DRAGON ATHLETICS
Dragon TALES
DRAGON TALES
By Larry Scott, MSU Moorhead Sports Information Director
A home court reservation for the approaching Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball playoffs is at stake this weekend when Minnesota State University Moorhead closes the regular season with a two-match homestand against University of Mary and Northern State University.
MSU Moorhead, 9-7, needs a sweep and a pair of losses by Winona State University (10-6) to secure one of four homecourt spots in the 2007 NSIC Tournament that begins on Tuesday.
Three Dragon seniors will make their final home appearances this weekend as well, including CORTNEY MARR, CARRIE SCHWARTZENBERGER and JULIE VANCURA.
MSUM MEMOS. . . . . Fresh from a sweep of men and women’s NSIC cross-country titles, MSU Moorhead will enter the NCAA Division II North Central Regional Championships on Saturday at Vermillion, SD. . . . . The Dragon men’s basketball team has a 7 p.m. exhibition date with North Dakota State University on Friday night at the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, ND. . . . . SARAH CHAUSSEE has been named the women’s Diver of the Week in the North Central Conference. . . . . A Metrodome Classic Tailgating Party is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. next Saturday in advance of the MSU Moorhead-Southwest Minnesota State game. The party will be staged near Gate D at Metrodome. . . . . Junior wide receiver BRUCE GREEN is not expected to play on Saturday because of a knee injury. Senior MATT OACHS and sophomore GARY RICHARDS returned to duty last week after time in drydock because of injuries and provide the Dragon defensive front with some valued support. . . . . Freshman wideout NICK SCHARPF, filling in for the injured Green, hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass for his first collegiate TD in Saturday’s 21-20 loss at Northern State. . . . . MSUM quarterback DUSTIN LONG is seventh in NCAA Division II in passing yards, 2,520, ninth in passing yards per game, 280.0, and 11th in total offense, 299.4, while wide receiver JABARI TAYLOR is tied for sixth in receptions per game, 7.2, and 18th for receiving yards, 90.7. MSUM linebacker JONATHAN MILLER is tied for ninth for solo tackles, 6.2, and 14th for total tackles, 11.1. . . . . Long has already set MSUM career records for pass completions, 433, pass attempts, 699, yards gained passing, 5015, and touchdown passes, 46, and owns Dragon seasonal marks for completions, 231, attempts, 356, yards gained passing, 2,525, and touchdown passes. Taylor needs three receptions to break Jeff Tesch’s single season mark of 67 catches set in 1977. Taylor has 816 yards receiving this fall and needs 70 yards to eclipse Chad Davison’s seasonal record of 885 yards set in 2003. . . . . Twelve Dragons will make their final home appearance against UMC, including KYLE ANDERSON (LB), AARON CRIBB (OT), ERIC FROST (SB), CASEY GIBSON (OT), TRENT JOHNSON (LB), CASEY KANNEL (LB), DUSTIN LONG (QB), MATT MARCH (OG), MATT OACHS (DT), BERT SMITH (SB), PATRICK WILLIAMS (LB) and DAMON WOLFE (C). . . . . Former Dragon point guard DAVE JOERGER is in his first season as assistant coach of the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. . . . . The Dragons rank 15th on the NCAA Division II Coaches’ pre-season wrestling poll. JARRETT HALL, 174, is ranked sixth individually. . . . . 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, continues to flourish in professional basketball abroad. Beeson put together a triple-double in just 28 minutes of play with 19 points, 11 boards and 10 assists last week for Archena, Spain. . . . . The next Dragon Fire luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, at the Courtyard by Marriott 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. . . . .
