2021 NAIA Women's Basketball Championships Guide

19TH STRAIGHT NAIA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES 2021 GREAT PLAINS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON AND TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS FOUR-TIME NAIA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2015, 2009, 2005, 2004

MUSTANG basketball A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Mustang Fans, Morningside College is an extraordinary institution, rich in tradition and influential in the lives of countless students since our founding in 1894. Hardworking, dedicated and ethical are just a few of the descriptions that capture the characteristics of young women and men who are, or have been, Morningsiders.

The terrific success of our athletic teams over the years is because we believe those characteristics win on the field, but more importantly in life. I am extremely proud of our student-athletes and coaches and look forward to another exciting year of Mustang athletics!

Go Mustangs!

COLLEGE INFORMATION Founded:..............................................................................................1894 Location:..........................................................................Sioux City, Iowa Enrollment:.......................................................................................... 1270 President: ..........................................................................John Reynders Athletic Director: ..................................................................... Tim Jager Faculty Athletics Representative: ................................... Susie Lubbers Registrar: .............................................................................. Jen Dolphin Ticket/Office Manager: .................................................. Cheryl Gamble Sports Information Director: ............................................. Mark Adkins Head Athletic Trainer: .......................................................Katy Burford Equipment Manager: .......................................................... Bryce Rusler Athletic Phone:.................................................................. (712) 274-5192 Athletic FAX:......................................................................(712) 274-5578 Sports Information Phone:............................................... (712) 274-5127 Affiliation:..........................................................................................NAIA Conference: ............................................................ Great Plains Athletic Mascot: .......................................................................................Mustangs Colors: ............................................................................Maroon & White

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Morningside College experience cultivates a passion for lifelong learning and a dedication to

Head Coach: ............................................................................Jamie Sale Alma Mater: ................................................................... Nebraska (1995) Record At School: ........................................................ 533-154, 20 Years Career Record: ..............................................................612-174, 23 Years Basketball Office Phone: ..................................................(712) 274-5474 Assistant Coach: ..............................................................Jill Bodammer Assistant Coach: .............................................................. Denny Lokken Assistant Coach: .......................................................Jordyn Wollenburg Assistant Coach: ...........................................................Bryan Alfredson 2019-20 Record: .................................................................................23-10 GPAC Record/Finish: .................................................................16-6, 3rd Home Record: ......................................................................................10-3 Away/Neutral Record: ........................................................................13-7 Lettermen Returning/Lost: ................................................................6/4 Starters Returning/Lost: .....................................................................3/2 Photo credits: Nick Buth, Dr. Gene Knudsen

ethical leadership and civic responsibility.

morningside.edu #MsideMustangs

#MsideProud

MUSTANG woMEN’S BASKETBALL If colleges had birth certificates, this is the information that would have appeared on the hypothetical document issued for Morningside College almost 125 years ago.

Name: Morning Side College Date: Dec. 5, 1894 Time: 5:30 p.m.

Place: Sioux City, Iowa Parents: the Rev. G. W. Carr and a commission created by the

Northwest Iowa Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church It was an inauspicious birth. The new college was the successor to University of the Northwest, a short-lived institution launched in Sioux City with great fanfare in 1890 that was bankrupt and liquidated five years later. The Rev. G. W. Carr, who was University of the Northwest’s last president, served as Morningside College’s first president. It was Carr, along with a group of 14 other Methodist ministers, who filed Morningside College’s articles of incorporation with the Woodbury County Recorder’s Office at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, 1984. They gave the infant college a temporary name that came from the Sioux City suburb where University of the Northwest had established its campus. Optimistically, the founders hoped a wealthy patron would step forward to make a generous naming gift.

On Sept. 11, 1895, Morningside College classes officially started on

ABOUT MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE

the former University of the Northwest campus, which contained one building (known today as Charles City College Hall) and the foundation for an unfinished second building (today’s Lewis Hall).

A record number of students, 196, enrolled for classes.

By contrast, the 21st century Morningside College has a total enrollment of nearly 3,000 full- and part-time students and a 69-acre campus with 25 buildings. Undergraduate students seek an active, experiential education in more than 65 majors and preprofessional programs. The college also offers graduate degree programs in teaching and nursing. The majority of coursework for the Master of Arts in Teaching and the Master of Science in Nursing degrees is offered in a convenient online format. Morningside’s newest online degree program is an undergraduate major in organizational management that is designed for working adults who have some college credits and want to complete their bachelor’s degree.

As Morningside College marks the 125th anniversary of its founding, we provide students an extraordinary, immersive experience that challenges them to explore their interests and ideas, engage in a hands-on education, build authentic community, foster natural curiosity, and make an impact in the world.

JOHN REYNDERS

JIM SYKES

PRESIDENT

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

John Reynders, the 12th President of Morningside College, came to Morningside in 1999 from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he was Vice President for Administrative Services and Treasurer.

Jim Sykes stepped into the role of Morningside College Director of Athletics in December 2020. He’ll remain in a dual role as head men’s basketball coach through the end of the 2020-21 season before fully transitioning to Athletic Director.

President Reynders has experience at all levels of higher education, having also served at Allegheny as Director and Dean of Enrollment Planning and Financial Aid (1990-97); Special Assistant to the Provost and Associate Director of Athletics (1988-90); and Associate Professor of Physical Education, Instructor in Mathematics, and Head Men’s Basketball Coach (1979-88). In addition to his teaching and administrative responsibilities, he has been active in higher education organizations as well as consulting for the George Dehne and Associates firm.

“For more than two decades, Jim has been a consistent leader with an outstanding track record of excellence,” said Morningside College President John Reynders in the announcement of Sykes’ new role.

“He has done a remarkable job of guiding our student-athletes to success both on and off the court. Jim understands our culture, knows our athletes, and has a vision for how we can continue building athletics for the future.”

President Reynders serves or has served on numerous not for profit boards and currently is a member of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (IAICU), the Iowa College Foundation, and Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). He is a former Chair of the NAIA Council of Presidents.

President Reynders holds Master of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degrees from Allegheny. He and his wife, Robin, share their sons: Mathew, Chuck, and Jeremy.

Sykes was part of the Morningside men’s basketball coaching staff for several years before he was promoted to the head coach position during the 2003-2004 season. Prior to the 2020-21 seaspn, he had a .686 winning percentage with a record of 361-165 through the 2019-20 campaign, holding the record for most victories as a Morningside men’s basketball head coach. Fourteen of his last 17 seasons were winning seasons. In ten of those seasons, he was able to post 20+ wins. Sykes has led his teams to eight National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II tournament appearances, seven Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular-season championships, and three GPAC postseason tournament championships. He has also earned the honor of GPAC Coach of the Year six times.

