Bison Illustrated June 2015

16 TEAMS • 10 MONTHS • 7 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1 CROWDED TROPHY CASE

JUNE 2015

COMPLIMENTARY

CONTENTS

feature

14

2014-15 NDSU ATHLETICS YEARBOOK

Bison faithful were blessed with another season filled with unforgettable storylines, high drama and championships at NDSU. We go sport by sport and recap the headlines from each team.

54 BLEACHER REPORT It's been nearly eight months since athletic director Matt Larsen took office at NDSU Athletics. We catch up with him at Newman Outdoor Stadium as he explains surviving his first North Dakota winter.

67 GIVING BACK We've covered NDSU Athletics on the field, in the classroom and even the tailgating lot this season. We saved the best for last as we highlight the different ways Bison athletes got involved with the Fargo-Moorhead community this school year.

AT A GLANCE 9 What’s On The Cover?

58 Bison Honors

12 Bison Shots

62 SHAC Update

48 When The Camera Rolls

86 Spot the Difference

52 Tom Douple

92 Pop Quiz

FOLLOW US

2

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

info@spotlightmediafargo.com

@bisonmag

bisonillustrated.com

facebook.com/bisonillustrated

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

82 Former Bison football safety and track and field sprinter Jared Essler stops by to update us on his new high school football coaching gig and lessons he's applied from his time at NDSU.

MEET TEAM JUNE 2015 | VOLUME 9 ISSUE 11 Bison Illustrated is a free publication distributed monthly (12 times a year).

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

MIKE

MICHAEL

BRENT

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

JESSE

BOUGIE

EDITOR Joe Kerlin DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Geiger, George Stack, Ryan Koehler CONTRIBUTORS Josh Swanson, Joe Kerlin, Pat Simmers COPY EDITORS Erica Rapp, Aubrey Schield, Pace Maier, Taylor Markel

TRACY

LAURA

ERICA

GENERAL MANAGER Brent Tehven MARKETING/SALES Tracy Nicholson, Paul Hoefer, Paul Bougie, Tank McNamara SOCIAL MEDIA Samantha Day CIRCULATION MANAGER Codey Bernier

CODEY

JOE

AUBREY

PHOTOGRAPHY J. Alan Paul Photography, NDSU Athletics, Tiffany Swanson, Joseph Ravits, Andrew Jason ADMINISTRATION Heather Hemingway, Laura Ingalls SPECIAL THANKS Ryan Perreault, Wes Offerman, Ryan Anderson, Jeff Schwartz, Colle en Heimstead

LYDIA

ANDREW

GEORGE

WEB DEVELOPER Lydia Gilbertson DELIVERY Chris Larson, Peyton Berger, Hal Ecker

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

HEATHER

TANK

TIFFANY

Spotlightmedia 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:

SARAH

6

RYAN

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

Spotlight Media LLC. 502 1st Ave N. First Floor Fargo ND, 58102 or info@spotlightmediafargo.com

WH

Summit League Softball Tournament Championship

Summit League Men's Basketball Tournament Championship

Western Wrestling Conference Tournament Championship

Summit League Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship

ON AT’S COVTHE ER

Summit League Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship

Summit League Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship

Net from Summit League men's basketball championship game against South Dakota State

Western Wrestling Conference Regular Season Championship

Lawrence Alexander Men's Basketball Jersey

The Coaches' FCS National Championship Trophy

Dakota Marker

NDSU/ SDSU Wrestling Border Bell

2014 FCS National Championship Trophy

National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame 2014 John F. Kennedy Trophy

Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship Trophy 9

EDITOR’S NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Joe Kerlin

Top

Moments B from 2014-15 Season

ack at the NDSU student newspaper, The Spectrum, they used to have me write a “Top Ten Moments of the Year” column every spring. So, if NDSU Athletics is going to continue their tradition of winning, I might as well continue the old Top Ten tradition. Here we go.

bisonillustrated

joe@bisonillustrated.com

10

7

4

Football Defeats Iowa State

Summit League Tournament Experience

Lawrence Alexander’s Senior Night

Nothing beats a quiet FBS stadium, amIright?

If you’ve never been to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the Summit League basketball tournament, you’re missing out on the weekend of your life. If you enjoy ball, being the underdog and the Bison, the Denny Sanford Premier Center is a can’t-miss destination for you.

This is one of those you-hadto-be-there moments. The man that carried the men’s basketball team was honored alone on Senior Night and it seemed fitting. Lawrence Alexander was joined at center court by his son Lawrence III, who brought his dance moves with him to show off to the entire Scheels Arena. And yes, it was the most adorable thing to ever happen in the history of NDSU Athletics.

9 Two All-Americans on the Mat I had a chance to meet Kurtis Julson and Hayden Zillmer in February and I don’t know how anybody could walk away after meeting those two and not root for them. Both are phenomenal wrestlers with humble personalities that deserved to bring home All-American honors.

8 College GameDay Returns Bison Nation always “turns up” for its football team, but the Bison faithful know when to bring it when the national spotlight is shining on NDSU. The vibe in Downtown Fargo was electric again for the ESPN GameDay crew.

6 Erin Teschuk Wins Female Athlete of the Year Hyperboles are all over the place in media (I’m a repeat offender), but what Erin Teschuk accomplished this year was truly THE best season by a Bison runner. She was the first Bison to qualify for the NCAA Championships and she finished better than half the field of 222 runners.

5

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

3 Summit League Championship Game Seeing hundreds of Bison fans storming the court in front of thousands of SDSU fans in their own backyard will never get old. It’s like watching a Vine.

You can’t stop playing it over, over and over again.

Softball Beat Six Big Ten Teams Iowa? Check. Purdue? Check.

Nebraska? Double-check. Indiana?

Check. Illinois? Check. No. 12 Minnesota? Check and mate.

10

@bisonmag

2 Frisco Festivities It was another year in Frisco, and more and more NDSU

@joebisonmag

fans flooding the streets around Dallas. FCS pundits said we wouldn’t be back for a fourth, but we were and we made sure no one counts out this football team.

1 Four Straight FCS Championships They saved the best for last, didn’t they? Like you, I didn’t take a breath for about 15 minutes until Esley Thorton’s interception was confirmed.

It was the best football game I’ve seen in person, hands down. Just when you think you’ve seen the Bison do it all, they storm back from a touchdown deficit to raise their fourth straight FCS Championship trophy.

Let’s toast to another great year at NDSU Athletics! It’s been a pleasure to share my memories with you, Bison Nation. We’ll be back next month with a couple of our old Bison favorites.

Go Bison,

Joe Kerlin

All tournaments include a nice gift, food and maybe even a beverage or two. Here is the list of Team Maker Golf events you can be part of

Support the Bison With Your Golf Clubs

Thursday, June 11 Detroit Lakes Country Club, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Monday, June 15 Fair Oaks Golf Course, Grafton, N.D.

FROM paul bougie

Monday, June 22

CONTACT ME

Hawley Golf Course, Hawley, Minn.

701-478-7768 paulbougie@spotlightmediafargo.com

Thursday, July 16 Creel Bay Golf Course, Devils Lake, N.D.

Thursday, July 30

A

t this time the past two years, Bison Illustrated has taken a deep breath and said, “Let’s get ready for football season and start preparing for August.” So, we got all the info from what was left of the spring sports and put them in the issue with football.

publication a full year. Yes, 12 months of the Bison information that you want!

And this also means there will be a July issue as well, and it will be very special with many names you haven’t heard from in years.

However, last year during June and July, we had extensive meetings, long brainstorming sessions and played a lot of golf. What came from this process?

We decided Bison Nation deserves more than what we gave last year.

Speaking of golf courses, there are some really cool events going on this summer if you’re interested in discussing Bison athletics with your peers. Team Makers is proud to sponsor several different golf tournaments all summer long. Yes, you can support Bison athletics with your golf clubs. So, grab your crew from work or your favorite golfing buddies and sign up.

So, with a happy heart, I welcome you to the first June issue of Bison Illustrated.

We will wrap up the whole year, in all sports. We are so excited to make this

Enjoy the summer, get out on the golf course and do not fear, Bison Illustrated will be here for you.

Bois de Sioux Golf Course, Wahpeton, N.D.

Wednesday, Aug. 5 Lynn Dorn Women’s Golf Classic, Edgewood Golf Course

Wednesday, Aug. 19 Edgewood Bison Open, Edgewood Golf Course

Monday, Sept. 14 Fargo Bison Open, Fargo Country Club

To register, go to gobison. com/sports/2013/4/20/tm_ golf.aspx?tab=golfevents

support for NDSU Athletics by sponsoring various holes at each tournament.

As you can guess, these golf events are a blast. Want to talk about your favorite Bison team? Good. You can ask your questions to the head coaches face-to-face after your round or maybe, if you’re lucky enough, while shooting a round with them.

As the quote from “Caddyshack” says, “Well, we’re waiting.” We are waiting for YOU to sign up or sponsor a hole.

Oh, I do have to mention this as well: when you go to that link, you can also show your

Enjoy the sun in the coming months, but don’t forget the sunscreen and I’ll see you at the 19th hole, everybody.

Paul Bougie 11

BISON

FUN

Seniors Alisa Brown, Brooke LeMar and Liz Keena accepted the women’s basketball Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s (SAAC) Team Service Award at the inaugural Green and Gold Gala inside the beautiful Fargo Theatre this spring. The award went to the male and female team that spent the most time giving back to the Fargo-Moorhead community this past school year (read more about their involvement on page 76). The wrestling team won the men’s award.

Photo by Tiffany Swanson

Check out bisonillustrated.com

12

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

BISON

FUN

13

2014-15

NDSU ATHLETICS YEARBOOK The 2014-15 season was another storybook year for NDSU Athletics.

With a new athletic director, new coaches and fresh leaders filling their roles on the field and in the classroom, the tidal wave of success the program has been riding year after year continued. Through football field and basketball court stormings to softball and racetrack triumph, relive the seven conference championships and the numerous other performances by every Bison athletic team this season.

By Joe Kerlin | Photos courtesy of Tiffany Swanson, Joseph Ravits,, Darrin Gibbins, Richard Svaleson, Gabrielle K. Hartze, Kimberly Hill, Tyler Ingham and Bob Nelson

14

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

15

2015 YEARBOOK

R EC OR D

15-1 (7-1)

Defeated Illinois State to win the FCS National Championship

ACHI EV EMEN T S Fourth straight FCS Championship Fourth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship 10 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference players

The Bison upset Iowa State 34-14 in their first game of the season in Ames, Iowa.

The Bison erased a 14-0 deficit and rattled off 34 unanswered points.

