Spring 2005 Rabbit Tracks

RABBITtracksRABBITtracks

P a s s i o n a t e . R e l e n t l e s s . C h a m p i o n s .P a s s i o n a t e . R e l e n t l e s s . C h a m p i o n s .

Volume 11, No. 1 South Dakota State University Spring 2005South Dakota State University

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Stan Marshall GolfClassic. Started by a group of long-standing friends and alumni ofthe program in honor of Stanley J. Marshall, it has grown from

modest beginnings to one of the premier athletic events of the year.Through the generosity of those at the auction and golf event, two athleticscholarships are now endowed. In addition, it has given our most loyalsupporters a chance to come together and celebrate the athletic program.Like it’s beginning, a dedicated group of volunteers work throughout theyear planning the event. Each year the event has grown, providingadditional funding for athletic scholarships.

This year we will dearly miss one of our founding members of thecommittee and former Chair of the event – Mr. Bob Durland. From hisplaying days as a Jackrabbit football player, his career at the Universityand continued support in retirement, Bob’s service represents the “heartand soul” as to why this event has been so very successful and popular.Always focused on what could be done to make the event better andprovide additional support to our student-athletes, Bob was a truechampion for the student-athletes.

The Stan Marshall Golf Classic brings a family together. We get achance to celebrate our past and at the same time build a future. I hopeyou would consider attending again or come for the first time. Pleasecontact the athletic ticket office if you would like to join us. You have achance to be a part of something very special.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Go Jacks!

Go Jacks!A message from Fred Oien

Fred OienSDSU Athletic Director

P a s s i o n a t e . R e l e n t l e s s . C h a m p i o n s .

Rabbit tracksSpring 2005,Vol. 11, No. 1

SDSU President Peggy Gordon MillerSDSU Athletic Director Fred OienSDSU Sports Information Director

Ron LenzSDSU Sports Information AssistantDirector Jason HoveAssistant to AD/External Affairs Keith MahlumEditor Nan Steinley, University RelationsContributing WritersKyle Johnson, Dave Graves, Miranda Malo,Nicole Schaffer, University RelationsDesigner Kristine Madsen,University RelationsPhotographer Eric Landwehr,University Relations

Rabbit Tracks is produced by UniversityRelations in cooperation with the SDSUAthletic Department at no cost to theState of South Dakota. Please notify theAthletic Department office when youchange your address.

Athletic Department South Dakota State UniversityBox 2820, Brookings, SD 57007Telephone: 605/688-5625Fax: 605/688-5999Website: www.gojacks.com

Cover photo: SDSU senior ShannonSchlagelFront cover photo by Eric Landwehr,University Relations

1,200 copies printed by the SDSU Athletic

Department at no cost to the State of South

Dakota. PE069 3/05

Contents Stan Marshall Golf Classic to mark 25th year . . . . . . . . .2

Who was the man who is associated with the Classic . . .4

Melissa Pater resumes her career in Europe . . . . . . . . . . .5

Warren Williamson remembered by his wrestling family .6

A look at the significant numbers in Williamson’s life . . . .8

Track alums being called on to create new scholarship . . .9

Gym rat Shannon Schlagel tops SDSU scoring list . . . .10

Courtside courtship continues for Swenson, Meister . . .12

Jack passion doesn’t die for Howard Sauer . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Hobbies: Travis Gottschalk repairs old tractors . . . . . . . . .16

Hobbies: Kira Sudbeck can’t stop singing . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Meet athletes who distinguish themselves academically . .18

What do their friends call them? Check out nicknames . . 20


V I S I O N

To be a premier student-centered, collegiate athletic program.

M I S S I O N

To passionately and relentlessly create an environment, rooted in sportsmanship and ethical conduct,

where motivated student-athletes can develop into lifelong champions.

V A L U E S

Honesty, equity, academic integrity, fiscal integrity and social responsibility

with the expectation of competing at the highest level.

Get to know your

Jackrabbit Sports naturally breed camaraderie, and an outgrowth of

bonding with teammates is nicknames.

SDSU athletes have plenty of them as you can see by thelist on Page 20.This issue gives you a couple glimpses atthe fun side for some of our Jackrabbits. In addition tosharing nicknames, we thought we’d tell you aboutsome of their interesting hobbies.

As a warm-up, see if you can matchthe athlete with their nickname orhobby. To check your answers, goto Page 20 (nicknames) and Pages16-17 (hobbies).

Name1. Jared DeJong2. Lucas Jungemann3. Mitch Pontrelli4. Lisa Robinson

NicknameA. BobB. FooterC. FonzD. Lunatic

Name1.Amy Goodrich2. Luke Greving3. Brad Lowery4. Erin Zempel

HobbyA. Diving board tricksB. ScrapbookingC. Shopping on eBayD. Star gazing

2 • Rabbit tracks

It’s been said that Stan Marshall spent his waking hourstrying to figure how to make life better for the SDSUAthletic Department and its student-athletes.With that in mind, the late athletic director would be

mighty pleased with the success of the Stan Marshall GolfClassic and Scholarship Auction.

Named in his honor following his death in 1980, the eventobserves its 25th anniversary when the 2005 outing takes placeJune 3-4. Traditionally held the first weekend after MemorialDay, the event raises a significant amount of scholarship moneyfor Jackrabbit athletics.

“Stan would be very proud,” says Nona Marshall, whenasked how her husband would view the two-day affair. “Healways put the students first and was very interested in theirwelfare. He would be really pleased with the money that hasbeen set aside for scholarships.”

Revenue from the 2004 event totaled $118,500, making itthe highest on record. Proceeds fund male and female athleticscholarships in the name of Stanley J. Marshall.

“This is an event that gets a lot of people involved withSDSU athletics,” says 2005 committee chairman Matt Einspahr.“Having an event where people can come together andgenerate money for scholarships for our student-athletes, is agreat and worthwhile cause.

“Everyone has lots of fun,too,” he adds. “It’s looked at as afun-raiser as much as a fund-raiser. It’s very exciting how ithas grown in the last twenty-fiveyears, from just a gathering of afew alums and a small event, toa major weekend on theJackrabbit calendar.”

Greg Fargen, who served ascommittee chairman for threeyears, notes that the tournamentfits perfectly with the visionMarshall had for student-athletes.

“I think he would approveof the efforts being done in hisname, especially for the thingshe felt was right,” says Fargen, a1980 State graduate. “We can’tgive enough credit to thosepeople who got this off theground twenty-five years ago.They kept it going and theinterest to maintain it.”

Stan Marshall Golf Classic and Auctionmarks silver anniversary

S t a n M a r s h a l l

“It has evolved into a

wonderful weekend. It’s

very exciting how it has

grown in the last twenty-

five years, from just a

gathering of a few alums

and a small event, to a

major weekend on the

Jackrabbit calendar.” –

2005 committee

chairman Matt Einsphar

Tournamentnamesakewould be pleased

Tournamentnamesakewould be pleased

Rabbit tracks • 3


Expansion makes it betterThe event has grown in size and popularity over the years. Somuch so in fact that six years ago it was necessary to expand itfrom one day to two days when it became clear the BrookingsCountry Club could no longer handle both the auction andgolf.

The auction, which was sometimes jeopardized byinclement weather, was moved to the Brookings Inn on Friday,followed by eighteen holes of golf Saturday.

Two more changes in 2003 gave the Stan MarshallWeekend a substantial financial boost. The auction wasrelocated to the Swiftel Center (formerly the Brookings AreaMultiplex), which means the auction can easily accommodatehundreds of people.

Golf, traditionally capped at thirty teams, ballooned to fiftywith the addition of a morning session to the customaryafternoon start. The increase resulted in 220 people teeing offlast year.

The numbers are impressive, considering the firsttournament drew seventy-seven golfers and raised $2,000 forthe Marshall memorial fund, including $750 for the AlumniAssociation.

“Going to a two-day event was a major change,” citesEinspahr. “The main reason for doing it was to include non-golfers. People who came to the auction and didn’t golf feltthey weren’t part of the event. People can go to the auction,which is open to the public, without even signing up for golf.It’s a much better opportunity for people to be involved.

“The success of the event can be measured in the demandthat there’s been to get into the golf tournament,” he adds. “It’s

always been full. We expanded and it has more than met ourexpectations.”

First weekend after Memorial DayAthletic Director Fred Oien helped organize the first StanMarshall outing on June 10, 1981, while working as a researchcoordinator in the HPER master’s department.

“We began with humble beginnings,” he says. “Wecurrently have more than $200,000 in the endowment. Ourgoal was to create an endowment to pay for one women’s andone men’s scholarship.”

There had been talk of a fund-raising golf tournamentbefore Marshall’s death. His passing served as a catalyst tomake it happen, Oien says.

Einspahr has been playing in the tournament since themid-1980s. In fact, he fondly recalls his first outing.

“I was asked to play with Harry Forsyth [former SDSUathletic director] and his team,” he says. “I was still in highschool and we actually won the tournament.”

“Anyone who has been associated with this event marks iton their calendar because they know it’s the first weekend afterMemorial Day,” says Einspahr, who has always been active as aplayer and organizer. “The amount of repeat people we haveback is just incredible and some have never missed it.

“We have a very, very successful auction, an auction onpar with other Division I programs,” he adds. “Moving to theSwiftel Center has worked out beautifully. We only use abouthalf the building so there’s a tremendous opportunity forgrowth.”

