Where Are They Now? Blaine Joerger

Blaine Joerger racked up
1,475 points in his four years with
the Mavericks

Former Minnesota State men’s basketball guard Blaine Joerger played from 1996 until 2000 with the Mavericks where he was one of the best three-point sharp-shooters and overall scorers to ever don the Purple & Gold.

The Staples, Minn., native held the school record for most three-pointers made with 241 when he graduated in 2000, a record that was later broken by a recent inductee into the Minnesota State University Hall of Fame, Luke Anderson. Joerger ranked sixth all-time in scoring upon graduation and currently ranks tenth all-time with 1,475 points. Joerger scored 407 points in his sophomore season, 500 points in his junior season and 395 points in his senior season as a Maverick. 

Joerger also ranks third on the single-season three-point field goals made list with 87 made during his junior season.

On back-to-back nights back in 1999, Joerger enjoyed what was probably his best weekend of college basketball when he scored 40 points vs. Augustana and 42 against South Dakota State. All told, he shot 25-of-42 from the field, including 17 of 31 from three-point range, and was 15 of 18 on free throws.

While playing basketball for the Mavericks, Joerger ended up interning with Northwestern Mutual in Mankato back in 1999 and he has been with the company ever since.

MavBlog checked in this week with Joerger who now resides with his family in Richfield, Minn.

MavBlog: What are you up to these days?
Blaine Joerger: Living in Richfield, where I first moved to after graduating college. I work as a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual, the same job and company I started with as a college intern while playing for the Mavericks!

MavBlog: Tell us about your family.
Blaine Joerger: Wife, Kyla, and three kids. Our oldest son is a junior this year in high school and plays soccer and basketball. Have a seventh grade daughter who is also into basketball and tennis and our youngest is in first grade and she does whatever her older siblings are doing!

MavBlog: How has Minnesota State affected your career after college?
Blaine Joerger: While I played for the Mavericks, I made several great relationships with professors, coaches, and other students. Having been on the basketball team, I was fortunate to be able to meet a number of community members as well as other athletes within the University. These interactions were beneficial as I transitioned from college to the work force.

MavBlog: Following his college playing career, your brother David has gone on to a coaching career that includes NBA head-coaching stints with Memphis and Sacramento.  What kind of impact has your brother had on you?
Blaine Joerger: While in high school and college Dave made a tremendous impact on me and the athlete I became. Very few people understand what he did and went through to get where he is today, but I was fortunate enough to have a front row seat! Yes, he is gifted in the sense of basketball acumen, but the amount of work he put in and the sacrifices he made are what set him apart. His dedication and work ethic (along with high expectations within our high school programs) set the bar high for me early in my athletic career. I learned from Dave that natural talent alone wasn’t going to make me successful.

MavBlog: What were some of your most memorable moments as a Maverick?
Blaine Joerger: It may seem a little cliché, but the most memorable moments are those with my teammates outside of games. Don’t get me wrong, my brain works in such a way that I could still tell you how many points I scored, how I scored them and the shots I missed from a good number of games in college. However, most of my retrievable memories include personal interactions and activities with my teammates.

If we’re talking on the court memorable moments —
    • Beating SDSU the last weekend of the season at Otto when they were ranked #1 in the country (during my sophomore season) that gave us a shot at being selected to NCAA tournament, which ended up not happening.

    • January of 1999 games - I had a decent month and was named National D2 player for the month.

    • Playing the last collegiate basketball game at Otto with the knowledge of the rich history of all that had taken place within the arena.

MavBlog: What was it like playing in Otto Arena?
Blaine Joerger: I have mixed feelings about Otto. When I was recruited to play, the idea was that home conference games were going to be played at the civic center, which had recently been built. That never transpired, which is too bad. Otto was really fun to play in when it’d get filled up- but I’ll tell you I don’t miss running on the concrete like floor! I’ll always be able to say I played the last college basketball game in Otto my senior year. I can also say it was tough to watch the new Taylor Center being built and walking by it each day knowing I was one year off from playing in it!

