU'RE COMING OFF OF A SEASON WHERE YOU DEALT WITH INJURY, WHERE ARE YOU AT IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS? I'm still trying to get back to full speed. It has been a slow process getting back into shape and stuff but I'm really excited for what's ahead.

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KICKER, SENIOR, NDSU FOOTBALL #37

JAKE REINHOLZ

THE

SHANLEY SENSATION

I

It's not often you go Division I for your performance in a high school side gig, but NDSU's current placekicker Jake Reinholz did.

At Fargo Shanley, Reinholz was known more for his performance on the pitch than the gridiron. As a soccer player, Reinholz was a four-year starter and a two-time all-conference and all-state first-team selection.

In his senior season, he tied the unofficial state single-season record for goals, netting 43 in his final campaign. His 78 career high school goals put him one shy of tying the state record for goals in a career.

However, that's not to say Reinholz didn't make an impact on the football team. During his prep career, he was reliable and netted a field goal of 41 yards in the process. The NDSU coaches took notice and Reinholz was faced with the tough decision of choosing between soccer and football for his collegiate career.

Reinholz eventually chose the Bison but he also had serious offers to play soccer at a number of quality Division II schools in Colorado and Missouri. However, he says he is happy with his decision.

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AT WHAT AGE DID YOU START PLAYING FOOTBALL?

definitely my main sport. Once it came time to make a decision after high school, it just seemed like this was the better option.

I started playing my sophomore year of high school. We had an older kid on our soccer team that kicked for the football team and I thought I'd just give it a try. It ended up working out.

WAS THERE EVER ANY CONSIDERATION OF DOING SOMETHING OTHER THAN COMING TO NDSU TO KICK? BE IT PLAYING SOCCER OR WHAT HAVE YOU?

WHEN DID YOU START TAKING IT SERIOUSLY AS A PATH FORWARD IN ATHLETICS? I would say I always took it seriously, but soccer was

Yeah, I had a couple opportunities to play soccer at some Division II schools in Colorado and stuff like that, but this allowed me the chance to stay close to home and my support group which is really important to me.

WHAT ARE THE ADDED BENEFITS TO STAYING IN YOUR HOMETOWN AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE? I think just being close to family and the rest of that support group.

Q&A 22

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TIM SANGER/NDSU ATHLETICS 23

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157 LB, JUNIOR, NDSU WRESTLING

JARED FRANEK

THE

WEST FARGO WARRIOR

T

They don’t come much more accomplished than Jared Franek, who has been making a mark on the Fargo wrestling scene since he was a seventh-grader in 2013.

In that 2013 season, Franek went to state as an alternate, not for his middle school team, but for West Fargo’s Varsity team. He ended up taking fourth in the 106 lb weight class. In his freshman season, he would win his first of four individual state championships. By the time his high school career closed he was the state’s all-time winningest wrestler with 268 career victories and a one-time Cadet National Champion.

With that type of prep resume, it’s no surprise that collegiate coaches from all over the country came calling. However, Franek wasn’t interested in leaving the community that built him and he committed to North Dakota State.

Since joining the herd, Franek has qualified for the NCAA national championships twice, earned one All-America team honorable mention, two National All-Academic team awards and two All-Big 12 Academic First team awards. And he is only a junior!

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Q&A YOU WERE A FOUR-TIME STATE CHAMPION IN HIGH SCHOOL AND A FREESTYLE NATIONAL CHAMPION IN HIGH SCHOOL. THERE HAD TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST FROM SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF THE AREA. WAS THERE EVER A TEMPTATION TO GO ANYWHERE OTHER THAN NDSU?

The whole recruiting process was a lot. It was kind of stressful, especially early on after that national title.

There were quite a few coaches that contacted me, but it was really about narrowing it down and figuring out where I fit in.

WHAT ABOUT THE FARGO AREA MADE YOU WANT TO STICK AROUND?

DID YOU EVER DREAM ABOUT WRESTLING FOR NDSU? Yeah, I grew up coming to duels since elementary and middle school. It wasn’t like this is where I wanted to go from the start, but I remember watching it and enjoying the duels and how the guys wrestled.

As I got older, I got to know the guys on the team and would come here in the summer to workout with them and I just grew that bond early on.

There are so many people to name. Just local people that I’ve wrestled with and against growing up. They may be done wrestling but they’re still supporting me.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, KIDS GET PRESSURED TO START SPECIALIZING IN A SPORT FAIRLY YOUNG. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR TIME PLAYING FOOTBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL HELPED YOU TO DEVELOP AS AN ATHLETE?

My parents, my girlfriend, my family, my family friends and old coaches. There are so many of them that still come to duels. It’s super special to me.

I had people in my life that were supportive of my choice to play football. For some people out there, I think it might be beneficial for

I think just the people and the support I’ve had growing up. I knew I was going to have the same group around that had been with me since I started wrestling. I knew those people would continue to push me. Even in the big states, I don’t think there would be the same support I have here. I’m pretty fortunate with that.

WHO IS THE GROUP THAT’S BEHIND YOU?

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NDSU ATHLETICS

them to do one sport but I think for me it wasn’t like that. Football was a little break from the other nine months of wrestling that I did and I really enjoyed it. I had a great group of teammates as well. I still wrestled throughout the football season, but it took my mind off it and ultimately helped me be a better athlete.

HOW DID YOU FIND TIME TO WRESTLE DURING THE FOOTBALL SEASON? I would usually do it on the weekends. During the week I wouldn’t get to too much. There were quite a few kids on our football team that wrestled as well so we would go in on weekends when we had the chance.

We wouldn’t really do anything too serious.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM HIGH SCHOOL? I have a lot of memories from high school. Some of my favorites are with the teammates I had. I loved going to tournaments with them and the bus rides.

