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Jackrabbit fans can now purchase tickets for all the home games online. For more information, go to: www.gojacks.com
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South Dakota State University Athletics Department Box 2820 Brookings, SD 57007-1497
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Volume 12, No. 1
South Dakota State University
Spring 2006
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NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID BROOKINGS SD PERMIT 24
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A message from Fred Oien
Talking the talk and walking the walk
Celebrating athletic, academic integrity This year the NCAA is celebrating two significant events: 100 Years – Celebrating the Student-Athlete and the 25th Year of Women’s Championships. These two milestones in the history of the NCAA are significant in that they represent collegiate institutions commitment to excellence for all student-athletes. The growth of opportunity for student-athletes to experience the joy of sport while pursuing an academic degree occurs nowhere else in the world like it does for student-athletes in our universities. President Theodore Roosevelt summoned college athletics leaders to two White House conferences to encourage reform in intercollegiate athletics. Sport at universities had reached a point where the integrity of the game was eroding and student welfare was in jeopardy. In early December 1905, Chancellor Henry M. MacCracken of New York University convened a meeting of thirteen institutions to initiate changes in football playing rules. At a subsequent meeting on December 28 in New York City, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States was founded by sixty-two members. It later was renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
leaders to set a path for a higher standard of fair competition and protection for the student-athlete’s welfare. Likewise in 1981, a similar path was followed involving intercollegiate sport for women, when members of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) voted to merge with the NCAA in order to provide like opportunities for female student-athletes. South Dakota State University is proud to be a member of the NCAA. The many programs that are provided as well as the highly visible championship opportunities have given our Jackrabbit studentathletes an opportunity to grow and excel as they pursue a degree. Student-athlete welfare is at the core of the NCAA’s membership mission. Today academic standards for student-athletes are the highest they have ever been. As a result, graduation rates have never been higher and remain substantially higher than the student population as a whole. Participation has grown to an all-time high for men and women student-athletes. It is time to celebrate and embrace these historical milestones of the NCAA and, more importantly, to celebrate the athletic and academic integrity the association has brought to intercollegiate athletics.
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Terminology and numbers are a huge part of sports. We use specific words to describe participants on athletic teams. We know the “quarterback,” “setter,” “goalie,” “forward,” “heavyweight,” “sprinter,” or “pitcher.” We honor these athletes for the statistics accumulated during competition. Scoring titles, all-conference selections and hall of fame inductions are the end products of outstanding athletic achievement. These talented athletes are identified frequently only by the numbers on their uniforms. If you take a deeper look, the aforementioned information only partially describes the members of our athletic teams. Another fascinating storyline involving these talented men and women is often overshadowed, but certainly should not go unnoticed. The talented Jackrabbits that wear the yellow and blue also are college students and we know them as “biology, public recreation, electrical engineering, early childhood education, nursing, and pharmacy majors.” The academic statistics they accumulate in Accounting 211, Chemistry 112 and Math 225 are quite impressive. Their success in the classroom leads to spots on the dean’s list and in various honor societies. These students are classified by numbers associated with their test scores, grade-point averages and graduation rates, not forty-yard dash times. We currently have more than 400 student-athletes in our program participating in twenty-one sports (eleven women, ten men). These student-athletes are enrolled in more than eighty different majors, have a collective cumulative GPA of more than 3.00 and annually achieve graduation rates significantly higher than the national averages at all levels of NCAA classification. At SDSU, we believe in combining elite athletic competition with a challenging educational experience, and it’s working. So the next time you are watching or listening to your favorite Jackrabbit athletic event and cheering for No. 21, 5 or 66, take pride in knowing that the “outside hitter,” “guard” or “shortstop” in uniform is also a Jackrabbit student diligently preparing to become an educator, researcher, entrepreneur or future leader of your community. Keith Mahlum SDSU Assistant to Athletic Director/Development Director
Fred Oien
Out of a desire to protect the integrity of intercollegiate athletics, President Roosevelt called on
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SDSU Athletic Director
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1. Lemme Herting, first three-time allconference, 1928-30 2. Chris White, allAmerican & conference MVP 1992, allconference 1991 & ’92 3. Dave Thomas, conference MVP 1973, all-conference 1972 & ’73 4. Herb Bartling, allconference 1950 & ’51 5. Don Jacobsen, allAmerican & conference MVP 1961, allconference 1961-63 6. John Billington, allconference 1941 & ’42
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On the cover — Faces from our history
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7. Mark Tetzlaff, allAmerican & conference MVP 1985, allconference 1983-85 8. John Thomas, conference MVP 1969, all-conference 1968 & ’69 9. Tom Black, all-American 1964, all-conference 1963 & ’64 10. Austin Hansen, allconference 2001-2003 11. Dennis Womeldorf, allAmerican and conference MVP 1970 12. Virg Riley, conference MVP 1956, allconference 1955 & ’56 13. James Schmidt, allconference 1943, ’47 & ’48
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14. Kurt Meister, allAmerican 1998, allconference 1997 & ’98 15. Jim Walker, conference MVP 1980 16. Cerci Mahone, conference MVP 1979 17. Lee Colburn, allAmerican 1973, allconference 1971-73 18. Merlin “Hank” Smith, conference MVP 1959, all-conference 1958 & ’59 19. Clarence Schutte, 1923, first all-conference selection 20. Sid Bostic, conference MVP 1964, allconference 1963 & ’64
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Contents 100 Years of SDSU basketball — Check out our top 10 . . .2 Lenz — SID ready to discover a new season — retirement . . 6 Sieler — The charmed life of State’s champion thief . . . . . . . .9 Nehl — Rugby was fun, but his heart was on the mat . . . . . .12 My greatest influence — Swimmer Mallory Onisk . . . . . .. . 14 My greatest influence — Runner Brad Heyne . . . . . . . . . . . .15 My greatest influence — Various athletes . . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . 16 Hellickson — Getting into the game (from the sidelines). . . 18 Kulesza — Jumping from one sport to another . . .. . . . . . . . .20
Rabbit tracks Spring 2006,Vol. 12, No. 1
Rabbit Tracks is produced by University Relations in cooperation with the SDSU Athletic Department at no cost to the State of South Dakota. Please notify the Athletic Department office when you change your address.
SDSU President Peggy Gordon Miller SDSU Athletic Director Fred Oien SDSU Sports Information Director Ron Lenz SDSU Sports Information Assistant Director Jason Hove Assistant to AD/External Affairs Keith Mahlum Editor Nan Steinley, University Relations
Athletic Department South Dakota State University Box 2820, Brookings, SD 57007 Telephone: 1-866-GOJACKS Fax: 605/688-5999 Website: www.gojacks.com
Contributing Writers Dave Graves, Kyle Johnson, Miranda Reiman, Denise Watt, University Relations Designer Kristine Madsen, University Relations Photographer Eric Landwehr, University Relations
1,200 copies printed by the SDSU Athletic Department at no cost to the State of South Dakota. PE069 5/06.
100 years of
SDSU basketball A century of memories The best of the best in Jackrabbit men’s basketball A century of SDSU men’s basketball. A century of memories. Since the first recorded season of 1905-06, Jackrabbit lore has spread to every corner of the state, impacting countless fans, and providing a lifetime of cherished moments. With 2,089 games in the books, the highlights are innumerable. The challenge here is to narrow the field, to cut through the countless applauses and chronicle the ten loudest ovations in the program’s storied history. So, hold on to your seat. Go Jacks!
No. 1 — Title
town:
The Jacks started 1962-63 inconspicuously losing four of their first eight games. However, Coach Jim Iverson’s squad came together to finish 22-5, culminating with the NCAA College Division championship in Evansville, Indiana. After their fourth conference title in five years, they hosted the regional tournament and beat Cornell College and Nebraska Wesleyan to advance to the national finals. SDSU beat Fresno State in the opener behind Wayne Rasmussen’s thirty points. In the semifinals, State got past a talented Southern Illinois team that 2 • Rabbit tracks
featured future New York Knicks’ star Walt Frazier. Tom Black led a balanced Jacks’ attack with twenty points. Nick Brod had seventeen, followed by Rasmussen’s sixteen, and Sid Bostic with fifteen points. The stage was set for the national title game against Wittenburg of Ohio, the top-ranked team in the country. Most people are familiar with the forty-foot shot Bostic made at the buzzer for a dramatic 44-42 win, but what transpired before his game-winner was equally exciting. Bob Glasrud tied the game, 42-42, with two field goals. With seconds left, Wittenburg missed a shot and Doug Peterson “came out of nowhere” for the rebound. He fired the ball to Bostic whose lunging arch shot was one for the ages. Rasmussen was the national tournament’s most valuable player. Named College Athlete of the Year in South Dakota, he played ten seasons in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions. Black, an all-American in 1964, was named to the all-tournament team and was the most valuable player of the regional tournament. Bostic was also on the all-regional team. “We were the underdogs,” says Iverson, whose team was ranked tenth in the country heading into the NCAA playoffs. “Our secret was a good mix of players. We had great talent surrounded by tough competitors. It was a tribute to the players for what they accomplished.” Nick Brod with the 1963 national championship trophy.