TRIVIA Q: Who scored the first touchdown for the Bison in the FCS championship game against Illinois State?

A. Lucas Albers B. Carson Wentz C. John Crockett D. RJ Urzendowski ANSWER ON PG 44

16

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

highlight With 1:38 left in the fourth quarter and the Bison trailing Illinois State 23-27, quarterback Carson Wentz led a seven-play, 78-yard drive to put the Bison ahead with 37 seconds left. Wentz capped the drive with a quarterback keeper from five yards out to score the game-winning touchdown. The first-year starter was named the MVP of the FCS Championship game.

impact [performer Entering the 2014 season, Carson Wentz had only attempted 46 passes, none of which occurred during a meaningful game time. The junior replaced the FCS’ winningest quarterback of alltime this season and shattered school records along the way. Wentz broke NDSU records in pass attempts (358), completions (228) and yards (3,111).

chew on this The Bison overcame the loss of 23 seniors and 11 starters from the 2013 football team to win its fourth consecutive FCS Championship. But that wasn’t the only adversity they would face. In four playoff games, the Bison trailed three times in the fourth quarter before coming back to win. The Bison went nine plays, 76 yards to gain the lead with 54 seconds left in the first playoff game against South Dakota State. In the quarterfinals, John Crockett scored on a 45-yard touchdown run to put the Bison up by seven with 9:28 left in the game.

Senior safety Christian Dudzik finished his career with 61 games played and 13 interceptions.

Sophomore linebacker Nick DeLuca filled a vital role for the Bison at middle linebacker during the playoffs.

He finished the season with 67 tackles.

the future is now While filling a valuable role on special teams and the defense’s fourth linebacker, sophomore Nick DeLuca cracked the starting lineup for the first time and made it count. Travis Beck missed the South Dakota game with an injury and in stepped DeLuca, who finished with a team-high 12 tackles and an interception. He would enter the starting lineup full-time after Beck’s Achilles injury and started all four playoff games. He finished the playoffs with 34 tackles.

True freshman RJ Urzendowski was a pleasant surprise for the Bison offense.

He capped his first season as a Bison with 32 receptions and five touchdowns.

“The entire senior class was on a mission to make sure if someone was going to knock us off, they had to play their best game. They kept everybody grounded and everybody hungry, which is probably the hardest thing because people have a tendency to get complacent after winning as much as we’ve won. … We worked as hard or harder this offseason and spring and fall than we ever have. We had to because we had a new staff, we had a lot of new players and a lot of unknown to get answered.”

chris klieman

17

SOCCER 2015 YEARBOOK With an 8-8-2 record the 2014 Bison steadied the program's record back to .500 for the first time since the 2011 season when they finished 15-4-2.

R EC OR D

8-8-2 (4-2-2)

Lost to South Dakota State in Summit League Tournament Semi-Finals

TRIVIA

highlight After beginning conference play 1-1-2, the Bison won three of their last four games to place fourth in the Summit League and qualified for the League tournament for the sixth consecutive year.

Q: What country is assistant head coach Chris Logan from?

A. USA B. Ireland C. England D. Germany ANSWER ON PG 44

"We knew we had a quality team and we had to overcome some of those demons in front of the goal, so to speak, and we always said the nonconference schedule prepares us for the Summit League and we learn lessons from those (early) losses."

mark cook

18

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

Sierra Bonham returns 58 games worth of experience back in goal for the Bison as she gets ready to enter her senior season.

impact [performer Three-year starting goalkeeper Sierra Bonham was named the 2014 Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year after leading the league with an 82.7 save percentage and was second with .94 goals against per game. She also received her third All-Summit League selection and her first first-team honors.

chew on this The Bison have qualified for six consecutive Summit League tournaments, which is the longest active streak in the conference. Only the top four teams in the conference qualify for the fourteam playoff. The Bison won their only conference title in 2010 and lost to Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA tournament in penalty kicks.

Lauren Miller has tallied 19 goals in 37 career games for the Bison. She will enter her junior season with nine gamewinning goals in her young career.

the future is now The 2013 Summit League Freshman of the Year, Lauren Miller continued her climb as one of the most elite goal scorers in the conference by scoring nine goals and tallying 19 points in 2014. Miller was voted to her second consecutive All-Summit League first team in her second season as a Bison.

Going to work in Fargo, just got better.

Regus, the leader in short-term work space, is now in Fargo.

When your business needs space but doesn’t need the hassle and expense of setting it up, call 701-204-9764.

With one call you can get furnished offices and support staff for however long you need them.

Come on by and take a tour.

Get a FREE office or meeting room for a day!

Call Christine Panther at 701-204-9764 3523 45th St South, Suite 100 Fargo, ND 58104

WHY REGUS? • More affordable than setting up an office on your own.

• Quick and easy. Move in the next day.

• Receptionist, Admin and Tech support provided.

• Rent as much or as little space as you need.

• Short-term, long-term, all on your terms.

WRESTLING 2015 YEARBOOK

R EC OR D

9-4 (5-0)

Won Western Wrestling Conference, Finished Ranked 20th in the nation

ACHI EV EMEN T S Won second straight Western Wrestling Conference Championship NDSU claimed five individual Western Wrestling Conference championships

TRIVIA Q: Which freshman that qualified for the NCAA Championships won the Western Wrestling Conference Freshman of the Year?

A. Mitch Bengston B. Clay Ream C. Josh Rodriguez D. Alex Stuhl ANSWER ON PG 44

20

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

Hayden "The Jack Pine Savage" Zillmer made an enormous leap this season and finished sixth in the country in the 184-weight division.

Sophomore Josh Rodriguez sat out last season and took a redshirt. He was well worth the wait as Rodriquez won the Western Wrestling Conference 125-pound weight division.

highlight For the first time in program history, the Bison had two wrestlers earn Division I All-American honors. Senior Kurtis Julson (eighth) and junior Hayden Zillmer (sixth) added their names to the elite list of Bison wrestlers to ever achieve college wrestling’s highest honor. This year marked the third year in a row the Bison placed a wrestler on the All-American list.

impact [performer After losing his first match of the NCAA Championships, the Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Year Hayden Zillmer won five-straight wrestlebacks, becoming one of the two All-Americans for the Bison. In his first season at the 184-pound weight division, Zillmer finished the season with a record of 36-7 and was 13-0 in duals.

Senior Kurtis Julson moved back to the 174-weight division this season and it paid dividends.

He was named the 10th Bison AllAmericans.

chew on this The wrestling team set a school record by sending six wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Senior Evan Knutson made his third trip to the NCAAs, Kurtis Julson and Hayden Zillmer made their second trip while sophomore Josh Rodriguez and freshmen Mitch Bengston and Clay Ream earned their first trip to the NCAA Championships.

the future is now The 125-pound sophomore, Josh Rodriguez, overcame an early-season knee injury to win his weight division in the Western Wrestling Conference championships and earned his first trip to the NCAA Championships.

Rodriguez lost his first match by a point and then battled his way back to finish the tournament 2-2 and one match away from qualifying as an AllAmerican.

“They’ve put themselves on the national scene in great form and we’re just really proud that we got a group of guys that are able to compete and perform at a high level and know that they’re here to work hard and train and have success. That’s an important piece for us knowing that we have the right kids in the room and we’re ready to move forward.”

roger kish

VOLLEYBALL 2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

15-17 (8-8)

Lost to denver in Summit League Tournament Semi-Finals

TRIVIA

Q: Which of the three Emilys was named to the Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League team?

A. Emily Milligan B. Emily Miron C. Emily Minnick D. All the above ANSWER ON PG 44

“Going into the nonconference with Valpo, it was a good refresher for us ... I think that’s really where we found out a lot about ourselves. Then we were able to carry that through the home stretch and knowing we had to win to qualify for the (Summit League) tournament.” kari thompson

22

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

The Bison won their first Summit League tournament match since 2011, upsetting four-seeded Oral Roberts 3-1. Junior Jenni Fassbender led the way with 14 kills, and Emily Minnick and Emily Miron had 11 kills apiece. The Bison and Golden Eagles split the first two sets leading up to a pivotal third set. The Bison were able to win the set by two points and finally put the Golden Eagles away in the fourth.

impact [performer Junior Jenni Fassbender joined Emily Minnick, Emily Miron and Emily Milligan at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. last winter to play against and with the best college volleyball players in the country. The rise in the competition helped. Fassbender was named an AllSummit League honorable mention as an outside hitter and led the Bison with 430 kills.

chew on this The start of the Summit League season was nearly a disaster for the Bison. They won two of the first eight matches and found themselves near the bottom of the league and missing the postseason conference tournament for the second time in program history. However, the Bison prevailed and ended its season on a 6-2 run through the conference to gain the fifth seed in the Summit League tournament in Indianapolis, Ind.

The 2014 Bison were a young team led by a group of 13 sophomore and freshmen. This season, Jenni Fassbender will be the lone senior.

Joined by Emily Minnick, Emily Miron will be a force at middle blocker this year as she looks to build off her stellar sophomore season.

Jenni Fassbender was named to the All-Summit League team as a sophomore.

She'll look to replicate the honor during her last season at NDSU this fall.

the future is now At six-feet, two-inches and recording nearly one block per set, middleblocker Emily Miron is the perfect middle blocker for the Bison volleyball team. Her 352 kills and 119 blocks were good enough to earn her a spot on the All-Summit League Team.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY 2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

4

TH

The Bison cross country team finished in 16th place at the NCAA Midwest Regional for its highest finish since 2011, and it was the team’s third highest finish ever in NDSU’s Division I era. Brett Kelly led the charge for NDSU placing 54th overall and ran his personal best 10K time, 31:04. Seniors Lucas DeGree and Marty Joyce finished 72nd and 73rd.

impact [performer All eight Bison runners at the Stanford Invitational ran career-best times, but seniors Brett Kelly, Marty Joyce and Lucas DeGree led the group. DeGree and Kelly were each the top finishers for the Bison, while Joyce was the top finisher at the Summit League Championships, finishing eighth overall.

Place finish in the Summit League Championship team results and 16th out of 33 at the NCAA Midwest Regional

TRIVIA

q: Who is the new distance coach for the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams?