In my seventh and eighth-grade years we won the team title in the duels and that was super, super special. Both our team and Bismarck High’s team were nationally ranked. That was the highlight of my first few years. Then the next few years, I really just grew closer to the guys and got to enjoy the sport a little bit more. In my senior year, we won the state football championship and that was really special.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLACES IN FARGO? I used to enjoy playing mini golf and racing go-karts with friends. I frolf a little bit and enjoy that. There are so many good restaurants here to go and eat and Fargo just keeps getting more. But, unfortunately, I’m not able to try them too often with wrestling. I also like fishing the river with the guys on the team in the summer when we have time.

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HOW DO YOU THINK GROWING UP IN WEST FARGO SHAPED YOU? It’s definitely shaped how I view things and helped shape my work ethic. I’m a stereotypical hard working North Dakota kid. My dad and my coaches instilled that in me growing up. They taught me to work harder than everyone else and that’s what I try to continue to do today.

I love this state and growing up here. It’s pretty cool going across the state when we have time and showing teammates the western side of the state and things like that.

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OT, SENIOR, NDSU FOOTBALL #70

CODY MAUCH

THE

HANKINSON HERO

H

Hankinson is a North Dakota city through and through. With a population of 997 and a dependence on agriculture, it’s just the town to produce a player like Cody Mauch.

Mauch, a standout for the 9-man Hankinson pirates, received a lot of shine for his performance in high school. As a Pirate, Mauch finished his career with 1,072 receiving yards, a school record 24 touchdowns and the school record for sacks in a season and career. On the basketball court, he was an all-conference and all-regional player. In track & field, he qualified for the state meet as a thrower.

Yet, shortly after coming to NDSU as a preferred walk-on Tight End, Mauch found himself making the transition to a much less glamorous position, offensive line. And he embraced it.

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RIC KRUSZYNSKI/NDSU ATHLETICS

Q&A WHEN YOU WERE RECRUITED, DID THEY PLAN ON USING YOU AS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN? No, I think the original plan was to use me as a tight end.

But during that redshirt season, they saw that the weight was going on easy. I think I went from around 220 to around 260 that year. Then, I started taking some reps at tackle in the spring and we just made the transition.

IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET MEANINGFUL PLAYING TIME, WERE YOU EVER DISCOURAGED, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE POSITION CHANGE? No, not really. It’s a very competitive program. A lot of guys don’t get any opportunities until their third or fourth year in the program. I would have been just a practice player for all five years if that’s what my role was.

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In the game against the University of North Dakota this season, NDSU started three in-state offensive linemen: Cody Mauch, Cordell Volson and Jake Kubas.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST THOUGHTS YOU HAD WHEN YOU WERE TOLD YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME PLAY FOR NDSU? Yeah, I was really excited. I immediately knew I wanted to come here. I’ve been following NDSU football my whole life and I know it’s a big deal to get an opportunity to play here.

HOW DO YOU THINK GROWING UP IN HANKINSON BUILT YOU AS AN ATHLETE? I think it really just helped me develop a work ethic.

HOW DID PLAYING TIGHT END HELP YOU IN THE ROLE YOU HAVE TODAY? I think it may have helped with my footwork a little bit.

They’re sort of similar positions in that you’re blocking a lot. I’m just not catching as many balls now. Maybe that’s why they moved me, because of my hands.

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NDSU TRACK & FIELD

JACOB RODIN

THE

KENMARE KING

J

Jacob Rodin is what our annual Pride of the Prairie issue is all about.

Rodin hails from a town of 939 and wasn’t recruited in high school until a very impressive performance late in his career. Like most small-town kids, he excelled in not just one sport but three, earning 2nd team allstate honors in football and basketball.

Though he was lightly recruited, Rodin has blossomed as a runner during his time with the Bison, capturing a conference championship in the 2019-2020 indoor 800m and runner-up finishes in the outdoor and indoor 800m in 2020-2021. He was also part of the 4x400m relay team that secured both conference championships last season.

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Q&A I WAS TOLD YOU HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING STORY AS FAR AS GETTING A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER, COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

I didn’t have any scholarship offers at all until after the state track meet. I didn’t even think I was going to be running track in college until Coach Larson called me after the meet.

By the time he called me, most people had already made decisions about what they were going to do after high school. I always wanted to go to NDSU or a college near home so I was kind of just planning on going here without a sport before Coach Larson contacted me and kind of changed my mind. I was never dead set on running in college, but he kind of convinced me and I’m very happy he made the visit and talked to me, that’s for sure.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT GOOSE FEST? It’s one of the biggest things in Kenmare. It’s a week-long hunting event where people come from all over the United States. They have a chili cook-off and hunting competitions for most birds, biggest bird, smallest bird. It’s just a fun time where everyone in Kenmare gets together.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVITIES? Yes, I never participated in the competitions but I would go to the chili cook-off and gun raffles and whatnot.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN KENMARE? I really liked it. It has a small-town feel. I graduated with 20 kids so it’s different, but I didn’t know the big city life. We went to Minot as a kid and that’s as big as it got for me as a kid. But I really enjoyed it.

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NDSU ATHLETICS

YOU PLAYED FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL IN ADDITION TO RUNNING TRACK & FIELD. WHERE THERE ANY OTHER SPORTS YOU PLAYED GROWING UP? I played baseball until my junior high years when I started doing track. After that, the season always took place during the spring so I started going to track pretty much full-time. I didn’t end up doing it in the summer at that point either because I wanted to focus on training for football, basketball and track.

DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE AMONG YOUR SPORTS? I KNOW A LOT OF ATHLETES START OFF DOING TRACK AS JUST A WAY TO STAY IN SHAPE FOR THEIR OTHER SPORTS. I would say basketball is my favorite sport. I wouldn’t say I really started enjoying track until my junior year of high school. At that time, I really started to fall in love with the competition behind the sport. When that happened, it started to compete with basketball as my favorite sport.

