Nic Jackson Named Player of the Year

FARGO, ND – Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks CF Nic Jackson has been named the American Association Player of the Year, the league office announced today.  The award is voted on by the league’s field managers and media representatives.

Jackson enters tonight’s game batting .306 with 25 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 84 RBI and 74 runs scored in 95 games.  He has stolen 19 bases and committed just two errors in 222 total chances in 92 games in centerfield while leading the RedHawks to a league-best 63-33 record and a North Division Championship.

Jackson currently ranks second in the American Association RBI, third in total bases (198), tied for fifth in runs scored and extra-base hits and sixth in home runs.  He was honored as the Pointstreak American Association Player of the Week for July 23-29.

The 6-3, 200-pounder is a 13-year veteran of professional baseball and former third round draft pick (76th pick overall) of the Chicago Cubs in the 2000 Amateur Draft out of the University of Richmond (VA).  In 1011 career games, Jackson has batted .293 with 245 doubles, 39 triples, 120 home runs, 654 RBI and 651 runs scored.  He spent parts of two seasons at Triple-A and three years at Double-A.

It is the second time in his RedHawks career that Jackson has earned Player of the Year honors.  He was named the Northern League Player of the Year in 2009 after batting .310 with 26 doubles, 17 home runs, 97 RBI and 76 runs scored in 95 games.

Mary Tyrrell Health Walk for Scholarships

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The second annual Mary Tyrrell Health Walk for Scholarships is about raising awareness of heart and women’s health while raising support for student-athletes at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The walk will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2012, at Ed Widseth Field on the U of M, Crookston campus. Registration is $25 and all registrants giving $25 or more will receive a t-shirt designed especially for the walk.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the walk at 10 a.m. From 9-11 a.m. there will be tables of information on heart health, women’s health, and general wellness. At 11 a.m., a free “healthy tailgate” lunch will be served for walk participants and provided by Crookston National Bank. Door prizes will be awarded, and  all participants will receive two free tickets to the Golden Eagle Football game vs. Concordia St. Paul.

For more information or to donate to the Mary Tyrrell Health Walk for Scholarships, contact Natasha at 218-281-8423.

UND Men's Hockey Captains Named

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of North Dakota senior defenseman Andrew MacWilliam has been named captain of the men's hockey team for the 2012-13 season. Senior forwards Corban Knight, Danny Kristo and Carter Rowney were each named assistant captains.

MacWilliam, who served as an assistant captain as a junior, has appeared in 122 career games, the most among returning UND players, and owns a career plus/minus rating of +24. Last season, the Calgary, Alberta, native played in all 42 games and collected two goals and five assists along with a career-best +12 rating. He was also named to the WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound MacWilliam was a seventh-round draft pick (188th overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008.

Knight, like MacWilliam, served as an assistant captain as a junior in 2011-12. The High River, Alberta, native played in all 42 games and amassed career highs in points (40), goals (16) and assists (24). His career +40 rating leads all returning UND players. Knight was a fifth-round draft pick (135th overall) of the Florida Panthers in 2009.

Kristo, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., is UND's top returning scorer with 109 points (42 goals, 67 assists) in 117 career games, including a career-high 45 points last season. In 42 games as a junior, Kristo also established career bests in goals (19), assists (26), game-winning goals (3) and plus/minus (+16). He also won UND's Virg Foss 3-Star Award after receiving the most 3-star voting points from the media following home games. Kristo was a second-round draft pick (56th overall) of the Montreal Canadiens in 2008.

Rowney enjoyed a breakthrough season as a junior, finishing third on the team with a career-high 18 goals and fourth in scoring with a career-high 33 points. Nine of his goals came on the power-play and three stood as game-winners. The Sexsmith, Alberta, native tied for the WCHA playoff scoring lead with eight points in five games, including a league-leading six assists.

UND went 26-13-3 overall in 2011-12 and captured its league-record third consecutive Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA Final Five champions. It was also the program's league-leading 11th WCHA playoff title.

UND opens the 2012-13 season, its last as a member of the WCHA, with exhibition games against Manitoba (Oct. 6) and the U.S. Under-18 Team (Oct. 12) before opening the regular season Oct. 19-20 at the Alaska Goal Rush tournament in Fairbanks.

Summitt League Men's Cross Country preseason poll

The North Dakota State University men’s cross country team has been picked to finish second in The Summit League, according to a poll of league head coaches released Thursday.

The Bison were edged by South Dakota State in the preseason poll, with SDSU and NDSU finishing with 46 and 43 points, respectively.