A. Don Larson B. Stevie Keller C. Trevor Barry D. Andrew Carlson ANSWER ON PG 44

"I think that that (SDSU Classic win) established we had just as good a chance as anybody to win in the conference meet. I look back at a lot of the moments and I’m happy with how it went." andrew carlson

24

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

Seniors Brett Kelly (left) and Lucas DeGree (right) run stride for stride together at the Ron Pynn Invitational. The Bison went on to defeat the University of North Dakota and the University of Manitoba.

chew on this NDSU won two of its first four meets of the season and were ranked as high as No. 13 in the Midwest Regional this season. It was the highest the Bison have been ranked since October 2011 when they were ranked No. 12. They defeated Summit League favorites South Dakota and South Dakota State at the SDSU Classic for their first title of the year. Lucas DeGree’s first individual championship propelled the Bison to their third straight Ron Pynn Invitational in Grand Forks.

the future is now Redshirt freshman Brant Gilbertson and junior Brendan Skime were the usual suspects finishing behind the seniors.

Skime ran the fastest 6K on the team at the season-opening Bison Open.

SOFTBALL 2015 YEARBOOK

45-11 R EC OR D

(16-2)

Eliminated by No. 2 Oregon in the NCAA Eugene Regional final

ACHI EV EMEN T S

No. 10 Alyssa Reina stomps on home plate after her second home run in the first game of the Summit League tournament against South Dakota State.

Won Summit League Tournament

TRIVIA q: Who held the Bison single-season record for most strikeouts in a season before Krista Menke broke it this year?

A. Whitney Johnson B. Julie Fromm C. Krista Menke D. Lindsey Graham ANSWER ON PG 44

26

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

highlight After a 43-9 regular season record and a second straight Summit League championship that saw the Bison defeat South Dakota by 10 runs in the title game, NDSU earned its first Top 25 regular season ranking in the ESPN. com/USA Softball and USA Today/ NFCA polls. They were ranked 24 and 25 in each poll, respectively. It was the first time the Bison were ranked since the end of the year poll in 2009 when they finished ranked 18th in ESPN. com/USA Softball and 21st in USA Today/NFCA polls.

impact [performer Krista Menke capped her storied NDSU pitching career with a season of a lifetime.

The senior finished her career with her second Summit League Pitcher of the Year and her second Summit League Tournament MVP award. She finished the season with the second-most strikeouts in the country with 391 in 266 innings.

Menke threw four no-hitters this season and put an exclamation point on a season where batters only hit .168 against the Bison ace.

chew on this

the future is now

NDSU beat six different Big Ten teams this season and went 7-1 against the conference. The domination of the conference started in February when NDSU eight-runned Iowa during the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic. Iowa, Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Minnesota all fell to the Bison with Nebraska getting swept in a two-game series against the Bison in Lincoln, Neb., and were outscored 13-6. Minnesota was ranked 10th in the country when NDSU defeated them in the final game of their two-game series in Minneapolis. It was one of the three victories the Bison had against Top 25 teams.

Krista Menke was on fire on the mound during the Summit League tournament.

She won all three games and struckout 23.

The Bison will lose seniors Krista Menke, Amanda Grable and Alex Sobrero going into next season, but what they return to the lineup is no small footnote.

Cheyenne Garcia was the 2015 Summit League Player of the Year and will return to second base for the Bison next season.

She will be joined by shortstop Logan Moreland, who hit a career-best .421 this season. The two-star middle infielders aren’t alone. First-baseman Jackie Stifter, outfielder Maritza Lopez-Portillo and outfielder Jenna Isbel complete the class of five juniors that will be returning for a Bison softball team looking for its seventh Summit League Championship in eight years.

The Bison averaged 6.4 runs a game this season.

They also hit 53 home runs and stole 121 bases.

“We set a lot of goals and expectations for our program over the years. We’re starting to achieve a lot of them and you just see the growth in the student-athletes that we have. They just buy into what we’re talking about and they think they can beat anybody at any time. I think for a Northern school, for us to have the success that we have, just really, our athletes are just tremendous people and really work hard to try to achieve those things.

Darren Mueller

27

MEN'S BASKETBALL

2015 YEARBOOK

23-10 R EC OR D

(12-4)

Won the Summit League tournament and was defeated

by Gonzaga in the first game of the NCAA tournament

In his first season as head coach, Dave Richman led the Bison back to the Summit League championship podium and the Big Dance.

highlight ACHI EV EMEN T S Second consecutive Summit League Tournament championship Second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament

TRIVIA q: Lawrence Alexander led the team in scoring with 18.9 points per game; who was third?

A. AJ Jacobson B. Kory Brown C. Carlin Dupree D. Dexter Werner ANSWER ON PG 44

28

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

Lawrence Alexander had a thrill for the dramatic this season and never failed to get Bison out of their seats in the basketball team’s temporary home inside Scheels Arena.

In a year that saw Lawrence Alexander break through into stardom with a historic amount of points and threepointers, his final game in Fargo will be remembered most. Alexander made five three-pointers and poured in 27 points before being honored after the game on Senior Night. It was only fitting that the man who carried the team the entire season that would eventually culminate into a conference championship be celebrated alone on a night as sacred as Senior Night.

impact [performer Coming into his senior season, point guard Lawrence Alexander averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 34.8 percent from the three-point line over his first three seasons. During his Summit League Player of the Year campaign, his scoring average jumped to 18.9 points per game and shot 44 percent from the three-point line.

chew on this

the future is now

It wasn’t a surprise the Bison were picked to finish fifth in the Summit League after losing its head coach, three starters and four of its top six scorers from last season’s NCAA Tournament team. But that wasn’t going to stop the Bison from starting the Summit League season 3-0. The Bison would eventually finish tied for first with SDSU in the Summit League regular season standings.

Redshirt freshman AJ Jacobson emerged as an elite scorer for the Bison this season with his three-point shot and tenacity while attacking the rim.

After a much-anticipated redshirt season on the bench, AJ Jacobson lived up to the expectations swelling around the Fargo Shanley product during his first season on the court for the Bison. He started slow, but caught fire during the Summit League tournament and finished the season averaging 11.6 points per game, which made him the second leading scorer on the team.

True freshman Paul Miller provided some muchneeded depth at the guard position this season. He averaged 6.7 points and 28.5 minutes a game.

“Yeah, we lost ten games and you don’t want to lose any games. But for this group, with the expectations or the lack of expectations, where they were publicly for us to end up 23-10 and in the NCAA Tournament, still a 25-game homewinning streak going on. I hate losing. I hate losing, but I can’t tell you enough about the feedback we got after losing the Gonzaga game. And that’s pretty cool because I think people realize how hard our guys are playing and that’s such a credit to them and putting it all out there on the line.”

dave richman

29

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

11-18 (7-9)

Loss to Oral Roberts in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tournament, finished sixth in the Summit League

ACHI EV EMEN T S Florida Atlantic Thanksgiving Tournament Champions

TRIVIA

After opening the Summit League season with a victory over Oral Roberts, the Bison welcomed rival South Dakota State to the Scheels Arena for their first meeting of the season. Led by a marvelous 30-point performance by Brooke LeMar, the Bison defeated SDSU for the first time since December 4, 2010, and it was the first time they beat the Jacks in Fargo since February 26, 2005.

Junior Marena Whittle started every game for the Bison this season and averaged a career-high in rebounds with 7.3 a game.

impact [performer During her short, two-year career at NDSU, point guard Brooke LeMar led the Bison with 1,018 points, 291 assists and 2,154 minutes played. The point guard was recognized for her on-the-court leadership when she was named to the All-Summit League first team, the first Bison to garner that recognition since Abby Plucker in 2011.

LeMar leaves NDSU ranked second in career scoring average with 17.1 points per game and career assists average with 4.9 assists per game.

The freshman marksman Taylor Thunstedt was third on the team in scoring and was named Female Rookie of the Year at NDSU’s inaugural Green and Gold Gala.

q: Who won NDSU’s MVP of the Katherine Burgum Classic against South Dakota?

A. Brooke LeMar B. Holly Johnson C. Liz Keena D. Marena Whittle ANSWER ON PG 44

30

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

chew on this For the first time since the 2009-10 season, the Bison opened its Summit League season with a 3-0 record with wins over Oral Roberts, IUPUI and eventual conference tournament champions South Dakota State.

All three teams would play in the Summit League tournament semifinals. In Maren Walseth’s first season, she tallied a 7-9 record against league opponents, a five-win increase from last season.

the future is now Five-foot-11-inch Marena Whittle and six-foot Holly Johnson, aren’t the tallest post players in the Summit League, but that doesn’t stop the juniors from being a force at the forward position for the Bison. The duo combined to average over 20 points and 14 rebounds per game and both have increased their rebounding numbers since their freshmen seasons.

Senior Brooke LeMar was second in the Summit League in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game.

Senior Liz Keena finished her Bison career averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, blocks, assists and minutes per game.

"Kind of without thinking about it, the wins came together and when you look back you say, I never had a goal to win an X amount of games, and I think as the season went along, the kids saw that and I think you can look back and say ‘Were we always successful? no.

But did we make strides in the right direction?’ And that’s what was important, that’s how you rebuild a program in my opinion."

maren walseth

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY 2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

2

ND

Place finish in the Summit League Championship results and 18th out of 35 at the NCAA Midwest Regional

This fall, sophomore Erin Teschuk wrote her own chapter in the Bison history book. She claimed the title of “Most Successful Season in Bison Women’s Cross Country History” when she finished in 116th-place at the NCAA Championships, beating more than half the field. But her most remarkable performance of the season arrived a week prior to the NCAA Championships. Teschuk broke her own school record by 55 seconds, when she placed second in the NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 20:07.4. Her second place finish propelled her to the NCAA Championships, the first Bison in history to qualify for the meet. Teschuk won the Summit League Individual Championship by 13 seconds. The signs of a special season occurred during the Stanford Invitational back in September.

Teschuk finished third among collegiate runners and broke NDSU’s old record running the 6K-course in 21:02. Teschuk has two years of cross country eligibility left.

TRIVIA

q: Who held the record for fastest cross-country time before Erin Teschuk?

A. Maddie Van Beek B. Heidi Peterson C. Brecca Wahlund D. Paige Stratrioti ANSWER ON PG 44

"This year was tough for us because we had a lot of women on the team that weren’t even expected to count for our cross country team and they did a great job of stepping up. A second place finish at the beginning of the season seemed farfetched so ending up doing it was awesome." andrew carlson

32

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

The three-time defending Summit League champion Bison finished second this season, a spot higher than they were picked in the preseason. They finished 18th in the Midwest Regional.

chew on this During the NCAA Midwest Regional, the top five finishing runners for the Bison completed the course in Perioa, Ill., with career best-times. Erin Teschuk, Taylor Janssen, Paige Stratioti, Ashley Heinze and Tarin Lachowitzer all broke personal records and have at least one year left of eligibility on the cross-country team.

the future is now Moorhead native Taylor Janssen was the second fastest Bison runner during the Summit League Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regionals. She placed 10th out of 64 runners in the Summit League Championships and placed 103rd out of 222 in the NCAA Midwest Regionals. Janssen has two years of eligibility left.

MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

2015 YEARBOOK

R EC OR D Summit League Indoor Runner-Ups; Summit League Outdoor Champions

The men's track and field team won the overall Outdoor Summit League title along with seven individual titles.

TRIVIA q: How many conference championships does 35-year head coach Don Larson have?

A. 50 B. 45 C. 52 D. 40 ANSWER ON PG 44

“It was a cumulative effect.

I think we got a really good start day one and it continued into day two and day three could’ve been different and a lot closer, but I think the athletes fed off the energy from great performances by teammates. Everything kind of came together. I was thrilled with not only the studentathletes, but the assistant coaches that put in so much time, effort and energy.” don larson

34

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

highlight The men’s track and field team won its sixth consecutive Summit League Outdoor Championship and seventh overall since joining the conference eight years ago. In the preseason poll, they were picked to finish second and they went on to win the outdoor championships by 67.5 points.

impact [performer The Bison throwers won four individual titles combined during the indoor and outdoor championships. Alex Renner won the Indoor Field MVP and won individual outdoor titles in the hammer throw and shot put. He broke the NDSU shot put record, chucking it 18.67 meters. Sophomore Matti Mortimore won the individual javelin title. He broke NDSU’s javelin record earlier this season by registering a throw of 237 feet, four inches.

Alex Renner was named to the All-League shot put team during the indoor championships in Fargo.

Angus Stoudt won the Summit League indoor heptathlon championship with 4,930 points. The most he’s ever scored is 5,056 at the Dakota Duals.

chew on this The Bison have won six consecutive Summit League Outdoor Championships and have been at the front door of another amazing streak during the indoor season. And with the youth across the roster, this team will remain on top. The men’s track and field team won nine individual titles between the indoor and outdoor championships and eight of the champions will return for at least one more season with a Bison race bib.

the future is now Freshman sprinter Landon Jochim won the 400-meter dash in his first outdoor championships. Sophomore Angus Stoudt shined in the decathlon by taking home the championship and being named to the All-League team in the 110-meter hurdles.

WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD 2015 YEARBOOK

R EC OR D tied for

32

ND

Both the women's indoor and outdoor track and field team brought home conference championships and combined for 20 individual titles.

at NCAA Championships; Summit League Outdoor Champions (Record total 282 points)

highlight ACHI EV EMEN T S Summit League Indoor Track and Field Champions Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Champions

The women’s track and field team won its eighth consecutive Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

They won the Indoor Championships by 50.5 over South Dakota and won the Outdoor Championships by 73, a new League record.

TRIVIA q: Who was the runner-up to the Bison in both Indoor and Outdoor Championships?

A. South Dakota State B. South Dakota C. Western Illinois D. IPFW ANSWER ON PG 44

36

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

impact [performer Senior Emily Lesser brought home the Outdoor Field Championship MVP award after winning the shot put and was named to the All-League team in the hammer throw, shot put and discus. She was honored with fellow senior Maddie Van Beek, who won the Outdoor Track Championship MVP. Van Beek made All-League in three events – the 5,000-meter, steeplechase and 1,500-meter. She also won the Indoor Championship in 5,000-meter and 3,000-meter.

Rose Jackson won the Summit League outdoor heptathlon title by 48 points over her teammate Lexy Boschee.

Sophomore Courtney Pasiowitz won the individual outdoor title in the hammer throw with a 59.15-meter toss. Her throw is the second longest in NDSU history.

chew on this The women’s track and field team is the crown jewel of NDSU Athletics. The Bison ladies have dominated its peers since making the move to the Summit League and nothing proved it more than winning nine of the 17 individual indoor championship events. They followed their impressive indoor performance by winning 11 of 21 individual outdoor events in the spring.

the future is now Sophomore thrower Katelyn Weimerskirch won the Summit League Indoor Weight Throw Championship and the Summit League Outdoor Discus Championship. She threw a career-best 19.75 meters in the weight throw during the championship meet, an NDSU record.

Multi-event sophomores Rose Jackson and Lexy Boschee both won outdoor and indoor Summit League Championships in the pentathlon and heptathlon.

“It puts us in a good spot as coaches to have student-athletes that just know how to get the job done and that’s important when you get to a big meet. You have to be able to compete and these girls come out and it doesn’t matter if we’re winning by five or 50 points after the first day, they come out and compete as hard as they can and want to score as many points as they can.”

stevie keller

BASEBALL 2015 YEARBOOK

R EC OR D

20-31

The Bison baseball team overcame the loss of five seniors from last year’s NCAA Tournament starting lineup.

(11-19)

Went 0-2 in the Summit League tournament

TRIVIA q: Which Bison pitcher broke an NDSU record for most games started?

A. Trent Keefer B. Trevor Jaunich C. Jay Flaa D. David Ernst

Ben Petersen led the team with 65 hits this season, 22 more than the next closest player.

ANSWER ON PG 44

highlight “I think it all starts on the mound. We started pitching better and then defense has been kind of an issue for us throughout the year, and our defense started playing a lot better. It goes hand in hand when you pitch well, defense is a lot easier.”

tod brown

38

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

After a slow start to the season that saw the Bison win eight of its first 30 games, postseason hopes hung in the balance. As injuries began to heal and the schedule kept the Bison in Fargo for the last month of the season, NDSU ripped off a seven-game winning streak to position themselves back in the hunt. On the final day of the season, on an Andy Wicklund 12th inning walk-off single against Omaha, the Bison clinched fourth place in the conference and were on their way back to its fifth consecutive Summit League Tournament.

impact [performer Junior college transfer Taylor Sanders has provided some much needed production in the middle of the Bison lineup. Mostly from the designated hitter position, Sanders’ slugging percentage was .432 and he had a .344 batting average. Catcher Juan Gomez also transferred into the Bison program this year and led the team with eight homeruns. He also threw out 14 runners trying to steal.

Trevor Jaunich led the Bison with 17 appearances out of the bullpen. He collected a 4-2 record and two saves.

chew on this The Bison ranked sixth in the country and led the Summit League in turning double plays this season with 53. After a slow start in the field, the Bison infield locked down around the horn thanks to third baseman John Skrbec, shortstop Paul Funk and second baseman Andy Wicklund. The Bison finished the season with a .952 fielding percentage.

the future is now Sophomore centerfielder Ben Petersen had a big responsibility put on his plate at the beginning of the season. He was asked to replace the 2014 Summit League Player of the Year Tim Colwell in the outfield. Petersen came in to the season with 67 at-bats under his belt, but only a .194 average to show for it.

This year was Petersen’s official coming out party. He hit .355 this season with an on-base percentage of .422 and solidified himself as the team No. 3 hitter.

WOMEN'S GOLF 2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

4

TH

Place in the Summit League Championship tournament

During the Nebraska Chip-N-Club Invitational in September, the Bison broke the school record with the team’s lowest 54-hole tournament score by shooting 906. The score placed them fifth in the tournament, 27 strokes behind the tournament winner, Ohio State. The 2014-15 team would go on to break the school record for the best four-player team scoring average in a season with 309.61.

impact [performer Senior Sarah Storandt finished her lengthy Bison career on a strong note by averaging 76.94 strokes per round, the third-best scoring average by someone not named Amy Anderson. She also shot the second lowest score in Bison history by shooting a 67 in the second round of the Nebraska Chip-N-Club Invitational.

TRIVIA

q: Which senior tied Amy Anderson’s record with 118 career rounds of golf for the Bison?

A. Emma Kusick B. Cassie Wurm C. Sarah Storandt D. Megan Swan

The women's golf team proudly pose with their 2014 Jackrabbit Fall Invitational plaque. (far left) Alex Schmid won the event shooting 12-over par. (far left, back row) Sarah Storandt finished second, shooting 14-over par.

ANSWER ON PG 44

chew on this "We did have a lot of things that were going pretty well early on. Natalie Roth started to play really, really well right after her first tournament. Alex Schmid, who is a sophomore and had a pretty good freshman year, won a tournament, which is not easy to do." matt johnson

40

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

The Bison were on fire to begin the golf season after winning three of their first four tournaments. They took home the Cobber Open crown to start the season with a 10-stroke victory. Then, on a back-to-back weekends, the Bison went to Brookings and Vermillion, S.D. and brought home first place trophies. During the Jackrabbit Fall Invitational, the Bison defeated second place South Dakota State by 22 strokes and were led by Alex Schmid’s 54-hole score of 225. The following week, the Bison won the USD Coyote Classic by 33 strokes. It was the second time in program history the women’s golf team won three tournaments in a season.

the future is now Lake Park, Minn. native Natalie Roth was named the All-Summit League Women’s Golf second team after a stellar freshman season. Roth averaged 76.57 per round, which placed her 10th in the league. She shot a season-low 68 during the first round of the UMKC Invitational and finished with five top 10 finishes.

MEN'S GOLF 2015 YEARBOOK highlight R EC OR D

4

TH

It was a historic season for NDSU’s men’s golf team as they finished in fourth place at the Summit League Championship. The fourth-place finish is the highest in school history. Senior Bill Carlson led the way by placing sixth in the individual standings with a threeround 10-over par 226.

Place in the Summit League Championship tournament

impact [performer Senior Bill Carlson won his first individual tournament championship in the Omaha Invitational this fall with a career-best 54-hole score of 212. Carlson’s 74.5-stroke average this season was good enough to place him seventh best of alltime in Bison history. He’s third best of all-time with a 75.02-stroke average per round during his career.

TRIVIA

q: Which Bison shot a threeround 10-over par 226 in the Summit League Championship?

A. Trent Olson B. Bill Carlson C. Connor Holland D. Keaton Lausch ANSWER ON PG 44

"We just went through a lot of adversity as far as our scores this spring just because the courses that we played and it made us tougher I think. Then we went out to the conference tournament and it was a difficult course and the kids handled it well." steve kennedy

42

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

The men's golf team finished in the top five in their first three tournaments of the season. They finished 10th in the prestigious Maryland Terrapin Invitational last fall.

chew on this After finishing tied for fifth in the first tournament of the season at the Omaha Invitational, the Bison rebounded with a pair of second-place finishes. The Bison placed 11 strokes behind champions South Dakota at the Jackrabbit Fall Invitational and would follow up that performance by placing two strokes behind Omaha at the USD Coyote Classic. Bill Carlson led the charge for the Bison with third and sixth place finishes.

the future is now Freshman Keaton Lausch averaged 78.11 over 18 rounds during his first season at NDSU. The Fergus Falls, Minn. native shot his best round of the season during the Omaha Invitational when he tallied a 72 during the third round. Lausch finished tied for 19th at the Summit League Championship, shooting an 18-over, 234 for the tournament.