MavBlog:  Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates from Minnesota State?
Blaine Joerger: Yep, quite a few actually. The cool thing about the relationships I built while playing basketball in Mankato is that I keep in touch with two different age “tiers” on a regular basis. I have the guys my age and older and then the crew that was younger as I was finishing college. Each group gets together at least once per year, including a fantasy football league that I started while in college as a team bonding activity that is still active. Some of my best friends are from the basketball team.

MavBlog: Tell us about your experience with your coach with the Mavericks, Dan McCarrell.
Blaine Joerger:  Mac was great and I’m very appreciative of him allowing the me the opportunity to play college basketball. He is simply a good, down to earth type of guy who cared for his players. Coach was full of basketball knowledge and I always enjoyed listening to his stories. I still keep in touch and now swap some of my own basketball stories with him!

MavBlog: Tell us about your experience with refereeing high school and college basketball.
Blaine Joerger: I got into officiating basketball while in college as I was intrigued to experience the game from an unbiased viewpoint and wanted to put my own basketball experience as a player to work. Plus, it was a great way to earn some money while doing something I enjoyed!

After college, I found officiating to be a way to stay connected to the sport as I had zero desire to coach. Also, I wanted to give back to the game as I didn’t always feel all officials fully understood the game from a player standpoint. I was fairly successful and given some opportunities early in my career to move up through the high school ranks. I also had a couple doors open to break into the local D2, D3 & JUCO leagues at a relatively young age. Eventually I only officiated college basketball and attempted to work my way into the D1 level. After several years attempting to get hired onto a D1 staff, I was told by the people in power that it likely wasn’t going to happen. While disappointed, it all worked out with the direction the rest of my life ended up heading. The last year I officiated basketball was the 2013-14 season.

Since officiating, I’ve gotten involved in coaching a lot of youth basketball. It’s kind of fun to be one of the few people out there with a good amount of experience from playing, officiating, and coaching and being able to see the game from multiple perspectives at the same time.

MavBlog:  How well did you know another sharp-shooting guard from the Mavericks.........Brian Koepnick?
Blaine Joerger:  I got to know him a little bit in the years after I played with the Mavericks. We had lunch a couple of times and we even officiated a few basketball games together. I knew of his battle (Brian Koepnick recently passed away after a lengthy bout with cancer), but he was never one to bring it up. He was a good dude with a positive outlook on life, even in his darkest hours. His legacy will live on as one the best basketball players to ever put on a Maverick jersey.

MavBlog: Do you still come back for some Mavericks athletics?
Blaine Joerger:  Not as much recently as I’d like. It’s amazing how quickly a calendar can fill up with your own kids! The guys I played with attempt to come back at least one time per season to take in a basketball game. I’ve missed the past couple of years due to scheduling conflicts, but it’s always fun to come back when I can. I’ve brought a few of my son’s traveling basketball teams to play in winter tourneys played at MSU simply because of my history at the school - has been a good reason to make a trip to Mankato!

    Contributed by Hogan Greenwood, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern

Where Are They Now? Shane Joseph

Shane Joseph registered 68 goals and 76 assists
for 144 points in 139 games at Minnesota State

Minnesota State's foray into the NCAA Division I men's hockey ranks only goes back into the mid-1990's and it wasn't until the 1999-2000 season that the Mavericks became members of the vaunted Western Collegiate Hockey Association - a league at the time that included the likes of the University of Minnesota, North Dakota, Denver and the University of Wisconsin.

Under the guidance of coaching legend Don Brose, Minnesota State put up a 21-14-4 mark in that first season in the WCHA, but three years later, in 2002-03, the Mavericks made a splash with a regular season that included an amazing 17-game unbeaten streak, a second-place finish in the league standings and the first-ever invitation to the NCAA DI men's hockey postseason tournament.

