DRAGON ATHLETICS
Dragon TALES
DRAGON TALES
By Larry Scott, MSU Moorhead Sports Information Director
Fresh from a rewarding 41-18 roadkill of Wayne State College, Minnesota State University Moorhead returns to Alex Nemzek Stadium on Saturday for a 1 p.m. Homecoming date with Upper Iowa University and an eye on the first division in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. MSUM is 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the NSIC while Upper Iowa fell to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the league with a 41-0 loss to Winona State University last Saturday. Senior quarterback DUSTIN LONG amped up the Dragon offense with five touchdown passes and was saluted as the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week.
MSUM MEMOS. . . . . Six athletes who charted memorable careers on and off the athletic field will be inducted into the Dragon Hall of Fame on Saturday. AMY GERNAND, KEITH HAVERLAND, LYLE HORNBACHER, RAY KAVANAGH, SCOTT OLIVER and MARC RYAN will be honored by the Dragon Athletic Department at the Dragon Hall of Fame banquet at the Courtyard by Marriott in Moorhead on Saturday night. . . . . Alex Nemzek Hall will host the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon project on Saturday and Sunday mornings, beginning at 8:30. The program to enhance the reintegration of returning reserve and guard veterans from Iraq is directed by Captain AARON KRENZ, a former starting linebacker for the Dragons. . . . . MSUM inside linebacker JONATHAN MILLER ranks eighth on the latest NCAA Division II national statistics for total tackles, 12.0, and 10th in solo tackles, 6.5. Long is 24th in total offense, 258.3, 26th in passing efficiency, 148.8, and 30th in passing yards, 243.8. . . . . KELCI GUENTHER ranks first on the latest NSIC volleyball chart in blocks, 2.09, LAURA TVRDIK second in blocks, 1.52, MEGAN NORLING third in kills, 3.96, and JULIE VANCURA fourth in assists, 11.65. Vancura was named NSIC Setter of the Week on Monday. . . . . Freshman TRICIA VANYO is tied for third in the NSIC with 0.50 goals per game for the Dragon women’s soccer crew. . . . . The Dragons host Providence College at 11:30 Saturday morning, and open NSIC play against Concordia University at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Alex Nemzek Field. . . . . MSUM, 9-4 overall and 4-2 in the NSIC, faces a weekend volleyball roadtrip to Northern State University (Friday) and University of Mary (Saturday). . . . . Following a weekend off, Dragon cross-country runners return to duty on Saturday at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational at Falcon Heights. The women’s race begins at 9:45 and the men’s race at 11:20. . . . . Junior All-American free safety JOSH JONES has been lost for the year with a broken arm. Freshman BRANDON LARSON has replaced Jones in the starting lineup. . . . . MSUM women golfers will compete in the Sioux Invitational tournament at King’s Walk in Grand Forks, ND on Sunday and Monday. Minnesota State Moorhead finished 11th in a 16-team field at last weekend’s Mustang Invitational at Marshall. Nebraska-Omaha captured the team title with a composite stroke total of 632 while MSUM shot a 347-364—711. CHELSEY OUREN tied for 12th with an 80-85—165 while KASEY MAIER shot an 84-87--171. . . . . Former MSUM track and cross-country standout DANE MORELAND is attending graduate school at West Virginia University. . . . . The Dragons have unveiled a new athletic website designed by TOM CHALLEY. . . . . BRETT BEESON, the NCAA Division II Player of the Year and a national scoring champ at MSUM in 1995-96, will continue his professional basketball career overseas again this winter. Beeson will play for Archena, Spain. Last season at Sabadell, Beeson led the league in scoring with 19.2 ppg. . . . .Women’s swimming and diving practice at MSUM began officially on Monday, September 17. . . . . The next Dragon Fire luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26, at 12 noon at the Courtyard at Marriot in Moorhead. . . . . Dragon football games are broadcast over ESPN Radio 1660 AM. Steve d’Eustachio returns for his 10th season as play-by-play announcer while Mike Larson will provide commentary. All Dragon games are also available on the World Wide Web at www.msumdragons.com. . . . .