Peppering the Nets JUNIOR FORWARD HAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER IN GPAC TOURNEY FINALE For the second time in three head-to-head meetings during the 2020-21 season, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 7-ranked Morningside College and No. 17-ranked Concordia University battled to a final moments thriller Tuesday, March 2.

With a vocal and partisan Mustangs crowd bringing the noise inside Allee Gymnasium of the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center to a din at many points, no sound was louder than the one that followed junior forward Sophia Peppers cutting to the basket and gently laying the ball up and in with eight-tenths of a second remaining. The deciding points in a 67-65 decision about Maroon’s 20th straight triumph gave head coach Jamie Sale’s program its first conference tournament championship since 2015-16 and sixth all-time.

“I told the team when we called timeout with a little over seven seconds remaining that we wanted to curl senior guard Sierra Mitchell into the middle and have them follow her and find Sophia for a drive to the basket,” Sale reflected. “I was confident she would make the shot.”

“I had a free lane to the basket and went ahead and took it,” Peppers noted. “When the ball went in, and I had a chance to think about what happened, I was like ‘Holy cow, did that just happen?’ I knew Concordia still had time to make a play, though, so we had to play defense and get composed for the final eight-tenths.”

Peppers’ game-winning basket was just part of her evening’s resume.

Honored pre-game for becoming the 31st member of the program’s

1,000-point club, she hit four three-pointers as part of a stellar six-for-10 overall outing from the field en route to 16 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds, picked up a steal, and dished off two assists.

Sale’s squad continued to prove the balanced scoring track to success they’ve been on throughout. Sophomore guard McKenna Sims tallied 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists; junior forward Taylor Rodenburgh’s super-sub status continued to grow in stature as she hit some key buckets down the stretch to overturn a late Concordia lead as part of a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double to go along with three assists and three steals; and senior guard Faith Meyer wound up with 10 points.

Terrific Ten MORNINGSIDE CINCHES UP 2020-21 REGULAR SEASON GPAC TITLE

By Daniel Ver Steeg Morningside College sports information student staff

GPAC Player of the Week, showed her wares over the first half with 15 points that occurred by going five for six from three-point range.

MITCHELL, S.D. - Morningside College arrived in south-central South Dakota Wednesday, February 3, needing a win over Dakota Wesleyan University to guarantee the program’s reaching double figures for Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season championships.

DWU managed to clamp down defensively in the second half and keep things interesting. Sale’s squad added to that with rough shooting, going just 11-of-32 from the field, as they were outscored 41-30. However, Morningside righted the ship as the hosts closed to within 69-65 with 3:04 remaining. Senior guard Faith Meyer hit a pair of clutch free throws, and sophomore guard McKenna Sims connected on a lay-up, while the hosts were held to just one three-point bucket in the stretch.

At the end of a hard-fought 40 minutes inside The World’s Famous Corn Palace, head coach Jamie Sale’s team did just that. The Mustangs won for the 14th in a row and improved to 20-2 overall and 18-1 in the GPAC behind a 73-68 triumph.

Morningside’s victory was its first in the Corn Palace since January 13, 2016 – something which Sale savored post-game along with the outright conference crown.

A fast start in a historically tough place for opposing teams to gain success led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 9-ranked team. Mside led 28-11 at the end of the first 10 minutes “It’s nice to win the GPAC, but we want to do more than that,” he mainly due to a 15-0 run that closed the frame. They wouldn’t stated. “To do that, we need to stay sharp. I’m confident with this relinquish their advantage despite the host Tigers staying close team. They work really hard.” down to the final moments with a second-half surge.

Mside was led in scoring by Mitchell, who finished with 17 points, The Maroon was lethal in the first quarter shooting six for eight four assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Sims poured in 13 on six from three-point range and 10 for 18 from the field. That theme for eight from the field. Junior forward Taylor Rodenburgh came continued in the second quarter, as they finished the half shooting off the bench to score 12 points and pull down six rebounds. The nine for 12 from outside the arc. Senior guard Sierra Mitchell (SR/ Mustangs were also able to capitalize on 15 DWU turnovers, tallying Pleasant Hill, Iowa) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa), the reigning NAIA and 22 points off of them.

MUSTANG woMEN’S BASKETBALL

Sales 600 MUSTANGS’ SKIPPER REACHES PERSONAL MILESTONE At the end of a white-knuckle ride that can characterize the River City Rivals series, a broad smile crept across the face of Morningside College head coach Jamie Sale Wednesday, Jan. 13.

There was a reason for his good mood. Not only had his Mustangs’ side toppled crosstown rival Briar Cliff University in a gritty, tension-filled Great Plains Athletic Conference battle to avenge an early-season loss to the Chargers, but the triumph had also earned him residence in a prestigious circle of fellow head coaches who had reached 600 victories in their active National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ careers.

As Sale had stated early Wednesday afternoon, though, the victory over BCU was at the forefront of his and his team’s mind. It took every bit of the 40 minutes for the Maroon and clinch an 86-79 decision to increase their season record to 14-2 and league mark to 12-1. However, it looked early on as if the home side would run the Chargers right off the Allee Gymnasium court inside RosenVerdoorn Sports Center.

Morningside found themselves leading 33-13 at the 8:48 mark of the second quarter. From that point, Briar Cliff, as they’ve shown a penchant to do throughout the 2020-21 campaign, proved a tough customer to put away. The Chargers rallied bit-by-bit and eventually found themselves trailing by as little as four (83-79) in the final minutes. The Mustangs managed to close it out behind a three-offour free-throw performance from senior guard Sierra Mitchell and junior forward Taylor Rodenburgh in the final 34 seconds.

The trio of Mitchell, Rodenburgh, and junior forward Sophia Peppers continued to shine for the home crowd. Peppers’ line showed 21 points, six rebounds, a blocked shot, two steals, and two assists; Mitchell added 14 points, five boards, and picked up four steals; and Rodenburgh remained an essential commodity off the bench going for 19 points and six rebounds.

Morningside Merits A day after Morningside College locked up its sixth alltime conference tournament championship to bookend their 10th regular-season league crown, senior guard Sierra Mitchell became the program’s first Player of the Year since 2018 and the school’s fourth all-time. Mitchell, becoming a three-time top two team selection, is among the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ top 10 in four different categories --- total three-pointers made (110) and three-pointers made per contest (3.929) which both lead the country along with total points (497 – No. 4) and total steals (71 – No. 10). She goes into the national tournament opening round, needing only 25 points to become the fourth player in school history to reach the 2000 mark.

She wasn’t alone in the special awards section. Fellow senior guard Faith Meyer was named tri-Defensive Player of the Year, and head coach Jamie Sale was tabbed Coach of the Year. Meyer’s honor marked the program’s third such in the annals and first since 2015, and Sale picked up his sixth GPAC top coaching accolade and first since the 2015-16 campaign.