The Minnesota State offense that year featured a pair of dynamic forwards from Alberta in junior Shane Joseph and sophomore Grant Stevenson. Joseph finished the year with 29 goals and 36 assists for 65 points in 41 games, while his running mate Stevenson racked up 63 points on 27 goals and 36 points in 38 games. Both were named All-Americans.  Stevenson signed a free agent contract with the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks following the conclusion of the season, while Joseph, who had 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points as a senior with the Mavericks, would also sign with the Sharks following the 2003-04 campaign. 

Joseph, a Brooks, Alta., native, totalled 144 career points and ranks fourth on the school's career scoring charts for the DI-era.

MavBlog recently checked in with Joseph, who resides with his family in the Twin Cities.

MavBlog: How did you end up playing for Minnesota State?
Shane Joseph: I was originally planning on playing major junior.  Saskatoon cut me and at that moment I decided to go to college. Playing junior hockey in Canmore I believe Eric Means was the first to come watch, followed by Jutts and Brosie.  They asked me to come there a month into the year and I liked what I saw..... had the potential to make an impact on a program and didn’t look back.  

MavBlog: You were an All-American on the team that made the school’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament.  Tell us what you remember about that season in 2002-03.
Shane Joseph: We had such a good group of guys, and it will go down as the most memorable year of hockey I have been a part of.  We worked hard, had fun and enjoyed a team confidence that propelled us to go on......what was it 17 games unbeaten?  That was Fun!

MavBlog: The chemistry you had with a fellow Albertan in Grant Stevenson was noticeable in that great run in 2002-03.  What was it like playing with Grant, both with the Mavericks and then later on with Cleveland in the American Hockey League?
Shane Joseph: Grant was a special player, very intelligent and extremely skilled......not to mention could fly.  We just had great chemistry.......we also pushed each other that year and we had a confidence going out together that we were going to make it happen.  

MavBlog: After your time in the San Jose Sharks organization, you headed to Germany where you played for four teams in the DEL.  What was it like playing pro hockey in Europe?
Shane Joseph: Europe was a lot of fun with a lot of great memories.  However, I remember getting there my first day and they dropped me off at my apartment.  This was before everyone had cell phones and GPS.  They gave me a map, circled the rink and told me to be here at 10 a.m. tomorrow.  I remember laying in that apartment with no phone, internet, tv and not speaking a lick of German and asking myself what I got myself into.  Made it to the rink the next day and met the team and it was amazing from that point out.  The hockey is great, the atmosphere of the games is exciting and it was great to travel and experience the German culture and make some great friendships along the way. 

MavBlog: Tell us what you’ve been doing following the conclusion of your professional hockey career.
Shane Joseph: I help people buy and sell homes.  In other words, I am a realtor here in the Twin Cities.  

MavBlog: How did your experience with the Mavericks and Minnesota State serve you after you graduated in 2003-04?
Shane Joseph: I was just a punk, naive 18-year old kid coming in......I grew up a lot during my time with the Mavericks.  There were a lot of great teammates, coaches and staff who guided me through those five years.  Other than the education of course, my time at MSU taught me a lot about being an adult and a professional. 

MavBlog: Tell us about your family.
Shane Joseph: I am blessed with a beautiful wife (former Minnesota State volleyball player Melanie Jude) and three beautiful daughters.   Lydia (9), Adeline (7), and Lucille (2).  We are busy with sports and activities......a wise person told me you aren’t busy, you are just are just living full and to embrace it.  I try to remind myself of that often  :)

MavBlog: Do you keep in touch with any of your former Maverick teammates?
Shane Joseph: That is one of the best things about playing with this program.  The tight-knit bond that is created there not only with players you played with, but with other hockey alumni, as well.  There is a large group of us that all hang out in the Twin Cities and, of course, the alumni events throughout the year bring everyone together. 

