UMC Women's Basketball Moves Back Up to No. 1 Three-Point Shooting Team in NCAA Division II

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball team moved back up to the No. 1 spot for best three-point shooting percentage in the nation for all of NCAA Division II. The Golden Eagles are currently shooting 43.4 percent, as a team. They were ranked No. 1 coming into the New Year, but dropped to No. 2 last week, but after going 22-of-47 for 46.8 percent as a team against St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth.

The Golden Eagles are ranked ahead of Union University (Tenn.) and Lubbock Christian University, who are shooting 42.3 percent as team. Minnesota Crookston is led by Alexa Thielman (Sr., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science), who is shooting 47.2 percent from beyond the arc, and Alison Hughes (Fr., G, Janesville, Wis./Early Childhood Education), who is shooting 46.9 percent from beyond the arc. Thielman is currently ranked 12^th in the NCAA for three-point field goals per game and 15^th for three-point field goals made. Thielman set the mark for most three-pointer in a career Saturday, surpassing Amy Kuznia, and also set the school mark for most three-pointers in a game with seven.

NDSU's Carson Wentz NCAA Elite 90 Award Winner

FRISCO, Texas - North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz for the third straight season won the NCAA Elite 90 Award presented at the NCAA Division I football championship banquet Friday, Jan. 8, at the Frisco Convention Center.

The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at each of the NCAA's 90 national championships.  Wentz, a senior from Bismarck, N.D., has a 4.0 GPA in health education and physical education with a minor in psychology.

An award founded by the NCAA, the Elite 90 recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.

Wentz is the fourth North Dakota State student-athlete to earn the award.  He joins women's golfer Amy Anderson and women's track and field competitor Whitney Carlson, who each won at the 2011 national championships, as well as linebacker Esley Thorton, who was the 2013 football championship game recipient.

Wentz passed for 1,454 yards and 16 touchdowns in the first six games this season before an injury.  He is 19-3 as a starter and ranks third in NDSU history for career passing completions (376), passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (44).

No. 3 seed North Dakota State (12-2) faces No. 1 seed Jacksonville State (13-1) in the NCAA Division I football championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at Toyota Stadium.  The game will be televised live on ESPN2.

UMC Baseball Adds Isaacson as Volunteer Assistant Coach

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program announced the addition of Kyle Isaacson to the staff as a volunteer assistant coach. Isaacson, a former player for Head Coach Steve Gust at Dakota Wesleyan University, comes to UMC after working as a personal trainer and co-owner of a studio based out of Oak Harbor, Wash., since the Fall of 2013. He also served as an assistant coach for Oak Harbor High School and the Oak Harbor American Legion team during that time.

“We are ecstatic to add Kyle to our staff,” Gust said. “He understands what we are trying to do here at UMC, and has the knowledge, experience and work ethic that we are looking for as we continue to build our program. Kyle will do whatever it takes to help our program. He will be an invaluable asset to our staff.”

During his time as a personal trainer, Isaacson worked with athletes of ages ranging from 12-90. As a coach at Oak Harbor High School, he worked primarily with the hitters, helping to coach 21 student-athletes to All-Conference accolades. Prior to returning to his hometown of Oak Harbor, Wash., Isaacson spent one season running the Strength and Conditioning program for the University of Sioux Falls baseball program.

“I am excited to work with the student-athletes at UMC and help them improve on and off the field and instill a steady work ethic when it comes to the weight room and when it comes to dedication with your teammates,” Isaacson said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be reunited and work with Coach Gust again. He has been a mentor for me and we are looking forward to working together and continuing success at UMC.”

As a player, Isaacson started out at Highland Community College in Highland, Kan., where he played during the 2006 and 2007 seasons and was an All-Conference pick. Isaacson then transferred to Dakota Wesleyan to play for then Head Coach Adam Neisius. He would earn All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Honorable Mention as a catcher for the Tigers in 2008. In 2009, Isaacson would have his best season yet, hitting .367 with 10 home runs and 76 RBI’s, under first-year Head Coach Steve Gust. He also earned All-America Honorable Mention. Isaacson would help lead Dakota Wesleyan to their first trip to the NAIA National Tournament. During the Summer, he also competed for the Clarinda A’s in 2005 and 2006 in the M.I.N.K Collegiate Summer Baseball League, where he was teammates with current Colorado Rockie Daniel Descalsco and current San Diego Padre Andrew Cashner.