Coming off a runner-up finish at the 2011 Summit League Championships, NDSU returns four of its top six finishers from the league meet a year ago, including sophomores Grady Anderson and Brett Kelly and juniors Moses Heppner and Alec Espeland.

NDSU will host the Bison Invitational on Fri., Aug. 31, to open the 2012 cross country season.

2012 Summit League Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Place	Team	Points (1st)	2011 Finish
1.	South Dakota State	46 (5)	3rd
2.	North Dakota State	43 (2)	2nd
3.	Kansas City	33	4th
4.	South Dakota	32 (1)	5th
5.	IUPUI	27	7th
6.	Oakland	21	6th
7.	Western Illinois	15	8th
8.	Fort Wayne	7	10th

NDSU Picked to Defend Summit League Title in Women's Cross Country

The North Dakota State University women’s cross country team has been picked to repeat as champions of The Summit League, according to the preseason poll of league head coaches released Thursday.

The Bison received eight of the nine possible first-place votes and totaled 64 points in the poll. South Dakota State came in second with 53 points.

The Bison return two All-Summit League honorees in juniors Heidi Peterson and Maddie McClellan. NDSU captured its first-ever Summit League title in 2011, with head coach Ryun Godfrey earning Coach of the Year honors and freshman Abbi Aspengren taking the league’s top newcomer award.

“We are looking forward to the 2012 cross country season with four of our top five intact from last year,” said Godfrey. “They had a good summer of training and are anxious to begin competing.”

NDSU will host the Bison Invitational on Fri., Aug. 31, to open the 2012 cross country season.

2012 Summit League Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Place	Team	Points (1st)	2011 Finish
1.	North Dakota State	64 (8)	1st
2.	South Dakota State	53	4th
3.	Kansas City	48 (1)	3rd
4.	South Dakota	46	5th
5.	Oakland	37	7th
6.	IUPUI	23	8th
7.	Fort Wayne	18	9th
	Western Illinois	18	10th
9.	Omaha	17	N/A

UND A.D. gets 2 year extension

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of North Dakota President Dr. Robert Kelley announced today that athletics director Brian Faison has received a two-year contract extension. Faison, whose contract now runs to June 2017, was named UND's 15th athletics director on April 17, 2008.

"Brian has done an exceptional job in guiding UND Athletics to full membership in NCAA Division I, at the same time providing stability and growth for the program. I am enormously proud of our student-athletes, who excel in the classroom as well as their chosen arena. Brian continues to represent UND Athletics at the highest level," said Kelley.

The 2012-13 season will mark Faison's fifth at the helm of UND Athletics. In leading UND Athletics through the Division I transition, alumni and fan support have continued to grow: Champions Club and endowment giving have enjoyed a sixth straight record year; volleyball had a third consecutive record-breaking season at the turnstile, while women's and men's hockey both finished second in the nation in home average attendance last year.

Competitively, last year's teams again enjoyed outstanding seasons resulting in two conference regular season championships, four conference postseason tournaments championships, three All-Americans, a national coach of the year, a record third consecutive Broadmoor Trophy, a national player of the year finalist and a second-place finish in the all-sports standings of the Great West Conference.

In the classroom, student-athletes continued their tradition of academic excellence: UND's 377 student-athletes achieved a school-record 3.173 grade point average during the 2011-12 year; a record number of student-athletes were named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll for the fall and spring semesters; 115 student-athletes earned academic all-conference honors, another school record; women's basketball, women's swimming and diving, women's golf and men's and women's track and field all were recognized nationally for their academic performance, two student-athletes were named Academic All-Americans and one student-athlete received a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the program's 34th recipient.

Faison helped secure membership in the Big Sky Conference for 14 of UND's sports, with membership beginning this season. He also played a leadership role in the formation of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), joining Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State, Western Michigan and Nebraska Omaha. Conference play begins in 2013-14.

Prior to joining UND, Faison served as special assistant to the president (2004-08) and director of athletics (1999-04) at New Mexico State University. Before that, he served as the national director of development for the National Children's Cancer Society (1995-1999). Faison gained experience in Division I administration as the director of athletics at Indiana State University (1988-1995), assistant athletics director for development at the University of Louisville (1984-1988) and assistant athletics director for promotions and fund raising at Illinois State University (1979-1984).

He also had stints as the assistant manager for athletic public relations at the University of Missouri (1978-1979) and assistant director for alumni activities at the University of Missouri (1974-1978).