Stan Marshall Golf Classic and Scholarship AuctionWhen: June 3-4, 2005.Auction: June 3, Swiftel Center.Social: 6 p.m.Live auction: 8 p.m.Golf: June 4, Brookings Country Club.Start times: Morning session, 8 a.m. Afternoon session, 1 p.m.Contact information:Micah Grenz, Stan Marshall Committee, 688-6747Mike Burgers, Stan Marshall Committee, 688-5422Committee Chairman Matt Einsphar, 692-6106; Tim Reed, 697-7475.

Stan Marshall, a1950 State graduate,was athleticsdirector at SDSUfrom 1965 to 1980.He was born inYankton in 1927and was a graduateof Centerville HighSchool.

A three-sportsathlete at State,Marshall coachedfootball, basketball,and track atGroton,Centerville, andHot Springs from1950 to 1955.Marshall enteredthe college ranks ashead football andtrack coach at Jamestown College in North Dakota from1955 to 1957, before coming to SDSU as an assistantfootball coach from 1957 to 1963.

He coached football at Wayne State in Michigan in1964 prior to returning to SDSU as athletic director.

He served on a number of national committees. Mostnotably he was secretary-treasurer of the NationalCollegiate Athletic Association and president of theNational Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics,in the same year, 1976-77. He was the only person to haveheld both positions at the same time. He was alsoinstrumental in initiating national championships forNCAA Division II and III schools.

Among Marshall’s crowning achievements was theconstruction of the Health, Physical Education andRecreation Center. It was completed in 1973 and named inhis honor after his death.

Marshall had rheumatic fever in his early high schoolyears. Experiencing heart problems later in life, amechanical heart valve was installed at the Mayo Clinic inRochester, Minnesota, on May 1, 1980.

A month later, Marshall suffered a heart attack whileattending the National Association of Collegiate AthleticDirectors convention in Las Vegas and died June 14.

Kyle Johnson

Who wasStan Marshall?

Auction benefits allThe auction is always a big hit, according to 2004 committeechair Tim Reed, who notes the 2004 event attracted 530people and raised $64,000.

“It went really well,” says Reed, a 1988 State graduate,who will chair this year’s auction. “There were 100 total itemsauctioned off and we had gift baskets donated from area

businesses. There wassomething foreveryone in everyprice range. Newpeople are winningbids on items everyyear.”

Auction items thatwent for more than$4,000 included: playsystem from RainbowPlay Systems ofBrookings, a men’s

basketball trip to New York when the Jacks faced Manhattanlast November, a women’s basketball trip to the VirginIslands, where the Jacks played in a November tournament,and a trip to the 2005 Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida.

A diamond-studded rabbit jewelry piece, a charm braceletwith SDSU charms, and Jackrabbit memorabilia wereauctioned off. A Coke machine with Jackrabbit alums picturedon the front, highlighted by two-time Super Bowl winnerAdam Vinatieri, was sold. Various products made by SDSUalums like salsa and wine were also on the auction block.

A video display, courtesy of a Daktronics Pro Star videoboard, enabled auction attendees to view past Stan Marshallscholarship winners and highlights of the Jackrabbit sportsseason.

After the auction, the Dweebs, a show band fromMinneapolis, returned a second time for post-auctionentertainment. For this year’s entertainment, the ’70s coverband Boogie Wonderland will perform.

“This event has really grown,” Reed notes. “It hasbecome a tradition that friends and alums come back for fromall over the U.S.”

Organizers are quick to point out that the event is muchmore than simply raising money for the athletic department.It’s also an important social gathering where participants canrub shoulders with Jackrabbit coaches, former SDSU athleticgreats, and school officials.

“It’s designed as much as anything as a way of givingback and saying thanks to all the people for their support ofSDSU athletics,” says Einspahr. “There’s still room to get intothe tournament. We’re looking for five-player teams and oneof the exciting things is the number of new teams that havesigned up and participated in the last couple of years. We’realso always looking for new and exciting auction items.”

“We began with humble

beginnings. We currently

have more than $200,000

in the endowment.” –

Athletic Director Fred

Oien


4 • Rabbit tracks

Rabbit tracks • 5

When Melissa Pater wasafforded the chance toresume life on the hard

court, it didn’t take her long todecide.

And, when a paycheck was inthe offer, the move was trulysatisfying for the formerJackrabbit great.

“Being a professional athlete isa dream of many athletes as wellas mine,” says Pater. “I was givena chance to play at this level and Icouldn’t pass it up.”

Pater, who graduated in May2003, owned school records forgames played, career points,points in a season, and reboundsin a season. Now she is playingfor the Perik Jumpers ofTubbergen, Holland. She signed aone-year contract with the teamApril 2004 with an option for asecond year.

The Jumpers, who stood 13-7as of March 5, are one of twelve teams that compete in theDivision I League in the Netherlands, the highest level in thecountry, and somewhat similar to the Women’s NationalBasketball Association in the United States. The season beganin October and runs into June.

Unlike basketball country back home, soccer is king inEurope. Pater’s team, though, has a solid fan base and she

hopes to aid inthe traditionthe programhas carved out.

“TheJumpers are awell-knownteam in theDivision ILeague,” shenotes. “Theyusually finish inthe top fourand three yearsago they wonthe divisionchampionship.”

Paterknows aboutwinning. She

led the SDSU women to a 32-3record and their first NCAAchampionship as a senior two yearsago. She was named the MostOutstanding Player in the Elite Eightfield and became the first player inthe program’s history to earn first-team all-America honors.

“I don’t think a day goes by when I haven’t thoughtabout the national championship we won,” she says. “It wassomething I’ll never forget.”

A Dutch heritagePater was one of two non-European players the Jumpers wereallowed to bring into their program. Their other foreignplayer is from Pittsburgh. Three players are from Canada andhave European citizenship. The other players are Dutch.

Pater is the Jumpers’ second-leading scorer andrebounder, averaging seventeen points and six rebounds pergame while leading the squad with three steals per contest.

Since Pater is considered “a very Dutch last name” andbeing from Holland, Minnesota, the Jumpers contacted Paterin hopes of her obtaining Dutch citizenship, which in the end,didn’t happen.

“They inquired if I had enough of a Dutch background toapply for dual citizenship,” Pater explains. “My grandparentswere born in the Netherlands, but not my parents, so I couldnot get citizenship.

“The Jumpers wanted me to gain citizenship because thenI would not be considered one of the non-European playersand they would be able to go after other foreign players, likeAmericans or Canadians.”

But after viewing game tape she was still offered acontract, a choice she doesn’t regret, even when it meansextended periods away from home.

“I can’t beat it!” she says. “It’s great . . . eat, sleep, andplay basketball. I do miss my family and friends in the States,but I missed playing the game I love. A chance to travel toEurope, while getting paid to play basketball, made theopportunity very attractive to me.”

Pater says she recently acquired a visa to look for apossible job on the side, but to do that she first must getfamiliar with the Dutch language.

Meantime, she concentrates on hoops and works on amaster’s degree in a two-year course that focuses on coaching.

“I’m taking two classes over the Internet to finish mymaster’s degree,” says Pater, who was a graduate assistantbasketball coach for the Jacks during the 2003-04 season. “Iwant to teach and coach at the collegiate level someday.”

Kyle Johnson

M e l i s s a P a t e r

Paterresumes cage career in Europe

“I can’t beat it! It’s

great . . . eat, sleep,

and play basketball.

I do miss my family

and friends in the

States, but I missed

playing the game I

love. A chance to

travel to Europe,

while getting paid to

play basketball,

made the

opportunity very

attractive to me.” —

Melissa Pater

Team photo:Melissa Pater, back row, second from left, joinsher Perik Jumpers teammates for a group photo.The Holland, Minnesota, native is in her firstseason of playing in a league in the Netherlands.

Dawn remained snuggly tucked under the night sky whenheavyweight wrestler Frank Kurtenbach ’61 pulled intoBrookings in early March 1961.

A frosty stillness clothed the pre-dawn hour as the 24-year-old drove in a 1955 Ford east on Fourth Street toward HillcrestSchool, and drove up a little hill into Coach Warren Williamson’sdriveway. Kurtenbach’s 1,540-mile trip by car and train hadcome to a close, just like his South Dakota State athletic careerdid the weekend before, when the senior competed in thenational wrestling tournament at Oregon State University.

Kurtenbach stopped the car, opened the trunk, and at 4a.m. Williamson grabbed his bags.

Turning to the man who had coached him throughout hiscareer at State, Kurtenbach shook his hand and said, “Coach,we have traveled a lot of miles together and I have enjoyedevery one of them.”

The line is etched in history via a book written by the lateWilliamson on his athletic career.

The line, whether spoken by words or sentiment, also isetched in the hearts of hundreds of wrestlers and footballplayers who called Warren Williamson “Coach.”

Under Warren’s wingKurtenbach came to campus in 1957, the year after Williamsontook over State’s fledgling wrestling program. “Warren was like asecond father to me. When I went to college, my parents were

elderly. It was a real refreshing thing for Warren to take meunder his wing and keep me on the straight and narrow.

“He did that for a lot of people. This was just common forhim to take young men and women under his wing,”Kurtenbach recalls.

Many of those that Williamson ’51 had made his childrenwere in Brookings in November when the community bidfarewell to him. Williamson, 77, died Tuesday, November 9,2004, at his home. Kurtenbach carried Coach the final steps,serving as a pallbearer.