2015 YEARBOOK ANSWERS

Football Answer: A: Luke Albers

Soccer Answer: C: England

Wrestling

Answer: B: Clay Ream

Volleyball Answer: A: Emily Milligan

Men’s Cross Country Answer: D: Andrew Carlson

Softball Answer: B: Julie Fromm (342, 1999)

Men’s Basketball Answer: d: Dexter Werner (8.4 ppg)

Women’s Basketball Answer: c: Liz Keena (22 points, seven rebounds and five steals)

Women’s Cross Country Answer: C: Brecca Wahlund (21:06)

Men’s Track and Field Answer: A: 50

Women’s Track and Field Answer: B: South Dakota

Baseball Answer: D: David Ernst (53 games started)

Women’s Golf

Answer: C: Sarah Storandt (118 rounds)

Men’s Golf Answer: B: Senior, Bill Carlson

TV

RATINGS

WHEN THE

CAMERA ROLLS

By Joe Kerlin

W

ith every John Crockett Sportscenter highlight and every Dexter Werner tweet comes a sign. A symbol of changing times at NDSU Athletics and a symbol promising the Bison relevancy among the national college sports scene. From rarely sniffing national attention no longer than five years ago and hoping maybe, just maybe getting one national televised game a season, to having NDSU trending nationwide whenever the Bison logo flashes on ESPN. NDSU Athletics has come a long way in a cluttered college sports corner of television viewers. To prove just how far they've come, we find our inner Hollywood producer to search for the biggest ratings NDSU has received on national television this past season.

48

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

TV

RATINGS

Football

FBS Game – Iowa State, FOX SPORTS 1 • 0.2 Rating • 407,000 viewers ESPN’s College GameDay, ESPN • 1.3 Rating • 1,827,000 viewers FCS Playoffs – Coastal Carolina, ESPN • 1.1 Rating • 1,447,000 viewers FCS Playoffs – Sam Houston State, ESPN 2 • 0.5 Rating • 790,000 viewers *FCS Playoffs – Championship, ESPN 2 • 1.0 Rating • 1.4 million viewers

FCS Playoffs Rating December 8-14

NDSU/Coastal Carolina, ESPN • 1.1 Rating • 1,447,000 viewers New Hampshire/Chattanooga, ESPN 2 • 0.5 Rating • 675,000 viewers December 15-21 FCS Playoffs – Sam Houston State, ESPN 2 • 0.5 Rating • 790,000 viewers Illinois State/New Hampshire, ESPN U • 0.2 Rating • 370,000 viewers *25 percent jump in rating, 16 percent more viewers than NDSU/Towson in 2014

TV

RATINGS

TVESPN COLLEGE RATINGS GAMEDAY WEEK 13

WEEK 2

Yale/Harvard (Cambridge, Mass.)

• 1.3 Rating • 1,946,000 viewers

WEEK 11

Michigan State/Oregon (Eugene, Ore.) • 1.3 Rating • 1,995,000 viewers

Ohio State/Mich. State (East Lansing, Mich.)

• 1.4 Rating • 1,877,000 viewers

WEEK 10

TCU/West Virginia (Morgantown, W.V.) • 1.5 Rating • 2,184,000 viewers

WEEK 3 - FARGO, ND

NDSUVS. INCARNATE WORD

WEEK 16

Army/Navy (Baltimore, Md.) • 0.7 Rating • 980,000 viewers

12TH HIGHEST COLLEGE GAMEDAY TV VIEWERSHIP • 1.3 TV RATING • 1,827,000 TV VIEWERS

WEEK 5

Missouri/South Carolina (Columbia, S.C.) • 1.0 Rating • 1,492,000 viewers

WEEK 1

Florida State/Okla. State (Arlington, Texas) • 1.0 Rating • 1,537,000 viewers

WEEK 15

WEEK 12

Miss. State/Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) • 1.5 Rating • 2,178,000 viewers

Kansas State/Baylor (Waco, Texas) • 1.2 Rating • 1,706,000 viewers

WEEK 7

WEEK 6

Alabama/Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)

• 1.4 Rating • 2,036,000 viewers

Auburn/Miss. State (Starkville, Miss.)

• 1.4 Rating • 1,956,000 viewers

WEEK 9

Ole Miss/LSU (Baton Rouge, La.) • 1.2 Rating • 1,695,000 viewers 50

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

WEEK 4

Clemson/Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.) • 1.3 Rating • 1,847,000 viewers

WEEK 14

Auburn/Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) • 1.3 Rating • 1,919,000 viewers

WEEK 8

Notre Dame/Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.) • 1.2 Rating • 1,651,000 viewers

TV

RATINGS

Basketball

Summit League Championship Game NDSU/SDSU on ESPN 2 • 0.2 Rating • 374,000 viewers NCAA Tournament NDSU/Gonzaga on TNT • 0.8 Rating • 2,109,000 viewers NCAA Tournament First Round March 20 - Late Games St. Johns/San Diego State, CBS • 1.4 Rating • 3,840,000 viewers Coastal Carolina/Wisconsin, TBS • 0.9 Rating • 2,677,000 viewers NDSU/Gonzaga, TNT • 0.8 Rating • 2,109,000 viewers Providence/Dayton, TruTV • 0.6 Rating • 1,390,000 viewers

52

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

54

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

55

MATT

BI: What's the plan for replacing women's director of athletics Lynn Dorn?

ML: "We’re currently recruiting for a deputy director of athletics position which is going to take on some of the roles that Lynn served. ... Being able to hire a position that will help supervise some sports and help manage the day-to-day operations and being another member of our senior staff to help with our vision and strategy, and some of those things."

BI: How do you analyze implementing full cost-of-attendance?

ML: "I think there are two components for cost-of-attendance. There’s the philosophical piece and there’s the financial piece. I think philosophically, in athletics, we believe in providing the support for our studentathletes. There are a lot of demands on our student-athletes from time commitments to academically, athletically, community service, so for them to be able to go and get a job to support some of the things that they need can be really difficult. ... Then financially, it’s one of those things where there’s a dollar figure to it. But I also think in promoting it to our constituents and our fan base and them understanding that for us to be able to recruit the best and the brightest and put us in a position to win championships that these are some of the things that we’re going to be able to do. So we’re going to need to rely on our supporters to help us and generate some revenue if we do this."

BI: Will this be a decision the entire conference will make or has the Summit League and Missouri Valley Football Conference told you to do whatever you'd like?

ML: "I think they’re going to leave it up to each institution on what they see as the best fit for their institution and what they can do financially."

BI: Has the University of North Dakota choosing to implement full cost-ofattendance for its hockey programs put any pressure on you to follow?

ML: "It hasn't. We always evaluate what’s best for North Dakota State and the one thing I would say is, and the one thing I think we do a very good job of here throughout our history is treating our athletes as equals, whether you’re the football player or the baseball player, softball athlete, the golf athlete. I think we’ve treated them all equally and so that’s going into our consideration as we look at the best model for cost-ofattendance if we opt to implement it.”

BI: Is the Sanford Health Athletic Complex following its timetable?

ML: "Everything is on time as of right now.

We’re really looking to see if we can open up the basketball practice facility and the basketball locker rooms for this fall, which I think will take some of the stress and pressure off the men’s and women’s basketball programs, but also some of the other facilities where we’ve been trying to get them practice times. ... I was in there with one of our employees who's been here for 15 years and we were walking through there about a week ago and when we were done with the tour he said, ‘it doesn’t look like the old BSA anymore. I don’t recognize it.’ And I think it’s really true. ... The thing I’m most looking forward to is the look on our studentathletes faces when they walk in there for the first time."

LARSEN

BI: What's some of the reaction you've received from peers across the country about the new facility?

ML: "I think it’s one of those things that can separate you and set you apart from other places in building these new facilities.

Anytime I think there’s construction on campus, it shows growth, it shows progress and it shows vision. ... We still have some work to do, but I think when you talk about what that facility is going to have, I think people are excited about it. They’re also taking notice of it by saying, ‘Wow, North Dakota State is adding that too, now?’"

BI: Seven more conference championships this year; what's it going to take to keep the ball rolling?

ML: "I just think the expectations from our coaches to our student-athletes, it’s the mindset: we’re doing this for one reason and that’s to win championships. So I think that’s the mindset going in and I think championships are contagious. ... That’s why, and I’ve said this all along, when you’re winning, that’s the time to invest. It’s not time when you’re not winning, because the one thing I think we’ve seen in both the other leagues we compete in, because of our success, people are investing more into their programs to try and narrow the gaps and catch North Dakota State and so that’s why it’s even more important that we continue to invest. Whether it’s our facilities, whether it’s in our operations or being competitive with our coaches' salaries, we have to continue to invest to make sure we stay on top."

57

BISON

HONORS

Men’s Cross Country U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team Award Summit League Fall Academic Honor Roll Grady Anderson, John Curley, Chad DeAustin, Lucas Degree, Dalton Herding, Matthew Jennings, Marty Joyce, Brett Kelly, Francis Landman, Brendan Skime

Soccer Football Associated Press All-Americans First Team: Joe Haeg, Kyle Emanuel, Colten Heagle Third Team: Adam Keller AFCA All-Americans Joe Haeg, Kyle Emanuel, Colten Heagle FCS Athletic Directors Association All-Americans Joe Haeg, Kyle Emanuel Walter Camp FCS All-American Team Kyle Emanuel, Colten Heagle Buck Buchanan Award Kyle Emanuel FCS ADA Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Emanuel Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Americans First Team: Andrew Bonnet, Joe Haeg, Jesse Hinz, Kyle Emanuel, Carlton Littlejohn, Christian Dudzik, Colten Heagle, Ben LeCompte Second Team: John Crockett, Travis Beck Honorable Mention: Carson Wentz, Zach Vraa, Adam Keller Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team Jeremy Kelly, Tre Dempsey, Nate Tanguay

58

Capital One Academic AllAmerica® Division I football team First Team: Carson Wentz, Esley Thorton, Kyle Emanuel Second Team: Jesse Hinz Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic Honors First Team: Kyle Emanuel, Jesse Hinz, Esley Thorton, Zach Vraa, Carson Wentz Second Team: Christian Dudzik Honorable Mention: Adam Keller, Chase Morlock NCAA Elite 89 Award Carson Wentz American Football Monthly/ Rawlings Football FCS Coach of the Year Chris Klieman

