SCOTTY'S STROLL: Basketball Heaven? Sure Seems Like it for Former Dragon

By Larry Scott, retired Sports Information Director

In an earlier life, big time college basketball was Jared Bledsoe's personal lodestar. It was the centerpiece in his life and the bigger the stage the better. For Bledsoe, basketball was the stuff of dreams, and he couldn't get enough. It began a most interesting odyssey, chock full of several highs and a sprinkling of lows, but it was the destination that provided the biggest surprise.

After a prosperous prep career at Hamilton High School in Memphis, TN, that included a trip to the Tennessee State High School Championships, Bledsoe accepted a NCAA Division I scholarship from University of Tennessee-Martin at Martin, TN. Other suitors included University of Texas-San Antonio, Arkansas State and Tennessee Tech University.

“I always had a dream of playing division one college basketball and professional basketball,” said Bledsoe. “My best friend (Corey Mitchell) was going to Martin, and our childhood dream was to play division one basketball together. We grew up in the same neighborhood and played ball together since we were kids.”

After a rewarding run at Hamilton High, Bledsoe quickly adapted to the taxing college basketball lifestyle.

“I played right away and actually started as a sophomore,” Bledsoe said. “My first game as a freshman was against the University of Hawaii at Hawaii, and I had 11 points with three three-pointers. Oh, that was fun. I had some good teammates and some fond memories, especially beating Butler my sophomore year.”

Bledsoe spent two seasons chasing his big time dreams, but when playing time became a limited commodity he relocated at Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2001.

“My dad (Jessie) lives in Fargo, and he always said it would be nice to have me closer,” Bledsoe said. “He was always very, very supportive. There were also a couple of coaching changes (at Tennessee-Martin) and a different feel on the team. At that time my dad and I were growing closer, and that was the number one reason—to get closer to the family.”

With plenty of new options for Bledsoe, why MSU Moorhead?

“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” explained Bledsoe. “My dad was actually my eyes and ears for the selection, and my dad liked MSUM and coach (Mike) Olson. The rest is history.”

A silky smooth guard, Bledsoe started in the Dragon backcourt for two seasons. Largely regarded as one of the best to ever play at MSU Moorhead, he averaged 19.4 ppg as a senior. A two-time All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference choice, Bledsoe was voted the Dragons' Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior and set a single season record of 73 steals in 2002-03 that still stands.

The days at MSUM bring back pleasant memories for Bledsoe. “I had fun. I still talk to a lot of the guys I played with; we built some life-long relationships. We had great chemistry on the court and (advancing) to the conference championship game that first year was fun.”

A four-year collegiate career that included two seasons each at Tennessee-Martin and MSU Moorhead didn't completely satisfy Bledsoe's need for basketball. “After I was through playing at MSUM I had an offer to go play in Brazil, but I made a promise to my folks that I would finish college before I would pursue professional basketball.”

Bledose spent a rewarding year as a student-assistant coach at MSUM in 2003-04 under Stu Engen. “I enjoyed it very much, and it gave me a totally different view of basketball. I learned so much, including how a coach prepares, behind the scenes stuff like what goes into a season and into a practice, and what a coach expects from his players and staff. I really appreciated that.”

After completing his collegiate degree Bledsoe eagerly accepted the challenge of basketball for hire.

“I played in the IBL for the Grand Rapids (MI) Flight my first year and moved to the Holland (MI) Blast my second year when our assistant took the head coaching job. He was adamant about me joining him. I played in the IBL four seasons and finished second in scoring (30.1 ppg) my second year. I was named an IBL All-Star two years and was the MVP at Holland. I was (elected) to the IBL Hall of Fame and I also played in China, Saudi Arabia.”

He enjoyed the challenge of professional basketball. It was the best of times and a memorable adventure for sure, but it was time to move on. The disruptive nature of the business of basketball was beginning to take its toll.

“You leave, come back, leave, comeback,” Bledsoe said. “You lose time with your family, and lose stability. I had a business training kids---The Next Level Basketball Academy---and it's tough to build up clientele when you have to take off.”

Today Bledsoe is far from the aura of big time college basketball, and begins his second season as girls' basketball coach at Oak Grove High School in Fargo, ND in early December. It's a long way from where he hoped to be as a young man and far from the bright lights of the National Basketball Association.

And Bledsoe couldn't be happier.

“Number one, I love the game of basketball and I love working with kids so it's been the perfect match for me,” said Bledsoe. “In the beginning you're going to have challenges, no matter what you do, but I embrace them because Oak Grove has embraced me, and being part of the Oak Grove family has truly been a blessing. The players, faculty, staff and parents have all been very supportive. Obviously there's a real spiritual connection at Oak Grove, and being a believer I can share that with others, including parents. That makes a difference.”

An abiding faith will carry Bledsoe through any rough patches, but he is grateful for what basketball has provided as well.

“The game has given me so much, so many unbelievable opportunities and the chance to travel the world. It teaches you how to set a common goal, work with the other guys to build relationships and chemistry, and learn how to sacrifice.”