Isaacson joins the staff of Gust, Assistant Coach Ryan Paasch, who will focus on pitching. UMC also has volunteer assistant coaches Alex Sumner and Michael Lukkason, who will help out the team. Isaacson’s  primary responsibilities will be working with the hitters, catchers and helping with strength and conditioning for the team.

Isaacson will reside in Crookston with his girlfriend Courtney.

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

UND's Johnson gets national player of the month honors

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – On Tuesday, University of North Dakota sophomore goaltender Cam Johnson was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Month for November. Today, Johnson received more recognition when he was named Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player of the Month.

Johnson went 4-0-0 in December as North Dakota skated to sweeps of ninth-ranked Denver (Dec. 4-5) and 17^th-ranked Minnesota Duluth (Dec. 11-12). The Troy, Mich., native posted shutouts in each of his final three starts of the month and led the nation’s goaltenders in goals against average (0.25) and save percentage (.992) during the month.

He became UND’s first player to garner HCA monthly honors since forward Drake Caggiula was named HCA Player of the Month in November 2014.

Johnson’s shutout streak began with an 18-save performance in the series finale against Denver in which he earned the first shutout of his collegiate career. The following week in Duluth, Johnson stopped all 78 shots he faced in the series, including a career-high 40-save effort in the series opener. That performance marked just the second time in UND history a goaltender recorded a shutout with 40 or more saves.

Johnson was named NCHC Goaltender of the Week after each of those series, giving him three straight such honors and four overall on the season.

In 12 games this season, Johnson is 9-0-1 and leads the nation in goals against average (1.07) and save percentage (.957). He is the second straight Fighting Hawk to win NCHC monthly honors after sophomore forward Nick Schmaltz was named NCHC Player of the Month for November.

UND hosts the U.S. Under-18 Team in exhibition action Saturday, Jan. 9, at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns Announces Inaugural Shoe Drive

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns today announced that he has partnered with The Salvation Army to host a shoe drive to help those in need of new shoes. Beginning today and ending on Friday, January 29, Towns is inviting all fans to bring new and unused shoes to the Target Center Box Office.

"Many people are in need of new shoes,” said Towns. “With the support of The Salvation Army and Wolves fans, I’m hoping we can make a difference by supplying new shoes to those in need of a new pair of shoes this winter.”

As a thank you to those who donate, Towns will be supplying tickets to the Timberwolves' Feb. 8 game vs. the New Orleans Pelicans and the Feb. 22 game vs. the Boston Celtics. Fans will receive a voucher redeemable for two tickets to one of these games for each pair of new and unused shoes they donate (first come, first served basis while supplies last). Towns and The Salvation Army will be accepting new and unused shoe donations at the Target Center Box Office at 600 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, through Friday, January 29.

UND Men's Hockey claim top spot in USCHO men’s poll

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota was ranked No. 1 in the latest USCHO.com Division I Men’s Hockey Poll released today, reclaiming the top spot it had previously held for the last three weeks of October and the first week of November.

UND received 36 of 50 first-place votes. Second-place Quinnipiac garnered the remaining 14 first-place votes.

Additionally, UND gained one spot and was ranked No. 2 in this week’s USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll with 16 first-place votes, edged narrowly by top-ranked Quinnipiac’s 17 first-place votes. Defending national champion Providence fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in both polls this week.

The Fighting Hawks have won eight straight games following last weekend’s non-conference sweep of Alabama Huntsville and will host the U.S. Under-18 Team on Saturday in exhibition action.

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

Rk.      School (First place votes)       Record           Pts.         PR

1.         North Dakota (36)                     18-2-2           976            2

2.         Quinnipiac (14)                                17-1-3            958            3

3.         Providence                                       13-2-3            866            1

4.         St. Cloud State                                16-4-0            825            5

5.         Harvard                                              8-1-3            789            7

6.         Omaha                                              14-3-1            786            6

7.         Boston College                               13-4-1            697            4

8.         Michigan                                          11-3-3            623          10

9.         Cornell                                               9-2-2            568            9

10.       Massachusetts-Lowell                    11-4-4            562            8

11.       Boston University                             9-6-3            482          11

12.       Yale                                                    6-4-2            412          13

13.       St. Lawrence                                    10-5-2            348          15

14.       Penn State                                        12-3-3            336          14

15.       Notre Dame                                       9-4-6            319          16

16.       Bowling Green                                 12-5-5            301          12

17.       Denver                                               7-7-4            195          17

18.       Minnesota State                              10-6-4            156          18

19.       Minnesota Duluth                              7-7-3              87          19

20.       Rensselaer                                       11-7-3              81         NR

Others receiving votes: Robert Morris 49, Michigan Tech 33, Holy Cross 22, Union 21, Merrimack 8.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