Junior forward Sophia Peppers, less than 24 hours removed from hitting the game-winning shot against Concordia in the conference tourney finale, earned her second top-two squad selection with her first first-team award. Junior guard Taylor Rodenburgh, Morningside’s super sub during the 2020-21 season, was named second-team for her second all-GPAC merit. She was honorable mention following her sophomore season. A trio consisting of Meyer, freshman post player Chloe Lofstrom and sophomore guard McKenna Sims was named to the honorable mention section.

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball JAMIE SALE HEAD COACH

In his 20 years at Morningside, Jamie Sale has established himself as one of the elite coaches in the nation while raising the Mustangs’ women’s basketball program to national prominence.

Sale, the fifth active National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ head coach to reach 600 total victories, has compiled a 533-154 record for a .775 winning percentage with the Mustangs to make him the winningest women’s basketball coach in Morningside history. Sale has a 612-174 career record for a .778 winning percentage in 23 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Twenty-two of his 23 teams have qualified for the NAIA Division II tournament.

Sale, tabbed the WHoopDirt.com NAIA Coach of the Week for Jan. 11-17, 2021, was named the NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2015 after he guided the Mustangs to NAIA II National Championships in each of those seasons. His 2008-09 team finished with a perfect record of 38-0 to become only the second team in history to capture the NAIA Division II crown with an undefeated record after they defeated Hastings College 68-63 in the National Championship Game. Sale led the Mustangs to a 34-4 record in 2003-04 and the college’s first-ever national title in a team sport when Morningside defeated Cedarville University 87-74 in the NAIA Division II tournament championship game. He guided Morningside to a second consecutive national crown in 2005 when the Mustangs knocked off No. 1-ranked Cedarville 75-65 in the NAIA Division II title game to cap a 35-3 season. The Mustangs won their most recent NAIA Division II title in 2014-15 after they edged Concordia 59-57 in the title game to put the finishing touches on a stellar 37-1 campaign.

He has guided the Mustangs to 19 consecutive NAIA Division II tournament appearances, a school-record 15 consecutive 20-win seasons (2003-04 to 2017-18), seven NAIA Division II tournament Final Four appearances, 10 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular-season championships, and six GPAC Post-Season Tournament championships. Sale led the Mustangs to five consecutive GPAC regular-season championships from 2004-05 to 2008-09 and to four straight GPAC crowns from 2012-13 to 201516. Sale’s 2015-16 team won the GPAC title by a five-game advantage for the largest victory margin in league history. His teams have produced the 15 highest single-season victory totals in school history. His 2005-06 Morningside team won the GPAC’s post-season tournament and was the GPAC regular-season co-champion with Hastings College to become the first team in league history to win both titles in the same season. Sale was named the GPAC Coach of the Year following 2007-08, 2008-09, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2020-21 seasons.

He was the 2004 recipient of the Paul Maaske Memorial Award presented by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association. The award is presented each year to a non-Division I collegiate coach in Iowa in honor of the former long-time coach at Cornell College.

The transformation of the Morningside women’s basketball program has been remarkable since Sale’s arrival. After inheriting a team that had produced a combined total of only five victories over the previous two seasons, Sale led Morningside to a 7-19 record in his

COACHING STAFF

first season at the helm, followed by a 17-16 record the next year for the school’s first winning season since the 1992-93 campaign.

Morningside also qualified for the NAIA Division II tournament that season for the school’s first national tourney appearance since 1986.

Sale has brought a crowd-pleasing style of basketball to Morningside that features tenacious full-court defensive pressure and a high scoring offensive attack featuring one of the most potent 3-point shooting attacks in NAIA history.

The Mustangs averaged a school-record 87.6 points per game in 2003-04 and made an NAIA Division II record 400 3-point field goals to shatter the previous national record of 311 3-pointers by Bethel College in 2001-02. The Mustangs made an NAIA Division II National Tournament record 17 3-pointers in their championship game victory against Cedarville.

Sale was named the seventh head coach in the history of Morningside’s women’s basketball program on March 26, 2001, following a distinguished career at Briar Cliff University. Sale was one of the nation’s most successful women’s basketball coaches during his three seasons as head coach at Briar Cliff, where he compiled a 79-20 record for a .798 winning percentage and led the Chargers to three Sweet 16 or higher finishes at the NAIA Division II tournament. His .798 career winning percentage at Briar Cliff is a school record.

Sale is a 1995 graduate of the University of Nebraska.

JILL BODAMMER ASSISTANT COACH

Jill Bodammer is in her 20th season as a Morningside assistant coach with the 2020-21 campaign. Her organizational and coaching skills have been instrumental in the success of a Mustang program that has ranked among the nation’s finest for almost two decades.

She joined the Mustangs’ coaching staff following a highly successful playing career at Briar Cliff University, where she graduated in 2001 as the sixth leading rebounder and eighth leading scorer in school history with 815 career rebounds and 1,559 career points, respectively.

Bodammer led the Chargers in scoring (16.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg) as a senior en route to second-team NAIA Division II AllAmerica honors. Bodammer also received all-tournament honors at the 2001 NAIA Division II National Tournament after she averaged 23 points and nine rebounds per game.

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball DENNY LOKKEN ASSISTANT COACH

Denny Lokken has been a Mustang assistant coach for the past nine seasons.

He is the father of former Mustang standout M Club Hall of Famer Kate Lokken.

Lokken compiled a 310-179 career record as a boys basketball head coach at Underwood, Carroll, and Denison High Schools. He was inducted into the Yankton College Hall of Fame in 1994, the Yankton High School Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

While at Denison, Lokken amassed a school-record 175 victories and led the school to four state tournament appearances, including a Class 2A state runner-up finish in 1982.

JORDYN WOLLENBURG ASSISTANT COACH

Jordyn Wollenburg, a May 2016 graduate of Morningside, is in her second season on the women’s basketball coaching staff in 2020-21.

She had previously served as a preschool paraprofessional at Gretna Community Schools in Gretna, Neb., since September 2017 and was also an assistant girls basketball coach at Fort Calhoun High School of Fort Calhoun, Neb., since November 2017.

During her Mustangs’ playing days, Wollenburg was a team captain and earned the program’s Hustle Award while also being a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Hustle Award honoree as a senior.

BRYAN ALFREDSON ASSISTANT COACH

Bryan Alfredson returns to the Mustangs for a second assistant coaching stint in 2020-21 with his first occurring in 2012-16. The 1992 Morningside College graduate has an extensive background in the field having guided high school boys and girls basketball and softball programs for 30 years in the area. That span includes a 26-year run as a coach and teacher at Woodbury Central in Moville where he was head girls basketball and softball coach for 18 years. His daughter, Brittany Alfredson, played at Morningside from 2008-12.