Bledsoe still keeps his eye of MSU Moorhead. “My heart is always with the Dragons, and I check the website often to see how they are doing.”

Supporting his alma mater comes easy for the onetime Dragon. After all, keeping the faith has never really been much of a challenge for Bledsoe.

Three Decades Later, The Sullivan Saga Still Resonates with the Dragons

By Larry Scott

It’s been over 30 years since Randy Sullivan checked into his first football camp at Moorhead State University. It would mark the beginning of an illustrious career that still conjures up great memories three decades later, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the real uncertainty of recruiting.

A native of tiny Stewart in southeastern Minnesota, Sullivan charted a prosperous prep career, doing all he could to catch the eye of college coaches and adapting well when Stewart High School dropped from the 11-man game to nine-man football in his senior year.

“It was my understanding I led the state in rushing as a junior and senior,” Sullivan recalled. “I think I averaged about 185 yards a game my senior year, but we never made it to state, in fact we never made it out of our conference. (Maybe) I was naive to think that I could end up doing what I did coming from a small school with no real guidance or training.”

Even after all these years, Sullivan clearly remembers the recruiting process. There was some interest, most of it from small private schools, and a couple of opportunities to walk on. Somehow, through the recruiting haze came an emissary from MSU Moorhead, and the fog began to lift for Sullivan.

“The first coach I had contact with was (defensive coordinator) Dave Olson,” said Sullivan. “I came up for a visit, and the number one factor (in my decision) was the winning tradition. There were a lot of good players here and a good history.”

“There were no real promises other than I could come up and compete. I was pretty sure I was going to play offense, but coach Olson talked about me playing defense. Fortunately, the head coach was an offensive guy, and I got to stay on offense.”

Sullivan would quickly benefit from the coaching wisdom of Fortier.

“Ross was the first real football coach I had; my high school coach really was a basketball coach,” said Sullivan. “Coach Fortier taught me the game. He was very organized, very consistent, and we always knew what we would be doing. We didn’t try to do a bunch of things; we just had to execute to be successful. Because of his commitment to doing the best at whatever we were doing, we knew we could succeed, even if the defense knew what we were doing.”

Years later, Sullivan remains impressed about the splendid relationship between Fortier and Olson.

“I got to spend every day with coach Fortier because he was runningbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Dave was a little more outspoken and interactive, but it was a perfect blend. Ole was the rah-rah guy who got us fired up, while Ross was always thinking two and three series ahead. He had great calmness and unwavering confidence in what we were doing.”

“It was very intimidating, coming from a small school,” Sullivan said. “I didn’t know anybody who had played college football, and when I got here, I was impressed with how big they were and how fast they looked. I remember after my second day being so sore and stiff. . . calling back home and talking to my mom about how maybe this isn’t for me. . . but after the two-a-days were over, I felt more comfortable.”

It didn’t take Sullivan long to make an imprint at State.

He spent most of his rookie season with the Dragon junior varsity, and was voted Most Valuable Freshman, but he was also included on the travel roster for the post-season playoff game at Pittsburg (KS) State. He was the lone freshman added to the limited roster.

“I felt very comfortable in my ability against the other freshmen. I won the freshman award, but I never started a game for the freshman team. We had four other backs, and we had a rotating system. Just by chance I never got to start, but I led the team in rushing.”

“I got to travel for the playoff game and return kickoffs,” said Sullivan. “That was my first (varsity) action. I’ll never forget before the game (captain) Randy Bjorklund grabbed me by the shoulder pads and said, ‘Don’t fumble.’ I didn’t.”

“The next spring they moved me to fullback because Jerry Allen was back. We ran mostly open backs, but I was the fullback in the I-formation and won the position that spring before my sophomore year.”

He became the feature back in the Dragon offense as a sophomore in 1982 and rushed for 972 yards and 16 touchdowns on 176 carries. He also finished second in scoring on the final NCAA Division II national chart with 12.2 ppg, and sixth in rushing, 108.

His numbers spiked considerably in 1983 as a junior. Sullivan’s workload increase to 233 carries, and he produced 1,123 yards with 10 touchdowns and finished third nationally with 126.3 yards a game.

Crafting an encore for his senior year would be tricky stuff for most backs, but Sullivan set a single season record with 1,406 rushing yards on 285 carries with 20 touchdowns. He reached a memorable personal goal by leading the nation in both rushing, 140.6, and scoring, 13.2.

He exited as the Moorhead State’s career leader for rushing (3,515) and scoring (316), and set a career record with 52 touchdowns.

He reached the 100-yard plateau19 times, including nine of 10 games as a senior, and scored five touchdowns against Minnesota Morris in 1984. He also scored four touchdowns on three other occasions.

He was a three-time NIC rushing and scoring champion and a first team All-NIC pick all three years. He was decorated with NIC Player of the Week honors eight times. A first team All-NAIA District 13 selection as a senior, he was voted the top player in the district.

Sullivan was an NAIA Honorable mention All-American as a sophomore, a second team pick as a junior and a first team choice as a senior.

Sullivan burst upon the regional and national scene with a breakout performance in a 30-9 victory over Concordia College in game two. Sullivan rushed for 163 yards and four touchdowns.