Rk.      School (1^st 1 votes)                   Record           Pts.         PR

1.         Quinnipiac (17)                                17-1-3            490            2

2.         North Dakota (16)                     18-2-2           484            3

3.         Providence                                       13-2-3            420            1

4.         Harvard (1)                                        8-1-3            395            7

5.         St. Cloud State                                16-4-3            384            5

6.         Omaha                                              14-3-1            357            6

7.         Boston College                               13-4-1            289            4

8.         Michigan                                          11-3-3            266          10

9.         Cornell                                               9-2-2            234            9

10.       Massachusetts-Lowell                    11-4-4            201            8

11.       Boston University                             9-6-3            147          11

12.       Yale                                                    6-4-2            121          12

13.       St. Lawrence                                    10-5-2            100          14

14.       Notre Dame                                       6-4-6              69         NR

15.       Penn State                                        12-3-3              58          15

Others receiving votes: Bowling Green 37, Denver 14, Rensselaer 7, Minnesota State 5, Michigan Tech 2.

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The NBA today named Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns as its Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the month for December. Towns is the second player in Wolves history to earn Kia NBA Rookie of the Month honors in consecutive months, joining Andrew Wiggins (November, December 2014, January, February 2015). 

After taking home Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors for November, Towns led all qualified rookies in scoring (18.6 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg), field goal accuracy (55.3%) and minutes played (30.4 mpg) while ranking second in blocked shots (1.56 bpg) and third in free throw percentage (82.8%) in December. The 7-0 center contributed eight point/rebound double-doubles during the month, tops among all rookies and tied for sixth league-wide. Included in that haul were five games with 25+ points and 10+ rebounds; that equals the highest total in a calendar month by any rookie since Tim Duncan posted eight such games in March 1998. Towns also enjoyed a run of 32 consecutive free throws made, beginning Dec. 1 vs. Orlando and ending Dec. 26 vs. Indiana.

The first overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, Towns paced all scorers with 27 points while adding a game-high 12 rebounds Dec. 5 vs. Portland, and tallied 26 points, a then-season-high 14 rebounds and three blocks in the Dec. 9 win vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. He totaled a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds in the Dec. 20 victory at Brooklyn, and followed up with 25 points, a season-high 16 rebounds and three blocks one night later in Boston. He led all scorers with 24 points (playing a season-best 39:58 and dishing three assists) Dec. 26 vs. Indiana.

NDSU Has Four Student-Athletes on STATS FCS All-America Team

FARGO, N.D. - First team left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte were two of the four North Dakota State football players named to the STATS FCS All-America team Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Fullback Andrew Bonnet was named to the second team and defensive end Greg Menard was selected to the third team.

It is the second straight All-America award for Haeg, LeCompte and Bonnet, and the first for Menard.  Haeg was first team last year, LeCompte was second team last year and Bonnet was third team last year.

No. 3 seed North Dakota State (11-2) hosts No. 7 seed Richmond (10-3) in a national semifinal game at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

2015 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State.
RB - Marshaun Coprich, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State; Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham; Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar.
FB - Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel.
WR - Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana; Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington; Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State.
TE - Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard.
OL - Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington; Joe Haeg, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State; Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State; Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga; Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard.
AP - Johnta' Hebert, senior, 5-10, 195, Prairie View A&M.

DEFENSE
DL - James Cowser, graduate, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah; Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State; Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana; Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook; Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky.
LB - Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State; Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne; Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State; Myke Tavarres, senior, 6-3, 230, Incarnate Word.
DB - Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel; Deiondre' Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa; DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195, William & Mary; Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary.
P - Ben LeCompte, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State.
KR - Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern.
PR - Khris Gardin, sophomore, 5-7, 158, North Carolina A&T.
LS - Joshua Appel, junior, 6-2, 250, Indiana State.

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga.
RB - Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond; De'Angelo Henderson, junior, 5-8, 205, Coastal Carolina.
FB - Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State.
WR - Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona; Tyler Dube, graduate, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart; Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross.
TE - Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State.
OL - Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern; Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty; Julie'n Davenport, junior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell; Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State; Mitch Kirsch, junior, 6-6, 300, James Madison.
AP - John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota.