COACHING STAFF

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball

#2 OLIVIA BOUDREAU Freshman Guard

Papillion, Neb.

#11 MADISON CLAYTON Junior Guard

Sioux City, Iowa

#4 SIERRA MITCHELL Senior Guard

Pleasant Hill, Iowa

#12 MCKENNA SIMS Sophomore

Point Guard

South Sioux City, Neb.

MEET THE MUSTANGS

#10 GRACE MEYER Senior Guard

Pomeroy, Iowa

#13 TAYTE HANSEN

Senior Guard

York, Neb.

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball

MEET THE MUSTANGS

#15 LAUREN HEDLUND #23 TAYLOR RODENBURGH #24 FAITH MEYER Freshman Guard

Albion, Neb.

#25 SOPHIA PEPPERS Junior Forward

Exira, Iowa

Junior Guard

Hawarden, Iowa

#30 ALEXIS SPIER Freshman Guard

Gretna, Neb.

Senior Guard

Pomeroy, Iowa

#32 AMANDA WARD

Sophomore Forward

Longmont, Colo.

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball

#33 BLAIRE STEENHOEK #40 SADIE ROTH Sophomore Guard/Forward

Chariton, Iowa

Sophomore Forward

Sioux Falls, S.D.

#44 CHLOE LOFSTROM Freshman

Power Forward

Armstrong, Iowa

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball INDIVIDUAL RECORDS - GAME

Points - 45, Brittany Carper vs. Northwestern, 1-31-04 Field Goals - 18, Amy Wilhelm vs. Westmar, 1985-86 3-Point Field Goals - 10, Laura Nelson vs. Dakota State, 12-30-08 Field Goal Percentage - 100% (8-8), Vicki Rahbusch vs. Northwestern, 1988-89; Autumn Bartel vs. Hastings, 1-17-09 Free Throws - 19, Trish Martin vs. Bemidji State, 12-4-98 Free Throw Percentage - 100% (14-14), Chelsie Trask vs. Concordia, 11-20-10 Rebounds - 25, Trish Martin vs. St. Cloud State, 12-8-00 Assists - 13, Brittany Carper vs. Northwestern, 11-19-03 Steals - 13, Danika Okerstrom vs. South Dakota State, 1-27-01 Blocked Shots - 8, Paula Hunter vs. Wayne State, 1988-89

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS - SEASON

Points - 818, Brittany Carper, 2003-04 Scoring Average - 24.4, Amy Wilhelm, 1985-86 Field Goals - 314, Amy Wilhelm, 1985-86 Field Goal Percentage - 63.8% (227-356), Jessica Tietz, 2015-16 3-Point Field Goals - 130, Kate Lokken, 2003-04 3-Point Field Goal Percentage - 48.1% (38-79), Lexi Ackerman, 2013-14 Free Throws - 216, Brittany Carper, 2003-04 Free Throw Percentage - 90.1% (64-71), Kate Lokken, 2002-03 Consecutive Free Throws Made - 43, Chelsie Trask, 11-6 to 12-18-2010 Rebounds - 371, Paula Hunter, 1988-89 Rebounding Average - 13.1, Trish Martin, 2000-01 Assists - 272, Brittany Carper, 2003-04 Steals - 151, Brittany Carper, 2003-04 Blocked Shots - 106, Paula Hunter, 1988-89

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS - CAREER

Games Played - 144, Jill Pudenz, 2002-06 Points - 2,332, Amy Wilhelm, 1983-87 Scoring Average - 20.4, Amy Wilhelm, 1983-87 Field Goals - 988, Amy Wilhelm, 1983-87 Field Goal Percentage - 59.1% (592-1001), Jessica Tietz, 2012-16 3-Point Field Goals - 413, Sierra Mitchell, 20173-Point Field Goal Percentage - 41.0% (141-344), Abby Goodlaxson, 1995-99 Free Throws - 542, Brittany Carper, 2001-05 Free Throw Percentage - 86.3% (207-240), Kate Lokken, 2000-04 Rebounds - 1,248, Paula Hunter, 1985-89 Rebounding Average - 11.1, Trish Martin, 1997-2001 Assists - 734, Brittany Carper, 2001-05 Steals - 451, Dani Gass, 2005-09 Blocked Shots - 296, Paula Hunter, 1985-89

TEAM RECORDS - GAME

Points - 136 vs. Westmar, 1985-86 Combined Points - 238 (St. Cloud State 123, Morningside 115 O.T.), 1-23-99 Victory Margin - 92 (Morningside 136, Westmar 44), 1985-86 Field Goals - 46 vs. Olivet Nazarene, 11-4-05 3-Point Field Goals - 21 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 2-2-13 Free Throws - 42 vs. Northwestern, 2-25-12 Free Throw Percentage - 100% (18-18) vs. Concordia, 11-20-10; vs. Briar Cliff, 1-8-11 Rebounds - 69 vs. Westmar, 11-23-96; vs. Berea, 3-12-08

RECORD BOOK

Assists - 34 vs. Olivet Nazarene, 11-2-13 Steals - 31 vs. Dana, 2-16-05 Blocked Shots - 10 vs. Missouri Western State, 11-20-92; vs.

Doane, 2-14-15

TEAM RECORDS - SEASON

Best Record - 38-0, 2008-09 Points - 3,328, 2003-04 Scoring Average - 87.6, 2003-04 Field Goals - 1,178, 2003-04 Field Goal Percentage - 48.4% (1,086-2,243), 1986-87 Lowest Field Goal Percentage By Opponent - 36.3%, 1980-81 3-Point Field Goals - 400, 2003-04 3-Point Field Goal Percentage - 37.6% (400-1,063), 2003-04 FreeThrows - 649, 2013-14 Free Throw Percentage - 75.5% (482-638), 2010-11 Rebounds - 1,572, 2013-14 Rebounding Average - 48.8, 1988-89 Assists - 716, 2003-04 Steals - 675, 2003-04 Blocked Shots - 130, 1985-86

Paula Hunter is Morningside’s all-time leader with 1,248 career rebounds.

Trish Martin led the nation in rebounding with a school-record average of 13.1 per game during the 2000-01 season.

MUSTANG WOmen’s basketball

RECORD BOOK

SCORING LEADERS 1.

2,332 ........ Amy Wilhelm..................1983-87

2.

2,209......... Megan Cloud..................2001-05

3.

2,183......... Brittany Carper..............2001-05

4.

1,975 ........ Sierra Mitchell...............2017-

5.

1,967......... Madison Braun...............2014-18

6.

1,859......... Chelsie Trask.................2009-13

7.