After the game, he was quick to deflect praise to others. “They were keying on (Jerry) Allen,” he offered.

“That was my most memorable game, and it solidified with my teammates that I could play, that I could contribute. It was my second start, and I was the only new starter on offense. The next day there was a picture of me scoring a touchdown in the Minneapolis Tribune; that was neat.”

There would be a long line of memorable games in Sullivan’s portfolio, including a 227-yard rushing harvest against Kearney State as a senior and a 175-yard, five-touchdown day in a wild 45-42 loss at Minnesota-Morris as a senior.

By his sophomore year Sullivan became a marked man, the focal point of opposing defenses. It would extract a toll, and while Sullivan would receive more than his share of big hits, he never missed a game. “I missed about three quarters of the Winona State game as a senior with a back spasm,” said Sullivan. He would bounce back the next week to score five touchdowns against UMM.

There was a time when Sullivan thought briefly about testing his skills on a bigger stage.

“I considered transferring to Nebraska after my sophomore year,” Sullivan said. “I was confident I could play at the highest level. Nebraska was an I-formation team, and I was an I-back. I talked to coach Olson about it. He had left Moorhead State, and I knew he would be honest with me. He gave me nothing but encouragement, and said I could play there, but he also said I would have an incredible future here, so I stayed.”

A Construction Management major at Moorhead State, Sullivan is convinced college football provides a rich learning experience beyond the classroom, “There’s not a better education,” said Sullivan. “Getting the degree is great, but the best education is the one you get in the locker room.”

Today Sullivan looks back on his collegiate career with a sense of satisfaction and melancholy from his home in Hawaii. It was a magical time in his life, but he knows they are gone for good, and only the memories remain.

“I was thankful for the great teams we had, and all the success we had. It was always fun, especially game day. I had the fortune of playing behind a lot of good blockers.”

There is a special connection, a team bonding that is at the very heart of successful programs. It’s also something that cannot be replicated, a feeling that will be missed.

“The camaraderie, you’ll never get that back,” Sullivan said. “Guys from all walks of life getting together for six days a week; that’s the most hurtful part of leaving the game. You just can’t get that back.”

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TURNING HURDLES INTO MILESTONES

By Larry Scott

In many ways, he was a most unlikely candidate for empire-building. A few cheeseburgers shy of 128 pounds as a senior at tiny Halstad High School, Terry Harrington was largely a recruiting afterthought for most college track coaches, but he found a home at Minnesota State University Moorhead, a satisfying stay that generated a batch of memories and spawned a remarkable professional career.

A 2000 inductee into the Dragon Hall of Fame, Harrington recently retired after nearly 40 years teaching and coaching at Fergus Falls High School. He filled both track and cross-country coaching roles for the Otters, relying on some of the lessons he learned early on at Moorhead State to build character and champions.

It’s a swell story for sure, but his rewarding track career almost never got off the ground. Raised near Hillsboro, ND, Harrington spent much of his time on the 240-acre family farm on the west side of the Red River, and his options as a lad were limited. “It was mostly (about) farming; there wasn’t anything else,” he remembers.

When Harrington reached high school, however, new opportunities surfaced and sports held a special appeal for him, despite his slender frame. “In high school, I played basketball and went out for football my senior year. I scored three touchdowns and an extra point, and then I broke my arm in practice the next Monday.”

“I still had the cast on all the way through basketball season,” Harrington remembers. “I got it off on a Wednesday before our first track meet at Mahnomen on Friday, but I broke my arm again when I landed in the hard sand in the high jump. At least I had one day without a cast.”

Despite the cumbersome cast, Harrington’s hurdling career began to take full flight, and he climbed to second on the individual prep hurdle rankings. He also qualified for the Minnesota State High School Championships in St. Paul. His hopes of a first place finish slipped away, however, and while he was disappointed he was far from discouraged. It only motivated him more.

“I never lost until the finals of the state meet at Macalester and was tied for second best in the state, but there were all those bright lights, and maybe there was still a lot of North Dakota farm boy in me.”

Despite his banner senior year, Harrington wasn’t sure about his next move.

“I didn’t even know if I was going to college, but a few coaches still came around and I thought that was remarkable,” Harrington said. “UND was going to give me a scholarship, but they told me I was too small to run the hurdles.”

Harrington had a few doubts of his own as well.

“I had a teacher and counselor who told me ‘you’ll never make it.’ I’m not sure if he was just trying to scare me, but it worked, and for the first two years (at MSC)

I studied very hard. I saw a lot of guys who were smarter than me, but they played cards all the time and by spring quarter they were gone.”

Harrington may have wondered if he really belonged at college, but head coach Al Holmes was patiently building a quality program at Moorhead State and needed some hurdle help. Holmes was sure Harrington was ready. “The stopwatch doesn’t lie,” Holmes said.

“Holmes was really impressive, very nice, and I enjoyed him a lot,” said Harrington. “I came in not knowing a whole bunch, and he spent a lot of time helping me. Al and his assistant, Marv Fink, had a lot of knowledge, talked confidently and sold me. He brought in guys like Larron Swanson, Ron Monsegue, Tony Jones, Clint Chamberlin, Bob Brophy, Ken Nygaard, Dick Kimball and others.”