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FORWARD, FRESHMAN, NDSU BASKETBALL #4

GRANT NELSON

THE

DEVILS LAKE DANDY

G

Growing up, Grant Nelson was your average North Dakota kid. He loved spending time outdoors and playing his favorite sport with his friends.

However, he is not your average North Dakota born basketball player.

Hailing from Devils Lake, Nelson burst onto the scene as a true freshman for NDSU last season, earning the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year award and a spot on the league’s All-Newcomer Team. In the process, Nelson shot 47.1 % from the field and 35.6% from three while leading the team with 25 blocks.

There is no question that the blend of length, athleticism and ability to shoot the three that the 6 ft 11 in forward displayed in his freshman season was exciting, to say the least. And perhaps offered only a glimpse of what’s to come down the line.

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NDSU ATHLETICS

Q&A WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN DEVILS LAKE?

There wasn’t much to do besides go to the lake or play basketball. Basketball with my friends was probably some of the most fun times I had.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU LIKED TO DO ON THE LAKE? I used to fish a lot. I also liked to wakeboard, wake surf, tube, pretty much any sort of water activity.

WAS PLAYING AT NDSU ALWAYS A GOAL OF YOURS GROWING UP? Growing up, I didn’t really have that high of an expectation for myself. It wasn’t until my sophomore year when I really started to grow and I realized my potential really could be Division I. After my sophomore and junior year, I knew I wanted to play Division I so I started playing AAU ball. That opened up a lot of doors and the NDSU coaches started talking to me.

I’ve always really liked this school and followed their basketball and football team pretty much my whole life.

DEVILS LAKE HAS PRODUCED A LOT OF GREAT ATHLETES, BUT I DON’T THINK PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WOULD LABEL IT AS A BASKETBALL HOTBED. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU DID

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GROWING UP TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS TO GET TO THE POINT YOU’RE AT TODAY? I was really just going to the gym pretty much every day and playing at the park a lot. I think my sophomore and my junior I would go to the park pretty much every day after school.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT LIVING IN FARGO? Fargo is just great. It’s a great community. I’ve had a lot of friends here from playing AAU ball. A lot of them live in Fargo. It’s just nice to be in a bigger town.

There are a lot more things to do.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE PLACES AROUND TOWN? In the summer, I like to go to the pool with my teammates. I have family members here that I hang out with a lot. But other than that, it’s pretty much basketball.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PLAYING IN YOUR HOME STATE? It means a lot.

DID YOU EXPECT TO CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS YOU DID LAST SEASON? I did expect to play. I wanted to go to a college where I could play right away. I felt NDSU was a great spot for me where I could contribute right away. It’s also a great school with a great culture. I was expecting big of myself and the coaches were as well. So I just did what I could to contribute and it paid off.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR SPORTS MANAGEMENT MAJOR? I’d like to maybe become a coach or continue playing basketball. My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA or somewhere else.

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RHP, JUNIOR, NDSU BASEBALL #28

TYLER KLINISKIE

THE

GRAFTON GREAT

L

Located in the northern part of the state, Grafton is far from a baseball hotbed. However, by the time Tyler Kliniskie takes the mound for NDSU this spring, he will become the second member of his family to develop into a Division I baseball player.

His older brother, Anthony Kliniskie was a pitcher with the Bison from 2009 to 2012, pitching in all four seasons for NDSU while posting a record of 7-4 and a 5.31 ERA across 79.2 innings of work.

Tyler’s path to the herd was a little less straightforward.

The younger of the Kliniskie brothers started his career at Valley City State, pitching in three seasons for the Vikings with his finest season coming in the 2020-2021 campaign. During that season, Tyler went 1-4 while posting a 5.63 ERA and fanning 49 across 48 innings of work.

Now, Tyler enters the NDSU program as a grad transfer and it looks like his best baseball is ahead of him.

Q&A

WHAT DID THE LONG WINDING ROAD TO NDSU, WITH A LONG PIT STOP AT VCSU, LOOK LIKE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL?

I developed a lot during my first year at Valley City. I was growing as a player, my fastball had jumped from 83 in highschool to 86 in the fall and then to 91 over winter break. Then, after my freshman year, I tore my labrum. So then, I sat out a year before coming back.

Once I finished at VCSU, I was moving to Fargo and had a full-time job lined up. I ended up getting a call from an indy-ball team from Arizona, and thought about it, but decided that probably wasn’t the right option. I thought it would be better to possibly try and continue playing in college and work towards something else education-wise.

SO YOU HAD A JOB LINED UP, DID YOU REACH OUT TO THE NDSU COACHES OR DID THEY REACH OUT TO YOU? I had told my coach at Valley City that I was thinking about possibly playing and he talked to Coach Brown when he was here to see if there would be any interest in having me come here to play.

Eventually, we both decided there was a mutual interest in having me come here to play.

COMING FROM GRAFTON, YOU DON’T HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS SOME OTHER HIGH SCHOOLERS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PLAY THE GAME YEAR ROUND. DID YOU REALLY DO ANYTHING IN THE OFFSEASON TO SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS? I played football and basketball in high school too so baseball wasn’t a year round thing at all. We did some

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things once in a while during the winter, but for the most part, we started in March and that’s when we started.

WAS BASEBALL YOUR MAIN SPORT OR WERE THEY ALL KIND OF EQUAL TO YOU? Baseball was definitely number one, far and above the other two.

DO YOU THINK THE OTHER TWO HELPED YOU AS A BASEBALL PLAYER AT ALL? I think, physically in some way, but I think it helped me mentally more than anything. I think it helped me develop that mental edge a little bit.