1,802......... Dani Gass........................2005-09

8.

1,731......... Autumn Bartel...............2005-09

9.

1,674......... Lexi Ackerman...............2013-17

10.

1,614......... Kate Lokken...................2001-04

11.

1,603......... Paula Hunter..................1985-89

Amy Wilhelm 2,332 Career Points

12. 1,527......... Sydney Hupp..................2016-2020 13.

1,431......... Jessica Tietz..................2012-16

14.

1,410......... Sue Berens.....................1980-83

15.

1,350......... Shawn Paskert..............1988-93

16.

1,308......... Gina Schuldt...................1985-89

17.

1,303......... Jennifer Childress........1994-98

18.

1,288......... Lerlean Johnson...........1980-84

19.

1,282......... Jill Pudenz......................2002-06

20.

1,278......... Janice Schmitz..............1983-87

21.

1,270......... Brittany Williamson......2006-10

22.

1,237......... Erica Thein.....................1998-02

23.

1,213......... Ashlynn Muhl.................2012-15

24.

1,207......... Jessica Johnson............1994-98

25.

1,148......... Tanaeya Worden............2009-11

Megan Cloud 2,209 Career Points

GAME RESULTS (34-4)

2003-2004 NAIA II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Morningside won its first-ever national championship in a team sport when the Mustangs defeated Cedarville University 87-74 in the title game of the 2004 NAIA Division II National Tournament on March 16 in Sioux City’s Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena.

The victory capped a 34-4 season for the Mustangs, who broke 28 school records and tied another during their storybook season. The 2003-04 Mustangs were the highest scoring team in Morningside history with a scoring average of 87.6 points per game. They did much of their scoring from long range with a NAIA II national-record 400 3-point field goals to smash the previous record of 311 3-pointers by Bethel College in 200102. The Mustangs’ 3-point shooting prowess was on display during the national tournament when they made a national tournament record 17 3-pointers in the championship game.

The Mustangs’ most prolific 3-point shooter was senior forward Kate Lokken, who made a NAIA II national-record 130 3-pointers to break the previous standard of 121 3-pointers by Ketra Bell of Bartlesville Wesleyan in 1994-95.

Junior guard Brittany Carper led the Mustangs with averages of 21.5 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.0 steals per game. Carper led the nation in assists and was named the NAIA Division II National Player of the Year.

Carper and Lokken, who averaged 18.1 points per game, were each named to the All-GPAC first team, while Megan Cloud, who averaged 18.9 points per game, made the All-GPAC second team.

Cloud gave the Mustangs a dazzling performance in the NAIA II Championship Game when she scored 34 points, grabbed six rebounds, dealt six assists, and tied a national tournament record with eight 3-point field goals. She was named the National Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Morningside 103, Si Tanka Huron 63 Morningside 91, Peru State 39 Morningside 93, Waldorf 68 Morningside 81, Northwestern 61 Morningside 100, Mount Marty 59 Morningside 87, Briar Cliff 55 Morningside 76, Wisconsin Eau-Claire 67 Morningside 88, Buena Vista 65 Morningside 90, Waldorf 65 Morningside 87, Sioux Falls 67 Morningside 80, Dordt 42 Morningside 81, Nebraska Wesleyan 46 Morningside 76, Midland Lutheran 59 Morningside 93, Missouri Valley 41 Morningside 96, College of St. Mary 64 Morningside 88, Augustana 79 Morningside 98, Dana 47 Dakota Wesleyan 76, Morningside 75 Morningside 83, Concordia 70 Park 71, Morningside 67 Morningside 101, Doane 72 Morningside 88, Sioux Falls 64 Morningside 119, Northwestern 95 Morningside 83, Nebraska Wesleyan 52 Hastings 105, Morningside 98 4 O.T. Morningside 88, Briar Cliff 46 Morningside 92, Dordt 63 Morningside 86, Park 36 Morningside 90, Dana 50 Concordia 94, Morningside 87

GPAC TOURNAMENT

Morningside 101, Sioux Falls 87 Morningside 91, Dakota Wesleyan 78 Morningside 76, Concordia 63

NAIA II NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Morningside 94, Spalding 66 Morningside 78, Indiana Wesleyan 64 Morningside 66, Evangel 43 Morningside 70, Mary 62 Morningside 87, Cedarville 74

Morningside College Morningside (Iowa) Combined Team Statistics (as of Mar 02, 2021) All games Overall record: 26-2 Conf: 21-1 Home: 14-0 Away: 12-2 Neutral: 0-0 ##

02 04 10 11 12 13 14 15 24 25 30 30 32 33 40 44 96

Player

gp-gs

Boudreau, Olivia Mitchell, Sierra Meyer, Grace Clayton, Madison Sims, McKenna Hansen, Tayte Morten, Abbe Hedlund, Lauren Meyer, Faith Peppers, Sophia Spier, Alexis Rodenburgh, Taylor Ward, Amanda Steenhoek, Blaire Roth, Sadie Lofstrom, Chloe Heeren, Madisyn Team Total..........

Opponents......

TEAM STATISTICS SCORING Points per game Scoring margin FIELD GOALS-ATT Field goal pct 3 POINT FG-ATT 3-point FG pct 3-pt FG made per game FREE THROWS-ATT Free throw pct F-Throws made per game REBOUNDS Rebounds per game Rebounding margin ASSISTS Assists per game TURNOVERS Turnovers per game Turnover margin Assist/turnoverratio STEALS Steals per game BLOCKS Blocks per game ATTENDANCE Home games-Avg/Game Neutral site-Avg/Game Score by Periods Morningside (Iowa) Opponents

Total 3-Point min avg fg-fga fg% 3fg-fga 3fg%

11-0 28-28 28-1 21-0 28-27 28-1 7-0 12-0 28-28 27-26 10-0 22-1 11-0 5-0 20-0 28-28 5-0

50 896 579 151 643 399 30 56 672 729 52 464 63 24 146 604 41

28 28

5599 5605

4.5 32.0 20.7 7.2 23.0 14.3 4.3 4.7 24.0 27.0 5.2 21.1 5.7 4.8 7.3 21.6 8.2

8-17 170-384 32-80 12-31 80-215 43-98 2-8 9-14 68-159 158-323 6-14 81-194 7-17 2-3 23-60 95-185 1-4

.471 .443 .400 .387 .372 .439 .250 .643 .428 .489 .429 .418 .412 .667 .383 .514 .250

4-12 110-265 11-40 2-12 21-72 29-71 1-7 2-4 32-79 42-109 3-9 35-86 4-11 1-1 2-7 3-6 1-1