The coaching baton was passed from Holmes to Ron Masanz in 1968, and the intensity level took a sizable spike for Harrington and his pals.

“Ron was a tremendous motivator, and that hasn’t changed at all. You couldn’t outwork him, and he’s probably the best thing that ever happened to the university even after he retired. He still keeps everybody’s feet to the fire.”

Harrington knew he was part of something very special, building a rock solid foundation that would last well into the next century, but the Dragons’ first Northern Intercollegiate Conference championship would have to wait until after his hurdling career was over.

“We did very, very well, but we just didn’t have enough depth.”

Harrington faced some major challenges when he arrived on the collegiate hurdling scene.

“There were two big adjustments. First, the hurdles are three inches higher, and I’m a little height-challenged vertically, and second, in high school, you’re not used to having somebody come up on you. I was a great starter, fast out of the blocks, so I really never saw anybody. It’s hard to run and keep your focus with somebody right next to you.”

Harrington will never forget his first collegiate meet, a special invitational at Winnipeg, Manitoba that attracted some of the world’s top athletes, especially in the hurdles. Among the select were Olympic champion and world recordholder Willie Davenport of Southern (LA) University.

“There were about 8,000 people there but it seemed like a 100,000 to me,” said Harrington. “You had to qualify all day for the finals at night, and they only let one person get in. They had already seeded (the field), including Davenport, another hurdler from Southern who was a runnerup to Davenport at nationals, a guy out of Yankton, SD who was second in the Olympic trials, and the Canadian champion. Oh, and me.

“It was the first event of the night, and after they played ‘God Save the Queen’ they sent us out into the spotlight to get into our blocks. I looked around and there was Willie with his nice uniform, with patches on from all over the world, and I had on a faded pink uniform with about a hundred stitches. Oh, I finished fifth out of five, but I ran against Willie several times in the future, and we got to be good friends.”

Harrington qualified for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Indoor and Outdoor Championships and placed seventh in the 120-yard high hurdles at the 1969 NAIA Outdoor. He was elected captain of the Dragons as a senior in 1969 and was saluted as the Most Valuable Track athlete. He was also honored as the Outstanding Senior Athlete at Moorhead State in 1968-69.

Harrington graduated in 1969 and accepted a graduate assistantship at Moorhead State the next year. Uncle Sam was interested in Harrington as well, and the following summer he was drafted.

“I went to Fort Lewis, Washington, and Fort Gordon, Georgia. We had 200 people in our company (at Fort Gordon), and all but 11 went to Vietnam. They put me in the MPs, and I ended up at West Point for two years.”

It was a stroke of good luck for Harrington, and it also introduced him to a larger sporting state.

“It was a great place, and they had every NCAA event imaginable. We watched national championships in a lot of different sports that we didn’t know existed back then, like lacrosse, rugby, fencing and swimming. I also got to run in a few track meets.”

After completing his military obligation, he applied for the only fulltime job he would ever hold.

“Denny Anderson was just named the head basketball coach at Moorhead State, and he told me there was a track coaching opportunity back at Fergus Falls. I applied for the job and got it. It was the only job I ever applied for.”

During his run at Fergus Falls, Harrington developed a lot of talented athletes, including hurdling whiz David Knutson, a four-year letterman at the University of Wisconsin, Jon Pontius, a dominant force in the high jump, long jumper and triple jump at United States Military Academy at West Point, and distance specialist Eric Loeffler, who placed 28^th at the 2010 New York City Marathon.

He worked with student-athletes with a wide range of talent and dedication, including those of limited skills who over-achieved and those who parlayed natural talents into something special. “I enjoyed working with both types. You can’t hold it against kids who are gifted, but the question is how are you going to use that gift?”

As always, Harrington was there to help them find a way.

The Living End

By Larry Scott, retired
Sports Information Director

Nearly a half century later, it remains one of the greatest singular performances in Dragon lore, and for Bruce Bausman, surely the signature moment of a remarkable but often overlooked athletic career.

It was opening day, 1963, when Bausman, a slender 6-2, 197-pound senior wide receiver, teamed with quarterback Kevin Wimmer for a record 203 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a shocking 31-14 smackdown of North Dakota State University at Dacotah Field in Fargo, ND.

While Dragon fans of today can only gasp at the thought of a romp over the heralded Bison, to Bausman and his football pals at Moorhead State College, it was simply a non-conference win. Well, Bausman admits, there was a little more to it.

“What’s often overlooked is that we beat them the year before as well,” Bausman recalled. “They had brought in Darrell Mudra as head coach, and the press were all oriented to NDSU. I don’t know if we believed because I’m not sure if we knew what we had.

“Those 203 yards came on only four catches, and that’s not what we had anticipated. They didn’t expect it, and we didn’t expect it. I was not known as a speedster. In fact, when I later played in the Continental League, one of our coaches said I had 9.8 hands but 12.8 feet.

