Moss' Career Change Draws Attention

Dale Moss

Undrafted free agents do not typically receive much attention, but that is not the case for former South Dakota State basketball turned football player Dale Moss. With the growing trend of converting college basketball players to NFL receivers and tight ends, Moss' signing with the Green Bay Packers has gained him notoriety before he even steps on the field for his first rookie camp next week. Monday it was the Green Bay Press-Gazette who featured Moss (link). Thursday it was the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel featured Moss (link).

Former Bison Closer Drafted by Frontier League Team

The Traverse City (Mich.) Beach Bums selected former North Dakota State closer Jason Mattila in the first round of the Frontier League baseball draft Tuesday, May 1.

 

Mattila, a right-hander from Butte, Mont., was the ninth overall pick in the draft.  He was 6-4 with eight saves and a 4.88 ERA in 34 appearances over two seasons for North Dakota State.

He transferred to NDSU in 2010 after two seasons at Miles (Mont.) Community College.  He was 3-3 with seven saves, a 3.30 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 30 innings as a senior in 2011.

Mattila struck out a career-high six batters in his May 8 win last year at South Dakota State, where he pitched seven innings for an 8-7 victory in 15 innings.

He graduated from NDSU in August 2011 with a bachelor's degree in sport and recreation leadership.

NDSU's Anderson Featured on SI Golf

North Dakota State women's golfer Amy Anderson was recently featured in the online publication Sports Illustrated Golf.

The junior won her second-straight Summit League Championship MVP last month and is a two-time Golfer of the Year.  On Monday, she was selected for the third-straight season as an at-large participate in the NCAA Women's Golf Regionals.

Click here to read the story and click here to view the photos.

OU Women's Basketball Adds Harbin to Coaching Staff

Lester Harbin, Jr. has been hired as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Oakland, head coach Beckie Francis announced on Monday. Harbin brings experience as both an assistant and head coach, which will help him in his new role with the Golden Grizzlies.

Harbin will play an integral role in Oakland’s recruiting efforts. He will also have responsibilities with scouting and individual player development.

Click here to read the full release.

OU's Watterworth Named to BCAM Academic-Athletics Honors Team

Oakland's Bethany Watterworth was one of five players named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Academic-Athletic Honors Team, announced by BCAM on Wednesday. The junior from Lake Orion, Mich. was the only NCAA Division I player to earn a place on the team which honors both athletic and academic accomplishments.

This season, Watterworth led Oakland in scoring with 18.7 points per game, which ranked third in The Summit League and 28^th in the nation. In just three seasons at OU, she has amassed 1,502 career points, putting her in the top 10 in the school’s history. Watterworth was an All-Summit League first team selection for the second consecutive season and has garnered all-league honors every year at OU. She also averaged 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while ranking among the top 125 nationally in field-goal and free-throw percentage.

Click here to read the full release.

Hildebrandt Signs Pro Contract

Mitch Hildebrandt

Former Oakland goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt, the 2009 Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, signed a professional contract with the Minnesota Stars of the North American Soccer League. The three-time All-Summit League selection will joining the defending NASL champions, who begin the 2012 campaign on April 7. To read more, view Oakland's release here.

IUPUI's Wirkkala Selected to Play in Minority Collegiate Golf Championship

IUPUI senior men's golfer Philip Wirkkala was recently selected to play in the 26th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on May 11-13. Wirkkala is among 35 individuals selected to play, along with 20 NCAA Division I and II teams from across the country.

It marks the fourth straight year he's been invited to play in the event. In addition to the tournament, participants have the opportunity to attend a Business of Golf Careers Expo at the PGA Education Center the day before the event tees off.

Wirkkala, a native of McCordsville, Ind., is enjoying his best season in an IUPUI uniform with a 78.32 stroke average in 22 rounds this year. Wirkkala fired a career-low round of 71 at the McLaughlin in mid-September, finishing that event with a career-best score of 221 (73-71-77). For his four-year career, he holds an 80.05 scoring average in 66 competitive rounds.

Click here to read the full release.

UMKC Men's Golf Featured on Golfweek

The UMKC men's golf team was recently featured on Golfweek's Web site in an article written by Ron Balicki.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – When you are a Division I program that year in and year out ranks among the top 40 or 50 teams, winning your conference championship is a matter of pride. You want conference bragging rights, at least for a year.

The fact that winning that conference title gives you an automatic invitation into the NCAA postseason is not a major concern. You’re all but guaranteed that invite by your season-long ranking.

But what if you’re not one of those teams?

“Winning the conference championship is a matter of personal pride, no matter how big or how small a school you are,” said Missouri-Kansas City coach J.W. VanDenBorn. “But for teams like us, there’s added pressure because we know it’s probably the only way to get into the NCAA postseason.”

Click here to read the full story.

Under the Radar: North Dakota State Baseball

The North Dakota State Bison baseball program was featured in an article by Aaron Fitt at Baseball America.

Below is an excerpt from the story:

North Dakota State opened its season at Arizona during alumni weekend for the Wildcats, who packed 4,000 fans (including more than 100 baseball alumni) into their new home, Hi Corbett Field. It was a homecoming for Bison coach Tod Brown, a Tucson native who played for Jerry Kindall at Arizona in the early 1990s and then served as a volunteer assistant for the Wildcats in 1999. But Brown wasn't only excited to see his old Arizona teammates; he thought his team had a chance to open some eyes in Tucson.

Wildcats coach Andy Lopez quickly came to that same conclusion.

"We had 4,000 people there Friday night, Terry Francona was back, this and that," Lopez said. "I looked at my staff pregame and said, 'These guys are here to play. They don't look intimidated at all.' I really give credit to coach Brown—that was not an easy weekend. I told my club, 'Those guys are going to beat some people.' "

After losing 3-1 in the opener at Arizona, the Bison pulled off an 8-2 upset Saturday, breaking a 2-2 tie with six runs in the eighth.

Click here to read the full article.

Morrison Selected to All-Star Game

ORU's Dominique Morrison

Oral Roberts' Dominique Morrison was selected to compete in the NABC Reese's Division I College All-Star Game, Friday at the Superdome in New Orleans, site of the Final Four. The Summit League Player of the Year will compete for the West squad and will be one of the 20 players chosen to participate. The game will be played at 4:30 p.m. CT and will be aired on tape delay Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on TruTV. Click here to view the team rosters and read ORU's release.