“Warren liked people. He was genuinely interested inpeople,” says his widow, Dorothy.

That was evident at his November 12 funeral at FirstPresbyterian Church in Brookings, where he and his high schoolsweetheart had celebrated their golden anniversary six yearsearlier. With mourners packed shoulder-to-shoulder in nearlyevery pew, the choir loft was used for overflow seating.The man who was widely recognized as the “father of SouthDakota wrestling” was being honored by those who knew himfrom all walks of life.

In addition to colleagues from his beloved South DakotaState University, Williamson was honored by friends fromchurch, from the community, and from his hometown of Hurley.But particularly, there were those wrestlers who considered hima second father.

‘One of Willie’s boys’“You were one of Willie’s boys and that’s the way it always willbe,” says Marv Sherrill of Watertown.

Harry Forsyth, who served as assistant athletic directorduring much of Williamson’s sixteen-year-career as headwrestling coach, says, “The kids that Warren had, he worked theheck out of them, but they loved him. Warren was a fiercecompetitor himself and he passed that on to his kids.”

Reflecting on his coaching relationships in an October 14,2003, interview, Williamson said, “Coaching wrestlers, it’s kindof an armpit-to-armpit relationship. I always prided myself inknowing as much as I could about a youngster and hisbackground. You got to get inside of them.”

W a r r e n W i l l i a m s o n

CoachWilliamson

6 • Rabbit tracks

Father of South Dakota wrestlingalso father figure to many SDSU wrestlers

Road trip counselingHe often did that driving back in a state-owned car from adistant match or tournament.

“It was about one-on-one relationships. You ride homefrom Manhattan, Kansas, at two in the morning, you’ve got a lotof time to talk. There’d be three kids in the back seat sleeping.One kid in the passenger seat and he’d open up,” Williamsonsaid.

Kurtenbach adds, “He got right inside your mind afterwrestling matches. He got to know a lot about people.”

Greg Schmidt ’70, who was a three-time All-American underWilliamson, says, “The door was always open if you needed totalk to him.” He notes that Coach particularly providedencouragement to wrestlers who came from alcoholic families.

Encouraging academicsVerne Winter ’67, who established a scholarship in Williamson’sname, says, “There were a ton of different personalities on theteam. How coach was able to handle that, I don’t know.”

Schmidt and Winter both benefited academically fromWilliamson’s encouragement. Winter enrolled at State as amechanical engineering major after wrestling four years atWestbrook, Minnesota. But he found himself a “C” student atState as the engineering courses were figuratively rubbing hisnose in the mat.

But Williamson’s “hang in there” encouragement keptWinter in the match and “my junior year things really took offfor me as far as being able to relate to the courses I wastaking.”

He now is president of R.R. Floody Company,an industrial distributor in Rockford, Illinois.

Schmidt works as the west regional managerfor Daktronics Sports Marketing Group. On October10, 2004, Schmidt was inducted into the JackrabbitAthletic Hall of Fame. “The most important part ofthat festivity is that Coach was there. WithoutCoach, I’d never have been through college.Without Coach, I’d still be hauling bales and rock,”Schmidt says.

Kitchen table persuasion The “Mighty Mite” was the most highly recruited South Dakotawrestler in his senior year at Redfield.

Williamson wrote about the late August 1965 visit he madeto the Schmidt farm home near Rockham. Schmidt and hisparents had an oral agreement to attend Kansas State, butWilliamson made another attempt to bring him to South DakotaState.

He said the K-State coach was his friend and wouldunderstand a decision to stay in South Dakota.

“I suggested that Greg’s father, Milton, might call CoachKnorr. He picked up the phone, made the call, and everyonewas comfortable with the decision. We shook hands all around,I knowing that shaking hands with this German family was ascertain as a signed letter of intent is today,” Williamson wrotehis 1995 book.

The respect that he extended to others was reflected backto Coach.

‘A very special weekend’Nearly forty years after shaking hands in the Schmidt kitchen,Schmidt’s parents were with Greg when he visited Coach on theSaturday before the Hall of Fame induction. “Their respect forCoach Williamson is exactly the same as mine. It was a veryimportant weekend for me,” Schmidt says.

It also was a very special weekend for Williamson, whohad been weakened by the lymphoma thatwould take his life but had vowed weeksearlier that he wanted to hang on for theinduction of Schmidt, State’s first three-time All-American in wrestling.

At this point, jaundice and exhaustiontainted Williamson’s face. “It just broke myheart to see him,” Schmidt says.

“But he still performed like he was in thewrestling room in terms of spirit; he could pullhimself up,” he adds.

Dorothy Williamson remembers, “That wasa very, very emotional night. He was drainedafter that, but it meant so much to him. I’m so

glad he was able to do that because that was the last [public]thing he was able to do.”

Embodying a winning attitudeSince her husband’s passing, she has received more than 400symphathy cards. “It’s been very gratifying and overwhelming. Itmakes you feel real good, even though it’s been tough,”Dorothy Williamson says.

Coach knew about tough. Itmarked his early days in Hurley andshaped his character in his dying days. Schmidt notes, “He never talked abouthis health, not once. He was onetough cookie.”

Dave Graves


Jim Perkins, a senior ag major from Worthington, Minnesota, andCoach Warren Williamson await the referee’s whistle, or thephotographer’s flash, to start “their match.” The photo was takenDecember 11, 1962, as Williamson was beginning his seventh seasonas SDSU wrestling coach.

“Coach, we have

traveled a lot of miles

together and I have

enjoyed every one of

them.”

Frank Kurtenbach to

Warren Williamson

8 • Rabbit tracks


He was a record setter, agroundbreaker, and apacesetter; he was a husband, a

father, and a friend; he was a writer, ahistorian, an administrator, and always acoach.

Trying to capture WarrenWilliamson ’51 in a series of numbersand dates seems like trying to paint arainbow with only one color. Whilenumbers can never capture the characterof Williamson, they do form the outlinefor a man who maintained a passion forSDSU even as the numbers on his dayshere dwindled low.

The early numbers:1-4-27. Born to Nels and FlorenceWilliamson on a farm near Hurley, insoutheastern South Dakota.12-25-31. “The first Christmas I canremember. At age four, I spent a lot oftime going through the catalog. I wasfascinated by a picture of a football inthe catalog. But for Christmas I got abasketball instead. My parents said Icried all day and kept pointing at thepicture.” *As told by eulogist V.J.Smith.

The enticing number:125. In the summer of 1944, Williamsonwas a 17-year-old with a farm jobmaking $125 a month, a goodly sumwhen rationing kept one from buyinganything anyway. With the likelihood ofbeing drafted, he planned to skip hissenior year at Hurley High School.

The high school superintendent,who was also the coach, visitedWilliamson in the threshing field andinformed him, “Football practice startstomorrow night and I expect you to bethere.”

The bait worked. Williamson wasthere. And for the next six seasons,whenever and wherever the whistleblew, Williamson was on the field.

“What a favor it was for him tohave recognized my potential and hiseffort to contact me. I have been forever

indebted to Don Jones for his genuineand sincere interest in my future”Williamson would later write of hiscoach.

The running numbers:1,014. Even for his day, Williamson wassmall (5-9, 160 pounds), but he was anelusive and fierce competitor. The 1,014yards gained in a ten-game seniorseason set a school record that futurePro Bowl receiver Pete Retzlaff wouldnudge past by two yards the next year.14. He crossed the goal line fourteentimes in 1950, producing eighty-fourpoints, which ranked No. 1 in theschool record book until 1984.

The grappling numbers:0. Williamson had never wrestled aformal match before becoming headcoach of the State wrestling program in1956. His wrestling experience consistedof several weeks of drills in late fall1947, when Wally Johnson wasintroducing the sport at South DakotaState.

Williamson dropped the sport whentrack coach legend Jim Emmerich putout a call for athletes to practice indoorsin the gymnasium.16. Williamson’s term as head wrestlingcoach began with the 1956-57 seasonand lasted until 1973. He took asabbatical in the 1968-69 season to earnhis director’s degree in recreation fromthe University of Indiana and becamethe coordinator of the public recreationdegree.134. Williamson compiled a record of134-74-9 in dual matches during thosesixteen years, also winning threeconference titles.

The recreational numbers:6. There were but a half-dozen sportsfor intramural athletes when Williamsonbegan as director of intramural sports in1956.31. Soon after the opening of the newHPER center in late January 1973, there

was a five-fold increase in the numberof intramural sports. Among the newsports were badminton, dance, icehockey, and judo.100. Before the explosion in intramuralsports, thirty flag-football teams wasconsidered a large turnout. But as thenumber more than tripled, the needcame for a lighted field. In the fall 1978,that became a reality.

The family numbers:2. Warren and Dorothy had twochildren—Tom, a retired Armylieutenant colonel now teaching atMissouri Western State College in St.Joseph; and Carolyn Trudell, a principalat a special education school in LasVegas, Nevada.3. Two of the Williamsons’grandchildren—Casey and WadeWilliamson—were pallbearers atWarren’s November 12, 2004, funeral.The third is eight-year-old JessicaReynolds.55. The golden anniversary of theNovember 21, 1948, marriage of WarrenWilliamson and Dorothy Benson wasmarked by a party with plenty of oldfriends at First Presbyterian Church inBrookings. They would observe fivemore anniversaries.