“I don’t even think our coaches expected that, but Wimmer could lay it right in there; that was the secret. We really hadn’t practiced it much. It was just accidental. Coach (Dwaine) Hoberg came out of the old Bernie Bierman school at the University of Minnesota---run the single wing, three yards and a cloud of dust. If you tried something else, it was just for variety.”

It was heady stuff for Bausman and the Dragons, but the good times soon evaporated.

“It only lasted for a short time, however, after I broke my arm in the homecoming game. It was a little deflating because I was second in the nation in receiving after the NDSU game and was starting to get letters from the NFL, including the Packers and Cowboys. After the injury, the rankings and letters ceased.”

A 1960 graduate of St. Louis Park High School, Bausman lettered in football and track but had few expectations of a rewarding collegiate career. “I was just a very average player,” Bausman confessed. “In high school, I was a blocking end, and there’s not much notoriety in that, and we ran the single-wing, which meant we hardly ever passed the ball. Later, when I came to college, we started throwing the ball, and I found out I could catch it.

“Jim Camp, an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, lived in the neighborhood and was willing to take me on as a walk-on, but I got a half tuition and fees scholarship at MS.”

It didn’t take Bausman long to make an imprint.

“I started my first game as a freshman, the first game ever played at (Alex) Nemzek Stadium,” said Bausman. “I caught 32 passes as a sophomore; that was the most I caught in a season.”

Bausman readily admits he gained much of his football acumen from an unlikely source.

“My sophomore year I wrote to Raymond Berry of the Baltimore Colts, and he sent me a whole slug of materials he used. We corresponded for several years, and I remember I would go to sleep the night before a game reading his stuff. He was a self-made man, my hero and my instructor.”

A three-time All-NIC choice, Bausman was the recipient of the Glenn Galligan Award, given annually to the league’s outstanding senior. “That kind of surprised me since I missed half the season,” Bausman said.

Football may have been his greatest passion, but Bausman relished the entire collegiate experience. “I played on the hockey team and participated in the weights in track. I was class president my freshman year and elected to the student council for two years. I was also the student representative on the Faculty Athletic Committee and a member of the Owl fraternity.”

Bausman’s diligent work habits weren’t limited to football.

“I had a variety of jobs in college, and I think I worked about 40 hours a week. I was an assistant manager at King Leo’s Drive Inn; refereed hockey games; taught driver’s training and was head hockey coach at Dilworth High School as a freshman and sophomore. I also was a park director for one summer; whatever it took.”

It was a much smaller setting, a stage that provided a comfortable fit for Bausman.

“When I started, there were about 1,250 students and a real intimacy about Moorhead State. It seemed everybody belonged to one of the organizations. As the school got bigger and bigger, the value of fraternal and sorority life got deluded.”

Bausman graduated with a major in Spanish and a French and business minor, a rare combination that quickly paid dividends. “My first job interview, that took two days, was conducted in three languages, and you had to answer the questions in the language that was posed.”

He landed his first real job, but he still wasn’t ready to put away his spikes.

“I took a job with International Multi-Foods in their overseas division, and my first assignment was in Madison, WI. The weekend I got there, I saw an ad in the newspaper that they were starting a semi-pro team, the Madison Mustangs. I tried out and played successfully for them. The next year I was invited to try out for the Charleston Rockets in the newly formed Continental League.

“I started out as the 13^th wide receiver on the depth chart, but I made the team and ended up starting. During the season, I had a shin splint and tailbone problem and spent the last half of the year on injured reserve.

“I went back to Minneapolis and started with Red Owl stores in the human resources department. Later, I was the senior vice president of real estate and for Musicland. We were the largest movie and music retailer in the world. My territory included the UK, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Manhattan and Los Angeles, so it kept me moving, but once digital downloading came in, I was spending my last two years closing stores and negotiating reductions. It just got tiring.”

After leaving the music industry Bausman relocated to a sprawling ranch in Colorado, but he wasn’t completely ready to ride off into the sunset. He still does consulting work and sees special value in an intern experience. “I tell my grandchildren become an intern and get an idea of what the real world is like in that profession.”

Bausman still relies on those trusty values that shaped his football career, and firmly believes patience, preparation and persistence will ultimately open the right door. “I found out that I could compete; if you have the right kind of tools they will work in any environment.”

BAGLEY: QUEEN OF THE HILL

By Larry Scott, retired

Sports Information Director

Winning never gets old for Jen Bagley.

Surely one of the greatest players to ever grace a Minnesota State University Moorhead softball uniform and arguably the greatest Dragon pitcher of them all, Bagley continues to add chapters to her sparkling intercollegiate softball career.

Bagley recently completed her 10^th season as head softball coach at Missouri Western State University in 2011 and guided the Griffons to a 40-15 record and a first ever MIAA regular season title. She was saluted as MIAA Coach of the Year for a third time and pocketed her 300^th career collegiate victory in February.

A product of Hoyt Lakes on the Minnesota Iron Range, Bagley once carried a laminated picture of Minnesota Twins legend Kirby Puckett in the back pocket of her softball uniform for good luck. She charted a rewarding schoolgirl career in volleyball, basketball and softball at Mesabi East High School.

