DRAGON ATHLETICS
Dragon TALES
DRAGON TALES
By Larry Scott, MSU Moorhead Sports Information Director
Funeral services will be held in Moorhead on Thursday for former Dragon wrestling coach BILL GARLAND, 79, who passed away on Sunday. The only coach to lead Minnesota State University Moorhead to a national championship and the man largely responsible for the growth of intercollegiate wrestling in the Red River Valley, Garland spent 28 years as head coach of the Dragons. The University of Indiana graduate and ex-Marine accepted the head wrestling post at MSUM in 1958 and began shaping a program that would soon compete with the nation’s strongholds, including NCAA Division I members. High school wrestling in the Midwest was still in its infancy when Garland joined the Dragons and he realized early on he would have to expand his recruiting base. Soon he began attracting quality wrestlers from across the country, especially New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, and a dynasty was born. In 1963 BUCKY MAUGHAN was crowned a NCAA Division I national champ sparked Moorhead State to a ninth place finish in the nation in Division I. In 1964 the Dragons captured the NAIA National Championship and the good times continued until into the 1970s when the collegiate landscape began to shift. For many, it was the best of times and memories of those wonderful days and the throngs of loyal fans that filled Alex Nemzek Hall for wrestling duals will last for ever.
MSUM MEMOS. . . . . Fresh from NSIC weekend sweeps of Bemidji State and Minnesota, Crookston, Dragon men and women face an ambitious non-conference basketball schedule this week. Minnesota Duluth visits for a doubleheader on Wednesday night, and the Dragon women host Minnesota, Morris at 6 on Friday. Dragon men entertain Concordia College on Saturday and Presentation College on Sunday in 3 p.m. matinees. . . . . MSUM men’s basketball coach STU ENGEN is the featured guest on the latest edition of the NSIC Radio Spotlight. . . . . MSU Moorhead will enter the Terry Haws Dual Meet wrestling tournament on Saturday at Collegeville. Last week MSUM whipped Concordia College 30-7 in a season-opening dual match at Alex Nemzek Hall. . . . . JENNIFER HENSEL and ASHLEY ROEMER both provisionally qualified for the 2008 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at last Saturday’s MSU Pre-Season Open at Mankato. . . . . MSU Moorhead bowed to University of South Dakota, 128-115, and upset University of Nebraska at Omaha, 167-123, in a pair of taxing road swimming meets last weekend. AMY RONESS placed first in the 100 meter freestyle, 1:02.09, and joined LAUREN BAALMAN, AMAN DA BATEMAN and KARENA KING on the on the winning 400 meter freestyle relay, 4:11.18, while ANN GUSEWELLE posted a winning time of 1:16.34. in the 100 meter breaststroke against USD. Minnesota State Moorhead claimed 10 first place finishes in the upset of UNO on Saturday. Gusewelle, Roness and SARAH WILKER claimed a pair of victories each for MSUM and Gusewelle and Roness were members of the Dragons' winning 200 yard medley relay crew as well. . . . . Yes, the Dragons still hit the books before they hit the field. In all, 27 student-athletes from five different teams will receive NSIC All-Academic honors for fall. . . . . The Dragons climbed to 14th on the NCAA Division II Coaches’ pre-season wrestling poll. The Dragons have unveiled a new athletic website designed by TOM CHALLEY. . . . . The next Dragon Fire luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, January 9, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Moorhead. . . . . Dragon basketball games are broadcast over ESPN Radio 1660 AM. STEVE d’EUSTACHIO returns as play-by-play announcer. All Dragon games are also available on the World Wide Web at www.msumdragons.com. . .