.333 .415 .275 .167 .292 .408 .143 .500 .405 .385 .333 .407 .364

F-Throw ft-fta ft%

0-0 47-51 33-46 8-8 28-38 5-6 2-4 5-7 39-59 55-70 2-2 33-39 2-4 1.000 2-5 .286 10-14 .500 58-88 1.000 0-0

.000 .922 .717

1.000

.737 .833 .500 .714 .661 .786

1.000

.846 .500 .400 .714 .659 .000

797-1806 .441 303-792 .383 329-441 .746 631-1585 .398 194-639 .304 270-398 .678

MORW 2226 79.5 +17.9 797-1806 . 441 303-792 . 383 10.8 329-441 . 746 11.8 1050 37.5 +1.7 516 18.4 398 14.2 +7.5 1.3 385 13.8 50 1.8 3980 14-284 -

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 581 534 566 545 412 404 442 468

OPP 1726 61.6 631-1585 . 398 194-639 . 304 6.9 270-398 . 678 9.6 1003 35.8 382 13.6 608 21.7 0.6 230 8.2 93 3.3 967 14-69 0-0 Totals 2226 1726

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * P P P

Date 11/06/20 11/07/20 11/11/20 11/17/20 11/21/20 12/2/20 12/05/20 12/09/20 12/12/20 12/16/20 12/20/20 12/31/20 01/02/21 01/06/21 1/9/21 01/13/21 01/16/21 01/20/21 1/23/21 1/27/21 01/30/21 2/3/21 2/6/21 2/9/21 02/20/21 2/24/21 2/27/21 3/2/21

off

Rebounds def tot avg

pf dq

2 13 15 1.4 4 26 51 77 2.8 30 34 56 90 3.2 58 10 11 21 1.0 12 15 96 111 4.0 46 7 19 26 0.9 30 0 0 0 0.0 6 1 5 6 0.5 11 34 37 71 2.5 61 61 125 186 6.9 64 3 4 7 0.7 3 30 94 124 5.6 30 4 10 14 1.3 5 1 6 7 1.4 1 7 22 29 1.5 30 52 97 149 5.3 44 4 8 12 2.4 11 39 66 105 330 720 1050 37.5 446 290 713 1003 35.8 435

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

to blk stl

4 56 28 19 54 29 1 5 28 62 7 34 2 3 17 32 3 14 2 516 398 - 382 608

Opponent at MidAmerica Nazarene University at Benedictine College at University of Jamestown at Dakota State University MOUNTMARTYUNIVERSITY DORDT at Midland (Neb.) at Briar Cliff University CONCORDIA (NE) DAKOTAWESEYLAN at Hastings College NORTHWESTERN(IA) at College of Saint Mary at Doane (Neb.) HASTINGS COLLEGE BRIARCLIFFUNIVERSITY at Concordia (NE) at Dordt MIDLAND UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN at Mount Marty University at Dakota Weseylan DOANE (NEB.) ST. MARY (NE) at Northwestern (IA) UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN BRIARCLIFFUNIVERSITY CONCORDIA (NE)

* - Conference game

a

4 88 58 18 98 29 0 8 53 81 4 30 1 2 9 30 3

W L W W W W W L W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W

2 1 4 0 3 1 0 0 2 15 0 0 1 0 5 15 1

2 71 34 10 40 19 0 4 66 59 2 34 1 1 4 23 4

pts

avg

20 497 108 34 209 120 7 25 207 413 17 230 20 7 58 251 3

1.8 17.8 3.9 1.6 7.5 4.3 1.0 2.1 7.4 15.3 1.7 10.5 1.8 1.4 2.9 9.0 0.6

50 385 2226 93 230 1726

79.5 61.6

Score 81-53 64-66 68-61 74-67 107-52 85-79 84-77 78-80 86-67 78-53 89-54 75-62 77-40 72-49 86-50 76-69 66-64 82-73 82-60 99-53 86-65 73-68 82-55 80-46 73-64 84-75 72-59 67-65

Att. 0 0 0 0 600 400 0 0 500 159 0 0 0 120 350 0 475 0 300 300 0 372 300 150 0 500 421 450

MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS 26-2, GREAT PLAINS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON AND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS Morningside 81, Mid-American Nazarene 53 Benedictine (KS) 66, Morningside 64 Morningside 68, Jamestown 61 Morningside 74, Dakota St. 67 Morningside 107, Mt. Marty 52 Morningside 85, Dordt 79 Morningside 84, Midland 77 Briar Cliff 80, Morningside 78 Morningside 86, Concordia 67 Morningside 78, Dakota Wesleyan 53 Morningside 89, Hastings 54 Morningside 75, Northwestern 62 Morningside 72, Doane 49

Morningside 86, Hastings 50 Morningside 76, Briar Cliff 69 Morningside 66, Concordia 64 Morningside 82, Dordt 73 Morningside 82, Midland 60 Morningside 99, Jamestown 53 Morningside 86, Mt. Marty 65 Morningside 73, Dakota Wesleyan 68 Morningside 82, Doane 55 Morningside 73, Northwestern 64 Morningside 84, Jamestown 75 Morningside 72, Briar Cliff 59 Morningside 67, Concordia 65

GAME RESULTS (35-3)

2003-2004 NAIA II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Morningside repeated as the NAIA Division II National Champion when it defeated Cedarville University 75-65 in the national tournament title game on March 15 in Sioux City’s Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena in a rematch of the previous year’s championship game.

Morningside finished with a 35-3 record for its most victories in school history. The Mustangs broke 17 school records and tied two other school standards during the season. The Mustangs’ 2003-04 National Championship team was the highest scoring team in Morningside history.

Morningside still scored at a prolific rate during its 2004-05 championship run, but it was defense that set the Mustangs apart. The Mustangs surrendered an average of only 57.1 points per game for the lowest defensive scoring average in school history and shattered the previous mark of 63.0 ppg in 1980-81.

Morningside’s most impressive defensive showing came in a win against Dana College on Feb. 16 when the Mustangs set a school record with 31 steals and held the Vikings to only 33 points. Defense was also pivotal in the Mustangs’ NAIA II Championship Game victory against Cedarville when they held the nation’s second highest scoring team to its lowest point total of the season.

Senior guard Megan Cloud capped a brilliant four-year career by repeating as the NAIA Division II National Tournament Most Valuable Player. She scored a game-high 28 points in the NAIA II Championship Game and was the Mustangs’ leading scorer in all five of their national tournament victories. Cloud was also named the NAIA Division II National Player of the Year following a season where she led the Mustangs in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 19.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Brittany Carper averaged 14.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and dealt 217 assists to earn second-team All-America honors.

Carper and Cloud were each named to the All-GPAC first-team and teammate Jill Pudenz, the Mustangs’ third leading scorer at 9.6 ppg, was tabbed to the All-GPAC second-team.