“I didn’t start playing softball until eighth grade, and Mr. (Tom) Gillach, who was my PE teacher, was quoted as saying he would get the two biggest girls in class and teach them how to pitch. You can how imagine how horrified I was, because the last thing an eighth grade female wants is to be thought of as big.

“He took me under his wing. He would play catch for me and take me to different clinics, and that’s how it started. Now, kids are playing competitive ball as early as 12 and 13 years old.

“I was in track, but I wasn’t very good. I ran high hurdles and was terrible; I still have the scars on my knees to show it. We played basketball and volleyball, and my family golfed and skied, so we were very active.”

MSU Moorhead head coach Katie Wilson won the spirited recruiting battle and signed Bagley to a scholarship at MSU Moorhead. It was a stroke of good fortune that would soon lift Minnesota State Moorhead to national prominence.

“I wanted to be a Paralegal major. I had gone to Minnesota-Duluth pitching camps and had a close relationship with their pitching coach, but they didn’t have Paralegal as a major. I looked at places in the state that offered it, including Winona State and Moorhead State. Katie Wilson called me; we visited, and it just felt right.”

The most dominant pitcher in Dragon softball history, Bagley was a four-year starter and anchor of a pitching staff that led MSUM to NAIA national tournament appearances in 1993 and 1994. She was named to All-NSIC teams in 1995 and 1996 and also lettered in golf at MSU Moorhead.

“We played in two national championships in (Columbia) Missouri. I thought our 1993 team was awesome with Jill Knisley, Kim Bieck, Missy Jaeb, Cheryl Johnson, Amy Tenute, Dana Gross, Deb Kazmierczak, Kailey Smith and Pauline Stern.”

The rules were simple when Bagley took the mound---she would be in charge and the batter would benefit by quickly coming to that realization.

“My rise ball and my curve ball were my best pitches; I threw about 60 per cent rise balls and 40 per cent curve balls. Once in a while, I would throw a changeup, but I felt my speed was my strength. My pitches usually moved really well, but I didn’t always know where they were going.

“I honestly believed every time I got on the mound I was just going to dominate. I don’t know where that came from. I guess I was just that naïve; I had no fear. Pauline Stern was my catcher all four years, and we worked together calling the game. I think we worked mostly to my strengths as opposed to what the batters’ strengths and weaknesses were, and we set hitters up depending upon what was working for me that day.”

After graduation, Bagley accepted a position with a local law firm and was appointed pitching coach for the Dragons.

“I got hired at Forrest Hutchinson and Assoc. in Fargo after I graduated, and I was also named an assistant coach at MSU. They let me come in early and leave early to get to practice, and that was great. After a couple of years, it dawned on me I could make a living as a head coach, so I went and got my master’s degree at North Dakota State.”

After completing her degree at NDSU she served as an assistant softball coach at Humboldt State University in California and helped guide the Jacks to a 54-14-1 overall record and a third place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

“That was a great experience, a pivotal time in my life when I said ‘yes, this is what I want to do.’ I learned so much from coach (Frank) Cheek in one year on how to run a program, not only the Xs and Os, but the intensity of a program, and it taught me a lot about the kind of coach I wanted to be. He was a huge mentor in my life.”

Bagley was installed as head coach at Missouri Western in 2002 and has averaged 33 victories a season. The Griffs have qualified for the NCAA Central Regional Tournament five times in the last seven years under Bagley’s watch.

She has also taken her act abroad as head softball coach at American Internal Sports Tours for four summers, coaching athletes in Prague in the Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, France and Belgium.

“I’ve loved every moment of it. It’s so awesome to be a part of a program long enough where you have alumni that are ‘my girls.’ Watching these kids in this period of their lives---being real life career women, getting married and starting families---it’s really a special time in their life, and I’m just fortunate to be a part of it.”

While Bagley largely welcomed the warmer climes of Missouri, she confesses that she still misses the wacky winters of the upper Midwest. “Believe it or not, I miss the weather and being able to play in the snow, but we can be outdoors practicing in February and still have the change of seasons,” Bagley said.

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Foley's Finest

By Larry Scott, retired
Sports Information Director

Some things never change, and while there are few certainties in high school sports, there is one constant you can always count on---expect Foley High School to make a serious impact at the Minnesota State High School Wrestling Championships. Every year.

For over a half century the little school by the Rum River in central Minnesota has been a major player on the prep level, especially under coach Lyle Freudenberg, a former wrestling captain at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

The onetime Dragon recently completed his 29th season as head coach at Foley High and guided FHS to a fourth place finish at the 2011 Minnesota State Class AA Championships at St. Paul. “We were in the finals in 2009 and 2010, and we had a couple of really nice squads. We had a good squad this year, too,” said Freudenberg.

Under Freudenberg's watch Foley captured state titles in 1989 and 1993 in the two-class system, and again in 1994 in the expanded three-class field. He was twice named Minnesota High School Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Freudenberg was appointed head coach of the Falcons in 1982 at the age of 30, and admits he was attracted to Foley by the rich wrestling tradition.