No. 2
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Ambush in the
Barn: Prairie View A&M was the topranked team in the nation, but that was before they came to the “friendly confines” of a packed Barn for the 1961 regional. State, which defeated Cornell in the opener, faced a Prairie View squad in the title game led by 6-9 Zelmo Beaty, who later played eight years for the St. Louis Hawks. The Texas school was full of dunk artists, but that didn’t bother the Jacks, who had their own in 6-6 Terry Slattery. A few minutes into the game, the Jacks put on one of their patented fastbreaks that Slattery ended with a dunk. The fans went wild and it set the tone for the rest of the game. The contest displayed the gifted shooting touch of Don Jacobsen, who sent an NCAA playoff record making twenty-two of twenty-eight free throws that fueled the Jacks to a stunning 88-84 win and a trip to the national tournament. In the finals at Evansville, State knocked off California-Santa Barbara in the first round. After falling to eventual champion Southeast Missouri State in the semifinals, the Jacks claimed the thirdplace trophy over Mount St. Mary’s of Emmitsburg, Maryland (77-76) on a lastsecond shot by Slattery to cap off a 21-6 campaign. For Jacobsen, it was the season of seasons. Even though the Jacks were third, the Lake Norden flash was pegged the most valuable player of the national tournament after racking up eighty-four points. He claimed the conference scoring title (23.6), graduated as State’s all-time leading scorer, and was the program’s first all-American.
No. 3
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Frost miracles:
With a 71-64 lead and 2:14 to play, SDSU was poised to win its second NCAA championship. However, Jacksonville State of Alabama, taking advantage of Jackrabbit foul difficulties, escaped with a 74-73 win in the 1985 NCAA title game in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Still, the heartbreaking loss couldn’t change a magical season, one that saw Coach Gene Zulk’s team fashion a 26-7 record and the conference championship. The Jacks were an impressive 18-0 at Frost Arena, winning Mark Tetzlaff - 1985 five by two points or less, including a wild 48-47 verdict over Augustana on a tip-in by Arvis Young at the buzzer. There were more miracles to come. Frost hosted the regional tournament and the Jacks opened with a win over Gannon University. Next came Grand Valley State, and in a seesaw affair, State survived (5857) when the Lakers’ missed their final shot. SDSU then became the first team in South Dakota to host an NCAA quarterfinal-round game. A Frost Arena and NCAA Division II playoff record 9,339 fans watched the Jacks defeat California State-Hayward (62-58) for a berth in the NCAA Final Four Tournament. “I’ve never seen so much energy in a gym as I did that night,” recalls Mark Tetzlaff of the Hayward game. “The crowd lined up for hours to make sure they had an opportunity to watch the game. When we entered the gym for pregame warm-ups, the crowd went hysterical and shivers of excitement went down my spine.” Tetzlaff, an all-American from Hayti, was one of State’s all-time greats. He was the most valuable player of the conference and national tournament, and set SDSU career marks for points and rebounds.
No. 4
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Sweet revenge:
Preseason polls predicted a .500 finish in 1995-96, but Scott Nagy’s first year as head coach was something much more. The Jacks, who were 24-5, cruised
Words of hoop wisdom Highlighting 100 years of SDSU basketball was both rewarding and challenging. This writer wasn’t alone in the task. There were familiar and reliable sources for valuable input and advice. They were: • Jim Booher, head athletic trainer who has been on the SDSU staff since 1967; • Sid Bostic, member of the 1963 national championship team; • Austin Hansen, standout guard from 2000 to 2003; • Jim Iverson, head coach from 1956 to 1965 (142-65 record), has the best conference winning percentage (78.4) of all SDSU mentors. He guided SDSU to five league championships and three trips to the national tournament culminating with the 1963 NCAA crown; • Don Jacobsen, All-American who fueled the Jacks to three straight conference titles and third place at the 1961 national tournament, • Ron Lenz, sports information director at SDSU since 1977; • Jim Marking, compiled 148-80 record and four conference titles as head coach from 1965 to 1974; • Scott Nagy, current head coach and all-time leader in wins (22997), has been named conference coach of the year five times and has led SDSU to four league championships; • Fred Oien, named SDSU Athletic Director in 1990 and a member of the athletic department staff since 1979; • Mark Tetzlaff, All-American and school record holder for career points and rebounds, led Jacks to national runner-up finish in 1985. Kyle Johnson
100 Years continued page 4
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100 years continued... to the conference title and traveled to Hays, Kansas, for the regional. After knocking off North Dakota State, the Jacks went “toe-to-toe” with host Fort Hays State before losing, 9990. The Tigers ended up going 340 en route to the Division II crown. Revenge was sweet in 1997 when it was State’s turn to host the regional. The Jacks rolled past NebraskaKearney (102-83) in the first game, marking the fourth time in six games that they reached the century mark. In the regional championship, SDSU stopped Fort Hays State, 86-74. The Jacks ended up falling to Lynn University of Florida in the first game of the NCAA tournament, 7872. They finished Jason Sempsrott - 1995 25-5 and were led by first-team all-American Jason Sempsrott’s 23.9 scoring average. “The atmosphere for that Fort Hays State game was great,” says Nagy. “They had two first-team all-Americans and we just whipped them.”
No. 5 — North
conquerors:
Success in North Dakota was always key for title contenders. A good example was 1973, when Head Coach Jim Marking’s squad made the treacherous journey on the final weekend and snatched wins over the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University. The rare sweep put the Jacks alone in first and the conference crown when the University of South Dakota, favorite to repeat as league champions, was upset at home the final night by Northern Iowa. The Jacks would have to wait twenty-two more years before beating the North Dakota teams on the road again. In the regional the Jacks defeated Dave Thomas - 1973 Southwest Missouri State and ended the season (18-8) despite a phenomenal 4 • Rabbit tracks
forty-four point (school record), twenty-six rebound performance by Dave Thomas. Lee Colburn was named to the all-American team and graduated as the school’s career leader in points and rebounds.
No. 6 — Amazing
run:
SDSU won seventy-five of eighty-eight games from 1996 to 1998 (85 percent). The third year contained a milestone that captivated Jacks’ fans for more than two months when they started the season 21-0, setting a school record for consecutive wins. Even though State was upset in the regional final (Northern State) in Brookings, it was still a remarkable year. The Jacks led by all-American center Kurt Meister, finished 26-3, and claimed their third consecutive conference championship. “We just knew how to win and did a lot of things well,” comments Nagy, whose squad made history with a number-one ranking in a February Division II Kurt Meister - 1997 poll.
No. 7 — Those
running Rabbits:
SDSU was the 1968 conference champion after a fouryear absence. It was a year that Marking’s Jacks not only reached twenty wins (20-7) for just the fourth time, but it was also a squad that set a host of new scoring standards. State clinched the league crown in convincing style with a 121-78 home blasting of Northern Iowa, which set a school and conference scoring mark. It was a hook shot from Clyde Hagen in the final seconds that gave the Jacks the record. Eleven team records were shattered. Guy Mackner was the lone individual record-setter with most field goals in a season.
No. 8 — Sophomore
sensations:
Perhaps Coach Iverson’s biggest challenge was 1958-59, a season that saw him transform a vastly inexperienced squad into a conference champion and a place in the NCAA tournament. At the heart were six sophomores who arguably comprised the best freshman team in State history: Ron Carothers, Marlin Van Den Einde, Mike Sisk, Johnny Meek, Leon Crossman, and Don Jacobsen. The squad had a particularly big front line led by 6-8 Van Den Einde, who led in scoring (17.6) and rebounding (11.3). The Jacks, who broke five school records while going 17-7, thumped a pair of Illinois schools, Augustana (73-58) and Knox (106-80) in the regional in Brookings. In the program’s first appearance at the national tournament, the Jacks fell to a hotshooting Los Angeles State outfit (92-67) in the first round.