Summit League Women’s Soccer All-League Honors First Team: Sierra Bonham, Lauren Miller Second Team: Meghan Johnston, Anisha Kinnarath, Amy Yang Summit League All-Academic Team Anisha Kinnarath, Tristyn Walczak Summit League Fall Academic Honor Roll Gaby Arnquist, Sierra Bonham, Hannah Butzlaff, Cydney Coffey, Natalie Fenske, Meghan Johnston, Anisha Kinnarath, Lizzie Lukas, Audrey Mascal, Lauren Miller, Autumn Muckenhirn, Olivia Norman, Anna Reinholz, Jaclyn Scanlan, Sam Verbeke, Tristyn Walczak, Amy Yang, Jenna Zaeske

Women’s Cross Country Summit League Cross Country Athlete of the Year Erin Teschuk Summit League All-Academic Team Erin Teschuk Summit League Fall Academic Honor Roll Amy Andrushko, Abbi Aspengren, Megan Feyereisen, Ashley Heinze, Ali Hitt, Taylor Janssen, Ashlynn Simon, Paige Stratioti, Erin Teschuk

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

Volleyball Summit League Volleyball AllLeague Honors All-League: Emily Miron Honorable Mention: Jenni Fassbender Freshman Team: Brianna Rasmusson Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team Emily Milligan

Summit League Fall Academic Honor Roll Katie Anderson, Lauren Cammack, Jennifer Fassbender, Hannah Jessen, Jaclyn Lee, Emily Milligan, Emily Minnick, Emily Miron, Ali Moody, Brianna Rasmusson, Morgan Samec, Hadley Steffen

Wrestling* NCAA All-American Honors Kurtis Julson, Hayden Zillmer NCAA Championship Qualifiers Josh Rodriguez, Mitch Bengtson, Clay Ream, Kurtis Julson, Hayden Zillmer, Evan Knutson Western Wrestling Conference Champions Josh Rodriguez, Mitch Bengtson, Clay Ream, Kurtis Julson, Hayden Zillmer

Men’s Basketball* Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention: Lawrence Alexander All-Summit League Honors Sixth Man: Dexter Werner Coach of the Year: David Richman First Team: Lawrence Alexander Honorable Mention: AJ Jacobson Newcomer Team: AJ Jacobson Lou Henson All-America Team Lawrence Alexander Summit League Academic AllLeague Team AJ Jacobson, Chris Kading

Women’s Basketball* All-Summit League Honors First Team: Brooke LeMar Honorable Mention: Holly Johnson Newcomer Team: Taylor Thunstedt

BISON

Men’s Indoor Track and Field* Summit League Indoor Track and Field Champions Weight Throw: Brandt Berghuis Heptathlon: Angus Stoudt Indoor Track and Field All-League Team Weight Throw: Brandt Berghuis, Conrad Schwarzkopf Shot Put: Alex Renner Heptathlon: Brock Larson, Angus Stoudt, Grant Mjelstad 3,000 meters: Lucas DeGree 60-meter hurdles: Parker McKittrick, Colin Paarmann Long Jump: Colin Paarmann Summit League’s Academic AllLeague Honors Brandt Berghuis, Brendan Skime, Jonah Warwick

Women’s Indoor Track and Field* NCAA All_American Honors Mile & 3,000m: Erin Teschuk Summit League Indoor Awards Track Athlete of the year: Erin Teschuk Field MVP: Emily Lesser Track MVP: Maddie Van Beek Coach of the Year: Stevie Keller Summit League Indoor Track and Field Champions 800-meter: Erin Teschuk 3,000 meter: Maddie Van Beek Distance Medley: Jenny Guibert, Amy Andrushko, Ashlynn Simon, Erin Teschuk Weight Throw: Katelyn Weimerskirch One Mile: Erin Teschuk 5,000-meter: Maddie Van Beek 4x400 Meter Relay: Deidre Hahn, Melissa Kitching, Ashley Heinze, Morgan Milbrath Shot Put: Emily Lesser Pentathlon: Lexy Boschee Indoor Track and Field All-League Team Weight Throw: Emily Lesser, Courtney Pasiowitz, Katelyn Weimerskirch Shot Put: Katelyn

Weimerskirch, Emily Lesser Pentathlon: Lexy Boschee, Rose Jackson 5,000 meters: Maddie Van Beek One Mile: Erin Teschuk, Maddie Van Beek 3,000 meters: Maddie Van Beek Distance Medley Relay: Amy Andrushko, Jenny Guibert, Ashlynn Simon, Erin Teschuk 800-meter: Amy Andrushko, Jenny Guibert, Erin Teschuk, 4x400 meter relay: Deidre Hahn, Ashley Heinze, Melissa Kitching, Morgan Milbrath 400-meter: Melissa Kitching, Morgan Milbrath 60-meter hurdles: Lexy Boschee Summit League’s Academic AllLeague Honors Maddie Van Beek, Emily Lesser, Erin Teschuk, Amy Andrushko, Morgan Milbrath

Women’s Golf* All-Summit League Women’s Golf Teams Second Team: Natalie Roth NCAA Public Recognition Award Summit League’s Academic AllLeague Honors Sarah Storandt

Men’s Golf* NCAA Public Recognition Award

Softball* National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region First Team: Krista Menke, Cheyenne Garcia Second Team: Amanda Grable, Logan Moreland Third Team: Alyssa Reina All-Summit League Awards Player of the Year: Cheyenne Garcia Pitcher of the Year: Krista Menke Coaching Staff of the Year First Team: Cheyenne Garcia,

*Summit League Spring Academic Honor Roll won’t be announced until mid-June

HONORS

Amanda Grable, Maritza Lopez-Portillo, Alex Sobrero, Krista Menke Second team: Alyssa Reina, Jackie Stifter, Logan Moreland NCAA Eugene All-Regional Team Alyssa Reina, Cheyenne Garcia, Amanda Grable, Krista Menke

400-meter hurdles: Aron Klos 110-meter hurdles: Parker McKittrick, Angus Stoudt Triple Jump: Colin Paarmann

Baseball*

Summit League Outdoor Awards Track Championship MVP: Maddie Van Beek Field Championship MVP: Emily Lesser Coach of the Year: Stevie Keller Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Champions Hammer Throw: Courtney Pasiowitz Shot Put: Emily Lesser Javelin: Sierra Rosenau Steeplechase: Erin Teschuk Heptathlon: Rose Jackson Discus: Katelyn Weimerskirch 400 Meters: Morgan Milbrath 800 Meters: Amy Andrushko 1,500 Meters: Erin Teschuk 400-Meter Hurdles: Melissa Kitching 4x400 Relay: Alexis Woods, Melissa Kitching, Ashley Heinze, Morgan Milbrath Outdoor Track and Field AllLeague Team Hammer Throw: Emily Lesser, Courtney Pasiowitz, Katelyn Weimerskirch Shot Put: Emily Lesser, Courtney Pasiowitz Javelin: Sierra Rosenau, Alyssa Olin Discus: Emily Lesser, Katelyn Weimerskirch Heptathlon: Lexy Boschee, Rose Jackson 5,000-meter: Maddie Van Beek Steeplechase: Taylor Janssen, Erin Teschuk, Maddie Van Beek 1,500-meter: Erin Teschuk, Maddie Van Beek 800-meter: Amy Andrushko 4x400-meter relay: Ashley Heinze, Melissa Kitching, Morgan Milbrath, Alexis Woods 400-meter: Morgan Milbrath, Alexis Woods 400-meter hurdles: Melissa Kitching

All-Summit League Baseball Teams Second Team: John Skrbec, Ben Petersen NCAA Public Recognition Award

Men’s Outdoor Track and Field* Summit League Outdoor Awards Newcomer of the Championship: Landon Jochim Field Championship MVP: Alex Renner Coach of the Year: Don Larson Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Champions Hammer Throw: Alex Renner Javelin: Matti Mortimore Shot Put: Alex Renner Steeplechase: Brett Kelly Decathlon: Angus Stoudt 400 Meters: Landon Jochim 110-Meter Hurdles: Parker McKittrick Outdoor Track and Field AllLeague Team Hammer throw: Alex Renner, Brandt Berghuis, Trevor Berner Shot Put: Alex Renner, Payton Otterdahl Javelin: Matti Mortimore, Tyler Parker, Austin Schmidt Discus: Steffan Stroh Decathlon: Beauregard Gagnon, Brock Larson, Angus Stoudt 5,000-meter: Brett Kelly Steeplechase: Brett Kelly, Brendan Skime 1,500-meter: Lucas DeGree 800-meter: Jonah Warwick 4x400-meter relay: Matt Bedard, Jonah Warwick, Landon Jochim, Aron Klos 400-meter: Landon Jochim,

Women’s Outdoor Track and Field*

59

Verity HOMES

www.verityhomes.com 701-638-0057 info@verityhomes.com 3369 39th St. SW, Ste. 2 Fargo, ND

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

WEIGHT ROOM

BEFORE

Before and After

We haven’t visited the SHAC since January, so we thought we'd better grab our boots and hard hats and check out what Darren Kruse and Don Bernhagen have been creating over the winter at the site of NDSU’s future jewel.

By Joe Kerlin Photos by Tiffany Swanson and Andrew Jason

62

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

AFTER The walls outlining the west addition to the SHAC have been completed for several months. Recently, Gast Construction has been able to roof the weight room area and lay the concrete on the foundation. The next step will be installing the turf and rubber flooring.

Ceiling panels called clouds will be installed above the workout area to improve acoustics.

LOCKER ROOM/ STUDY HALL

BASKETBALL FACILITY

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

The tile has been removed from the pool that once lay vacant inside the BSA and construction has begun around the area. The spot where the pool once was will become a study area for Bison student-athletes. Office areas for coaches and administrators will also be constructed on the second floor surrounding the former pool area.

Last time we were at the basketball practice facility it was still an open-air addition to the southwest corner. Before too much snow arrived, the roof construction was completed. In early May, concrete was poured to finish the floor. NDSU and Gast Construction are hoping to have this phase of the SHAC project complete by the end of this fall. For that to happen, electric wiring, fire alarms, and a sprinkler system will need to be installed so the City of Fargo deems the facility safe for occupants.

63

BASKETBALL ARENA

EAST SIDE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

The old concrete has been excavated from the arena floor and digging has begun for the new floor. The floor will rest two feet lower than the old BSA floor. The foundation will be set from the south to the north to go along with the extension on the east side. The concourse is nearly enclosed with more bricks needed on the north and east end. A new electrical and ventilation system has been installed in the rafters throughout the facility.

64

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

The concourse inside the arena will make the extension on the east end extend about 30 feet.