“I wanted to get into a good wrestling program and learn a little bit more,” Freudenberg said. “When I came to Foley they had two coaches who had been here about seven or eight years, and they were both outstanding technicians and coaches,” said Freudenberg.

Freudenberg cannot imagine a more perfect place to chase his dream.

“Foley had a strong wrestling tradition back then. They started in 1954 and had only one losing season, 1959. We haven't had a losing season since, and they've always had success. The fans are very knowledgeable about wrestling, too, and sometimes we draw close to 2,000 fans for a dual. The community is really supportive.”

A 1970 graduate of Parkers Prairie High School, Freudenberg lettered in football, track and wrestling and placed third as a senior at the state wrestling tournament. It was a pair of former Dragons who pointed him to MSUM.

“Andy McCarty was my coach, and he had graduated from Moorhead State, and Al Holmes, an assistant coach at the time, recruited me. The scholarship depended if you made the varsity team. There were no guarantees then, but I did get a partial scholarship.”

A fast learner, Freudenberg barged his way into the Dragon starting lineup as a freshman, beginning a run of four productive seasons that created a batch of pleasant memories.

“In my senior year in 1974 I won a conference title at 150 pounds,” said Freudenberg. “I was one of the captains along with Bob Bowlsby, and I qualified for the nationals as a junior and senior. I was ranked in the top 10 at the time but didn't place.”

Freudenberg worked his craft under the careful eye of Hall of Fame coach Bill Garland.

“Bill was a good technician,” Freudenberg said. “My style in high school was quite a bit different than college. I was more of a mat wrestler in high school, so it took a couple of years to convert me to the college style of wrestling, but Bill was very patient with me. It took a while to get me over the hump.”

“Bill always wanted to wrestle the best competition. When I was a senior we wrestled against several Big Ten schools, and I learned a lot about the mental part of wrestling. Because I changed my major to Biology I needed another year, and I spent my last year an assistant coach under Garland.”

“I started teaching at Oakes, North Dakota in 1975. Back then jobs were hard to come by and it seemed like a good start for me. I coached there for three years and really enjoyed it, and came to Foley as an assistant in 1978. I got the head job in 1982 after four years.”

A great ambassador for his sport, Freudenberg is continually on the lookout for talent, someone who can help his Bears, and someone he can help.

“It gets tougher, and kids have a lot of options these days. One thing about wrestling, you're always talking to kids, trying to get them to come out. It's not a recruiting sport like football, everyone wants to play football. Wrestling is a very popular sport in Foley, but not everywhere. You still have to go out and get the kids.”

He remains convinced that wrestling can positively shape lives as well.

“You learn a lot about yourself, how to handle stress and develop a great work ethic,” Freudenberg said. “What I learned in high school and college allowed me to continue coaching at a pretty high level for quite a few years and still put in a lot of time and energy into the program, not only the varsity program but K through 12 as well.”

Despite his long and prosperous career, Freudenberg isn't ready to ride off into the sunset. “I'm close to retirement, but I enjoy the teaching part and coaching. I've got some great assistant coaches who make my job easier and make our whole system work. That makes it funs as well.”

His sons Josh (25), and Jared (23), both competed for him and daughter Laura (21) remains close to the sport as well. “Both of my sons wrestled for me, and that is one of the most rewarding things for a parent. It made doing all those extra things as a coach a lot easier knowing they were involved in the program.” His wife Lynn also teaches at Foley.


A seventh grade Life Science teacher, Freudenberg insists there are valuable measuring sticks other than victories to assess his teams.

“If the kids aren't much fun to coach, the season won't be much fun. We've always been successful, and it's fun to win, but the day-to-day thing in the room, and seeing them improving week-to-week is more important.”

SCOTTY'S STROLL: Lowell Bolger, the Ambassador of Dragon Basketball

By Larry Scott, retired Sports Information Director

For nearly six decades, he has been a been an integral part of the Minnesota State Moorhead basketball scene, a connection that has outlasted eight men's head coaches, four university presidents, three conference name changes and two home courts.

A member of the Dragon Hall of Fame and the exclusive 1,000-point club, Lowell Bolger enrolled at Moorhead State Teachers College in 1954, the beginning of a life-long love affair with the Dragons. More than a century later, he is still around, prodding his Dragons on and shouting encouragement from his traditional perch in the shadows of north basket.

Long after he stopped playing the game and almost 20 years since he retired from coaching it, Bolger is still drawn to basketball, fascinated by its ever-changing nature and the joy it still brings him.

“I watch a lot of basketball, and it's still enjoyable,” Bolger said. “It's a more physical game and a much, much tougher defensive game. Now you have to work hard to get your shot off. It's a fast-paced, tougher game.”

Bolger lives for game night, soaking in the environment while carefully observing MSUM coaches Karla Nelson and Chad Walthall work their courtside magic. “I enjoy watching our women play, and I think Chad's done a good job with the men's team, too. I really think he's just one or two players away.”

A Moorhead native, Bolger attended St. Joseph's School and Moorhead High, and caught the basketball fever at a young age. “We practiced at the high school, but played our home games on the hard, tile floor of the junior high.”