Lynx Maya Moore named POTW

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The WNBA today named Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore its Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Thursday, Aug. 16 through Sunday, Aug. 19. Moore earns the honor for the first time in her career. The 2011 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Moore earned Rookie of the Month honors twice last season (July and August). The honor is the first time this season a Lynx player has been named Player of the Week after receiving five such honors last season.

Moore led the Lynx to a 2-0 record on the week, recording victories over the Washington Mystics and Tulsa Shock. In her first game back from winning a gold medal with the U.S. Women’s Olympic National Team, Moore scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, as a part of Minnesota’s 98-69 victory over the Mystics. The 29-point win was the fourth-largest winning margin in franchise history. Two days later, Moore led the Lynx in points (22), rebounds (10), assists (6) and steals (4) while converting on 7-of-13 field goal attempts, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, in a 83-59 win over Tulsa. The game was her third double-double of the season (fourth of her career) and the first time in three years a Lynx player has led the team in points, rebounds and assists in the same game.

She finished the week second in the Western Conference in scoring (19.2 ppg), tied for third in steals (3.0 spg), sixth in assists (4.5 apg), sixth in field goal percentage (.609) and eighth in rebounds (7.0 rpg). Moore’s performance improved the Lynx to a WNBA-best 17-4 and helped Minnesota clinch its second consecutive playoff appearance.

So far this season, Moore ranks second in the WNBA in three-pointers (42) and tenth in three-point accuracy (42.9%). She ranks fifth in free-throw accuracy (88.1%), 14th in the league in scoring (15.2 ppg) and first among forwards with 3.2 assists per game.

Indiana’s Tamika Catchings was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

Following this weekend’s success at Target Center, Minnesota heads to Seattle for a game against the Storm tomorrow night at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The Lynx return home for their fourth annual Catwalk for a Cure at the Mall of America Rotunda on Thursday, August 23, before heading to Atlanta to face the Dream in a rematch of last season’s WNBA Finals on Saturday, August 25 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

NDSU #6 in Phil Steele FCS Preseason Top 40

COLUMBUS, Ohio--North Dakota State University was ranked No. 6 in the Phil Steele Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason Top 40 poll released Wednesday, Aug. 8, by the editors of Phil Steele's FCS College Preview magazine.

The Bison were one of six Missouri Valley Football Conference teams selected in the preseason poll, a list that includes No. 4 Youngstown State, No. 15 Northern Iowa, No. 21 Illinois State, No. 26 Southern Illinois and No. 33 Indiana State.

The magazine also released its preseason All-American and All-MVFC teams.
Cornerback Marcus Williams was selected to the preseason All-America first team, and offensive tackle Billy Turner was named to the fourth team.

Joining Williams and Turner on the preseason All-Valley Football first team were junior safety Colten Heagle and junior wide receiver/punt returner Ryan Smith. Running back Sam Ojuri, center Joe Lund, defensive end Cole Jirik and safety Christian Dudzik were named to the second team.

North Dakota State is currently in fall camp, preparing for the 2012 season opener against Robert Morris at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
1) SamHouston St
2) JamesMadison
3) MontanaSt
4) Youngstown St
5) Wofford
6) NorthDakotaSt
7) Eastern Washington
8) Towson
9) StonyBrook
10) GeorgiaSouthern
11) New Hampshire
12) Delaware
13) Stephen F. Austin
14) Northern Arizona
15) Northern Iowa
16) Appalachian St
17) Eastern Kentucky
18) Lehigh
19) Old Dominion
20) Montana
21) llinoisSt
22) South Carolina St
23) Harvard
24) Jacksonville St
25) Alabama St
26) Southern Illinois
27) McNeese St
28) Grambling St
29) Chattanooga
30) Maine
31) Central Arkansas
32) Murray St
33) Indiana St
34) William & Mary
35) Penn
36) Norfolk St
37) Duquesne
38) UT Martin
39) Liberty
40) Holy Cross

UMC women's soccer begins

(Crookston, Minn.) – The University of Minnesota, Crookston Women’s Soccer team will open practice for the 2012 season on Monday, August 13 at 7 a.m. at the UMC Soccer Field. The Golden Eagles will practice twice a day with the first session running from 7-9:30 a.m. and the second from 3-5 p.m.

Head Coach Joe Alianiello enters his first season with the Golden Eagles and is excited to get started. “I am excited to finally get on the field with a great group of student-athletes,” says Coach Alianiello. “I am looking forward to getting to know the players and have them get to know me during preseason camp. I look forward  to beginning the process of implementing my vision for the program. It's going to be a great two weeks of training and a great time to be part of the Golden Eagles Women's Soccer program.” 