This process has already started and will go from the south stairwell and work north, where another stairwell will be built. Glass will be installed on the eastern extension of the SHAC and Kruse hopes to begin this process this fall.

GIVING BACK

A YEAR IN REVIEW OF BISON ATHLETICS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THEY LOVE

67

GIVING

BACK

GIVING BACK

PRAY FOR RAY

T

he men’s basketball team showed their North Dakota Pride in Sioux Falls, S.D., during the Summit League tournament a week after tragedy struck Ray, N.D., when three high school basketball players were killed in a car accident. Members of the Bison men’s basketball team proudly wore their “Pray for Ray” lime green t-shirts in-between games.

Hundreds of Pray for Ray t-shirts were sold out of Logo Magic Inc., in Dickinson.

One hundred percent of the proceeds made from the $10-shirt sales went directly to the families of Tanner Garman, Dalen Dorval, and Waylyn McRae — the three deceased high school basketball players from Ray High School.

68

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

GIVING

BACK

GIVING BACK

TNT kids FITNESS

E

very year for the past five seasons, the NDSU football team has taken a trip to TNT Kid’s Fitness & Gymnastics for an open gym with its members. This year the Bison football team brought 15 of its stars to play with the kids of all ages.

“They absolutely love having the Bison football team there,” special events coordinator Sarah Anderson said. “The kids love talking and interacting and doing the circuits with the football players.”

The circuit events include climbing the rock wall, jumping into the foam pit and bouncing on the trampoline.

Anderson said they try to incorporate football drills into the circuit, so the kids can learn various football skills from their gridiron heroes.

One of the hits this year was when a football player would throw a pass into the foam pit and the kids would jump and try to make a diving catch. There aren’t any foam pits in football, but who wouldn’t try to show off in front the four-time defending champs?

Photos by TNT Kids Fitness

70

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

TNT Kid’s Fitness has two open houses per month and they invite Concordia, Minnesota State University Moorhead and NDSU athletes to volunteer. The Bison women’s basketball team also hosted an open house earlier this fall.

“As far as college students go, I think it just gives them an opportunity to see where they’re at,” Anderson said. “Maybe they really enjoy working with kids, but they’re not in any organizations that are getting out and moving with the kids.”

It’s unknown if any of the 15 Bison football players participating this year will receive a human development degree and work with kids professionally, but TNT has given them the opportunity over the last five years to see if this is something that sparks their interest.

BISON FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO VOLUNTEERED AT TNT KID'S FITNESS THIS YEAR: ERIC PERKINS JAYLAAN WIMBUSH BEN LECOMPTE JAMES FISHER CHRISTIAN TRIPLETT TRE DEMPSEY KHAYVON HAWKINS JORDAN CHAMPION JACK PLANKERS COLIN CONNER AARON STEIDL MOLICK SCOTT IAN GALLAGHER LANCE DUNN DARRIUS SHEPHERD

71

Protecting Your Future Dustin Ihry

Vickie Tessin

Shane Larck

Ihry Insurance is a full-service independent agency that has access to multiple carriers, allowing our team to customize a personalized insurance plan for you.

Call our experienced agents today!

1291 13th Ave E, West Fargo | 701.492.2228 | ihryinsurance.com

20140217 Bison Illustrated.indd 1

2/18/14 4:51 PM

GIVING BACK

SUMMIT LEAGUE FOOD FIGHT

N

orth Dakota State University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council competed in the Summit League “Food Fight” for the seventh consecutive season and raised 1,457 pounds of donations.

The organization collected food and cash donations during the men’s basketball home finale against IPFW at Scheels Arena and the women’s basketball finale against Denver at the Bentson Bucker Fieldhouse.

The items collected this spring went toward the Alba Bales House on NDSU’s campus and the rest was donated to local food banks around the Fargo-Moorhead area.

The Summit League “Food Fight” is a yearly competition between conference members to raise food for local food shelves in their communities. The Summit League designated 18 “Food Fight” games during the basketball season and the conference raised 84,000 pounds of food this season. South Dakota State won its third-straight title by raising 34,681.07 pounds, the largest amount by a school in any year, and the food was donated to the Brookings Area Food Pantry.

Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

WOMEN’'S BASKETBALL GAME COLLECTION PICK UP WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETES REGINA NYANFOR YEAR: Freshman (RS) | EVENT: Sprints | CITY: Fargo, ND

RACHEL TODHUNTER YEAR: Junior | EVENT: Multi-Events | CITY: Grand Forks, ND

MOLLY DESPIEGLER

YEAR: Freshman | EVENT: Sprints | CITY: Watertown, SD

73

GIVING

BACK

GIVING BACK

CLASS IS IN SESSION

Freshmen Easton Stick, Jaylaan Wimbush, Blake Williams, Aaron Steidl and sophomore Nate Tanguay visited Westside Elementary School in West Fargo this spring to meet with students and read to several classrooms.

"They look forward to seeing them every year," said third-grade teacher Jenna Farkas explaining her students' reaction to having the Bison football players in the classroom. "They look up to them as role models. We had some kids that brought in things like footballs for them to sign or some of them would wear their NDSU jerseys and want them to sign those."

March was Reading Month at Westside Elementary and for the past four years, with the help of NDSU Athletics, the school welcomes Bison football players to spend 20 minutes in various classrooms speaking and reading to young Bison fans.

"For some of the kids, it means everything to them," Farkas said. "Some of the football players that came today were so amazing at how they read and to see the kids’ faces light up. When they started reading it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, they can read.' Everything we’ve been doing in the classroom, that's what they see in those football players."

74

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

GIVING

BACK

GIVING BACK

SERVICE CHALLENGE AWARD WINNERS

E

ver since women's basketball head coach Maren Walseth stepped foot onto campus at NDSU, her goal has been to rebuild a once dominant basketball program and get her team involved with the Fargo-Moorhead community as much as possible.

"I really feel like it’s our responsibility to support the community," said Walseth after completing her first year as head coach. "Coming in, I knew the team had done some community involvement prior, but I thought we should ramp it up and continue to do that more. The players were so excited and came to me with a list of things to do."

That list included bagging 420 bags of food for the Cass Clay Backpack Program, volunteering at TNT Kids’ Fitness, serving water to runners at the Fargo Marathon and reading to kids at local elementary schools.

The women's basketball team collected enough hours to win the Bison Service Award Challenge at NDSU, which is a friendly competition between groups on campus that include athletic teams, fraternity and sorority life, residence halls and student organizations.

The Bison Service Challenge recorded 31,259 hours this year, which helped save community partners $747,715.28.

Photos by TNT Kids Fitness

76

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

GIVING BACK

MILES FOR MURPHY

T

his winter, the Bison soccer team participated in the Miles for Murphy GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Mercer University women's soccer player Kim Murphy.

Murphy's father died of a heart attack this winter and shortly after her mother lost a long battle with cancer.

"Kim is in desperate need of our help and would never ask for it herself," wrote GoFundMe page creator, Kimberly Cropp, the mother of one of Kim’s friends. "I am certain it is hard for us all to imagine the pain that Kim is dealing with right now."

Feeling they needed to help a fellow member of the college soccer community, the Bison started its effort to help Kim in any way possible. The team collectively ran 381 miles in five days and raised $3,000 for Kim. Kim Murphy's Fund has raised $35,552 in three months and is still active at GOFUNDME.COM.

78

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

Photos by Mercer Athletics

GIVING BACK

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

W

hile the NDSU volleyball team is going to Nicaragua this summer to compete against the national team and build team chemistry, they will also be serving the Nicaraguan community. Head coach Kari Thompson has planned for the team to teach English, host volleyball clinics and ride the bookmobile while reading to children and preparing them for another school year with classroom supplies.

Giving back to the community is in coach Thompson's blood and her team has grown a new taste for helping where they can, too.

Thompson volunteers at Fargo's Special Olympics and helps organize volleyball events. In April the NDSU volleyball team worked with members of Fargo's Special Olympics and taught the rules and techniques of the game.

"A lot of what they do, I encourage them to do on their own because think it's something that’s important to kids and to be invested in and to do it for the right reasons," Thompson said. "Otherwise, you’re not really benefiting anyone else with that."

Thompson said many of her athletes are involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and go to elementary classrooms across the city on their own to read to children.

80

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

JARED ESSLER

WHERE ARE THEY

NOW? JARED ESSLER

FOOTBALL STAR TO COACH

By Joe Kerlin | Photo by Tiffany Swanson

Former Bison safety Jared Essler has never shied away from a big responsibility. In 2004, the senior captain was put in charge of steering a dominant Bison defense into the Division I ranks and expected to be a leader of a football program transitioning into the Great West Football Conference.

The football teams finished with an 8-3 record after their first year in Division I with Essler laying the groundwork for great Bison safeties like Craig Dahl, Nick Schommer, Christian Dudzik and Colten Heagle to follow.

“That’s something I and the guys I graduated with in 2004 take a lot of pride in,” Essler said on his recent trip back to Fargo.

82

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

JARED ESSLER

83

JARED ESSLER

Essler was brought back to Fargo this spring for the NDSU coaches’ clinic, where he was asked to hold a seminar about mixing defensive coverages.

The former track and field and football player got into coaching as soon as he graduated from NDSU. After spending a year as a graduate assistant and making several stops as an assistant at various high schools in Minnesota, Essler landed his first head coaching job, a responsibility he couldn’t afford to take lightly.

St. Michael-Albertville High School’s football program was run by Earl Bauman for 30 years and when it came time for him to retire, his two-year assistant, Essler, got the call to lead the program and become head coach.

“Going back to my mentors, from Coach (Bob) Babich to Coach (Gus) Bradley to Coach (Craig) Bohl, I think I had a real good foundation with some great training,” Essler said about being hired as head coach a year before his 30th birthday. “When I was applying for head jobs in Minnesota, having NDSU on my resume really helped and having some people who speak highly of me as references really helped.”

The high praise was warranted from NDSU coaches like track and field guru Don Larson and proven coaches like Gus Bradley and Craig Bohl.

JARED'S COACHING TIMELINE 2005 – NDSU Graduate Assistant 2006-07 – Maple Grove High School Assistant 2008 – Coon Rapids Assistant 2009-10 – St. Michael-Albertville High School Assistant 2011-15 – St. Michael-Albertville Head Coach

Just like he did in 2004, Essler followed through with the program on his shoulders and has led St. Michael-Albertville to two Minnesota state tournament appearances in four years.

Essler teaches social studies at St. Michael-Albertville High School in a classroom a mere 100 feet away from his wife, Kinsey Essler’s, counseling office. The couple have three children: Carter (5), McKenna (4) and a 1-year-old they named Kira after Don Larson’s daughter, who used to ride the track and field bus with Kinsey and Jared Essler when they were on the Bison track team together.