The final numbers:36. Williamson’s career as a teacher,coach, and administrator stretched from1951 to 1987, when he was honored asprofessor emeritus.60. By retiring in the prime of his life,Williamson had seventeen years topursue interests in genealogy, travel,South Dakota history, and writing. Hewould write three books, one coveringhis early life, another detailing hisprofessional life, and the final workchronicled his retirement years.1340. Warren’s earthly life ended at hishome on Trail Ridge Circle at 1:30 p.m.Tuesday, November 9, 2004, ending alengthy fight with cancer.

WilliamsonBy the numbers

Track & field alums beingcalled on to fund newscholarship

Afinal name on what to call a new SDSU track andfield/cross-country scholarship is still up for grabs, butan effort by Rob Beyer ’86 and others is clearly picking

up speed. Beyer and his relay partners favor honoring long-time track supporter Bob Bartling in the scholarship name.

But Bartling, the humble Brookings shoe salesman, hascome up with an alternative name for the new scholarship. Hedevised an acronym drawing four well-known past coaches.EDUM would use the initials of legend Jim Emmerich, 1946-60;Jay Dirksen, 1969-77; Scott Underwood, 1978-96; and RuthMarkse, 1973-1983.

Bartling notes, “I probably knew more of all the previoustrack and cross-country athletes than anyone else because Iwas here with all of the major coaches starting with Emmerichto the present time.” But Bartling doesn’t think putting thescholarship in his name is justifiable.

Not so, says Beyer. “His name is synonymous with trackand field in the whole Midwest.”

Adds current track/cross-country coach Rod DeHaven,“He’s touched many, many lives over the last four decades. It’sjust a small token to get involved and get our namesassociated with it. Bob is a strong supporter of the sportthroughout the state and the Upper Midwest.”

Running down the alleysBartling started running down the back alleys in 1968 and ayear later he was selling shoes.

He started out selling Onitsuka Tiger shoes (now Asics)while also helping to run the family furniture store indowntown Brookings. In 1972, Bartling began his thirty-three-year association with Nike, primarily as a distributor to teams.

“It was in its infancy, people were running in high-topConverse,” Bartling says of the running shoe business.

By this time, Emmerich had retired and Jay Dirksen wascoaching the Jackrabbits. “I got to be real pals with Jay,”Bartling says of the current University of Nebraska coach.

Bartling’s association with Emmerich dates to 1951, whenBartling returned to his hometown and would go to watchEmmerich’s top-notch teams.

A motivator for manyThrough the years, his fascination with State athletes has beenreciprocated by the athletes themselves.

Paul Danger, a 1994 All-American and the SDSU coachfrom 1998 to 2004, says, “When we travel to races in thesummer, and I’ve traveled to many races with Bob, he’s alwaysbeen a motivating factor for both elite runners and newcomersby his willingness to compete all the way into his upper 70sthese days.”

Now 78, Bartling plans to continue competitive running forat least a couple more years.

“If you hang in there, the competition . . . there aren’tmany left,” Bartling says of running in the age 80 and overcategory.

Bonding with BartlingThere are a myriad of SDSU track and field and cross-countryathletes who would put themselves in the category of a friendof Bob Bartling. “One of our points of continuity through all ofour coaches was Bob Bartling,” Beyer observes.

Danger reports that his first connection with Bartling wasin 1987, when the St. James, Minnesota, high schoolsophomore came to Brookings to run in the Longest Day 10K.“Like many runners in the area, one of the stops in Brookingsis Bartlings Shoe Store and that was a stop for me alsobecause of the vast running library that he has accumulated.

“From the late ’80s when I came to campus to my currentrunning as a member of the Prairie Striders, he has providedmentorship and counseling,” Danger says.

Alums helping current athletesNow Beyer is hoping to capitalize on the feelings Danger andothers have for Bartling to help fund scholarships here.

DeHaven says, “Track and field is a sport where we havemany kids. Most kids either have a partial scholarship or walkon. To give that scholarship opportunity to five more kids willhelp add to the depth of our squads on both sides [men andwomen].”

Dave Graves

The race is on

Rabbit tracks • 9

B a r t l i n g S c h o l a r s h i p s

Call it the ultimate relay race.Call it a terrific example of grassroots giving.Call it alumni passing on the baton of the SDSU experience.

Rod DeHaven, left, and Bob Bartling

Persistence has many benefits, and for one ShannonSchlagel, it was a big factor in her growth as a person andas a basketball player. For the Jackrabbits’ all-time leading

scorer, her rise to the top shouldn’t come as a surprise. Pasthistory indicates a penchant for not giving up, an inner drivethat was apparent to many, including Jerome Nesheim.

Head girls coach at Clark High School at the time, Nesheimmade the decision to elevate eighth-grader Schlagel to varsitystatus, the only junior high player on the squad.

“Shannon was so gifted at a young age,” he recalls. “Shewas raw, but you could see the talent. She was better than a lotof my older kids.”

When junior high practice concluded, Schlagel stayed towatch her mom, Jackie, the assistant coach, and Nesheim direct

the varsity players. She didn’tsit still, though, becoming thewater girl and participating indrills. Finally, about halfwaythrough the 1997 season, theyoung prospect’s constantpresence became too muchfor Nesheim to take.

“I was always kind of like,nagging around the wholetime, wanting to get into

practice,” grins Schlagel, who grew up on a farm four milessouth of Raymond with her two younger brothers, Tony, afreshman at North Dakota School of Science, and Blake, afreshman at Clark.

“I had just finished with junior high practice and coach toldme to grab my shoes, because we were headed to a highschool game in Milbank. That was the first night I got to play.I was thankful for the opportunity.”

Schlagel saw action the rest of the season, and in the firstgame of the district tournament against De Smet, she led Clarkwith fifteen points.

A blossoming starFrom that point on, the rest was history, becoming a gym rat ofsorts, according to Nesheim. “We had open gym and she spent

lots of time there, always practicing, working hard to improveher game.”

A daughter with a strong work ethic wasn’t news to Jackie,who took the time to organize local girls for three-on-threepractice for games and tournaments in the surrounding area.“We’d hold practices on our deck or in town,” she recalls.“Shannon always had the desire to just play, even as a third-and fourth-grader. She would always do anything that youasked of her.”

Schlagel went on to compile impressive figures, settingClark career records for points, rebounds, and steals. Twiceearning first-team all-state honors, she was all-conference involleyball and competed in track.

When it came to college, Schlagel took her time, receivingattention from most schools in the region, including Creightonand Drake.

During the summer before her senior year, SDSU headcoach Aaron Johnston and assistant coach Laurie Melum offeredher a scholarship, after watching her Amateur Athletic Unionteam in tournaments in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

“We had known about Shannon as a junior and even as asophomore,” reflects Johnston. “We visited with her family andhad quite a dinner. We got to know them really well during therecruiting process. We felt that Shannon would be a good fit forus early, although she didn’t completely decide until the fall ofher senior year.”

Jackrabbit boundIn the end, it was SDSU, a choice that never left Schlagel. “Inthe back of my mind I knew this was where I wanted to be, butI wanted to explore my options, too,” she says. “I did want tostay close to home, and when it came right down to it, theywere so professional.

“AJ told me the only thing he could promise me was thathe couldn’t promise anything and that meant a lot. He said thateverything that I worked for would be what I earned.”

Schlagel was a model of consistency, excelling in all facetsof the game. Twice named NCAA Division I Independent Playerof the Week this season, the six-foot forward’s other careermarks are first in free throws made, second in rebounds, secondin field goals made, eighth in three-pointers, and eighth insteals.

S h a n n o n S c h l a g e l

10 • Rabbit tracks

Schlagelrises from gym ratto Jacks’ scoring leader

“There aren’t too many

teams we played in

Division I that Shannon

wouldn’t start on.” —

Coach Aaron Johnston

“Shannon is very good inside and she’s also one of ourbest three-point shooters,” says Johnston. “She handles the ballwell and many times started our transition. Defensively, she’sgood in the passing lanes and guards people well inside. Thereare very few parts of her game that she doesn’t do well.”

Replacing former teammate Melissa Pater atop the careerscoring chart with 1,887 points was an accomplishment shehumbly accepts.

“I don’t think about stats, they don’t cross my mind thatmuch,” she says. “It is an honor, though. It’s been a correlationof having good teammates and a good coaching staff.”

A special treatThe Schlagel era also contained an all-around personality thatevolved into a leadership role, according to Johnston.

“Shannon is considered a leader because she’s an outgoingperson and pretty easy to getto know,” he cites. “She isreally bubbly and enjoysevery part of life. I thinkthat’s one of the things thatdraws people to her is herpersonality.”

“Bubbly? That’s a prettygood word,” muses Schlagel.“I think he called me a treatonce, a treat to havearound.”

She was especially a treatfor mom and dad to watchand the close proximity of aDivision I school.

“Shannon’s goal was tobe a Division I player andbeing close to home meansa lot,” says Jackie. “She gotto play in front of large

crowds, and getting a taste of Division I, offered her the best ofboth worlds.”

“My parents came to all the home games and only missed acouple of the longer trips,” Schlagel notes. “My grandparentswere usually in attendance and lots of people listened on theradio.

“Growing up my mom was definitely a big push. Dad[Wayne] was always there and was always going to be proud no

matter what happened. But, I think he was pretty happy thatMom steered me toward basketball.”