MavBlog: Are you still playing? What else do you do besides work and spending time with your family?
Shane Joseph: I started to play a little again last year with some guys, and it was great to get back on the ice.  I didn’t play for seven years after I retired and it was good to get back to enjoying the game again. Other than that, you can only have so many hobbies and the one I choose is golf.  It has become an addiction :)

Where Are They Now? Darryl Wills

Darryl Wills was an All-American
for the Mavericks in 1987

Throughout the years, Minnesota State Football has had great success and been fortunate to play in many big playoff games.

Realistically, though, considering the fact that varsity football has been here since 1922, NCAA playoff games are a relatively recent phenomenon. The head coach of the Mavericks beginning in 1983 was Dan Runkle. And after a couple of sub-.500 years, things began to get better. By 1986, Runk’s team won six of its seven games, serving as a portent of what was to come next fall. And what did come next fall was a 9-3 overall record and an 8-1 mark in conference play for the program’s first North Central Conference championship and, for the first time, a place in the NCAA Division II postseason tournament.

A key player on the 1987 team was Nicollet, Minn., native, Darryl Wills. A two-year starter at free safety for the Mavericks from 1986-87, Wills was second on the team in tackles as a senior with 107 and recorded seven career interceptions over the course of his college career.

A two-time All-NCC pick, Wills was named All-American by the Football Gazette as a senior and in 2013, he was inducted into the Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame.

MavBlog recently checked in with Wills, who lives with his family in Chaska, Minn.

MavBlog:  Tell me a little about yourself

Darryl Wills: I’ve been married for 27 years to LizAnn (MSU grad) and we have two childern - Madyson 23 (MSU grad), Dawson 20 – attending Washburn University, where he’s a junior with the men’s golf program.  I work for Optum, serving the last 15 years in my current role of SVP Payer Sales.

MavBlog: What was the adjustment like, playing high school football in Nicollet, a small farming town, to the North Central Conference, where you and your teammates were going up against the likes of North Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota and South Dakota State every weekend?

DW: Players, as you can imagine, were bigger/faster/stronger and overall, much more skilled.  We did have some very good multi-sports athletes like myself from high school, Many of my high school teammates went on to play college sports.  A pretty quick adjustment had to be made if you wanted any playing time.

MavBlog: Why did you choose to come play football at MSU and how has your time at MSU impacted where you are today?

DW: I was looking at the University of Minnesota for football, Winona State for basketball, a few other North Central Conference teams also had a slight interest.  During the summer/fall of 1983 my dad became very sick and it was determined he had cancer (he is still with us today), so I decided to stay close to home. The number of friendships I still have today are because of MSU which has resulted in doing trips, extending business relationships and lifelong friendships that keep you motivated.

MavBlog: What was it like winning that first conference championship in 1987?

DW: Incredible – we had a very good recruiting class and many of the guys from that year stuck around.  It was even more special because it was the first team to accomplish it.  Demonstrated that when you put your mind to it and get the team aligned much can be accomplished.

MavBlog: Talk about your head coach Dan Runkle and maybe one thing you learned from him that you still use today. What kind of head coach was he and how did he get players behind him?

DW: Coach Runk taught me how to do your prep work – study your competition – work on all the small things and get to know your teammates.. Coach Runk was a players coach – while he had many rules, he made sure we had a lot of fun along the way and got to know each player as an individual.  I use all of those skills today in my sales leadership role in a fortune 6 company.

MavBlog: Talk about Optum, how it got started and what you do there.

DW:  I am one of 130,000 employees and been with the company for 15 years and the company started in 1997 as Ingenix. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (320,000 employees) and started as a technology company selling technology/consulting to healthcare organization.  I have always wanted to be in healthcare so my career journey has included selling computer hardware & services, disposable medical products to long term care, home care and hospitals.  So Optum is culmination of my previous roles where I get to utilize all of my previous experiences and I always wanted to make a bigger impact on peoples lives and healthcare is one great way to do that.