Essler is a Minot, N.D. native and attended Bishop Ryan, where he won 10 state track titles and was named the 2000 Gatorade North Dakota Male Track Athlete of the Year. At NDSU, he was a sixtime NCAA All-American in the relays and won five individual North Central Conference championships in the 400-meter dash and relays. Essler is a member of the 2005 800-meter relay team that holds the NDSU record at 1:24.06.

Essler said he was grateful to be surrounded by the right coaches and culture on the football and track teams and credits his success at St. Michael-Albertville to the positive influences he had in college.

“A lot of those people that were influential in my life, I’ve taken those ideas about treating people right, paying attention to detail and servant leadership,” said Essler. “I think if you ask some of my STMA (St. Michael-Albertville) athletes that play for me they would say that STMA Pride is just like Bison Pride.”

Essler has made a habit out of taking on large responsibilities.

Whether it’s on the football field or on the sidelines, when the stakes are raised, Essler knows his Bison experience has prepared him to handle anything that comes his way.

85

KIDS ONLY

SPOT

5

DIFFERENCES

​Photo by Tiffany Swanson

THE

ANSWERS. 1. “POPCORN” removed from bag, 2. Boot color changed, 3. Cup removed in bottom left corner, 4. Necklace removed, 5. Gobison.com removed

KIDS ONLY

merch EXECUTIVE

STAFF Casey McCullough

“Merch Master” Aka President

Amanda Johnson

“Merchologist” Aka VP of Sales

Lisa Erickson

“Maker of the Merch” Aka VP of Production

CREATORS OF:

Sales & Showroom

1613 E. Main Ave, Suite 3 West Fargo, ND 58078

Production & Admin GO TO:

GreenStreetProductions.com FOR DETAILS!

705 Kidder Ave NE Hope, ND 58046

701.446.8444

Apparel • Mugs • Calendars • Caps • Events • Pens • Workwear • Golf Balls • Water Bottles • Water • Chairs • Kitchenware Can Koozies • Coolers • Blankets • Towels • Bluetooth Speakers • Power Banks • USB • Ear Buds • Padfolios • Journalbooks Lanyards • Lip Balm • Hand Sanitizer • Sunscreen • Mints • Gum • Bean Bag Toss • Computer Bags • Totes • Backpacks Flashlights • Leathermans • Safety/First Aid Kits • Stress Relievers • Magnets • Thermos • Hitch Covers • ENDLESS IDEAS!

swany says A RIVALRY RENEWED, FOR THE BETTER?

VS.

In the serendipitous way that songs do, “Winds of Change”

by Scorpions just played on my Pandora. I’m in a reflective mood, so bring on the hopeful, 80s hair-band induced perestroika and glasnost lyrics, and let’s follow the Moskva down to Gorky Park and see where it takes us. And why not?

The Cold War is back on, after all, North Dakota State and the University of North Dakota are playing football for the first time since 2003.

In a nod to yesteryear, let’s shelf the détente for a minute and, instead, focus on the “fire and ice” spirit of Rocky Hager and Roger Thomas. Some things only exist in our memories. Like the clicking filmstrips of students diving under their desks bracing for Armageddon, before Google, Twitter and the iPhone, when “the Bakken” wasn’t synonymous with oil and UND didn’t have 13 committees to decide its next nickname, there was a day every fall when even UND fans cared about football. I kid, probably, for the most part anyway, but it’s fun to reminisce in a good, oldfashioned rivalry sort of way.

“Once the crops have been harvested, the thoughts of every North Dakotan turn to one of the oldest and fiercest football rivalries in the nation,” begins a 1996 feature on “the game” in a documentary called “Football America.” The documentary

90

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

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

was produced by the National Football League and aired nationally on TNT. It tells the story of America’s greatest game, coast to coast, from the professional to high school level, by highlighting some of its best stories. One of those stories was “the game” – North Dakota’s Super Bowl.

The “fire and ice” rivalry of Hager and Thomas, of the Bison versus the no names, will give you a reminder of what the game once was. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and Google “Football America Bison rivalry.”

It showcases the 1995 game that UND won 21 – 7. There’s a ten-minute clip on YouTube, which, obviously, was posted by a UND fan as it cuts out the final seconds that mention NDSU demolishing UND 41 – 10 in the playoffs only two weeks later.

Spoiler alert, it includes some wise-cracking by former UND defensive coordinator and head coach Dale Lennon, who jokes, “What we say is if you want to go into farming, you go to NDSU. If you want to own the farm, you go to UND.” To paraphrase Rocky, what a knucklehead. We have a saying too, Dale. I can’t believe I’m actually writing this – it feels juvenile, but it is a rivalry and I can’t let Lennon, who, like me, hails from Benson County, get away with that sort of tomfoolery. Here it is, coach.

If you want to win national championships in the Missouri Valley, you go to NDSU. If you want to watch NDSU winning championships in the Missouri Valley, you go to Southern Illinois. Bazinga.

For fun, and to give you a taste of what else is to come, we could engage in the typical back-andforth between NDSU-UND fans on the topic. Get ready for your first preview of the debate that will rage across the region this summer and into the fall. I’ve already read dozens of these verbal barrages online and, yes, even heard it at my venerable law firm between highly-tuned legal minds.

“Twelve championships, man, who’s won the last four? That’s right. How many times has College GameDay been to Grand Forks? Yeah, thought so.”

The response. “Really? At least we play real Division I sports.

Hockey! We have a Tim Horton’s at the Ralph. Long live Tim Horton!”

The rebuttal. “Hockey. Yep. That’s big time Division I. Union, Canisius, Lake Superior State, and Bemidji State.” Etc., etc., etc.

Rivalries, though, at least the good ones, aren’t about high-minded rhetoric. They’re about the Subway Challenge, where, once-upon-a-time, the

follow

winning school’s fans were treated to either Bob Babich or Lennon’s favorite 6-inch Subway sandwich – for free – the day after the game. You read that right. At every Subway in North Dakota, the day after “the game,” if the Bison won, every Bison fan got a free 6-inch sub of whatever Babich declared his favorite cold cut. Likewise, for Lennon. Now that is a part of the rivalry that everyone can get behind.

So, in the spirit of détente, like the SALT or START treaties, here’s an olive branch to the kelly green and white for a new, friendlier beginning for this rivalry that doesn’t involve mutually assured destruction. It’s like the great American Rocky Balboa said after knocking out Ivan Drago. “If I can change,

@swany8

and you can change, everybody can change.” Only 116 days until the rivalry is renewed, but who’s counting? Everybody up for the kickoff, the march is on!

I dedicate this column to the biggest Bison fan in all of North Dakota, maybe in all of America, heck, in the entire world, Jimmy Gilbertson, who is undoubtedly weeping for joy into his coffee at Harriman’s in Maddock, N.D. After the Bison win, Jimmy, the first round is on me. And a special mention to Judge Gary Lee in Minot, N.D., who I clerked for out of law school, the only guy in North Dakota that has more Bison stuff hanging on his office walls than I do.

Get ready for your first preview of the debate that will rage across the region this summer and into the fall.

POP

QUIZ What was your most memorable summer trip/vacation growing up?

What’s the most relaxing thing to do during the summer?

would you rather wakeboard, waterski, go tubing or fish?

When I was 8 years old my parents took me to Orlando to go to Universal Studios and Disney World.

When I’m back home I usually spend most of my time on the beach riding waves.

I have to go with wakeboarding.

One vacation that I will probably always remember is a trip to Disneyland with my parents and brother when I had to be about 8 or 9.

Most relaxing thing to do in the summer is to either go out on the boat with the family if I’m back home, or if I’m here in Fargo probably floating down the river or going to the lake.

Wake surf! If not that then wakeboarding, but surfing is much more low impact and I enjoy that!

Going to Hershey, Pennsylvania, and seeing the amusement park, the chocolate being made in the factory, competing in a track meet and seeing Gettysburg.

The most relaxing part of my summer is being at the lake and catching up with my family.

That’s a tossup, but I’d have to choose wakeboarding.

Most memorable summer trip was going to Wrigley Field, Miller Park, and the Metrodome for Cubs, Brewers, and Twins games.

Most relaxing thing in summer is sitting by a bonfire and visiting with friends at night.

At the lake, I would prefer to go tubing.

I went on a school trip to Europe after sophomore year of high school. I got to visit Rome, Pompeii, The Vatican, Venice, Germany, France and the UK for 19 days.

Hang out with my friends on the river and sandbar back home.

Hardcore tubing

DARIUS ANDERSON Darius Anderson ran his way to the Bison football team, literally.

He showed up outside Craig Bohl’s office after his freshman season at Valley City State and ran the 40-yard dash inside the FargoDome. He’s been a Bison ever since.

FOOTBALL LOGAN MORELAND Logan Moreland is seeing beach balls thrown at her this season.

The junior shortstop has hit .421 in 183 at-bats, a whopping 70 points higher than last season.

She also led the Bison in on-base percentage at .473.

SOFTBALL MORGAN MILBRATH

TRACK&FIELD

Through two seasons, Minot native Morgan Milbrath has five individual Summit League titles and four team titles. She was a member of two Summit League Indoor and Outdoor Championship relay teams and won her first 400-meter Summit League title this May.

PAUL FUNK

BASEBALL

Junior Paul Funk is one of the best fielding shortstops in the Summit League. In 203 fielding chances, Funk has only committed six errors, which calculates to a 97 fielding percentage. He’s also played in 48 or the Bison’s 51 games this season.

PARKER MCKITTRICK Senior Parker McKittrick ran a career-best 14.27-second 110-meter hurdles to win the 2015 Summit League Outdoor Championships. It was his first outdoor championship and the sixth fastest 110-meter hurdle time in NDSU history.

TRACK&FIELD 92

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

When the ice cream man comes to the neighborhood, what are you buying?

What are you going to focus on this offseason to become a better player?

A root beer float of course.

I plan on working a lot on my route-running so that I can become more of a dynamic back.

Neapolitan ice cream bar.

This offseason, I’ll work on getting stronger, coming back early with some of my teammates and lifting, and just focusing on getting more explosive and quick in the weight room to help transfer to the field.

If it was an ice cream truck, I definitely would be getting a bomb pop!

This summer I will be working on fueling my body so that I can maximize my potential.

I’d get cookies & cream ice cream.

I’m going to focus on improving my speed and strength this summer.

Chocolate covered ice cream bars, about 50 of them.

Do my workouts and lifts and keep the pounds off.