WHAT IS IT LIKE COMING IN AS A 23-YEAR-OLD GRAD TRANSFER? It’s definitely different. I’m older than probably everyone but four or five guys on the team. I feel like the transition has gone pretty well though. Nothing has been a huge wakeup call or anything like that.

BETWEEN VALLEY CITY, GRAFTON AND NOW FARGO, YOU’VE SPENT A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT TIME AT DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE STATE. WHAT DOES THE STATE MEAN TO YOU IN GENERAL? It means a lot. Being from North Dakota, you kind of just get that blue collar mentality. Working hard is important here. I just love the state. Many people just don’t understand it unless you’ve been here.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT GRAFTON? Really just the people.

Check out all of the North Dakota cities represented on Bison rosters.

Kenmare

Aurelia

Stanley Minot Williston New Town

Balfour

Harvey

Hazen

Mandan Dickinson Bismarck

STATEWIDE

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Cavalier

Grafton

Devils Lake Grand Forks

Thompson

Carrington

Mayville

Hillsboro

Harwood Jamestown

West Fargo Oriska Fargo

Horace Jud

BISON

Wahpeton

Hankinson

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SWANY SAYS

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

The next generation t was the calm before the proverbial storm of a new school year and successful football season on a mid-August Saturday at Herd and Horns. As most of you know, Herd and Horns is the Bisonthemed family-friendly sports bar that’s a Cam Miller to Christian Watson touchdown throw away from the Bison statue proudly standing guard over North Dakota State’s campus near the South Engineering building. We were meeting my parents and siblings for lunch. Oh, what a memorable lunch it would become.

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Libby and I had taken some of our wedding photos a few years ago with the rest of our wedding party in front of that famous Bison statue on campus.

In fact, one of those photos graces my Twitter profile, which you can see @ swany8. Fast forward a few years, and on this day, we were with our son, Maverick, having that lunch at Herd and Horns. Towards the end of lunch, Maverick was running all over the place with his cousin, Kye, taking in all the Bison glory. It was like watching an old family movie ala Clark Griswold in the attic during the iconic Christmas Vacation scene. Except instead of my brother, Justin, and myself sprinting around the Turf as rambunctious tots, it was the next generation.

In the game room with the pool tables and dart boards is a large stuffed Bison head dutifully watching patrons. Few people know that this Bison at Herd and Horns actually has a name–it’s “Pete

Bison.” But it wasn’t the proprietors of this fine establishment, Brent Tehven or Mike Dragosavich, who christened the pub’s unofficial mascot. That honor goes to Justin. Maverick stopped to admire the big Bison, looking up and pointing, telling us in awe, “big Bison.”

Justin told him, “His name is ‘Pete’ Bison.” As many of you know, there’s absolutely no such thing as a casual off-the-cuff remark to a toddler in “I-will-repeat-everything-that-I-hear” mode. Ever since that lunch nearly four months ago, every single Bison that Maverick sees, even on TV, is “Pete Bison.” When we see Thundar, in that adorable heart-melting sweet little voice, I’m gently rebuked with, “No daddy, that’s not Thundar, that’s Pete Bison.” It sure is, pal!

There’s a great children’s book if you’re a Bison family and looking for a Christmas gift called “Hello, Thundar!”

You can buy it online or at the NDSU Bookstore. It’s an illustrated book that gives you a tour of NDSU’s campus from the aforementioned Bison statue to Minard Hall, Festival Concert Hall, the Fargodome and tailgating, and even the Greenhouse Complex. The book makes special mention of the Harvest Bowl and the importance of agriculture to NDSU’s mission. It even gives a special shoutout to the Gold Star Marching Band. And speaking of special shoutouts, hats off to Dr. Sigurd Johnson for his tremendous tenure as director of that NDSU institution.

But back to business we go. I love the fact that, along with “Hey Duck!”, it’s one of Maverick’s favorite books.

How could I not, like father like son, right? The tour of campus in “Hello, Thundar!” is led, of course, by Thundar.

The book is especially meaningful because every time we read it, I’m

reminded of the fact that I gave more than 100 campus tours during my time as a Bison Ambassador at NDSU. I still have my famous blue Bison Ambassador coat hanging up in an upstairs closet. The past is never too far away as each time we read the book, it whisks me back to growing up going to games at Dacotah Field with my dad and grandpa, or my time attending NDSU. But because of my brother, we have a discussion every time we read “Hello, Thundar!” Because Thundar’s real name, according to Maverick, is not Thundar, it’s Pete Bison! It’s all things Bison in our house, 24/7. Much to the chagrin of my wife Libby, I often let Maverick pick out his own clothes to wear if I’m responsible for getting him dressed in the morning. While this explains why he’s often as welldressed as his dad. Hey, who doesn’t love grey khakis, paw patrol socks, and a mismatched shirt? Can you guess what his favorite shirts are when dad asks him what he wants to wear? You got it. Along with anything Paw Patrol, Maverick tells me that he’s wearing one of his Bison shirts. At least with his shirts it’s just “Daddy, I wear my Bison shirt,” and he’s not asking to wear a “Pete Bison” shirt.

One simple remark during lunch at Herd and Horns has turned into something memorable for our family, and also convinced my son, thanks to his uncle, that Pete Bison is a better nickname than Thundar. The next generation of Bison is well on its way.

Everybody up for the kickoff, the march is on!

BY Nolan P. Schmidt

Mat Pack

Why you need to take in a Bison wrestling dual this year... am a big time wrestling nerd. Part of that stems from a true love for professional wrestling in my youth. Now, that enjoyment I once had for “fake” wrestling has transitioned into an appreciation for amateur wrestling.