MavBlog:  Explain your relationship with former teammate and long-time friend Greg Vonderlippe.

DW:  Greg and I have always stayed in touch and been good friends and assisted him in getting into the company about 10 years ago and we still work together today as Greg is part of my sales leadership team.  Makes the daily grind much more enjoyable and we get to make the healthcare system work better for everyone together which is pretty cool.

MavBlog: Did you want to stay local in southern Minnesota? If so, why was that important to you?  

DW: I live in the Twin Cities/Chaska – I prefer bigger cities and I travel the world.  On average I fly about 130,000 miles a year primarily in the United States.  I did lead sales for our Life Sciences business for about two years which included a lot of international travel.  I will always have a home in Minnesota but looking to move to warmer climate during the winter season.

MavBlog: You’re an inductee into the Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame. What was that experience like?

 DW: Humbling.  To  be recognized by Minnesota State as a team and as an individual – so Hall of Fame twice is off the charts remarkable.  Motivates me to take the message of Minnesota State to all of my colleagues and friends. I had my family (LizAnn, Madyson, Dawson), Mom/Dad, my high school principal in attendance when I was inducted, so it was very rewarding and something we could all enjoy together.

MavBlog:  Have you been back to Blakeslee Stadium in the last couple of years and how much pride do you take in the success the program is currently experiencing?

DW: Yes, I have been back to Blakeslee and I go to a few games each year and have traveled to watch the Mavericks play in the national championship games along with a few of my teammates.  Blakeslee grass is among the best in the country and while the stadium is showing its age – when the ball is “Teed Up” for kickoff the chills still go through the body.  The level of talent MSU attracts now I do believe is in place to what we started back in 1987 and many of the teams following have continued that success and taken into higher levels.

      Contributed by Brevin Kaiser, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern.

 

Q&A With Minnesota State Baseball All-American Cam Klein

Q&A With Minnesota State All-American Cam Klein

A junior pitcher/outfielder with the Minnesota State baseball team, versatile Cam Klein earned All-America honors last year after posting a 10-2 record while recording a 2.47 earned run average with 112 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched. The Stacy, Minn., native, who also patrols the outfield, hit a team-high .386 with six home runs and 36 runs batted in.

Minnesota State went 39-15 last year and 28-8 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular-season standings.

    

One of the most successful NCAA Division II programs in the country, the Mavericks made their 37^th postseason tournament appearance last year.  Klein took a moment to discuss the upcoming season with MavBlog correspondent Mason Tonsager.

MavBlog: “What kinds of things that the team is looking to improve on for this season?”

CK:  “The pitching staff has all came back from last season along with some freshmen. We also have new transfers that have come here to play and the overall starters from last year are back. The pitching will be solid, but we just have to work in some of the new players into this culture that we have.”

MavBlog: “How has the adjustment been like when working with a new catcher?”

CK:  “It’s difficult at times because Tom (Imholte) and I had a really great connection with each other and were both on the same page on certain situation that we get into. I have to develop that same kind of communication with the new catchers and the freshman have to get games in as well, so they know what it is going to feel like.”

MavBlog: “What are some challenges that you face coming into the season?”

CK:  “I have high expectations and I am surrounded with tons of talent that we have ever since I got her 2 years ago. The team itself has high expectations especially when a lot of returning players are back and healthy.”

MavBlog: “What are you looking at on improving this year?”

CK:  “We plan on winning conference and conference tournament which can help us with regionals. Expectations for the team are to make it further and getting over that hump last season and have a better record.”

MavBlog: “What are some fun memories that you’ve had so far in your career here at Minnesota?"
CK:  “The Florida trip is always fun especially this time of the year where it is really cold here and hot down there. We also have a fun time playing against some good competition. I also had fun last year because we didn’t make it to regionals my freshman year.”