Bolger started three years with the Spuds and earned all-conference honors twice. He also lettered in football and baseball and helped Moorhead High advance to both the basketball and baseball state tournaments. Bolger was recruited by University of North Dakota head basketball coach Louie Bogan.

“Coach Bogan met with me and my family and offered me a scholarship, and I told him I was going to go. That summer after I graduated, I was playing baseball for the Moorhead Chix and (MSTC coach) Larry MacLeod was on the other team. I was at first base, and somehow we started talking, and he said he wanted to meet with me. A lot of my teammates, including Donnie Betzen, Ken Grabinske and Ron Miller, were already here (MSUM), and they said I should talk to him. Those guys really talked me into sticking around.”

Bolger accepted the invitation to join his pals, and hit the ground running as a freshman in 1954.

“I started all four years; it was a great experience. When I got here, I already knew a lot of the guys, and I was confident. I have no regrets; it was a lot of fun, a great four-year experience.”

He still has vivid memories of a cast of remarkable players, both fellow Dragons and opponents.

“I played with a lot of great players, including Sherm Moe, Denny Anderson, Kenny Reitan and John Torgerson, and that helped me a lot. If I got open, the ball would be in my hands.” Bolger also fondly remembers many of imposing opponents. “Vern Baggenstoss was a big, strong powerful player from St. Cloud. Bill Brady of Mayville State and Bill Quenette of Concordia College were both very good players.”

It was the best of times, but after four seasons with the Dragons it was time to move on, and Bolger was ready for another challenge.

“I graduated with Social Studies and Physical Education majors. I always wanted to be a teacher and coach. I still had a love for the area, and I really didn't want to go too far away.”

Bolger struck gold when he landed the head coaching job at nearby Hawley High School in 1958 at the tender age of 22 years. It was a union that would soon pay remarkable dividends for both parties.

“I knew they were going to be good,” said Bolger. “I watched them play at Concordia the year before, and I knew they had some good players, including Dick Reidberger and Ron Hendrickson. When Lyndon Sonju (transferred) in, that was the key.”

Bolger and the Nuggets carried their dreams all the way to the 1959 Minnesota State High School Tournament, a one-class show on the biggest stage of them all, Williams Arena. It was the premier sporting event in Minnesota, a wondrous adventure Bolger will never forget.

“We beat Moorhead in the district tournament, that was the biggest thing, and then we had to win two games in the regions at Concordia. That was great, the place was packed.”

“The state tournament was overwhelming, something I'll never forget,” said Bolger. “We got lots of telegrams left and right, including ones from the firemen and police. It was a great trip. There are so many great memories, and I still see some of those players.”

Bolger thoroughly enjoyed his stay with the Nuggets, but the call from his alma mater was too enticing. “I stayed at Hawley for three years and decided to go back to Moorhead State for my master's. Larry (MacLeod) had taken a sabbatical, and I worked for Glen Cafer.”

Bolger later moved to Duluth East High School as an assistant coach. “We got beat by Edina in the finals of the state tournament when (Jeff) Wright hit a corner shot. I started at Moorhead in 1966. My last year of coaching was 1982, and I retired from teaching in 1993.”

“I spent one year under Shocky Strand and then Bill Quenette came in as head coach. We went back to the state tournament my first year, and got beat again by Edina in the championship game.”

It wasn't just basketball, however, that stirred Bolger, and he was more than willing to become a champion for another group of eager but challenge young athletes.

“I used to bring a sack lunch to my phy ed office at Probstfield,” Bolger remembers. “I noticed a class of handicapped students would come in, and I thought maybe they would let me do some things with them. The other teachers thought that was great, so I brought some balls and we started playing little games and races. I really enjoyed it, and it hit me, so I went to the school board and said 'why can't we include them in our physical education program'? We did.”

Bolger quickly came up with a plan to put a foundation under his dreams.
“We raised money from the people in Moorhead, and we began taking the students swimming, going to the Y and the bowling alley and to Camp Confidence in Brainerd. Later, the Special Olympics started, and we really got involved. We ended up having the state and regional meets here for years. We worked hard to make it the best we could, and the people at MSUM were absolutely fantastic to us.”

Lowell and his wife Priscilla have three children, sons Jeff and Joe and daughter Kim and five grandsons. It's just perfect for a Bolger starting five, and basketball is in their blood. “Jordan (Bolger) is the first man off the bench at Eastview High School and Austin (Nelson) is a sophomore at Moorhead High.”

Bolger missed only one MSU Moorhead game this winter. “I had to watch my grandson play,” he said. Clearly he's not done watching basketball anytime soon.

While Bolger appreciates the Dragons, the feeling is mutually shared by members of the MSUM athletic staff. MSU Moorhead women's coach Karla Nelson especially appreciates Bolger's unwavering loyalty.

“One of the first things I notice when I walk out on the court is if Lowell Bolger and Jim Phillips are in the stands,” Nelson said. “When I see them I know it's 'game on.' ”

“Lowell is very supportive and his big heart matches his Dragon pride. He has always been very encouraging for me and the women's program, and I appreciate that very much.”