I have said it time and time again, wrestlers are a different breed of human being. They put their body on the line and push it to its limits, all for a seven minute match.

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Within that seven minutes, two opponents battle in a true test of strength, endurance and talent. The work that goes into being a successful wrestler is already awe-inspiring to someone like me. These are real athletes, folks and there is really no other way to put it.

I believe that North Dakota State has something special in its wrestling program. Historically, we know the program has seen tremendous highs under the tenure of longtime coach Bucky Maughan. The success seen in the Division II era has also translated to Division I for the Bison. While NDSU has not captured a team national championship in Division I, the program is quickly rising in a competitive Big 12 Conference.

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The pieces are in place for this program to really make some noise in the near future. That being said, I do believe that everyone (especially if you call yourself a Bison fan) should take in a home wrestling dual at some point. The atmosphere is fun and it’s just a great and unique way to spend an afternoon or evening. With the season humming along, there are only a few home duals remaining before tournament time.

Here are just a few reasons why Bison wrestling is worth your time.

the Trojans offer a program that is still in its relative infancy. 2021-22 will be the school’s third year fielding a wrestling program. On top of that, Little Rock brings back a familiar name for Bison wrestling fans. Paul Bianchi is still currently wrestling for the Trojans at 133 pounds. NDSU fans will remember Bianchi as an NCAA qualifier in 2018 as a member of the Bison. While that makes for a good storyline, it is worth noting that Little Rock is a program on the rise.

Primetime Mat Rats

Marquee Matchups If you want to see high-level wrestling, going to a Bison dual will provide that.

Of the remaining four home duals left this season, three of those four are Big 12 Conference match-ups. Bouts with West Virginia, Air Force and Northern Colorado are always tough matchups for NDSU and its wrestlers. The Mountaineers are paced by their 125 pounder Killian Cardinale, who at the time of this piece is ranked eighth in the country in that weight class.

Even NDSU’s lone match-up against a non-Big 12 school is interesting. Their February 11 dual welcomes Little Rock to the Sanford Health Athletic Conference.

Wrestling out of the Pac 12 Conference,

While we are only a few years removed from Cam Sykora’s epic run to the Big 12 133 pound title, it seems as though the Bison are on the cusp of having multiple conference champs. The first name that comes to mind is Jared Franek. The local 157 pounder is currently ranked ninth in the country at that weight class and everyone inside the Bison wrestling room is excited to see what Franek can do in Tulsa this year. The daunting part is what stands in Franek’s way, mainly Iowa State’s David Carr. Long regarded as the best 157 pounder in the country, Carr beat Franek in last year’s Big 12 title match. Redemption has to be at the forefront of Franek’s mind and he may just get another shot at Carr come March.

Luke Weber is the other name you have to get excited about. Weber hit his stride late last season and it all culminated in a conference championship at 165 pounds in Tulsa. Currently ranked 13th in the nation at that weight class, Weber knows the importance of finishing the season strong. Now a senior, do not be surprised to see Weber running out of the tunnel in Tulsa on championship night. If that were to be the case, it would be the fifth consecutive season a Bison wrestled in the 165 pound championship match with Weber last year and NDSU great Andrew Fogarty the previous three years before that.

The Right Formula Listen, I am a big Roger Kish fan.

I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves and maybe he is cool with that, but I am not. This guy can coach, folks. Not only that, but he consistently puts together a staff that suits the program best even when there is turnover. Along with that, I do not think we can underestimate just how good of a recruiter Roger Kish is. Look at NDSU’s track record.

Cam Sykora, Andrew Forgarty, Cordell Eaton, Brandon Metz, Jared Franek, Kellyn March, Luke Weber, etc.

What you have to understand is that a lot of the names mentioned are not from massive metro areas.

Sykora and Fogarty came from rural Minnesota towns and what did they end up doing? Sykora became a Big 12 champ and Fogarty was a threetime Big 12 runner-up. That does not happen by accident. It happens with good development and a commitment to always improving on that mat.

That is how Roger Kish operates and that is how he runs his wrestling room. It’s time to start putting some respect on coach’s name because he has consistently brought his best since he took over this program.

Remaining Home Duals 1/29 vs West Virginia (1 p.m.)

1/30 vs Air Force (11 a.m.)

2/11 vs Little Rock (7 p.m.)

2/13 vs Northern Colorado (2 p.m.)

Before you go...learn how wrestling is scored.

The Basics Takedown (when one wrestler takes the other to the mat from a neutral position) = 2 points Escape (when a defensive wrestler escapes an offensive wrestler inbounds) = 2 points Reversal (when a defensive wrestler on bottom reverses and gains control of the offensive wrestler) = 2 points Other Ways To Score Near Fall (near fall criteria is primarily met through having an opponent’s shoulder blades within four inches of the mat) = Maximum of 4 points Penalty (Flagrant misconduct, unsportsmanlike conduct, etc.) = Point values vary on infraction Time Advantage (also known as riding time when an offensive wrestler grounds a defensive wrestler to the point that they cannot escape.) = A wrestler who owns the riding time advantage over one minute is awarded 1 point.

Ways To Win Fall = Shoulders or shoulder blades touch the mat for one second.

Technical Fall = A wrestler is given a technical fall victory if they outscore their opponent by 15 or more points.

Major Decision = A wrestler is given a major decision if they outscore their opponent by eight or more points, but below 15 points.

Decision = A wrestler outscores their opponent by eight or less points.

Other Ways To Win Default Disqualification Forfeit Team Scoring Breakdown Fall = 6 points Forfeit = 6 points Default = 6 points Disqualification = 6 points Technical Fall = 5 points Major Decision = 4 points Decision = 3 points

TEAM MAKERS

NDSU Athletic Endowments NDSU Athletic Endowments are at an all-time high. These endowments are an important funding source today, and in the future, as NDSU Athletics’ continues its mission to support our student-athletes at the highest levels.