Morningside 86, Mount Mercy 47 Morningside 78, Grand View 52 Morningside 80, Northwestern 58 Morningside 85, Mount Marty 56 Morningside 82, Briar Cliff 63 Morningside 89, Peru State 48 Morningside 88, York 59 Morningside 81, Sioux Falls 64 Morningside 87, Dordt 57 Morningside 72, Nebraska Wesleyan 55 Missouri Western 94, Morningside 80 Morningside 84, Midland Lutheran 43 Morningside 92, Waldorf 60 Morningside 93, Cornell 44 Morningside 83, Mount Mercy 59 Morningside 75, Bemidji State 55 Morningside 94, Dana 56 Morningside 106, Dakota Wesleyan 72 Morningside 82, Concordia 67 Morningside 82, Colorado Christian 55 Morningside 120, Johnson & Wales 44 Doane 79, Morningside 75 Morningside 76, Sioux Falls 48 Morningside 85, Northwestern 82 Morningside 100, Nebraska Wesleyan 62 Morningside 75, Hastings 58 Morningside 65, Briar Cliff 48 Morningside 72, Dordt 61 Morningside 98, Dana 33 Morningside 79, Concordia 53

GPAC TOURNAMENT Morningside 72, Dordt 52 Morningside 74, Hastings 65 Concordia 57, Morningside 45

NAIA II NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Morningside 74, Davenport 46 Morningside 68, Tabor 57 Morningside 72, Bethel 50 Morningside 57, Evangel 45 Morningside 75, Cedarville 65

GAME RESULTS (38-0)

2008-2009 NAIA II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Morningside won its third NAIA Division II National Championship of the decade when it defeated Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) rival Hastings College 68-63 in the national tournament title game on March 17, 2009, in Sioux City’s Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena. The championship game pairing was a dream matchup as it pitted two teams that had combined to win five of the previous seven national titles.

The victory capped a perfect 38-0 season for the Mustangs, who joined Indiana Wesleyan’s 2007 championship team as the only clubs in history to capture the NAIA II National Championship with undefeated records.

Morningside broke eight school records and tied another during the season. One of their most impressive performances of the season came in a 99-44 victory against Nebraska Wesleyan University on Jan. 3 when they shot a sizzling 64.2 percent from the field to set a school record. Ironically, Nebraska Wesleyan gave the Mustangs one of their tightest games of the regular season when the Mustangs escaped with a 72-65 victory after leading by only two points with 21 seconds left in a Jan. 31 rematch in Lincoln.

Seniors Dani Gass and Autumn Bartel provided consistency and leadership and were both named to the NAIA Division II All-America firstteam. Gass, who was also named the NAIA II National Player of the Year and the GPAC Player of the Year, became Morningside’s all-time leader with 716 career free throws and 451 career steals. She led the Mustangs with averages of 7.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.7 steals per game. Bartel, meanwhile, was the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Valuable Player of the National Tournament. She led the Mustangs in scoring with a 15.2-point average and was their leading scorer in 12 of their final 21 games.

Laura Nelson led the nation with 125 3-point field goals, including an impressive display in a Dec. 30 win against Dakota State University when she made a school-record 10 treys.

Bartel and Gass were each named to the All-GPAC first team, while Nelson and Brittany Williamson were each tabbed to the all-league second-team.

Morningside 88, Mayville State 60 Morningside 58, Minot State 54 Morningside 85, Mount Mercy 73 Morningside 67, Grand View 62 Morningside 89, Northwestern 75 Morningside 62, Indiana Wesleyan 54 Morningside 73, Viterbo 50 Morningside 69, Grand View 62 Morningside 78, Briar Cliff 62 Morningside 71, Oklahoma Christian 62 Morningside 80, Wayland Baptist 58 Morningside 73, Mount Marty 50 Morningside 80, Concordia 59 Morningside 92, Dana 65 Morningside 76, Iowa Wesleyan 44 Morningside 94, Dakota State 71 Morningside 99, Nebraska Wesleyan 44 Morningside 102, Midland Lutheran 68 Morningside 84, Briar Cliff 67 Morningside 91, Sioux Falls 73 Morningside 75, Hastings 59 Morningside 76, Dordt 69 Morningside 84, Concordia 65 Morningside 85, Dakota Wesleyan 53 Morningside 72, Nebraska Wesleyan 65 Morningside 87, Doane 77 Morningside 72, Sioux Falls 65 Morningside 93, Dana 62 Morningside 81, Northwestern 67 Morningside 77, Dordt 59

GPAC TOURNAMENT

Morningside 81, Dordt 59 Morningside 69, Mount Marty 62 Morningside 64, Northwestern 56

NAIA II NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Morningside 83, Maine-Fort Kent 41 Morningside 71, Bethel 57 Morningside 72, Black Hills State 56 Morningside 63, Northwestern 58 Morningside 68, Hastings 63

GAME RESULTS (37-1)

2014-2015 NAIA II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Morningside won its fourth NAIA Division II National Championship during the Jamie Sale era when it defeated Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) rival Concordia 59-57 in the title game on March 17, 2015, in Sioux City’s Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena.

The two teams had a combined three defeats going into the contest; all at the hands of the other. Morningside swept the Bulldogs 78-70 and 7776 during the regular season en route to the GPAC title before Concordia gained revenge with an 80-72 victory in the championship game of the GPAC Tournament. Morningside scored the deciding points in the national championship game when Lexi Ackerman made two free throws with two seconds left to break a 57-57 tie.

Jessica Tietz was named the national tournament MVP after she averaged 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in the Mustangs’ five victories. Tietz had been pressed into the starting lineup after NAIA II first-team AllAmerican Ashlynn Muhl underwent surgery one day before the start of the tournament. Tietz was joined on the all-tournament team by Allison Bachman, while Jordyn Wollenburg received the tournament’s hustle award.

Muhl had a team-high 15 double doubles during the regular season, topped the Mustangs with an average of 9.1 rebounds per game, and was their second leading scorer with a norm of 12.3 points per contest. Taylor Bahensky, who led the Mustangs in scoring with a 12.5-point average and ranked among the national leaders with 96 steals, was tabbed to the NAIA II All-America Third Team and was the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Ackerman joined Muhl and Bahensky on the All-America team as an honorable mention selection.

Ackerman dealt a team-high 142 assists and scored at just under a double figure clip with a scoring rate of 9.4 points per game.

Ackerman, Bahensky, and Muhl were all named to the All-GPAC First Team and Sale was named the GPAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time of his career.

One of the Mustangs’ most impressive victories was an early season 55-26 triumph against Ashford to set a record for the fewest points allowed in a game. Morningside tied a team record with 10 blocked shots in an 83-75 win against Doane.