No. 9 —
Coming together: National aspirations swirled through Jackrabbit circles for 2003-04, but those thoughts quickly died when season-ending injuries and illness struck four of the top-seven players. However, that didn’t detour the Jacks, who persevered to finish second in the conference and a school record for wins with a 27-7 mark. They solidified a spot in the regional and topped Austin Hansen - 2003 Fort Hays State in the first round, despite losing yet another key player when starting guard Chris Stoebner sustained a sprained ankle. In the semifinals, the Jacks suffered a one-point loss to host Nebraska-Kearney after leading by fourteen at halftime. The notable absentees meant a smaller squad, and despite going 6-3 at the power and small forward spots, SDSU managed to lead Division II in rebounding. Remarks Nagy, “We lost good players and ended up accomplishing something. I’ve never had a team that I got more out of than that team. In terms of coaching satisfaction, that year was special.”
No. 10 — Southern
rival:
Win or lose, games with the University of South Dakota were indeed memorable, not only for fan sentiment, but also for the socalled extracurricular activities. Their respective arenas were packed, and when the Jacks moved to spacious Frost Arena, crowds tripled in size. In fact, of the twentyone games listing an attendance of at least 8,000, twelve were against the Coyotes. They first met in 1914, and due to their very nature, all of their 202 clashes could be considered an ovation. For that reason, it’s difficult to single out one game or season. However, who could forget the last game in the Barn? It was 1973 and USD was the pre-season favorite. A game plan of throwing to half court on the inbounds to bypass a talented Coyote guard duo worked. The Jacks’ rolled to a big win (89-66) and the eventual conference title. How about 1996? Tied for the conference lead going into a February home game against the Coyotes, the Jacks posted a twentypoint win, highlighted by a pair of hair-raising dunks from Greg
Himler and Jason Schuetz. The Jacks went on to finish 24-5 and a league-best 15-3. The new millennium had notable efforts. After opening the 2000 conference season 1-3, a young Jackrabbit team upended the conference champion Coyotes in Vermillion in late March to unseat USD from its top regional ranking. At Frost Arena for the 2003 conference opener, a frenzied crowd of 8,500 cheered the Jacks to a 94-82 win over the ’Yotes.
Honorable ovations: • SDSU became the only NCAA Division I institution in the state when the school made the affiliation switch in 2004. • The Jacks cruised to the 1970 conference title going 13-1. Overall they were a glossy 22-4 and lost to Tennessee State in the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, Tennessee State would be their first Division I victory thirty-four years later. • In 1980 the Jacks became the first and only team to win the conference “triple crown” when they claimed championships in the holiday tournament, the regular season, and post-season tourney. • The 1992 SDSU squad had quite a run, winning the league (13-5) and regional in Brookings, before finishing 25-8 after a firstround loss to California-Pennsylvania in the NCAA Tournament. • Jim Iverson was only 26 when he took over in 1957. The Jacks compiled one of their best records (19-3) and shared the conference title with USD (11-1). • It was the 1962 conference opener at Northern Iowa. Absent was junior Bob Shelden, who was sidelined with lymphoma. Before the game, Iverson read a letter from Shelden wishing his teammates well, and the emotional Jacks answered with a five-point win. “The guys charged out for the best overall effort of any team I ever had,” recalls Iverson. “You could have heard a pin drop in there. Unfortunately, Bob passed away a couple months later. There was no treatment at the time.” • SDSU faced North Dakota in the 2002 conference tournament championship game at Frost Arena. State, the regularseason champion (15-3), had lost to the Sioux by eighteen points in Grand Forks a couple weeks earlier. In this title affair, the Jacks rallied from a halftime deficit for the win, a result that knocked North Dakota from the regional tournament picture. It marked the first time the team that won the conference also wore the league tournament crown. • Mother Nature figured prominently in a 1985 game against Jamestown College in Frost Arena. The contest started east and west and ended north and south when the roof started leaking. At halftime, which came 32 seconds early, workers pushed the bleachers back so the teams could finish on the intramural court since the biggest leak was at mid-court. • The Jacks have been winning for a long time. Even back in 1922 when they were 25-3, a season that featured a trip with a split squad for games in Minnesota and the Black Hills. Kyle Johnson
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Ron Lenz Mr. Jackrabbit leaves job that has been his life “I have been blessed to be in the right place at the right time and have worked with some great people. I was at USD when Carl Miller was athletic director and they were planning and building the DakotaDome. I had the opportunity to move to my alma mater and work for Stan Marshall, Harry Forsyth, and Fred Oien. “It’s not just the coaches you work with, it’s the people you meet who are an important part of history. At USD, Harry Gamage, Rube Hoy, Dan Lennon, and Dwane Clodfelter were around. When I came to SDSU, people like Warren Williams, Jim Emmerich, and Erv Huether were all active. It’s a thrill just to meet people who have played such important roles in the athletic history of not only their institution but the entire state,” Lenz says.
Demanding, yet enjoyable He’s the resident sports historian, producer of game programs, publicity source for your son or daughter, and server of Agent Orange. That person is Ron Lenz, who is leaving after twenty-nine memorable years as sports information director at SDSU. His last day on the job is June 30. When one thinks of him, several things come to mind.
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ands down, he will be sorely missed, because if there was ever a person made for a life in sports, particularly for the Jacks, it’s Lenz. “I’ll always be a Jackrabbit,” he says. “I was born into the Jackrabbit family in the Barn and I don’t think you can put out that fire. “Leaving sports information is a tough decision. I’ve been fortunate in my life to do something I love doing at a place where I wanted to be and that’s SDSU. But, the time has come to turn it over to a more youthful generation.” Lenz, 62, has been a state employee for thirty-four years, counting five years he was sports information director at the University of South Dakota. Being employed by the state’s two largest universities, brought with it a unique perspective, he says. 6 • Rabbit tracks
Dedication and sports information go hand-in-hand, a relationship Lenz has thoroughly relished. It’s a job where forty-hour work weeks arrive Wednesdays, and Sundays in the office are routine. Holidays are interrupted by games and vacations are rare. The hours have been extended even more due to overlapping seasons and expanded schedules that come with Division I. Yet through it all, Lenz has maintained a positive and upbeat nature. The bottom line, and hence the secret to his success and longevity in a demanding profession, is Lenz has viewed his job as a hobby rather than work. “That’s what I’ve always said. If you are a sports fan and can work in sports, then that’s the best of both worlds. I’ve been lucky for most of my life, because I have really enjoyed what I’ve been doing. I look forward going to work in the morning.”
Tell me a story Lenz is the consummate communicator and never at a loss for words no matter what the subject. Those who know him can attest to his uncanny ability for memory and detail when describing a game or life in general. He says baseball is his favorite sport, but in reality, “it’s whichever sport is in season.” Lenz was also famous over the years for “the spread.” He put about as much effort in the press box buffet as game programs.
Ron
Broadcasters, writers, and staff workers never starved at SDSU football and basketball games. Halftime not only meant watching the Pride, it was also a time to anxiously wait for the ritual arrival of Burger King double cheeseburgers. “Ron's gourmet kitchen in the press box is infamous among those who have sampled it,” remarks Oien, athletic director since 1990. “His chili preparation and Agent Orange drink have fostered many a conversation!” Lenz hasn’t done it by himself either. Besides numerous student laborers, his own family pitched in led by his wife, Eris. “She has been very supportive, and being a sports fan herself, has helped a lot.” Daughter Jackie of Bloomington, Minnesota, kept statistics “from the time she was old enough to do them” and son Greg of Owatonna, Minnesota, sold game programs. A second daughter, Jennifer, lives in Volga. The Lenzes also have three grandchildren. Jackie and Greg are both SDSU graduates, while Jennifer attended SDSU, then transferred to Northern State University for her elementary education degree. “Throughout the years I have watched Ron, Eris, and their children grow as a family,” observes long-time swim coach Brad Erickson. “As his life filled with more and more happenings, Ron made room to accommodate everything, yet still made time to do his job. . . . He has truly earned this change in life.”
TOP: Ron Lenz throws the ceremonial first pitch at the April 21 game at Bob Shelden Field against North Dakota State. ABOVE: Senior pitcher Gary Olechoski offers congratulations.