2021-22 Athletic Endowments • 220 named athletic endowments • $48M overall endowment balance • $38M directed to support scholarships • $10M directed for programmatic support Annual Athletics Scholarship Budget $4.8M • $1.5M Funded through endowments (31%) • $3.3M Funded through Team Maker donations (69%)

Athletic scholarships are funded 100% by donors!

If you would like to receive information on how to fund your own endowment, contact Jack Maughan, NDSU senior associate athletic director, at 701.231.8984 or Stefanie Kelly, director of athletic development, Twin Cities, at 612.270.6171

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or Parker Kruckenberg, assistant athletic director of development, at 701-231-5614.

North Dakota taxpayers are eligible for a 40% state tax credit for contributions to an existing endowment or upon establishing an endowment.

2021-22 Endowed and Named Scholarships Please note, all scholarships have the following criteria in addition to more requirements specific to each donor’s wishes: • Recipient must be properly enrolled at NDSU at time of actual award disbursement • Recipient must be in good academic standing as determined by the NDSU Athletic Department SANFORD HEALTH SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Men’s Basketball – Grayson Haman

DALE E. BOATRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP Football – Tyson Gordon BILL CORWIN SCHOLARSHIP Men’s Basketball – Sam Griesel BRUCE LATZ ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT ENDOWMENT FUND Football – Eli Mostaert AMY RULEY ENDOWMENT Basketball – Gabrielle Forde, Abby Schulte NDSU HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Mason Miller Basketball – Josh Streit MIKE WHETSTONE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Lane Tucker BYRON J. BERNTSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Josh Babicz

BOB CLARK SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Noah Gindorff JOHN AND KAY DEAN MEMORIAL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Softball – Ciara Jensen

JOHN AND TRISHA CYR ENDOWMENT Volleyball – Kelley Johnson Wrestling – Dominik Vacura

MARTIN AND BILLIE GOODWIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND Track and Field – Nell Graham

TRAVIS DUNNING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Baseball – Tristan Roehrich

CAL CARLSON SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Cullen Curl

DR. PATRICIA A. BEATTY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Golf – Elise Hoven

TONY MONTE ENDOWMENT Football – Luke Weerts

JACKSON ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Salmata Korgho

DAN PAULSON SCHOLARSHIP Football – Austin Avery

EDIE BOYER M. ENDOWMENT Basketball – Olivia Skibiel

LYNN DORN WOMEN IN SPORTS EXCELLENCE FUND Softball – Nicole Licea Golf - Alexandra Geolat Volleyball – Kirstin Tidd Soccer – Danielle Stuber Track and Field – Amanda Anderson

CINDY BAYS SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Nick Kubitz BOB AND DARLENE YAGGIE FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Spencer Waege AMOS AND HALLIE BLOMBECK ENDOWMENT Wrestling – Sam Stuhl

MARK A. ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP FUND Golf – Maddie Herzog

BERT BERG ENDOWMENT Football – Cody Mauch

TOM AND GERRY KENNEDY SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Beau Brannan

CRAIG BOHL FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Dominic Gonnella

JOANN GRIMES MEYERS ENDOWMENT FUND Volleyball – Syra Tanchin

TSCHETTER/MORLOCK SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball – Reneya Hopkins

DALE E. AND BEVERLY PEPPEL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball – Sam Griesel

ANDERSON, BOB AND PHYLLIS ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Baseball – Ben Smith HOLLY HUSO SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Emily Behnke

DICK RAYL SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Tyson Gordon

RON AND KAREN OFFUTT SCHOLARSHIP Cross Country/Track and Field – Abigail Hoffarth TITAN MACHINERY SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Wrestling – Brandon Metz PAT AND LARRY KAUFMAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND Track and Field – Jackson Tracy Golf – Catherine Monty ROBERT H. JOHNSTON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND Baseball – Cade Feeney CHAPMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT Softball – Skylar Padgett RED RIVER COMMODITIES SCHOLARSHIP FUND Basketball – Boden Skunberg

LAVERN FREEH FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Davadios Hart SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS SCHOLARSHIP FUND Track and Field – Brita Birkeland KUZEL FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS Cross Country/Track and Field – Kelby Anderson SCOTT AND ANN DAU FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Football – Cordell Volson CURT AND JEANNE QUENETTE ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Football - TK Marshall FRANK MEYERS ENDOWMENT FUND Football - Enock Sibomana DOLVE LARSON SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Basketball - Rocky Kreuser DIANE BELING SCHOLARSHIP Basketball - Grant Nelson

KLOUBEC TRACK ENDOWMENT FUND Track and Field – Alex Brosseau Track and Field – Kaci Cooper

STEPH WEIAND TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field - Trent Davis

GARY AND ANN SHOWERS SCHOLARSHIP FUND Basketball – Josh Streit

MARGIE MEYER ENDOWMENT FUND Football - Bartholomew Ogbu

DARRELL LARSON FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Football – Travis Yohnke

#64 BOB AND #58 BRUCE YAGGIE FATHER-SON FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football - Costner Ching

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TEAM MAKERS LEVON C. KIRKEIDE AND FRIEND HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP Basketball - Andrew Morgan KATHLEEN VALDEZ AND DJ GUERRERO ENDOWMENT FUND Basketball - Heaven Hamling JOANDREA LARSON SCHOLARSHIP FOR ATHLETICS Golf - Josh Galvin RYAN MCGLYNN FAMILY ENDOWMENT Track and Field - Bryce Enerson INNIGER FAMILY ENDOWMENT Basketball - Rocky Kreuser KATHERINE BURGUM WOMEN’S ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball - Sophie Olson EDWARD AND FRANCES WERRE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football - TaMerik Williams GENE DAHL SCHOLARSHIP FUND Volleyball - Kirstin Tidd MIKE WIESER ENDOWMENT Football – Logan McCormick RICHARD AND DELORES SAMPSON TRACK ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Hunter Merkley ED GRABER SCHOLARSHIP FUND Football – Ryan Jones