The Division I chargeSDSU was happy, too, especially having a player of Schlagel’scaliber to lean on. In their rookie Division I season, the Jackswent 21-7, including an 8-7 mark against the “big schools.”

A special niche was that the Jacks were one of only sixteams in the country to post non-league wins over multipleSoutheastern Conference opponents with triumphs overKentucky and Alabama. During the season they also beatOklahoma State and Middle Tennessee State, while havingsingle-figure losses to Purdue, Southern Cal, and Oregon State.

“There aren’t too many teams we played in Division I thatShannon wouldn’t start on,” Johnston points out. “The multi-dimensional part of her game would be something thoseschools would love to have.

“Our success didn’t necessarily go through Shannon, buthaving a player who can make plays, having a player who getsother people shots, really is the difference at the Division Ilevel,” he adds. “And you don’t become the all-time leadingscorer at SDSU unless you can make plays.”

Success was three consecutive trips to the NCAA Elite Eight,including the 2003 national championship. Toss in a senior yearwith an ambitious Division I schedule, and a small town farmgirl’s time on the Brookings campus was truly eventful.

“It’s been great,” says Schlagel. “Knowing we were goingDivision I was exciting and overwhelming at the same time, butonce it took off it was by far the best experience that we couldhave asked for. I have just been very happy. It’s been an honorand a privilege to be at SDSU.”

Kyle Johnson

“Shannon’s goal was to

be a Division I player

and being close to

home means a lot. She

got to play in front of

large crowds, and

getting a taste of

Division I, offered her

the best of both

worlds.” — Jackie

Schlagel, Shannon’s

mom

S h a n n o n S c h l a g e l

K u r t & A n g i e M e i s t e r

Kurt Meister may not have listened to every piece ofadvice that his basketball coach gave him, but he heardCoach Scott Nagy loud and clear when he said “Kurt,

you gotta marry that girl.”‘That girl’ just happened to be fellow athlete Angie

Swenson, who, from the very beginning, had much incommon with Meister. After dating throughout most of their

college careers, they weremarried on July 17, 1999.

While at State, Swensonand Meister duo were twodynamic, all-conference, all-region starting centers for theJackrabbits. They bothtopped 1,000 career pointsand played four successfulseasons. Swenson playedfrom 1993 to 1997 andMeister from 1994 to 1998.

“Angie was friends with alot of people and after wehad spent so much time

together, I felt as if I was just known as Angie’s boyfriend,”says Kurt Meister, who liked having a girlfriend that shared hishectic schedule. “It was pretty handy,” he says.

Angie Meister agrees, “We saw each other quite a bit. Thegirls and the guys teams would play on the same night,” shesays. Many times both of their parents would come up andthey would all “hang-out” together after the games.

“There’s so many times that we’re thankful weexperienced college together and experienced playing balltogether,” says Angie Meister.

Kurt admits, “We talk about State all the time.” Theyrecall playing for the same rowdy crowds in a packed FrostArena, the same road trips to their rival schools, and eventhe same feeling on the court. “Every game was so electric,”he says.

Angie Meister says, “We both had so many awesomememories.”

Game plan changes with familyFrom their collegiate athletic careers to their present careers,their love of the game has shaped their course.

After student teaching and coaching at Grant-Deuel HighSchool Angie Meister left State in 1998 with a health, physicaleducation and recreation degree. She was hired as an assistantbasketball coach for the University of Evansville in Evansville,Indiana.

“I knew that I didn’t want to coach at that level. I knew Iwanted a family someday,” she says, explaining why she wasonly there for a year.

At the same time, Kurt Meister, who is a year younger,was finishing up his degree in history education. TheHamilton, Illinois, native student-taught in Sioux Valley HighSchool in Volga and graduated in December 1998. He thenmoved three hours away from Angie Meister to Edwardsville,Illinois, where he became a graduate assistant at SouthernIllinois University. “We just didn’t like it [but] I did really liketeaching,” he says.

They sent out their applications, and got interviewsduring the same week.

Angie Meister, who grew up in Rochester, Minnesota, isnow coaching varsity girl’s basketball at Rochester Mayo HighSchool.


Swenson, Meister, find

that life after basketball

brings family, more basketball

“I learned a lot from

everybody. Dedication

and respect, respect

for the opponent,

respect for the

referees, and respect

for my teammates.” —

Angie Meister

Courtsidecourtship continues

K u r t & A n g i e M e i s t e r

Kurt and Angie Meister are starting their basketball team with Lincoln, 2 1/2, right, andLilly, 8 months.

Angie Swenson puts up a jumper in January 25, 1997, game against the University ofSouth Dakota in Frost Arena during her senior year. She finished her career with 1,335points, which currently has her 12th on the all-time scoring list.

Kurt Meister lays in a bucket during a 93-79 win over Metro State in the semi-finals of theNorth Central Regional tournament at Frost Arena on March 7, 1998. It was Meister’ssenior season.

“My biggest accomplishment is the relationships that I’ve built with thesegirls and the role model I’ve become because I’m a mom, a wife, and a coach,”says Angie Meister. “It’s hard to juggle coaching and being a mom,” she admits.Luckily, she says, Kurt Meister brings Lincoln, 2 1/2, and Lilly, 8 months, towatch her games.

While Kurt continues to teach geography at John Marshall High School,Angie Meister’s alma mater, he gave up his coaching position when Angie Meistertook her position.

“That’s not the stress [both coaching at the same time] that we wanted,” saysAngie Meister, who is on maternity leave from her teaching job.

Basketball stars take their spots on the benchWith four years of collegiate basketball experience, both Meisters say thatsometimes it’s hard not being in the game.

“You can be on the bench and watch the game take place and know there’snot a whole lot you can do about it,” Angie Meister says.

Kurt Meister says that playing college ball made it tough for him to coach.“It was at the pinnacle of my career, and I expected the [high school] guys to

work as hard as I did then,” he says. They both cite their sports careers as ones that taught them lessons and

created lasting friendships.“I learned a lot from everybody. Dedication and respect, respect for the

opponent, respect for the referees, and respect for my teammates,” says AngieMeister. “I would hope that I would take a lot of what Coach [Nancy] Neibertaught me,” she says describing her coaching philosophy. “I try to teach a lot oflife lessons through basketball.”

Kurt Meister recalls Coach Nagy’s “constant motivation. He would alwayssay, ‘You can never be satisfied with last year’s record. You can always get better,’”says Kurt Meister, who remembers the example Coach Nagy set for the team. Angie Meister adds, “We enjoyed our time there so much. The people out thereare great. The boosters, the staff–they've all made an impact on our lives.”

The Meisters try to attend at least one State game a year, but Angie Meister’scoaching schedule makes it difficult for them to make the trek to Brookingsduring the regular season.

“I’m really good friends with a couple of my teammates,” says Angie Meister,noting that they remain close, even though they’re geographically not.

Kurt Meister tries to keep in contact with his old teammates and coach, too.“I find myself missing a lot of those guys.” He is planning a June 11 golf outingand reunion with his teammates.

Between their coaching, teaching, and parenting, the couple finds time to justsit and watch a basketball game together every now and then.

“We try and figure out how we ever ran up and down the court like that!”Kurt Meister jokes.

“Those were some good years of ball,” Angie Meister remembers. Miranda Malo

Rabbit tracks • 13


When it comes to SDSU loyalty, they don’t come anyfiner than Sauer. And at 97, lessons could be learnedfrom a man who has devoted most of his life to

SDSU and Jackrabbit athletics.Ever since joining the SDSU faculty in 1938, Sauer has

been a fixture, whether as an instructor, volunteer, or fan.Though obviously slowing down, Sauer is fit and trim with amind just as sharp.

He has few contemporaries and not many follow the Jacksas closely as Sauer.He attends mosthome football andbasketball games.Game programsresiding onapartment tablesattest to his never-ending support.He regularly attends

booster club meetings and makes stops at the athleticdepartment for conversation and sports updates.

Road games are also on Sauer’s itinerary. This year, he andother fans flew to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to cheer thefootball team to a win over Southern University. The daybefore the game, the SDSU contingent took a bus for asightseeing trip to New Orleans and Sauer was among thosewalking the city’s famous Bourbon Street.

“I’m just an old man running around now,” muses Sauer. “Idon’t look back much anymore. I always look ahead. I don’tplan to spend my time in a rocking chair!

“I don’t like to miss home games,” he says. “I missed afootball game one time. It was a home game and my son hadhis wedding that day.”

Checking in playersSauer was a professor and head of the Department of RuralSociology from 1958 until retiring in 1973. From 1948 to 1990,he was the official scorekeeper for SDSU home basketballgames.

Displaying a professor’s demeanor behind the scorer’stable, Sauer was methodical by nature and professional inappearance.

“It was a job and you had to keep looking at it that way,”he says. “I just enjoyed doing it. It required concentration,otherwise you would get mixed up pretty quickly.”

When he wasn’t working home games, Sauer and his wife,Marjorie, chaperoned the SDSU cheerleaders to away games.“Back in thosedays they neededsomebody toguide them andkeep them out ofmischief,” hejokes.

Sauer didn’thave much timefor sportsgrowing up. Asthe eighth oftwelve children,his time wasspent helping his

H o w a r d S a u e r

There are fans and then there are fans.Meet Howard M. Sauer, fan extraordinaire.