Mission Possible: Mavericks Work to Overcome Injuries to Get Back on the Mat

At any second in the game an injury can occur, whether it’s in practice or during one of the most important matches of your career. It’s the moment you face adversity that will dictate the outcome of your career, will you let it beat you or will you conquer it?

For a pair of Minnesota State wrestlers in senior Matthew Blome and sophomore Trevor Turriff, it's this type of adversity that would put them to the test in the past year.

Blome, who wrestles at 197, dislocated his knee during practice on October 6th, 2018, resulting in a full tear of his anterior collateral ligament, medial collateral ligament, posterior collateral ligament, and a partial tear in both his lateral collateral ligament and meniscus.

“You could say it was catastrophic because he had a complete knee dislocation, it was everything,” said Jim Makovsky, Minnesota State's veteran wrestling head coach. “He stayed really stoic amidst it all, though.” 

An All-American as a freshman in 2016-17 when he went 28-11 overall, Blome went 18-8 and became a two-time NCAA national tournament qualifier as a sophomore in 2017-18. The injury, which happened before the start of the 2018-19 campaign, ultimately took Blome out of the game for a year, and it’s the recovery period that is so essential to his healthy return.

“A lot of my time overcoming adversity was done with the team, having people to work with every day; especially Christian Goetz, out athletic trainer that helped me through a lot of my recovery who was there from the day it happened,” said Blome. “It was nice to be able to be on the side of the mat with them instead of just being up in the stands, I was still with the team.”

“Matt is someone who has a lot of passion with a positive outlook on things; but when its go time he gives everything he has, and we are lucky to have him,”  said Makovsky.

"Being away makes it that much better to be back on the mat, watching people do the stuff you do is difficult; but when you get to go back out there and do it with your teammates that’s probably one of the best feelings ever,” said Blome, a native of Mount Horab, Wis. “If I were to have to do it alone, I don’t know how it would go but with the team and the people we have in the room it makes it that much easier.”

For Turriff, who wrestles at 184, he season ended last year when he tore his PCL and LCL in the semi-finals round of the 2018-19 NCAA DII Super Regionals. These injuries ultimately led a lengthy rehabilitation process over the course the next six months.

“I stayed busy with the rehab and we have a great team; the athletic training team as well as the wrestling team that constantly kept me on my toes to get better,” said Turriff, who finished his freshman year with a 13-7 record.

“Overcoming adversity was all about just staying hungry and rearranging my goals, to now let’s get healthier every day and reach a new goal in rehab.”

“Trevor has had to put a lot of extra work in," said assistant coach Ty Eustice. "He’s been doing a lot of things on his own or meeting with the athletic trainer when he’s supposed to and putting in those extra workouts. He's is very coachable and upbeat every day. He’s not the kind of kid you got to get on to bring energy and he’s always showing up ready to work and push himself.”

"The love for the game is really what fuels the flame," said Turiff, a native of De Pere, Wis. "Knowing I’m a part of a team that I am very close with helps fuel my motivation as well.”

The Mavericks, who entered the 2019-20 season rated seventh in the national preseason poll, hope that with both Blome and Turriff healthy, that they can improve upon last year's 31st-place finish at the NCAA DII Championship.

contributed by Schaelly Hildebrandt, Athletic Communications intern

Olson Hitting Her Stride

Minnesota State senior Morgan Olson was earned
All-America honors last year after racking up 468 kills

Minnesota State volleyball senior Morgan Olson has accomplished about as much as any Maverick has in program history. 

She came to MSU as a freshman eager to get started. “It was a different atmosphere than going to different schools,” said Olson. “I was really excited to play with the girls and excited to play for Lori too.” Lori being now-fifth year Maverick head coach Lori Rittenhouse-Wollmuth.

Olson came to the Mavericks having played at Annandale High School, along with two and half years of experience at the club level. “When she first started, she was pretty raw, pretty green to the game,” said Rittenhouse-Wollmuth. Olson agreed with her coach’s assessment. “I didn’t really know much about the knowledge and much about the game itself” she said. “Coming in I was really open to anything.”