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AL AND CHAR ZAESKE ENDOWMENT Football – Reed Ryan ROY AND LOUISE JOHNSON FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Football – Hunter Poncius JOE CICHY ENDOWMENT FUND Football – Michael Tutsie O.Q. AND MARJORIE JOHNSON FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Track and Field – Benji Phillips GOOSENECK IMPLEMENT/ GREEN IRON EQUIPMENT HARVEST BOWL ENDOWMENT Basketball – Emily Dietz LYLE S. HOKANSON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND Track and Field – Eric VanErp DAVID L. JONES SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Noah Shafer FOLSTAD FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Ryan Cobbins RICHMOND AND MARION LAPP FAMILY ENDOWMENT Basketball – Kylie Strop SCOTT VANDEVOORT SCHOLARSHIP Football – Joe Stoffel

MIKE AND BARB JONES GOLF ENDOWMENT Golf – Leah Skaar Golf – Nate Adams

BRUCE A. AND JONAL H. UGLEM SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball – Grant Nelson

MYRON AND MURIEL JOHNSRUD HARVEST BOWL ENDOWMENT Football – Jackson Hankey

DELAND AND EVIE MYERS ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Softball – Desiree Cardenas

COLLEEN DELLWO ENDOWED VOLLEYBALL SCHOLARSHIP Volleyball – Allison Hinze

DALE AND MARILYN LARSON SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Baseball – Carson Hake

DAN UNDEM FOOTBALL ENDOWMENT FUND Football – Will Mostaert

NICK SCHAUER SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Parker Ellis

SHANE AND MARY WENDEL SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Calob Larson

JUDGE MYRON BRIGHT FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Softball – McKenzie Schulz

DR. ROBERT AND SUSAN SHOOK TRACK ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Rhaeghn Gripentrog

PAUL AND SHERRI SCHMIDT TEFFT FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Jasir Cox

ROGER GROOTERS TRACK AND FIELD - CROSS COUNTRY ENDOWMENT FUND Cross Country – Keiser Freetly

ANDERSON, GLORIA CREWS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Amanda Anderson

JED AND DEDE KRIEG MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK/ FIELD SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Cross Country/Track and Field – Zach Johnson

HARVEY AND ILA COON FAMILY INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS ENDOWMENT Football – Gabe Lloyd

SHAWN AND DARLA DOBBERSTEIN FAMILY ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Trevor Otterdahl

DON AND SUE MORTON FAMILY FOOTBALL ENDOWMENT Football – Dawson Weber JEFF SCHALE MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT Football – Julian Wlodarczyk

ROBERT AND SUZANNE LERVICK ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Brock Johnsen PRESIDENT JIM AND SONJA OZBUN WOMEN’S INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC FUND Track and Field – Bailee Dierks DAHLSTROM, LARRY AND A.J. ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Football – Braylon Henderson Softball – Lainey Lyle ALSOP FAMILY ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Wrestling – Gaven Sax LEO AND SHIRLEY RICHARD FAMILY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Cordell Volson MICHAEL VIPOND ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Basketball – Kadie Deaton DR. TODD AND DEBORAH DEBATES FAMILY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Raja Nelson GILBERT AND CAROLYN NELSON ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Elijah Hylen LYNN AND KAREN ROESLER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Wrestling – Brandon Metz Track and Field – Grace Emineth

DOUG AND RENELDA HUSHKA FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Football – Oscar Benson NELLIE AND JIM WALKER WOMEN’S SOCCER SCHOLARSHIP Soccer – Alyson Cole CHRIS AND RHEA HAUGRUD ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Christian Watson EARLE AND EVELYN LEAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Marcus Walton

NIPSTAD FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Cody Mauch

GREG SKOG MEMORIAL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Softball – Ciara Jensen

L. DAN AND KATHLEEN WILHELMSON ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball – Heaven Hamling

RATTI FAMILY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Mason Hofstedt

LARSEN FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Kody Huisman

RUTH BUEHLER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Daejha Moss

ARMBRUST FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Quincy Patterson

STEVE STEPHENS FOOTBALL STUDENT ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Javier Derritt

JAMES AND NAOMI HAMBRICK ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Eli Mostaert

MATT WATSON BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Baseball – Peter Brookshaw

ROCKPICKER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Football – James Kaczor

SCOTT MILLER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Dominic Gonnella

JAKE LABER BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Baseball – Garret Hill

GUNKELMAN SCHOLARSHIP FOR ATHLETICS Wrestling – Austin Brenner Softball – Reanna Rudd

DON “LARS” LARSON SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Tyler Enerson

JOHNSON, JEFF L. FAMILY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Jaxon Duttenhefer

WELDER, TONY ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP Baseball – Druw Sackett

TYLER JANGULA FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Hunter Luepke

NDSU ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS Wrestling – Mannix Morgan Football – Finn Diggins Softball – Avery Wysong Soccer – Brookelyn Dew Track and Field – Kristoffer Thomsen Basketball - Marie Olson

KEN AND JAN PROMERSBERGER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Football – Phoenix Sproles

LOREE GAUFFIN FOOTBALL ATHLETICS ENDOWMENT Football – Oscar Benson KYLE AND AMANDA (KRENZ) STEFFES ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Barika Kpeenu

PATRICK BENEDICT MEMORIAL HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Wrestling – Austin Brenner

FELAND FAMILY ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Football – Javier Derritt