JacksandSauera synonymous pair

“I’m just an old man running

around now. I don’t look

back much anymore.” —

97-year-old Howard Sauer

Coach Sauer with his 1930 team from Grimes, Iowa.

Howard Sauer provided a professionalappearance while serving as head scorekeeperof Jackrabbit basketball games from 1948 to1990.


father farm 320 acres near Farson, Iowa, about thirty milesnortheast of Ottumwa.

“As a boy, I didn’t get to practice after school because Ialways had to come home and work,” he explains. “Thatalways bothered me, but the farm work had to be done. Weonly had horses so the amount of acreage we farmed wasconsiderable in that era.”

Sauer attended the first eight grades at a country school amile from Farson. He went to Farson High School for twoyears, before the school closed its doors, and finished atMartinsburg, Iowa.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1929 from Des MoinesUniversity and a master’sdegree at the University ofIowa in 1931. He didgraduate work at theUniversity of Wisconsin.

Sauer met Marjorie, aDunlap, Iowa, native, whowas a physical educationteacher in Sioux City, Iowa.They were married for 64years before her death in1996. They had twins, a sonHoward, Jr., a retired dentistin Faribault, Minnesota, anda daughter, Janet, who diedof Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Sauer’s teaching careerbegan in 1931 in the Iowahigh school ranks. For sevenyears, he was a coach,

principal, and social science teacher at Grimes, Lovilia, andDenison.

He interviewed at SDSU and was hired as a sociologyinstructor. Three years later, when World War II erupted, Sauer

joined the Navy as agunnery officer onlarge transport ships.He attained the rankof lieutenantcommander whenthe war ended.

The SDSU lifeBack in Brookings,Sauer settled in as ateacher and added the role of official scorekeeper.

Credited with establishing the Ph.D. program in sociology,Sauer wrote numerous pamphlets and bulletins and was anactive member of professional organizations, including tenyears as secretary-treasurer of the National Rural SociologySociety.

Sauer was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor ofPublic Service at SDSU commencement ceremonies May 7,1994. The North Central Conference honored him with theVolunteer of the Year Award in 1999.

He created three major endowments at SDSU in 1997:scholarships for men’s basketball and women’s basketball, andone in sociology. In basketball, the recipient must be anupperclassman in good academic standing and is selected bythe head coach. The sociology scholarship is open only toseniors with a 3.0 GPA, and selection is based on academicperformance, extra-curricular activities, and promise to theprofession.

Sauer said he would not change a thing in his life,especially the decision to come to SDSU.

“I have no regrets coming up here from Iowa,” he says. “Iappreciate the fact that others have given me opportunities. It’sa good university. I recommend it to anyone no matter whatbusiness they want to get into.”

Kyle Johnson

“I don’t like to miss home

games. I missed a football

game one time. It was a

home game and my son

had his wedding that day.”

— Howard Sauer

Howard Sauer, left, and President EmeritusSherwood Berg relax in the lobby of a BatonRouge, Louisiana, motel on September 25,2004. They traveled with other Jackrabbitfans to Baton Rouge to watch SDSU claim a31-24 win over Southern University. Sauerhas been rooting for the Jacks since comingto SDSU sixty-seven years ago.

H o w a r d S a u e r

Howard Sauer attained the rank oflieutenant commander while servingin the Navy during World War II.

At the age of ten at a county fair,Travis Gottschalk first heard theharsh, sputtering pop-pop-pop

of a two-cylinder Model B John Deeretractor.

It was the spark that would driveGottschalk, a current SDSU wrestler,and his older brother to start not only avery unique hobby but also a business.Gottschalk, his brother, and his fatherspent two hours talking to the man whoowned the two-cylinder tractor, andafterwards, each brother bought a ModelB John Deere with money from their4-H steers.

From a very young age, Gottschalk,a sophomore from Kimball, Minnesota,has been interested in how things work.

“The first real experience I had withthis was when I was six and my brotherwas eight. My dad came home to hisnew lawn mower totally dissembled. Anybody who knows my dad knowsthat he can’t fix anything.

“When he asked why we would dosuch a thing, we said through our tearyeyes that we just wanted to know how itworked,” Gottschalk says. “Long storyshort, we had the mower running nottoo long after that and nothing waswrong with it.”

Gottschalk carried this aptitude intohis fascination with old John Deere

tractors. For the past ten years,Gottschalk and his brother have beenbuying broken John Deere tractors,restoring them, and selling them, unlessthe brothers want the tractors for theirown collection.

“We have tried to get an extensivecollection of different tractors to showhow agriculture used to be done,” saysGottschalk, who wrestles at 174 pounds.“We kind of have a museum, actually.”

The Gottschalk brothers’ tractorsrange the years from a 1924 Spoker DJohn Deere, one of only twenty-five orso left, to a 1964 High Crop 3020 JohnDeere.

The brothers buy tractors for lessthan $100 or for as much as severalthousand dollars, and after putting in100 to 300 hours of work, theysometimes are able to sell a tractor forup to five times what they paid for it.While they buy some tractors just topart out to other restorers, the tractorsthey sell help them finance the purchaseand refurbishment of the next tractor.

“I like meeting people, helpingothers with their projects, hunting forthe next tractor, preserving the past andlistening to stories from those who havefarmed with this equipment,” saysGottschalk.

The Gottschalk collection has filleda 100-foot by 50-foot shed, so they willhave no new additions until Gottschalkgets home and builds a new shed.

In the meantime, they will continueto take their tractors to shows in theMidwest and give tours of theircollection to John Deere two-cylinderclubs and anyone else interested in thehistory of agriculture.

Nicole Schaffer

A t h l e t i c H o b b i e s


Wrestler reverses fate of aging tractors

SoccerKaroline Brause, so., Fergus Falls, MN, cross-stitchingJanel Brown, soph., Des Moines, IA, hair dyingSarah Bryant, soph. Kansas City, MO, obsessed with Pete Rose;

germaphobeShannon Flynn, sr., Rapid City, hiking and cracking jokesAmy Goodrich, sr., Coralville, IA, shopping on ebayVanessa Paswaters, fr., Longmont, CO, snowboardingLisa Robinson, fr., Rapid City, programming and fixing computersMolly Scharfenkamp, jr, Omaha, NE, lifting weightsKelsey Worcester, fr., Anamosa, IA, going to honkey tonks

FootballPaul Aanonson, redshirt fr., Cambridge, IA, skiingJosh Davis, jr, Omaha, NE, singing Ruey Dei, fr., Omaha, NE, lifting weights DJ Fischer, jr, Gettysburg, flying airplanesLuke Greving, fr., Alton, IA, scrapbookingMichael James Jr., jr, Kansas City, KS, cutting hairMaxon Keating, redshirt fr., Madison, disc golf & backpackingChris Molitor, jr., Lakeville, MN, cardsMike Murphy, so., Sioux Falls, rock climbingTaylor Murray, so., Cambridge, MN, table tennisNash Simet, fr., Brookings, mopeding

Athletic hobbies

Travis Gottschalk, right, and his brother Trevor pose by one of manay John Deeretractors that they have restored and have on exhibit at their Kimball, Minnesota, farm.

Unless she is between hurdles, Rapid

City sophomore Kira Sudbeck finds it

hard to resist singing. “I annoy my

friends because I am constantly

singing, especially in the car,” the pre-

dentistry major says.

Kira Sudbeck got the attention ofSDSU coaches by putting hername on the Rapid City Stevens’

hurdling record. But it isn’t just herrunning ability that causes people toassociate her name with records.

Sudbeck, the hurdling sophomorefrom Rapid City, excels in singing.While her name isn’t on records, ormore likely, compact discs, she doeshave an extensive music history andmaintains a love of song.

Sudbeck first sang in a choir in sixthgrade. She enjoyed it so much that sheparticipated in chorus throughout highschool, singing in Rapid City Steven’selite choral groups each year. Sudbeckbecame one of the best in the state.“I was selected through tryout for All-

State Chorus my junior and senioryears,” says Sudbeck. “I also was chosento be in the South Dakota Honors

Choir, which was my most memorablechoir experience.”

“I was fortunate to be chosen,” shesays. “Out of the 200 or so whoauditioned, only twenty-six altos werechosen.”

Sudbeck also has had extensive soloexperience. She sang solos in musiccontests, group choirs, and even athomecoming her senior year. These soloperformances drew attention to hertalent, and the requests started rolling in.“I’ve been asked to sing at twoweddings, but my busy schedule got inthe way. I kind of regret not singing atthose weddings, but I am planning onsinging at mine,” says Sudbeck. “I havesung the National Anthem at a fewbasketball games, football games, andtrack meets.”

Even though the trackster doesn’tsing in the choir at State, she still sings.All the time.

“I annoy my friends because I amconstantly singing, especially in the car,”the pre-dentistry major says.

But she doesn’t necessarily likesinging in a bus, which is where she getsmany of her requests. “The track teamtries to get me to sing over the intercomon the way home from track meetssometimes,” says Sudbeck. “It’s reallyembarrassing.”

Sudbecknow mostlysings in thecar or alongwith herstereo, buther favoritemusic tosing is stillchoralmusic.

Sudbecksays, “Youdo not haveas muchindividuality,but whenyou aresinging witha good choir,your pitch, blend, and style cometogether and almost sound like aninstrument.