Lenz
War interrupts plans Lenz came to State in 1962 with a clear purpose: to major in journalism and pursue a career writing sports. When not in class, he worked as a student assistant in the Jackrabbit sports information office, an experience that foretold his future. “When I was a freshman, a friend told me there was an opening in sports information,” Lenz recalls. “I didn’t know there was such a thing. I checked it out and liked it. I thought I’d like to do this someday.” However, four months shy of a degree, world events forced him to trade pencil for an M-16 and the Vietnam War. After just a few months in the country, while serving with the 4th Infantry Division, Lenz’s unit came under attack during a patrol November 10, 1967. A grenade exploded close to him and fragments littered his face, costing him his right eye. “I came close to being totally blind,” says Lenz, who spent nearly four months in the hospital, which was about the length of his stay in Vietnam. Discharged from the army and back home, the first thing the Purple Heart recipient did was hitch hike a ride to Watertown for the sectional basketball tournament in March 1968. Lenz also called the publisher of the Watertown Public Opinion who was looking for a news writer. He was hired, but was thinking of only staying until September so he could return to SDSU. When the sports editor’s position became available, Lenz got the job and decided to stay. He managed to attend summer sessions and completed his degree in 1970. Being president of the state sportswriters association and being the South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year might signal a career in the newspaper business for some, but not for Lenz, who jumped at the chance to be the sports information director in Vermillion. That was November 1972. In 1977, Marshall was searching for a person to head the Jackrabbit sports information office. Lenz interviewed and when offered the job, hesitation wasn’t a word. “It was like how soon can I start?” he says. “I knew Stan from meeting him at games and tournaments. I wanted to work for him in the worst way. He was a class individual.” After nearly three decades, countless games, press releases, and media guides, the end has finally come for a man who has logged more Jackrabbit hours than anyone in school history. So, what’s next for a person who made a life working long hours? “I don’t think I can go from sixty to seventy hours a week to nothing, so I’ll look for something more reasonable, like twenty to thirty hours,” Lenz says. Kyle Johnson Rabbit tracks • 7
Ron
Lenz
Talkin’ to Ron So many career highs Memorable moments? There have been many for Ron Lenz in his long tenure as sports information director at SDSU. “It’s hard to single out one or two,” says Lenz, whose personal laurels include induction into the North Central Conference Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Warren Berg Award in 1995 from CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) for distinguished service below the Division I level. Some moments do stand out. Like when ABC brought a Monday Night Football production crew to televise the University of North Dakota-SDSU football game on a Saturday in 1981 as part of its required regional college broadcast coverage and then headed to Minneapolis. “We won the game but that was almost an after thought,” relates Lenz. “They had a police escort from the football stadium to the airport so they could make their connection in the Twin Cities to get to Pittsburgh for the Monday night game.” He cites the 1984 Jackrabbit baseball team that won the conference playoffs in Mankato, Minnesota, and then hosted and won the program’s only regional championship. The 1985 season ranks high, he says, recalling the Hobo Day football game when the Jacks defeated number-one ranked USD in front of a record 16,193 fans at Coughlin Alumni Stadium. Earlier that year, the SDSU basketball team won an NCAA quarterfinal-round game in Frost Arena in front of 9,331 fans and went on to play for the national championship. The game was televised live, which provided for a classic moment itself when ESPN signed off the air, announcing Jacksonville State 74, San Diego State 73. “That’s the only time in my career I was glad to be confused with the other SDSU,” says Lenz, who also points to the more recent football win over Southern in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2004. “What a great win when we rallied from an early 21-0 deficit for our first-ever football victory against a Division I-AA opponent.” — Kyle Johnson
Lenz at a 1989 baseball game with a phone and an Army ROTC radio. 8 • Rabbit tracks
Talking about Ron Here is what some people who know Ron Lenz best have to say about the longtime SDSU sports information director: “Ron’s loyalty and dedication is unwavering. I consider him a true friend and colleague who will be dearly missed.” – Fred Oien, athletic director. “He watched out for every sport and knew deadlines for nominations for various post-season awards.” – Brad Erickson, head swimming coach. “Ron Lenz has been an invaluable part of the Jackrabbit broadcasts on WNAX. His pre-game preparations, insight, and information passed on during the games made us sound that much better. He has been a good and dependable friend. His blood may be red, but if you checked, his heart would be yellow and blue.” – Jerry Oster, WNAX Radio, Yankton. “Ron is a great friend and lunch partner. No one in our Department knows more about the entire realm of SDSU athletics and the related historical significance. It was always fun to go to his office and find out the latest scoop no matter what the season.” – Jim Booher, head athletic trainer. “He was always a sportswriter’s best friend, whether it was making sure you had the stats in your hand or a double cheeseburger on your plate.” – Ron Hoffman, Argus Leader sportswriter. “He’s the definition of a Jackrabbit. Not only does he know everything about SDSU, he lives it daily. He’s a true servant by all the hours he puts in. It’s hard to put into words what he has meant to our team. We have worked so closely together on many different things. We’re going to miss him a great deal.” – John Stiegelmeier, head football coach. Compiled by Kyle Johnson “That will leave me more time to myself and family.” (Editor’s note: Kyle Johnson has been a friend and colleague of Ron Lenz since 1988, first when Johnson was sports information director at the University of South Dakota and now as an information specialist at SDSU.)
Sieler
A well-mannered thief Sieler steals top spot on State stat sheet
I
t’s a puzzling question. How could a young lady who never so much as got grounded in high school be so committed to steal when she entered college? Heather Sieler took crime to a new level in her years at SDSU. Her penchant for pilfering has been well documented, but only five times has she had to pay the full price. No common thief, the senior from Huron is the school record holder in steals, with her final act of hardwood handiwork being witnessed by more than 2,000 people. Sieler, a four-year starter on the women’s basketball team, finished her career with 281 steals, one more than Erin Reiten. The quick-handed, 5-7 point guard fouled out of only five games in the 124 she has played in at State. In only a few games has she been whistled for more than three fouls despite averaging twenty-six minutes of play in her career. The statistics are a tribute to her competitive fire as well as her athleticism. A naturally born competitor, Sieler “always wanted to be the best,” says her mom, Janet Sieler. So whether it is snatching the basketball out of the hands of an opponent or consuming a textbook, you can expect Sieler to be at the top of the class. She carries a 3.973 grade-point average, tainted by a “B” in chemistry, the only one she has received in high school or college.
A divine drive Coach Aaron Johnston observes that Sieler has a “strong drive in everything she’s done.” In addition to academics and athletics, Sieler has gone to elementary schools to read, and has been part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on campus. Hard work has been a part of Sieler’s life as much as her blue-green eyes and blond hair are a part of her image. But Sieler doesn’t consider herself to be self-made. “God has been a big part of my life. He has really blessed me and given me a lot of opportunities both in high school and college. I did have to work very hard to get to where I am in basketball, but God plays a big part in my life in everything I do. “He’s opened up a lot of doors for me. I play for God and give him the glory when something good happens,” Sieler says. That attitude grew from her home life. “We always tell the kids to put God first, others second, and yourself last,” Janet Sieler says.
Last, not least Sieler grew up being last, but only chronologically. The “baby” of the Art and Janet Sieler family was born August 7, 1983, in Yankton. Her sisters, Jennifer, 31, and Stephanie, 28, still live in Yankton. Her brother, Josh, 26 and a 2005 SDSU grad, lives in Brookings. The family moved to Huron when Heather was in seventh grade. But it was while in Yankton that Sieler was bitten by the basketball bug. Stephanie Sieler played on the Yankton High School team that was the state runnerup in 1994. Janet Sieler remembers that Heather “went to all her games when she was little, watched her play, and got the love for basketball then. She used to play basketball in Rabbit tracks • 9
Heather the driveway with her siblings and dad, but they would never let her win just because she was young. I think that’s why she played aggressive.” Heather says Stephanie was her role model. It was in those early days when she set a goal to get a scholarship to play at the college level.
Helped by high school coach That goal gained feet at Huron High School. “I definitely learned my work ethic from Coach [Tim] Buddenhagen,” whom Sieler called the greatest influence in her career. “He worked really hard to help Sarita [DeBoer] and me develop as basketball players,” Sieler shared at an end-of-season interview. DeBoer was a year ahead of Sieler, and also played four years at State, finishing with 1,003 points in 108 games. The work ethic that Buddenhagen instilled on the Tiger hardwood carried over into other sports, Sieler says. She played on state championship volleyball teams in 1998 and 1999, and was named player of the year by the state coaches association in 2002. On the track, Sieler was nothing short of spectacular—earning six varsity letters, winning the state 800-meter title in 1998, 2001, and 2002, running on four state championship relay teams, and three times running in the prestigious Howard Wood Dakota Relays special event.
Committed to basketball But Sieler also was an all-state basketball and she knew at SDSU she wanted to focus her athletic attention on basketball. At SDSU, she says God has opened doors for her, including the opportunity to have an impact on the team in her freshman year. She didn’t know what her college experience would be like. “New coaches, new teammates, new system. I hoped I would get to play my freshman year, but I never expected to start.” However, when Aaron Johnston filled out the scorebook for the 2002-03 season opener against the University of Sioux Falls, Sieler’s name was listed among the starters. She started every game of her career except one, coming off the bench in one game in her junior year when she was sick.