The Golden Eagles finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 3-14-1 and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) record of 2-10-1 which was good for tie for 12^th place. Nikki Hammond (Jr, F, Nelson, Minn.) leads all returning players having scored four goals for eight points last season.

U of M, Crookston opens the 2012 campaign with an exhibition game against Jamestown College on Sunday, August 19 at 1 p.m. at the UMC Soccer Field. Their first regular season game takes place on Saturday, September 1 when they host Northern Michigan University at 1 p.m. The Golden Eagles open the NSIC season at Minnesota State University Moorhead on Wednesday, September 5 at 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

NDSU Men’s Basketball 2012-13 schedule

FARGO, N.D. - A matchup with the presumed No. 1 team in the nation highlights the 30-game North Dakota State men's basketball schedule head coach Saul Phillips announced Wednesday, Aug. 8.
North Dakota State will play Indiana on Monday, Nov. 12, in the Bloomington Regional of the Legends Classic.  The Hoosiers, with five starters back from last year's 27-9 team that lost to Kentucky in the NCAA regional semifinals, are listed first in preseason rankings from college basketball writers at ESPN, CBS and The Sporting News.
The Legends Classic includes three games Nov. 19-21 at Duquesne as part of the Pittsburgh Subregional, where the Bison will face Youngstown State, Duquesne and James Madison in consecutive days.
NDSU plays at Green Bay on Nov. 24 before the Summit League opener Nov. 29 at home against Omaha.  Other non-conference games include a home-and-home series with Morehead State in December, road games at Minnesota and Towson, and a return to the Fargodome on Sunday, Dec. 9, to play North Dakota.
"This season's schedule will be very challenging, but we feel we have a team in place that can compete," Phillips said.  "Certainly the Indiana game is a highlight.  Add in Minnesota, and Morehead State who has been in the NCAA tournament recently, along with A-10, Colonial and Horizon League teams, and we have a stiff test for our group of young men."
North Dakota State will play a 16-game schedule in the nine-team Summit League with the addition of Omaha and the departure of Southern Utah and Oral Roberts.  South Dakota State visits Fargo on Dec. 29 to start a stretch of 14 straight league games.
NDSU goes on the road Feb. 23 in the annual ESPN BracketBusters series and the Bison also have a non-conference home game with Utah Valley on Feb. 26 before the regular-season finale at Omaha on March 2.
The eight-team Summit League tournament runs March 9-12 at the Sioux Falls Arena in Sioux Falls, S.D., where the winner earns the league's automatic berth in the 68-team NCAA tournament.
North Dakota State returns four starters and its top five scorers from last year's 17-14 team that tied for fourth place in the Summit League with a 9-9 record and played in the College Basketball Invitational presented by Zebra Pen.

 Bison Schedule/Results

November

1 CONCORDIA MOORHEAD (Exb.)....TBA

3 MINN. ST. MOORHEAD (Exb.)........7 p.m.

9 VALLEY CITY STATE........................TBA

12 # at Indiana......................................TBA

17 MAYVILLE STATE............................TBA

19 # vs. Youngstown State....................4:30 p.m. ET

20 # at Duquesne.................................7 p.m. ET

21 # vs. James Madison........................4:30 p.m. ET

24 at Green Bay....................................7 p.m.

29 OMAHA*.......................................7 p.m.

December

5 at Morehead State...........................7 p.m. ET

9 NORTH DAKOTA (Fargodome)........4 p.m.

11 at Minnesota...................................TBA

15 at Towson........................................7 p.m. ET

21 MOREHEAD STATE.........................7 p.m.

29 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE*.................7 p.m.

January

3 at South Dakota*.............................TBA

5 at Kansas City*.................................4 p.m.

10 FORT WAYNE*...............................7 p.m.

12 OAKLAND*....................................7 p.m.

17 at IUPUI*.........................................TBA ET

19 at Western Illinois*..........................TBA

26 at South Dakota State*....................TBA

31 KANSAS CITY*...............................7 p.m.

February

2 SOUTH DAKOTA*...........................7 p.m.

7 at Oakland*.....................................TBA ET

9 at Fort Wayne*................................TBA ET

14 WESTERN ILLINOIS*......................7 p.m.

16 IUPUI*..........................................7 p.m.

23 at ESPN BracketBuster.....................TBA

26 UTAH VALLEY................................7 p.m.

March

2 at Omaha*.......................................3 p.m.

9 Summit League Quarterfinals..........6/8:30 p.m.

10 Summit League Quarterfinals..........6/8:30 p.m.

11 Summit League Semifinals..............6/8:30 p.m.

12 Summit League Championship........TBA