“What I like about singing is howyou can manipulate your voice intosounding so different for differentoccasions and settings,” she says. “Thehuman voice is the most versatileinstrument on earth.”

If the track team is lucky, maybesomeday they will convince Sudbeck toprove it.

Nicole Schaffer

A t h l e t i c H o b b i e s

A ‘note’ worthy hobbyChoral musician Sudbeck keeps on singing

Men’s BasketballJared DeJong, senior, Orange City, IA, horseback riding

Cross-Country and Track & Field WomenTaunja Disher, jr., Holdingford, MN, camping & collecting ducksSavanna Linderman, fr., Timber Lake, singing, fishing, & campingKrystie Ratzlaff, jr., Mountain Lake, MN, reading & weightliftingJacquelun Schneller, so., Canton, drawingAnna Taylor, so., Mandan, ND, ice skating, sledding, & rodeoKatie Tornberg, jr., Harrisburg, riding horses & rollerbladingCori Vining, sr., Huron, scrapbooking, wakeboarding, & drawingErin Zempel, jr., Lamberton, MN, diving board tricks

Cross-Country and Track & Field MenNayouki Asano, so., Tokyo, Japan, karaokeKevin Bjerke, sr., Fargo, ND, wakeboarding & bakingSean Donahoe, fr., Chatfield, MN, bass guitar & classic carsChris Gruenhagen, jr., Mankato, MN, photography &

breakdancingBen Johnson, sr., Le Mars, IA, YahtzeeJosh Klawitter, so., Hutchinson, MN, playing guitarClayton Lang, sr., Paynesville, MN, wakeboarding & kneeboardingBrad Lowery, sr., Pierre, watching the starsJared Schwader, so., Yankton, photographyTroy Thielen, so., Rapid City, racquetball & cardsAndrew VanNurden, so., Owatonna, MN, writing, curling,

showing livestock, & ping pong


SDSU student-athletes out-perform their peers when itcomes to GPAs and graduationrates.

According to a recent studyprepared for the South DakotaBoard of Regents, the average

grade-point average of student-athletes atthe six public universities was higher thanthe GPA of the entire student body. In2003, Jackrabbit student-athletes had anaverage GPA of 2.89 compared to 2.69 ofall students at SDSU.

“I think our coaches historicallyrecruit students that want to be successfulacademically,” says Athletic Director FredOien. “We don’t recruit student-athletesthat aren’t serious about graduating.”

At SDSU, student-athletes graduate ata rate of 73 percent, which is 20 pointsabove the university-wide rate of 53percent.

That is a reassuring statistic for theSDSU athletic department.

At this year’s NCAA Convention, theDivision I Board of Directors raised theacademic bar for their schools. If teamsdon’t keep their projected graduation rateabove 50 percent, they could sacrifice upto 10 percent of their scholarships for ayear.

For a D-I men’s basketball team, thatwould mean forfeiting two of its fifteenscholarships for the year.

“I would say the [new] rules reinforcethe philosophy we’ve had for a long time:student-athletes come to the university tograduate,” says Oien.

“It is our departmental goal to havethat [graduation rate] average at 75percent. We are way ahead of theaverage for Division I, Division II, andDivision III schools,” he says.

For 2003-04, the average student-athlete graduation rate for Division Ischools sits at 62 percent and for DivisionII schools it’s 51 percent while SDSU wasat 73 percent.

Reporting of failures to meet the newsanctions will be very public. Oien says

that he hopes that the “public scrutiny”will motivate other schools.

Many of State’s own aren’t waitingfor motivation, they’re already excellingacademically. Here are nine student-athletes, representing most of the winterand spring sports, who achieve whetherthey’re in uniform or not.

Heather SielerSport/Position: Women’sBasketball, point guard Hometown: HuronYear/Major: HealthPromotionGPA: 3.96AwardsReceived/Activities:Named to Dean’s List,member of the StudentAthlete Advisory Council,

Helping Everyone Reach Optimal Health clubmember, 2003-2004 Academic All-ConferenceHonorable Mention Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: “Winningthe National Championship my freshman yearwas very memorable. We had great fansupport,” says Sieler, who is also enjoying theswitch to D I. “Getting some big wins, it’sbeen fun surprising people.”

Michael LoneySport/Position: Men’sBasketball, postHometown: Humboldt,IowaYear/Major: Sophomoremath educationGPA: 3.773AwardsReceived/Activities:Named to Dean’s List.Jackrabbit Guarantee

recipient.

Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: DefeatingTennessee State University in State’s firstDivision I win on December 22.Future Plans: Loney hopes to coachbasketball (and possibly track) as well asteach math, specifically calculus andtrigonometry. He plans to work in eitherMinnesota or Iowa. “I’ve just had a reallygood time up here [at State],” he says.

Erin ZempelSport/Position: Women’strack, runs sprints andhurdles.Hometown: Lamberton,MinnesotaYear/Major: Juniorpharmacy student (P1)GPA: 3.89AwardsReceived/Activities:Named to Dean’s List.Received the Ray and Joan GrefeScholarship (available to students insouthwest Minnesota who plan to pursue aneducation in math or the natural sciences);Valedictorian scholarship; and the JackrabbitGuarantee. Involved in Golden KeyInternational Honor Society, Alpha LambdaDelta, and Kappa Si (a pharmaceuticalfraternity).Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: Zempelsays taking trips with her team are among herfavorite athletic memories from SDSU. “Wehave a lot of fun, even on the bus rides,” shesays.Future Plans: “I hope to be a clinicalpharmacist in a hospital,” says Zempel, whohopes to work in a large city in the Midwest.

Travis GottschalkSport/Position:Wrestling, 174 lbs.Hometown: Litchfield,MinnesotaYear/Major: Sophomoremechanical engineeringGPA: 2.73AwardsReceived/Activities:Jackrabbit Guaranteerecipient. In 2003, hereceived his FFA American Degree, and wasselected as one of ten national winners ofAgri-Entrepreneurship (where he received a$1,000 scholarship). He and his brother owna business that restores antique John Deeretractors. At the 2001 Chevron/Texaco Tractor

Making marks in the classroom

A t h l e t i c P r o f i l e s

“I would say the [new] rules

reinforce the philosophy we’ve

had for a long time: student-

athletes come to the university

to graduate.” — Fred Oien


Restoration Competition, he won reservenational champion and received a $1,500scholarship. On campus, Gottschalkparticipates in the American Society ofMechanical Engineers and the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee.Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: Gottschalkfondly remembers a pin at a December 2004match against University of Mary. The pinmade fellow SDSU student and acquaintanceMike Plathe a $1,000 winner in the Pin to WinContest. Gottschalk was happy to help afellow student. “[Mike] was a student, so atleast he needed the money,” he says.Future Plans: “I’d like to eventually moveback to my old farm,” says Gottschalk, wholists John Deere, Bobcat, or Caterpillar ascompanies he might like to work for in thefuture. “I’d like to stay ag-related if possible.”

Brandon MaydewSport/Position: Men’sswimmingHometown: Sioux FallsYear/Major: Sophomorepre-pharmacyGPA: 4.0AwardsReceived/Activities:Jackrabbit Guaranteerecipient. Involved inCampus Crusade for

Christ.Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: “My first[collegiate] swim meet,” says Maydew, whotook a break from swimming after his senioryear of high school. He began to swim againfor State in September 2004, and remembersthe gun going off to signal the beginning ofhis collegiate swimming career. “It got myblood pumping,” he says.Future Plans: In addition to improving histimes in the water, Maydew hopes to keep uphis 4.0 GPA and attend pharmacy school atState. ‘I’m really satisfied with this school,” hesays. After graduation, he plans to work as apharmacist in the Midwest for a few yearsand “live life to the fullest.”

Brad LowerySport/Position: Cross-country and men’strack, distance eventsHometown: PierreYear/Major: Senior physicsGPA: 3.75Awards Received/Activities: All-AcademicTeam in 2003 & 2004, Deans List

Favorite SDSU AthleticMemory: “My bestmemory was when I wasa sophomore. As a team,we placed fourth in theNational Cross-countrymeet,” he says, recallingthe Ashland, Ohiocompetition. Future Plans: Lowery issome-what undecided,but says that he willeventually go to graduate school so that hecan become involved in research.

Christian LarsonSport/Position: Baseball,pitcherHometown: Little Falls,MinnesotaYear/Major: Sophomorebusiness economicsGPA: 3.277Awards Received/Activities: JackrabbitGuarantee recipientFavorite SDSU Athletic

Memory: Larson had athletic memories fromState long before he became a student. “Mydad used to be a football coach at SDSU.That’s why I came back. My brother and Igrew up on the sidelines watching those guyspractice and get ready for games,” saysLarson, who credits those experiences withhis wanting to become a student-athlete forState.Future Plans: Enrolled in Air Force ROTCprogram, Larson will spend four years aftergraduation in the Air Force. “Then I willprobably work something with finance at abank,” he says.