Good judge of character Johnston had confidence in Sieler even before she was a Jackrabbit. In fact, he offered Sieler a scholarship when she was in her junior year and had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee;
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Sieler keeping her off the court. Sieler recalls that the scholarship offer came in a phone call from Johnston about a week after her surgery. “That just blew me away,” she recalls. Johnston says, “We were so impressed with her work ethic and competitiveness. Even with the injury, we felt confident with the type of person we were getting.”
Life away from basketball As focused as Sieler is on the basketball court, the coach says his point guard has a good balance. “When you sit and talk with Heather, she has a lot of things going on in her life besides basketball. She has a really good sense of humor, laughs at herself, and keeps people around her in light spirits. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know her as a basketball player, a student, and a person. I remember how excited she was when she told me she was engaged,” Johnston says. That news came during Christmastime. On July 22 she will marry Ryan Goehner, a University of South Dakota student from Huron whom she has dated for seven years. In the fall, the health promotions major will begin a three-year program at the USD physical therapy school. Afterwards, Sieler wants to work in the Midwest as a physical therapist and one day start a family. “My career here went extremely, extremely fast, especially this season. . . . There’s no way you can prepare yourself for how fast it goes. It’s just gone by in the blink of an eye.” You might say, it vanished as quickly as the basketball that Sieler’s opponent was dribbling. Dave Graves
Heather
Thanks for the memories From coast to coast and on dozens of campuses, Heather Sieler has been a front-seat player in some of SDSU women’s basketball most historic moments. The senior point guard reflects on some of her career highlights:
The national title, 2003: “Being at the Elite Eight was an awesome experience. Stacie Cizek banking in that three to send the semifinal game into overtime; playing in the championship game [against Northern Kentucky] and all the SDSU fans there [in St. Joseph, Missouri] to support us. “It almost seemed unreal. I still don’t think it has sunk in. I’ll appreciate it more five to ten years down the road.”
Transition from Division II to Division I: “Playing in the Virgin Islands and getting our first Division I win,” a 57-55 defeat of Kentucky, which went on to finish as runner-up in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
Travel: “I like to travel. It’s nice to see different parts of the country and there’s no better way to travel than with twelve or thirteen of your best friends.” Traveling was done by air for all the 2005-06 road games except for those at the University of Nebraska, Drake, and North Dakota State University.
Her final season: “Being a senior you tend to appreciate things a lot more—all of our trips, all of our teammates. I’ve had so much fun playing a full Division I schedule.”
Playing with close high school friend Sarita DeBoer: “She’s so mentally and physically tough. She really dedicated and loves basketball. She’s very happy, caring, and a fun person to be around.” Dave Graves
Sieler
The stat sheet/Heather Sieler #20 Heather Sieler 5-7 senior point guard Huron High School, 2002 Health promotions major Statmaker: 2002-03 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 35 games. High: 18 points vs. Briar Cliff. Led team with 93 steals. 2003-04 7.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 33 games. High: 16 points vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead and University of South Dakota. Set school record with 35 consecutive free throws, dating back to 2002-03. 2004-05 7.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 28 games. High: 19 points vs. Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne. Career high 10 assists vs. Texas State. 2005-06 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 28 games. High: 20 points vs. North Dakota State. 12 rebounds vs. Nebraska. Career: 989/8.0 points, 293/2.4 rebounds, 124 games, 445 assists, 281/2.2 steals. Career standings: Steals — No 1 (281) one ahead of Erin Reiten, 1993-96. Assists — No. 5 (445) seven ahead of Beth Ommen, 1994-97, Three-pointers — No. 6, (154) one behind former teammate Stacie Cizek. Points — She fell 11 points short of becoming the 26th Jackrabbit to reach 1,000. Coach Aaron Johnston’s comment: “I’m proud of how she has evolved as a senior and become more of a complete player on offense. It’s just been fun to see that happen.” Family: Parents — Janet and Art, with American Bank and Trust, Huron. Sister — Jennifer, 31, of Yankton. Sister — Stephanie, 28, of Yankton. Brother — Josh, 26, of Brookings.
Academic honor:
(Above and opposite page, center) Sieler is introduced on senior night with her parents, Art and Janet Sieler.
In May, Sieler became the eighth Jackrabbit in seven years to earn the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which provides a $7,5000 award. Rabbit tracks • 11
Nehl comes full circle for Jacks in wrestling I t’s sometimes hard to escape one’s destiny. That’s what Cody Nehl was painfully made aware of while uncomfortably viewing the action from the spectator seats. “I just missed it,” he says. “There was something telling me that I needed to do it again. I just love to compete. It’s in my blood.” That was Nehl’s thinking five years ago. He has since completed his wrestling eligibility. This past season he was the elder statesman on a young mat squad, a leadership role of ultimate reversals, especially considering how he felt when arriving on the SDSU campus. “People kind of look up to me, like I’ve been there before. I never thought I’d be in this position, but times flies.”
Pondering the future In high school, Nehl produced a lofty two-year record of 91-4, including a 47-1 senior slate for the Lemmon Cowboys. It was a record that caught the eye of numerous collegiate head coaches, including SDSU’s Jason Liles, whose many inquires went surprisingly by the wayside. “I just wasn’t interested,” says Nehl. “He called numerous times, but I really wasn’t into it.” The reason for ignoring the sport that had been his passion since kindergarten was his mind-set after suffering the only loss as a senior. It occurred in the championship match of the state tournament when Nehl was caught in a front headlock by Clark’s Brent McMillan and was pinned in the first period. 12 • Rabbit tracks
A season of grueling practices, hours spent on the road, a regimented and disciplined work ethic, and not to mention an undefeated season – all gone in a matter of seconds. “I kind of gave up after that, was bummed out, and didn’t want to do it again,” he says. “Even to this day, I don’t know what happened. It just got to me mentally more than anything.” Fortunately for SDSU, Nehl still chose the Brookings campus, because he wanted an engineering education, and plus it meant heeding the advice of his mom who spoke highly of her alma mater. Rather than hitting the mats, Nehl “had fun” playing rugby his freshman year, a sport that fit his athletic makeup, just like wrestling had before. “I’m kind of a short guy, a little wider, you know,” he says. “I’m a physical guy and like contact. It’s intense. Basketball wasn’t my thing. I was into football and wrestling.”
Returning to the fold Nehl, who kept up a regular weight lifting regime, didn’t void wrestling from his life entirely. He attended all the home dual meets, and in doing so, the competitive fire began to burn once again. “There was something telling me that I needed to do it again, to prove to myself that I was wrong to give it up in the first place. I felt I let myself down, and when I watched those home duals, I said to myself, ‘Heck, I can do that.’ ”
“I’m glad it turned out this way. I always had it in my head that when I’m forty I can look back and say, ‘Hey, that wasn’t so bad.’ ’’ – Cody Nehl
Cody
Nehl
Meanwhile, Liles’ tactic was to leave Nehl alone, to let him decide for himself when to resume wrestling. “Coach is really a good person about that,” Nehl relates. “He has worked with kids his whole life, and he knows that pressuring someone is not the way to do it. “I told him I was interested in coming back, and all he said was, ‘Come try it and we’ll see how you do.’ I came out that summer and fall and have been going ever since. He’s the type of coach who will let you hang out and prove yourself.” Recalls Liles, “There’s not a whole lot you can say when a high school senior doesn’t show any interest. It’s a tough decision, because college wrestling is a huge time commitment. “I knew he was coming to school here and after a year he got ahold of us and wanted to give it a try. We knew if we pressured we probably wouldn’t get him. We were low key and it worked out.” Nehl indicates the hardest part when first joining was not the intense training, but the strange feeling of not fitting in. “I was there for my whole freshman year and hung with a completely different crowd,” he says. “In a sport like wrestling, you stick together. I’m a pretty laid-back, easy-going guy, and my teammates were accepting, but it was tough going in both directions.”
Proving it on the mat Nehl wrestled heavyweight his first year due to the Jacks’ lack of numbers. It was a weight slot he wasn’t made for, but he held his own, winning nine of twenty-six matches with two pins. “I was a little out of my area,” he admits. “It was a real challenge going against guys who usually weighed more than me. I hung in there as best as I could.” Back at 197 his sophomore year, he went 12-6. Last year he wrestled thirty matches in posting a 17-13 record. He notched seven pins, including a streak of six straight matches with a pin. Described as a battler as opposed to a technician, although “I can do my moves,” Nehl is a give-me-your-best-shot type. And, he quickly found out that Division I is not like Division II and the North Central Conference. “Division I is physically a whole new level, another notch up, and more intense,” he says. “Some are just physically better, but nobody is going to beat me until they prove it. I wrestle my best when I walk out on to the mat thinking I have nothing to lose and go after it.” Jackrabbit wrestlers will be eligible for the Division I championships in 2007, two years ahead of the original timeline set by the NCAA. Not competing for a conference title or national tournament is not what Nehl thinks about when locking arms with an opponent. “It wasn’t that big of an issue for me,” he says. “I wanted it for the team, but for me, it was always about the match-up, sizing up the other guy, and giving it my best effort.”