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TEAM MAKERS CHARLES AND MARY WEINGARTEN SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Ty Satter

BOB AND BRUCE YAGGIE MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDOWMENT Basketball – Maleeck HardenHayes

MITCHELL FAMILY ATHLETICS ENDOWMENT Football – Jacob Kubas

GLENN AND ALICE STROUSE ELLINGSBERG HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP Soccer – Aliya Owens

ROYAL AND ANGELA LOVELL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Baseball – Max Loven RICHARD AND KELLY SAGER HARVEST BOWL ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Tyler Enerson MARIAN WALLA WENKER ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Football – Bartholomew Ogbu BERRETH, WADE FAMILY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Dylan Hendricks RODGER WHITFORD MEMORIAL GOLF ENDOWMENT Golf – Brock Winter SANFORD/SUMMIT ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Softball – Chloe Woldruff CHAD STARK SCHOLARSHIP Football – Kobe Johnson TERRY AND SUSAN HANSON FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP Football – Cam Miller

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KEN AND MARIE ZETOCHA FAMILY ATHLETICS ENDOWMENT Soccer – Danielle Algera LANCE AND PENNY WOLF ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Football – Bryce Lance ADE SPONBERG SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Wrestling – Jared Franek GARY AND JENNIFER PAULSRUD BASKETBALL ENDOWMENT Basketball – Jarius Cook JEY AND DAWN JOHNSON NDSU FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – Cole Payton LYNDEN AND KATHY JOHNSON HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP Soccer – Katie Pagel HANSON, TERRY AND SUSAN GLOBAL INNOVATION AND GROWTH SCHOLARSHIP Soccer – Lavin Douglass

CARLSON, KENT AND JODI HARVEST BOWL ENDOWMENT Cross Country/Track and Field – Isaac Huber KBW ASSOCIATES ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Baseball – Cade Feeney BLATTNER FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Football – James Kaczor Wrestling – Ryan Henningson ANDI (NOEL) OLSONAWSKI MEMORIAL ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Sofia Naranjo Mata JEFF AND CARRIE JACOBSON FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Golf – Holly Murphy GLENN AND PHYLLIS MELVEY SCHOLARSHIP FUND Golf – Nate Deziel ROBERT E. INGSTAD SR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Softball – Kaylee Moore Football – Phoenix Sproles LAUF FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Kylie Strop NORM VENNERSTROM GOLF SCHOLARSHIP Golf – Alexandra Geolat DENIS “IZZY” ISROW SCHOLARSHIP Football – Destin Talbert

AL AND NETTE LUNDEEN SCHOLARSHIP Volleyball – Allie Scheiwiller FOUR FRIENDS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Katie Hildebrandt Basketball – Andrew Kallman CALVIN K. MD AND DORIS L. FERCHO SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Maleeck HardenHayes C. J. NUDELL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Tyree Eady MEYERS ENDOWMENT FUND Football – Jalen Sundell CATHERINE YAGGIE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Emily Dietz BRADY LIPP SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Dezmond McKinney GATE CITY BANK ENDOWMENT Softball – Desiree Cardenas Baseball – Wyatt Nelson PHILIP A HANSEN SCHOLARSHIP Football – Cordell Volson EUNICE AND DAN STINE SCHOLARSHIP Basketball – Ryan Cobbins ALLAN AND NAOMI FISCHER SCHOLARSHIP FUND Volleyball – Kelley Johnson Track and Field – Cullen Curl BUCKY MAUGHAN WRESTLING ENDOWMENT Wrestling – Michael Caliendo,

Jared Franek, Kellyn March, Juan Mora, Juan Carlos Negrete, Deanthony Parker, Luke Weber BISON VOLLEYBALL ENDOWMENT Volleyball – Alexis Boling, Michelle Glover, Morgan Middleton DERALD AND MARILYN BARGE GOLF ENDOWMENT Golf – Taylor McCorkle Golf – Jack Johnson JOHN AND LIZ LYNGSTAD ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Basketball – Boden Skunberg Football – Jake Reinholz TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY ENDOWMENT Track and Field – Clayton Hannula, Brandon Lewis, Cody Roder DR. LEE AND JANE CHRISTOFERSON FUND FOR ATHLETICS Football – Jacob Lippe WIELAND ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT Football – Jerodd Vines MUELLER/MCLEOD SOFTBALL ENDOWMENT Softball – Paige Vargas MAURY WILLS ENDOWMENT Baseball – Brock Anderson XCEL ENERGY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Baseball – Bennett Freiter Wrestling – Riley Habisch GRABER SCHOLARSHIP Football – Ryan Jones DOC AND MARTHA BERRYHILL VOLLEYBALL SCHOLARSHIP Volleyball – Taylor Quan

BERRYHILL VOLLEYBALL SCHOLARSHIP FUND Volleyball – Alexandria Hicks FARMERS NATIONAL FOUNDATION HARVEST BOWL SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Braden Brown NATE AND MOLLIE MATTSON SCHOLARSHIP Soccer – Kate Swanis JOHN AND MARIE LINDSTROM ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP Volleyball – Abigail Moe ELMER M. HOLT JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Cross Country/Track and Field – Joshua Samyn SWEENEY, THOMAS AND KATHRIN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP Football – Dominic Jones FRED R. THARLSON SCHOLARSHIP Track and Field – Adrian Harris Volleyball – Raegen Reilly Wrestling – Cole Gripka Basketball – Ellie Dague Track and Field – Akealy Moton Golf – Ian Simonich HEFTY SEEDS HARVEST BOWL ENDOWMENT Football – Spencer Waege Basketball – Andrew Morgan Football – Travis Yohnke Wrestling – Kellyn March Football – Cody Mauch Wrestling – Owen Pentz Cross Country – Onnica Stansbury