Ashley KalinaSport/Position: Softball,outfieldHometown: Elkhorn,Neb.Year/Major: SeniorpsychologyGPA: 4.0Awards Received/Activities: Named to theDean’s list seven times,2003 All-NCC AcademicTeam, 2003 Division Seven Verizon All-Region Academic First Team, 2004 DivisionSeven Verizon All-Region Academic SecondTeam, Golden Key Honor Society, Phi Kappa

Phi honor fraternity, and Psi Chi, the nationalpsychology honors society.Favorite SDSU Athletic Memory: “I haveenjoyed seeing how the program haschanged from the time I was a freshman to asenior. The level of talent has increased. Ireally have enjoyed playing for CoachBouman,” says Kalina, who began playing thesame year Bouman started coaching. “Weshared the newness together. He’s done a lotfor the program. I think we’re changing for thebest. I’m excited to see how the team that wehave right now plays against our D-Icompetition,” says Kalina, looking forward tothe spring season.Future Plans: Kalina, who is getting marriedin June, hopes to attend graduate school. “Iwant to work in law enforcement. I wouldprobably start in the police academy and thenwork my way up to investigator.”

Jane TschetterSport/Position: Women’sSwimming, breaststrokeand medley relayHometown: BrookingsYear/Major: Sophomorebusiness economicsGPA: 3.95AwardsReceived/Activities:Briggs Scholar,Economics DepartmentOutstanding Scholar, AdmissionsAmbassador, Vice President of Staters forStateFavorite SDSU Athletic Memory: “Wealways take a training trip to the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area. For the team, we growas a whole, as well in our individualswimming abilities,” she says. This year’s tripwas Jan. 2 to 8. “It is an intense practice time.We swim twice a day. It’s good to get to knowpeople differently,” she says, noting that it is ateam-building event.Future Plans: “I want to work with a non-profit organization,” says Tschetter, noting hercareer objectives change weekly. She has aleadership and management of non-profitorganizations minor. She says that she likes“how you can touch people’s lives through anon-profits.”

Mirando Malo

Athletic Profiles

A t h l e t i c P r o f i l e s


Diminutive diver fits ‘PNUT’ nicknameAt 5-1, Rachel “PNUT” Stenzel doesn’t make much of a splashwhen she hits the water. The diver says she likes the name she hashad since sixth grade and that it fits her. Besides, it’s better thanGoober.

Sometimes a nickname from childhood persists, evolves, and refuses to go away.When this happens, one has two choices: be annoyed or accept it.

Rachel Stenze accepted it because she happens to like her nickname, PNUT. “In fifth or sixth grade, our gymnastics coach was late to practice, so we were all

goofing around and decided that we all needed food nicknames,” says Stenzel.“There was a Little Debbie, Muffin, Candy, and Peanut. I was the smallest, so I waselected to be Peanut.”

Though she doesn’t know exactly how tall she was in sixth grade, suffice it tosay that she didn’t hit 4’9” until tenth grade and she didn’t break the five-foot barrieruntil after she graduated.

Peanut didn’t really stick until Stenzel, of Marshall, Minnesota, performed in herfirst gymnastics meet in seventh grade. “After my routine, my sister Ronda, whowas captain, yelled ‘Way to go Peanut,’” Stenzel says.

In ninth grade, a friend in a youth group shortened Peanut to PNUT. Almosteveryone called Stenzel PNUT throughout high school and her real name virtuallydisappeared.

“My sister and I worked together and she called me PNUT, so most of my co-workers didn’t even know my real name,” says Stenzel. “When I came to SDSU, Ifigured that the nickname would disappear, but the swimming coach and diverspicked up on it.”

Stenzel also answers to variations of PNUT, including: Peanut Butter, PB, andNut. While some may be annoyed by such a persistent nickname, Stenzel isn’t. “Ilike my nickname. It fits me really well,” she says. “I have grown two inches sincehigh school, though, so now I’m about 5’1”.”

However, PNUT isn’t her only nickname. Throughout her lifetime, Stenzel hasalso answered to MonkeyHead, Midget, Shortest, TTT, and many more.

Nutty, isn’t it?Nicole Schaffer

DB gives thumbs up to nickname ‘No Thumbs’Scotty “No Thumbs” Breyfogle is cool with his nickname.

Yes, Scotty “No Thumbs” Breyfogle has thumbs. Playingfootball would be fairly challenging without them, but footballinjuries did lead to his nickname.

“I got my nickname from teammate Andrew Hoogeveen this year,” Breyfogle, asophomore from Holstein, Iowa, says. “It started because I had to tape my thumbsbefore each practice. In past seasons I had injured both thumbs and when every newseason starts, it only takes a few practices before I re-aggravate them.”

Breyfogle’s nickname hasn’t crossed over into his everyday life yet; most of thepeople who call him No Thumbs are members of the Jacks defensive backfield. “Itdoesn’t really bother me,” says Breyfogle. “I just try to laugh about it.”

Of course, being called No Thumbs is definitely better than being called AllThumbs.

Nicole Schaffer

A t h l e t i c n i c k n a m e s

SoccerAlissa Bernth, sr., Ralston, NE,

Bernie or Sa-SaKaroline Brause, so., Fergus Falls, MN, OleJanel Brown, so., Des Moines, IA, BrownieAmy Goodrich, sr., Coralville, IA, GoodyVanessa Paswaters, fr., Longmont, CO, VLisa Robinson, fr., Rapid City, BobMolly Scharfenkamp, sr., Omaha, NE,

Smalls

SwimmingNathan Bylander, fr., Thief River Falls, MN,

PassionLucas Jungemann, sr., Wolsey, LunaticMariah Pavlicek, so., Bettendorf, IA, MavsAdam Pick, jr., Sioux Falls, Pickle

WrestlingTravis Gottschalk, so., Kimball, MN,

Gots ya

FootballNik Aamlid, redshirt fr., Sioux Falls,

DinksterPaul Aanonson, redshirt fr., Cambridge, IA,

Long BallNeal Bainbridge, so., Ethan, StealMitch Erickson, redshirt fr., Hutchinson,

MN, HutchBrock Gentile, fr., Council Bluffs, IA

Bean / SlothBritt Haroldson, fr., Bruce, WoodyJeff Hegge, so., Watertown, LockdownMitch Pontrelli, fr., St. Paul, MN, FonzNash Simet, fr., Brookings, SquatTyler Trees, jr., Belmond, IA, CarpLuke Witte, redshirt fr., Long Pine, NE,

Beef CakesClayton Wulf, redshirt fr., Lennox,

Inspector Gadget

BaseballJustin Morar, freshman, Omaha, NE,

Smiley

Men’s BasketballBen Beran, so., Victor, IA, RedMackenzie Casey, fr., Wounded Knee, MackJared DeJong, sr., Orange City, IA, FooterLuke Geiver, sr., Sioux Falls, GeeveAndre Gilbert, fr., Brooklyn Park, MN,

Dre GillyJoe Green, so., Waverly, IA, Joe WillySteve Holdren, jr., Champaign, IL,

Hollywood

Athletic

nicknames


A message from Keith Mahlum

Thank you for your loyal support of Jackrabbit athletics. A lot of exciting thingshave occurred during the 2004-05 year. Our development team, athleticdepartment staff, and dedicated volunteers have been working hard on a varietyof initiatives during the last several months. I thought it was time to give you aprogress report on some of these projects. The focus of all of these events is ourstudent-centered vision and mission.

Lifelong ChampionsFirst, our “Lifelong Champions” campaign, under the direction of Sid Bostic,has just completed a very strong first year. To date, we have received more than$4.7 million in pledges and donations ($20 million goal) for athletic scholarships.

Stan Marshall Auction/GolfAs you’ve read, preparations are underway for the 25th annual Stan Marshall Auction and Golf Tournament.Through the years, a dedicated committee and numerous patrons have provided scholarship assistance formale and female student-athletes through their support of this event. This year, we will celebrate the pastsuccess of this event and build a foundation for future success on June 3-4 as we host the biggest and bestevent ever.

Facility constructionBaseball and softball facilities are currently being constructed on campus and will soon serve as the home forJackrabbit practices and games (softball). These projects are being funded by private gifts, departmental fundsand state dollars dedicated to Title IX compliance plans at the six state public universities.

Home games in Sioux FallsJackrabbit baseball and football teams will be hosting home events in the coming months in Sioux Falls.Baseball will host the University of Minnesota on April 20 and Creighton University on April 26 at the “BirdCage.”

Football will take on the University of California-Davis on October 8 at Howard Wood Field. These eventswill provide an opportunity for the loyal fans of SDSU who live in the Sioux Falls area to come cheer on theJacks in their own back yard. For our teams, it’s a chance to compete in great competitive environments anddisplay their talents in the largest population center in our region.

On-line tickets, donationsJackrabbit fans everywhere can now purchase tickets and make donations on-line thanks to enhancedtechnology being utilized in our department. To check out these new options just log on to our web site atwww.gojacks.com. In addition, our March “Fan Fest” was expanded to several local business partners thisyear.

Participating businesses are making donations to our scholarship fund to support student-athletes in ourprogram.

Stay tuned in the coming months for other exciting developments within our department. We are moving fullsteam ahead to provide the resources that our student-athletes and coaches need, and opportunities for fansto participate and enjoy the best of Jackrabbit athletics.

GO JACKS!! Keith MahlumSDSU Assistant to AthleticDirector/Development Director


“Full steam ahead”

NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE PAIDBROOKINGS SDPERMIT 24

South Dakota State UniversityAthletics DepartmentBox 2820Brookings, SD 57007-1497


Jackrabbit fans can

now purchase tickets

for all home games

online. For more

information, go to

www.gojacks.com.

Spring 2005 Rabbit Tracks

Documents

Transcript of Spring 2005 Rabbit Tracks