On the road of dedication Cody Nehl competed in the 197-pound division for the Jackrabbits this season. A senior leader, his success story has been marked by miles of hard work, both in the weight room and the road. He is some 300 miles from the family cattle and horse ranch owned by his parents, Pat and Deb Nehl (mom is a 1977 SDSU graduate). The ranch, which is ten miles west of McIntosh and thirty-two miles east of Lemmon, sits squarely on the South Dakota-North Dakota boarder. The nearest town is Watauga (population twelve) on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. A graduate of McIntosh High School, Nehl found his wrestling fortunes at Lemmon High School when McIntosh dropped the program after his sophomore year. He continued on and made the 100mile round trip to Lemmon every day for practice. The schedule fit nicely since McIntosh let out school at three and Lemmon at 3:30. “It worked out well,” says Nehl. “I got there barely in time for practice and got home around six, just in time for farm chores.” Kyle Johnson
A good decision Majoring in agricultural systems technology, Nehl elected not to graduate, but instead returned for his fourth and final season this year, a campaign hampered with an injury to his right knee. Even so, he finished 15-4, winning twelve of his last thirteen matches, leading the Jacks with five pins, and being named the team’s most outstanding wrestler. “He chose to help us out this year, which shows the type of person he is,” Liles says. “He’s been one of our leaders the last two years and just a great kid to have on our team. We’re fortunate he made the decision to come back.” In hindsight, it was a predictable conclusion. “I’m glad it turned out this way,” Nehl says. “I always had it in my head that when I’m forty I can look back and say, ‘Hey, that wasn’t so bad.’ ’’ Kyle Johnson Rabbit tracks • 13
Onisk Record-setting daughter follows in wake of record-setting mother
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he cliché “like mother, like daughter” rings true for Jackrabbit swimmer Mallory Onisk. A freshman from Bear, Delaware, Onisk cites her mother Julie (Kenefick) Onisk as her greatest influence. A breaststroker, Julie Onisk competed on the South Dakota State swimming and diving team from 1976 to 1979. Thirty years later, her daughter swims for her alma matter. “My mother has been a very influential person in my life, not only as a mother, but as a sports model,” says Onisk, who competes in the butterfly and individual medley. Her mom still swims four mornings a week. “She has shown me continuously what it means to be dedicated to what you love, whether it is a person or a sport,” she says. “She’s very encouraging, but there’s not pressure. She’s let me have my own experiences,” says Onisk. She and her mom not only share the same sport and university, but also the same coach. Brad Erickson, thirty-year SDSU swimming and diving “It just fit really well. coach, sees a lot of Julie in her I’m definitely happy daughter. “[Julie] was a good student, with my decision. had good leadership,” he says, Everyone is so open noting both women are “very solid, likeable individuals.” and friendly and Julie Onisk speaks highly of understanding and Erickson, too. “I have an incredible trust of caring.” Brad. I know him. I know what
Mallory Onisk commenting on SDSU
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he expects,” says Julie, noting that he helps athletes to “develop as human beings.” Erickson says, “[Mallory’s] going to be a very young leader for us. Some are leaders because of their talent, some are just natural born leaders—she’s got both.” Julie Onisk was a school record-holder in her era and traveled to nationals. During her inaugural season, Mallory Onisk has already set five individual school records in the 100 and 200 butterfly, in the 200 and 400 individual medley, and in the 200 freestyle. She swam on four record-setting relay teams as well. Sharing similar collegiate experiences, Onisk says it’s easy for her and her mom to relate to each other. “Since she was a studentathlete, she knows what it’s like,” says Onisk, explaining the competition has changed over the years, especially with the move to Division I. Julie Onisk says that it helps knowing the swimming terminology, but she’s always thought of her bond with Mallory to be mother/daughter before athlete to athlete. “My first connection with her is just as a child. I never felt like she had to be anything else than just who she was. I’m very grateful for having Mallory in my life,” says Julie. Mallory Onisk says that juggling a college schedule can be demanding at times. She attends group practices three mornings and five afternoons each week. “It’s definitely a challenge. I’m doing the best I can. I’ve been doing it for so many years, it just comes naturally,” says Onisk, who has been swimming competitively for twelve years. “She is definitely one of the harder workers on the team,” says Erickson. Onisk credits her parents with teaching her the sport. “My parents started teaching me when I was young. I just fell in love with it. I can’t express enough how much I enjoy it,” says Onisk. Her dad, Dale Onisk of Omaha, Nebraska, also swam for the Jackrabbits. Mallory says he, too, had a profound impact on her swimming career. “My parents did a really good job of keeping us engaged,” says Onisk, who has two younger brothers that swim competitively. She says she never tired of the swimming because she was involved in
My
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Heyne
Freshman Mallory Onisk competes in the butterfly during the October 29, 2005, season opener against Iowa State at the SDSU pool. Onisk, who has set five individual records in her first campaign, calls her mother, who also swam for Coach Brad Erickson, as her greatest influence.
many other school activities like marching band, National Honor Society, and field hockey. “They were always really supportive and very encouraging of us to be well-rounded.” Julie says, “She had a pretty balanced life in terms of trying new things.” Although the family ties didn’t hurt Onisk’s chances of being a Jackrabbit, the pre-pharmacy student says her decision was made because of the quality of both the swimming and pharmacy programs. “It just fit really well,” she says. “I’m definitely happy with my decision. Everyone is so open and friendly and understanding and caring.” Miranda Reiman
Julie (Kenefick) Onisk, left, and her daughter, Mallory Onisk, both developed their swimming career under Coach Brad Erickson. Mallory, a freshman, calls her mother her greatest influence.
Heyne Coach’s attitude motivates walk-on “ Don’t worry about it. It’s a long way from your heart.” Brad Heyne’s high school track coach would tell him that when Heyne complained about a leg pain. “Coach Himmerich always had an interesting optimistic perspective.” A walk-on for the Jackrabbit track and field team, Heyne has come to appreciate the way his high school coach pushed him. “I saw the words of Coach Himmerich a lot those first two weeks [after joining the team]. The hardest part was the training. I wasn’t used to that level,” says the sophomore agronomy major from Hosmer. Heyne runs 800-meter and one-mile races. “Just because you’re tired, you can’t give up,” says Heyne. “I now realize that it was his attitude that pushed me on when I did not want to. Coach Himmerich is the person that instilled the work ethic in me that I possess today. He always kept his confidence and belief in me.” In addition to mentoring a number of Edmunds Central High School athletes,
Himmerich taught social science at the school. “He made class fun. The thing that fascinated me about him was that he had a lot of stories to tell,” says Heyne. In class, Himmerich would talk of his time in the military, and in practice he’d tell stories of other runners. Himmerich had a student go to state competition following his advice: “If you don’t let anyone pass you, you’ll win.” Heyne says, “This student did just that.” The stories always motivated and entertained Heyne. “I think it kept everything light-hearted. He could always make me laugh,” he says.
A five-sport high school athlete, Heyne says he has learned time management. “After being active and being an athlete in high school, it was something I missed,” says Heyne, who joined the SDSU team in late fall his freshman year. Coach Himmerich may have been Heyne’s biggest motivator, but he always had a couple of fans in the stands. Even though his parents were busy with farm chores they made it to nearly every one of his events. “My parents encouraged me a lot,” he says. Heyne’s father helped Heyne train when he sustained an injury his senior year. “Things were not going well. I woke up early to train a little harder. At seven in
“Just because you’re tired, you can’t give up.” — Brad Heyne Himmerich coached Heyne in cross country throughout high school, as well as seventh through tenth grade track. “He got me into track and helped me figure out my events. He got me my first success at a young age,” says Heyne. Heyne, a member of the agronomy club and a residents assistant in Hansen Hall, finds his greatest athletic challenge is time. “The commitment is the hardest part of it. Every day you’re supposed to go run or go train,” he says.
the morning, my dad would get up and drive the four-wheeler beside me,” he says. Heyne explains his dad did it out of support, not to push him too hard. “It was nice that I had the company with me when I ran,” he says, noting that both of his parents were involved with his athletic career. “They were always very supportive and encouraging whether I came in first or if I came in last.” Miranda Reiman Rabbit tracks • 15
My
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My greatest influence Editor’s note: Rabbit Tracks asked athletes from the winter sports teams to write a few words about their greatest influence. Here is a sampling of those we received. Anthony Brown Sport: Men’s swimming and diving Year: Freshman Major: Mechanical engineering Hometown: Elk River, Minnesota Greatest influence: Ron Brown, father “No matter how bad or good I did, he was always there telling me to keep my head up and to look at things in the positive. My father has always taught me things that I need to learn about life in the pool, and that is the best way to learn about things that you cannot learn in school.”