DEFENSE
DL - Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga; Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois; P.J. Hall, sophomore, 6-1, 270, Sam Houston State; Karter Schult, junior, 6-2, 265, Northern Iowa; Chima Uzowihe, senior, 6-2, 250, Liberty.
LB - Andrew Ankrah, sophomore, 6-4, 234, James Madison; Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State; Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova; Stephen Hodge, graduate, 6-2, 196, Fordham; Brett McMakin, junior, 6-4, 232, Northern Iowa.
DB - David Jones, junior, 6-1, 187, Richmond; Miles Killebrew, senior, 6-3, 230, Southern Utah; Harlan Miller, senior, 6-1, 180, Southeastern Louisiana; Donald Payne, junior, 6-1, 215, Stetson; Wallace Scott, senior, 6-1, 211, McNeese State.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - John Lunsford, senior, 6-1, 180, Liberty.
P - Ryan Hawkins, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Arizona.
KR - Lorenzo Jerome, junior, 5-11, 185, Saint Francis.
PR - Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado.
LS - Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern.

THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Case Cookus, freshman, 6-4, 200, Northern Arizona; Vad Lee, senior, 6-1, 225, James Madison.
RB - Tarik Cohen, junior, 5-6, 173, North Carolina A&T; Troymaine Pope, senior, 5-9, 205, Jacksonville State.
FB - Joe Protheroe, sophomore, 6-0, 230, Cal Poly.
WR - Brian Brown, junior, 6-1, 198, Richmond; Anthony Warrum, junior, 6-2, 190, Illinois State; Justin Watson, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Penn.
TE - Eric Saubert, senior, 6-4, 242, Drake.
OL - Quinton Marsh, senior, 6-3, 310, McNeese State; Garrick Mayweather, senior, 6-3, 319, Fordham; Sean Meehan, senior, 6-5, 300, North Dakota; Brandon Parker, sophomore, 6-7, 279, North Carolina A&T; Nick Ritcher, senior, 6-6, 304, Richmond.
AP - Justice Shelton-Mosley, freshman, 5-10, 170, Harvard.

DEFENSE
DL - Mitchell Jeter, senior, 6-0, 275, The Citadel; Chris Landrum, graduate, 6-3, 260, Jacksonville State; O.J. Mau, senior, 6-2, 319, Gardner-Webb; Greg Menard, sophomore, 6-2, 239, North Dakota State; Derek Rivers, junior, 6-5, 255, Youngstown State.
LB - Aaron Brown, senior, 6-0, 220, Charleston Southern; Tyler Drake, senior, 6-2, 220, Penn; John Hugunin, 5-11, 232, Drake; Cory Magwood, senior, 6-2, 232, Furman; James Rentz, junior, 6-1, 230, Sacred Heart.
DB - James Bradberry, senior, 6-1, 213, Samford; Casey DeAndrade, junior, 5-11, 212, New Hampshire; Jermaine Hough, senior, 5-10, 185, Jacksonville State; Jevon Elmore, Central Connecticut State, junior, 5-10, 185; Clayton Ewell, senior, 6-1, 195, Bucknell.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Chris Moore, senior, 6-0, 215, Northwestern State.
P - Chris Fraser, junior, 6-2, 211, Cornell.
KR - Devin Brown, junior, 5-8, 155, Coastal Carolina.
PR - Makinton Dorleant, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Iowa.
LS - Kameron Canaday, senior, 6-4, 230, Portland State.

UMC's Nordick Named NSIC North Division Player of the Week

CROOKSTON, Minn. – University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball player Katrina Nordick (Sr, F, Perham, Minn./Applied Studies) was named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) North Division Player of the Week after her performance over the weekend in helping the Golden Eagles to a pair of huge victories over Wayne State College (Neb.) and Augustana University. Nordick is the third student-athlete to earn NSIC Player of the Week honors this year along with Courtney Armborst of women’s soccer and Dre Person of football. Nordick, then known as Katrina Moenkedick before her marriage, was last named NSIC Player of the Week Dec. 1, 2014.

Nordick averaged 22 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for the Golden Eagles on the weekend. Against Augustana, she had a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting from the field with five assists. Against Wayne State Friday, she had 24 points and nine boards on 9-of-19 from the field. Nordick shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field and was 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. She had eight offensive rebounds on the weekend while averaging four assists per game. In addition, Nordick moved to fourth all-time on the career scoring list, surpassing former UMC star and current Northern State University graduate assistant Brittani Wiese, a former teammate. Nordick was the preseason NSIC North Player of the Year after earning All-NSIC First Team honors as a junior. She is averaging 15.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game for the 6-3 Golden Eagles.

Taylor Varsho of University of Sioux Falls earned NSIC South Division Player of the Week.

UMC will wrap up the 2015 portion of their schedule as they head to travel partner Bemidji State University this weekend Fri., Dec. 18 at 5 p.m.

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