Morningside 103, AIB College of Business 37 Morningside 78, William Penn 62 Morningside 92, Peru State 71 Morningside 73, Clarke 45 Morningside 55, Ashford 26 Morningside 73, Grand View 61 Morningside 78, Concordia 70 Morningside 85, Midland 63 Morningside 73, Hastings 47 Morningside 95, Northwestern 62 Morningside 76, Dakota Wesleyan 71 Morningside 72, Mount Marty 58 Morningside 77, Nebraska Wesleyan 55 Morningside 66, Siena Heights 55 Morningside 83, Saint Xavier 77 Morningside 88, Jamestown 54 Morningside 79, Dakota State 54 Morningside 87, Briar Cliff 82 Morningside 64, Dordt 37 Morningside 88, Doane 86 OT Morningside 60, Hastings 46 Morningside 75, Northwestern 62 Morningside 89, Dakota Wesleyan 74 Morningside 79, Nebraska Wesleyan 59 Morningside 65, Mount Marty 61 Morningside 66, Midland 55 Morningside 61, Dordt 57 Morningside 83, Doane 75 Morningside 75, Briar Cliff 66 Morningside 77, Concordia 76

GPAC TOURNAMENT

Morningside 83, Dakota Wesleyan 72 Morningside 77, Briar Cliff 62 Concordia 80, Morningside 72

NAIA II NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Morningside 79, California Merced 45 Morningside 74, Oklahoma Wesleyan 66 Morningside 79, Saint Francis 62 Morningside 66, Hastings 63 Morningside 59, Concordia 57

MUSTANG BASKETBALL

GPAC/NAIA

GPAC/NAIA

“America’s Small College Super-Conference

The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is an affiliated conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), consisting of 11 private, faith-based colleges and universities in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota.

The GPAC is made up of the following member institutions: Briar Cliff University (Chargers), Sioux City, Iowa Concordia University (Bulldogs), Seward, Neb. Dakota Wesleyan University (Tigers), Mitchell, S.D. Doane College (Tigers), Crete, Neb. Dordt College (Defenders), Sioux Center, Iowa Hastings College (Broncos), Hastings, Neb. University of Jamestown (Jimmies), Jamestown, ND Midland University (Warriors), Fremont, Neb. Morningside College (Mustangs), Sioux City, Iowa Mount Marty College (Lancers), Yankton, S.D. Northwestern College (Red Raiders), Orange City, Iowa College of Saint Mary (Flames), Omaha, Neb. Originally founded in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC), the league’s charter members were Concordia, Dana, Doane, Hastings, Midland Lutheran, and Nebraska Wesleyan.

In 1992, the NIAC added Northwestern and became the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference and maintained the same acronym.

Eight years later, Dakota Wesleyan, Dordt, Mount Marty, and Sioux Falls joined the conference which became the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in 2000-01. Briar Cliff entered the league in 2002-03 and Morningside became the 13th member starting with the 2003-04 school year. The GPAC’s membership dropped to 11 schools when Dana ceased operations in the summer of 2010 and Sioux Falls left to join the NCAA Division II ranks at the end of the 2010-11 academic year. College of Saint Mary became the GPAC’s 12th member in 2015 before membership dropped back to 11 when Nebraska Wesleyan left following the 2015-16 academic year. The University of Jamestown will join the GPAC in 2018-19 as a new member.

The new conference name was selected from among dozens of entries from students in a contest conducted in the fall of 1999. Five students submitted the winning conference named and two of them - Miles Ruch of Doane and Northwestern’s Brian Pike - were selected at random to receive $250 scholarships from the GPAC in recognition of their winning entries. The other three students who submitted “Great Plains Athletic Conference” for the new conference were Dana’s Kevin Stull, Kim Walquist of Concordia, and Doane’s Wayne Webster.

The GPAC sponsors 21 championship sports - 10 for men and 11 for women - and awards an All-Sports Trophy based on final league standings and conference meet results at the end of each school year. Morningside shared the All-Sports Trophy with Nebraska Wesleyan for the 2006-07 academic year and won the title outright in 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16 and again in 2016-17.

To date, the GPAC has produced 26 team NAIA National Champions. In 2000-2001 the Northwestern men and women won the NAIA Division II basketball National Championships, while the Doane women shared the outdoor NAIA track & field title. 2001-2002 brought two NAIA titles to the league. The Hastings women won the NAIA II national basketball title, while Doane’s women won the NAIA outdoor track & field championship outright. In 20022003 the GPAC won two more basketball National Championships with the Hastings women repeating as NAIA II champions, and the Northwestern men winning the NAIA II crown for the second time in three years. Morningside won the 2004 and 2005 NAIA Division II women’s basketball titles in front of the hometown Sioux City fans at the Tyson Events Center. Hastings recaptured the crown in 2006 to complete a run of six consecutive NAIA II women’s basketball National Championships for the GPAC. Dana won the NAIA wrestling National Championship in 2006. Sioux Falls won the football National Championship for the 2006 season and Northwestern won the NAIA II women’s basketball title in 2008. The GPAC had two undefeated National Champions in 2008-09 as Sioux Falls went 14-0 en route to the NAIA football National Championship and the Morningside women’s basketball team captured the NAIA II National Championship with a win against Hastings in an all-GPAC final to cap a perfect 38-0 season. Sioux Falls went 15-0 to repeat as NAIA football champions in 2009 and the Northwestern women’s basketball team captured the 2010 NAIA II crown. The Hastings men’s soccer team went 25-0 to win the 2010 NAIA title, while Northwestern repeated as NAIA II women’s basketball champions in both 2010-11 and 2011-12 to give the GPAC 11 NAIA II National Champions in a span of 13 years. The 2014-15 academic year saw Morningside capture its fourth NAIA II Women’s Basketball National Championship in an All-GPAC Final Four and Concordia win the NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championship. Concordia won the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championship in 2016. The 2016-17 academic year saw Hastings win NAIA National Championships in volleyball and men’s soccer and Midland win a national title in competitive dance.

Corey Westra of Sioux City is the GPAC Commissioner and Lucas Mohrman of Lincoln, Neb., is the GPAC Assistant Commissioner for Sports Information. For more information on the GPAC, including scores, stories, stats, and more, visit the conference website at www. gpacsports.com.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) currently administers programs of intercollegiate athletics at nearly 300 fully accredited colleges and universities of moderate enrollment. The fundamental tenet of the NAIA is that intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the total educational program of the institution.

As the country’s oldest collegiate sports governing body, the NAIA has been a leader in addressing important issues such as racial integration, women’s sports championship programs and improved academic eligibility requirements.

There are presently 15 sports offerings and 25 national championship opportunities within the NAIA, which stresses that the athletic program is a basic component of the overall general process and not an entity apart.