Mackenzie Casey Sport: Men’s basketball Year: Sophomore Major: Undecided Hometown: Wounded Knee Greatest Influence: Tom Casey, father “He has always supported me—through the good times and the bad—and still does. I try to follow in his footsteps, because he
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works very hard for me, my family and the people on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”
Hannah Ferree Sport: Women’s swimming and diving Year: Freshman Major: Health promotion/prephysical therapy Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska Greatest influence: Dave and Roberta Ferree, parents “I am blessed with an incredible set of parents. My mom and dad have taught me so many valuable lessons and skills, and have taken me on so many different trips. My mom was born at home in Glenallen, Alaska, on a homestead, and so being outdoors runs in her blood. As children, my parents took my younger brother and me on so many different outdoor excursions, including multiple day river rafting and fishing trips. When I was seven and my brother was four, we took our first raft trip at home in Alaska. This trip was only a three-day trip. Every year since then, we have taken at least one river trip a summer—all in Alaska—and the length of the trips have increased up to nine days. Some of the things I have learned from my parents are: to live life to its fullest, always smile, be appreciative and thankful, respect the wilderness and appreciate its beauty, outdoor
survival skills, determination, devotion, dedication and much more. But all these lessons together mold to form my success in life in general—high academic, athletic and general success. My parents support me in everything I do, often getting up at 5 a.m. to take me to swim practices, waiting at the pool for me to finish practice and going out of their ways to do everything they can to help me be successful in life. I am so thankful for my wonderful parents!”
Courtney Grimsrud Sport: Women’s basketball Year: Sophomore Major: Biology/premed Hometown: Sisseton Greatest influence: Cory Grimsrud, father and coach “My dad has coached me ever since I could hold a basketball. He organized a traveling team, the Sisseton Swoops, for my friends and me in the fifth grade. He continued to coach us in high school and helped lead us to three state championship titles. Some people wouldn’t like having their father as a coach, but I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. My dad instilled in me many basketball qualities, but the most important thing that I have learned from him is the importance of working hard. His emphasis on hard work is the reason I am a Jackrabbit today.”
My Michael Loney Sport: Men’s basketball Year: Third-year sophomore Major: Math education Hometown: Humboldt, Iowa Greatest influence: Randy Arends, sixth to ninth grade basketball coach “He was so passionate and emphasized defense much like Coach Nagy. He really stressed help defense, teamwork and having fun while playing. He really helped me grasp the understanding of basketball. “At times he yelled so much and would act very loud, but he wanted us to play so well. One time he threw his shoe off in disgust in a game. He expected us to play hard at all times and expected much from us, which is the sign of a good coach. His instruction helped me greatly in the future. “I am so thankful for the amount of time he spent with us, trying to make us great basketball players. Not many parents would have sacrificed so much time and money to see us play basketball. I will always be thankful for Randy.”
Andrea Verdegan Sport: Women’s basketball Year: Sophomore Major: Psychology Hometown: Glen Flora, Wisconsin
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Greatest influence: Mandy Bratanich, older cousin “Mandy has not only impacted my basketball skills, but also my life. She took me to open gyms and was my assistant coach at my high school. She taught me how to break presses and different ballhandling moves. Mandy always gave me confidence in basketball and in life. She was my hero as a kid and I have always looked up to her. There are many people in my life that have helped me get where I am today, and Mandy is definitely one of those people.”
Megan Vogel Sport: Women’s basketball Year: Junior Major: Health, physical education and recreation Hometown: St. Peter, Minnesota Greatest influence: Aaron Johnston, women’s basketball coach “Most people look to others to enhance their everyday lives. We look for people who bring out the best in us. It’s natural. “Some people are the type that we trust with everything that we hold deep inside. Some are the type who you can call at 2 a.m., and know they will not blink an eye to help you out. Others are the ones who challenge you every day to become a better person. They do not accept anything less from you. These are the ones that hold you accountable. They force you to
see past your boundaries and show you what they know you can become. Not only because they believe it themselves, but because they can already see it inside of you. “Rarely do you find someone who possesses all of these qualities together. Lucky for me, I have. That person is my coach— AJ.”
Blake Yackley Sport: Men’s basketball Year: Freshman Major: Ag business Hometown: Onida Greatest influence: Todd Yackley, father “My dad has always been there pushing me to be better. For as long as I can remember, he has been the person with advice for me. No matter if there was a win or loss he was the one to tell me what I did wrong. I thought there were times when I played well until I talked to my dad and he told me the times I messed up. My dad instilled a great work ethic in me and that is why I am the person I am today.” Compiled by Miranda Reiman
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Jackrabbit Corporate Partners: Anchor – Avera McKennan, Coca-Cola, Daktronics, First Bank and Trust Founding – ARAMARK, Farm Credit Services of America, Larson Manufacturing, State Farm Major – Burger King, DeSmet Farm Mutual, First Premier Bank, SD Beef Industry Council, SDSU Bookstore, Northwestern Energy Rabbit tracks • 17
Mylo Hellickson It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at his best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those whose timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Teddy Roosevelt (from an April 23, 1910, speech)
Words to live by Hellickson embraces philosophy of ‘get in the game’
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n Mylo Hellickson’s office, a small appreciation plaque sits on a tall filing cabinet in the corner of the room. The agricultural engineering professor won’t reveal how he received the plaque, but engraved upon it are words Hellickson lives by. The words of Theodore Roosevelt, delivered in his Man in the Arena speech more than a century ago, fuel the motivation for Hellickson. “The important thing is doing things,” he says. “I’ve always believed in that. Get into the action and do something.” Hellickson lives the philosophy he embraces. In addition to teaching, he owns both a farm and ranch in his native North Dakota, and operates a software company. For the past twenty-eight years at SDSU, he has served as faculty athletics representative to the NCAA. “I just believe in doing things,” he says. “The errors I’m going to make are errors of commission, but very few of omission. That’s the way I’ve always felt.” Hellickson began working as faculty athletics representative in 1977, when thenpresident Sherwood Berg appointed him. Throughout the years, he has worked under four different presidents and three athletic directors. As faculty athletics representative, he works to ensure SDSU complies with National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations regarding students’ education.
A boy in love with sports The position allows Hellickson to continue to foster his lifelong passion for athletics. Growing up on a ranch near Medora, a town of 100 near the Montana border, Hellickson recalls cutting sports pictures out of magazines as a kid. Mylo Hellickson works the 35-second clock at Jackrabbit basketball games. 18 • Rabbit tracks
Mylo “In school, I played whatever sports there was to play,” he says. After high school, Hellickson attended North Dakota State University, where he played shortstop and second base for the Bison, and coached Legion baseball. His ranching background and technical ability led him to pursue agricultural engineering. “It was just a natural [choice],” he says. “And I knew pretty well that I was going to make more money being an engineer than being a baseball player.” After earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ag engineering from NDSU (1964 and 1966, respectively), Hellickson studied for his doctorate in West Virginia (1969). Later that year, he came to SDSU. “You know, I remember thinking ‘I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,’ and I still feel that way,” he says. “It’s been a dream career.” The faculty athletics representative position is in addition to serving as an ag engineering professor. For ten years he was director of the Cooperative Extension Service, and served as head of ag engineering from 1982 to 1988.
Following Marshall’s message While a self-admitted “golfaholic,” Hellickson names college basketball as his favorite sport to watch. At Jacks’ games, he works at the scorer’s table, keeping the 35second clock. “I’ve done that ever since there’s been a clock,” he says. The shot clock became a part of college basketball in 1985-86. But Hellickson’s work as faculty athletics representative reaches far beyond Frost Arena. When he first became faculty athletics representative, Hellickson recalls having a conversation with Athletic Director Stan Marshall, who told him too many regulations exist to pick and choose from, “so we’re going to follow all of them.”
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That’s a policy that has not changed. like well-known coaches can be Hellickson chairs State’s D-I compliance intimidating at first, he says, but “I team made up of various SDSU immediately found that the more administrators. successful these people were, the easier “It’s been an incredible experience to they were to work with. work with people that are totally “These people have people skills that committed to student-athletes and totally are just beautiful to see.” committed to following the rules to give Another personal highlight for students the best experience possible and to Hellickson is serving on an NCAA regional field regionally and nationally competitive scholarship committee, that helps award teams,” he says. scholarships to student-athletes pursuing Hellickson explains, graduate school. Each “The major function of year, 174 students “I just believe in doing the SDSU athletics nationwide receive the things. The errors I’m compliance team is to scholarships, which are ensure there is based equally on going to make are errors appropriate university academics and of commission, but very oversight. It performs athletics, Hellickson this function using the says. few of omission.” existing SDSU resources SDSU studentMylo Hellickson athletes have received to the maximum extent possible. The the prestigious NCAA campuswide cooperation Postgraduate Scholar has been exceptional and the system is award for the past seven years. being adopted by institutions across the “When you start reading the country.” accomplishments of these student athletes . . . it’s an incredibly rewarding experience to do that. You can really, really be proud.” Committed to a clean program In 1990, Hellickson received the “SDSU’s record of compliance with NCAA Meritorious Service Award from the North and conference regulations has been the Central Conference. envy of programs all across the nation. Helping create equal opportunities for “Everyone can make mistakes of the female athletes ranks among Hellickson’s mind, but if you’re really committed . . . career highs as well. you aren’t going to make the kinds of “To see the women integrated into the mistakes that are going to cause you NCAA . . . that’s a personal highlight just trouble,” he says. to see that,” he says. “Let’s give people their The teamwork Hellickson finds among dreams or at least an opportunity for administrators and faculty at SDSU them.” remains one of his favorite parts of his SDSU, like other universities, will work. Another advantage, Hellickson says, continue to face challenges like tracking is working with people at all levels within academic progress and debating scholarship the NCAA. numbers, according to Hellickson. While some may see these issues as Giving, receiving awards troubling concerns, Hellickson describes Voting at various NCAA and conference them this way: “Challenges are meetings falls under Hellickson’s job opportunities.” description as well. Working with people Denise Watt
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Kulesza Doing double duty Long jumper leaps between track, student-training roles
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or Jona Kulesza, two-a-day practices were a way of life. As her teammates practiced on the track above her, Kulesza put in her time on the hardwood floor as an athletic training student for the women’s basketball team. A typical day for the senior athletic training major from Rapid City included classes from the morning until women’s basketball practice in mid-afternoon. That finished up around 7 to 7:30 p.m. “Then I usually met with the [jumps] coach and practiced on my own. It kept me really busy,” says Kulesza, who competed in the long jump and triple jump. “Some days practice got me rejuvenated and focused.” First-year jumps coach Greg Binstock calls Kulesza “a very determined athlete.” “It was sometimes tough on her, but she kept a positive attitude. She felt honored that they’ll let her do both,” he says, noting that her academic commitment to the athletic training program has to take center stage. When it came to basketball games versus track meets, Kulesza usually stayed with the basketball team. “It was pretty good. Usually [the women’s basketball players] were gone on weekends and I traveled with my team. When there was a conflict, I was able to work it out,” says Kulesza. She’s only missed a few indoor track meets. As one of two athletic training students, Kulesza traveled with the team to the University of Nebraska, Drake University, and the University of California-Riverside. During practices and basketball games, Kulesza gained experience assisting a certified athletic trainer evaluating injuries, treating many minor injuries by icing and taping them, and completing a host of other tasks. Aaron Johnston, head women’s basketball coach, says he enjoyed working with Kulesza and following her progress in track. “She was a real pleasure. She worked very hard [as an athletic training student],” he says.
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Jona Kulesza flies down the long jump runway at Howard Wood Field at the 81st Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls in May 2005. The senior athletic training major also spent time at practices for the women’s basketball team and the spring football program.
The arrival of spring didn’t free her up to concentrate solely as track. She also worked as a spring football athletic-training student. The two-sport arrangement worked because of Kulesza’s personality, says Binstock. “She’s a goal-setter, a very hard worker and she’ll do whatever’s asked of her. She always finds time to practice. Track is still a high priority for her.” Kulesza says this work ethic has developed out of necessity of participating in track, soccer, gymnastics and cheerleading in high school. This year, Kulesza says she missed some of the benefits of a team. “It really made me have to push myself,” Kulesza says. “My teammates were really supportive,” she adds. When other athletes needed to miss a practice, they often asked to make it up with Kulesza. “Its always hard to workout by yourself. You perform better with teammates,” says Binstock. He appreciates the team practice time when Kulesza was present. “She encouraged her teammates. The team really respects her. She really led by example,” he says. “I always liked having her at practice. It was a better practice. She just brought an intensity to it,” says Binstock. Kulesza says her senior year experience will help her as she attends chiropractic school in the Twin Cities this fall. “I think it definitely will help, because being so busy I’ve had to manage my time,” she says. Miranda Reiman
A message from Fred Oien
Talking the talk and walking the walk
Celebrating athletic, academic integrity This year the NCAA is celebrating two significant events: 100 Years – Celebrating the Student-Athlete and the 25th Year of Women’s Championships. These two milestones in the history of the NCAA are significant in that they represent collegiate institutions commitment to excellence for all student-athletes. The growth of opportunity for student-athletes to experience the joy of sport while pursuing an academic degree occurs nowhere else in the world like it does for student-athletes in our universities. President Theodore Roosevelt summoned college athletics leaders to two White House conferences to encourage reform in intercollegiate athletics. Sport at universities had reached a point where the integrity of the game was eroding and student welfare was in jeopardy. In early December 1905, Chancellor Henry M. MacCracken of New York University convened a meeting of thirteen institutions to initiate changes in football playing rules. At a subsequent meeting on December 28 in New York City, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States was founded by sixty-two members. It later was renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
leaders to set a path for a higher standard of fair competition and protection for the student-athlete’s welfare. Likewise in 1981, a similar path was followed involving intercollegiate sport for women, when members of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) voted to merge with the NCAA in order to provide like opportunities for female student-athletes. South Dakota State University is proud to be a member of the NCAA. The many programs that are provided as well as the highly visible championship opportunities have given our Jackrabbit studentathletes an opportunity to grow and excel as they pursue a degree. Student-athlete welfare is at the core of the NCAA’s membership mission. Today academic standards for student-athletes are the highest they have ever been. As a result, graduation rates have never been higher and remain substantially higher than the student population as a whole. Participation has grown to an all-time high for men and women student-athletes. It is time to celebrate and embrace these historical milestones of the NCAA and, more importantly, to celebrate the athletic and academic integrity the association has brought to intercollegiate athletics.
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Terminology and numbers are a huge part of sports. We use specific words to describe participants on athletic teams. We know the “quarterback,” “setter,” “goalie,” “forward,” “heavyweight,” “sprinter,” or “pitcher.” We honor these athletes for the statistics accumulated during competition. Scoring titles, all-conference selections and hall of fame inductions are the end products of outstanding athletic achievement. These talented athletes are identified frequently only by the numbers on their uniforms. If you take a deeper look, the aforementioned information only partially describes the members of our athletic teams. Another fascinating storyline involving these talented men and women is often overshadowed, but certainly should not go unnoticed. The talented Jackrabbits that wear the yellow and blue also are college students and we know them as “biology, public recreation, electrical engineering, early childhood education, nursing, and pharmacy majors.” The academic statistics they accumulate in Accounting 211, Chemistry 112 and Math 225 are quite impressive. Their success in the classroom leads to spots on the dean’s list and in various honor societies. These students are classified by numbers associated with their test scores, grade-point averages and graduation rates, not forty-yard dash times. We currently have more than 400 student-athletes in our program participating in twenty-one sports (eleven women, ten men). These student-athletes are enrolled in more than eighty different majors, have a collective cumulative GPA of more than 3.00 and annually achieve graduation rates significantly higher than the national averages at all levels of NCAA classification. At SDSU, we believe in combining elite athletic competition with a challenging educational experience, and it’s working. So the next time you are watching or listening to your favorite Jackrabbit athletic event and cheering for No. 21, 5 or 66, take pride in knowing that the “outside hitter,” “guard” or “shortstop” in uniform is also a Jackrabbit student diligently preparing to become an educator, researcher, entrepreneur or future leader of your community. Keith Mahlum SDSU Assistant to Athletic Director/Development Director
Fred Oien
Out of a desire to protect the integrity of intercollegiate athletics, President Roosevelt called on
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SDSU Athletic Director
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Jackrabbit fans can now purchase tickets for all the home games online. For more information, go to: www.gojacks.com
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South Dakota State University Athletics Department Box 2820 Brookings, SD 57007-1497
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Volume 12, No. 1
South Dakota State University
Spring 2006
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