It was that mentality that changed everything for Olson. When Rittenhouse-Wollmuth approached her about a position change before her junior year, she was all for it. Olson played on the outside her first couple of years, but when Olson was moved to the right side, the Mavericks had struck gold. “It became real apparent that she could be an even greater player on the right side,” said Rittenhouse-Wollmuth. She cited not only her vertical, but also the quickness of it along with her arm swing. “She brings the thunder with her arm swing.”

Olson proceeded to register 468 kills, averaging 4.33 a set in her junior season and the accolades rolled in AVCA All-America Third Team, NSIC All-NSIC First Team honors and CCA All-Region Second Team.

Olson attributed her junior year success to higher confidence. “I didn’t let outside factors affect it” she said. “I just played for my teammates, forgot about all outside factors, and just went and tried to make my teammates better while making myself better at the same time.”

This summer, Olson, along with teammate Mara Quam, were selected to take part in the USA D-2 Volleyball Brazil Tour. “I just went in there and played and it was really fun getting to know the girls and playing different teams,” said Olson of the experience. “The coaches there didn’t know me before, the players didn’t know me before so showing them who I was, was really exciting and fun.” Olson said her biggest takeaway from the experience was the importance of playing free.

It was that takeaway that has allowed her to continue her success, including joining MSU’s 1,000-kill club, into her senior season. She admitted that having been an All-American last season was something that brought on a lot of pressure. “Once I start thinking ‘so what I did it last season, prove to them I should get it this season too’ or playing like I didn’t know I got it last season that kind of helped me play free and really focus on encouraging my teammates and cheering for them and doing it for my teammates rather than for myself.” 

Her selfless attitude has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff. “She’s a great role model,” said Rittenhouse-Wollmuth. “She’s a great listener. She’s someone that players know they can go to and she’ll give them an honest response, but one that’s supportive. She takes good care of her teammates.” 

Olson has accomplished many things in her career, but what will the biggest thing she’ll be remembered for? “I think never giving up, and always having a positive attitude because obviously there’s going to be hard times but knowing that I always came out with a smile,” said Olson. “She’ll walk out of here as one of the best Mavericks that ever played” said Rittenhouse-Wollmuth. “She will be missed, and her impact will last far longer than just her time here.”

A three-time NSIC All-Academic honoree, Olson carries a 3.67 grade point average and is majoring in math education.  She will graduate in the spring of 2021.

                   contributed by Minnesota State athletic communications intern Jason Backman

A Football Legacy

Mankato native Ryan Schlichte has played a big role in
Minnesota State's success the past four years

A legacy always has to start somewhere. 

RyanSchlichte, a senior quarterback on the third-rated Minnesota State football team, came to the Mavericks with probably more knowledge about the program than most of his teammates.

A three-year starter at Mankato West, Schlichte racked up over 2,000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns as a sophomore and junior with the Scarlets. His senior year of high school, in which he threw for 3,141 yards and 45 touchdowns, he earned Minnesota High School Gatorade Player of the Year, Minnesota AP Player of the Year, Big 9 Player of the Year and USA Today Minnesota Player of the Year honors.

The connection with the local NCAA DII football program came with Ryan’s father, Dave, a defensive back and quarterback for the Mavericks in the early 1980s. Dave, a native of Wilmont, Minn., native who prepped at Worthington High School, served as offensive coordinator under Minnesota State head coach Dan Runkle following his college playing career.

“From as long as I can remember, our family went to the games at The Blake. It seemed like every Saturday the Mavericks had a home game and in the back of my mind it wasn’t me watching the Gophers, but it was me watching the Mavericks play. That kind of transitioned as to what I was playing when I was younger and into high school. My dad was a coach and always had great insight. I didn’t always listen to it first, but I’ve come to appreciate his knowledge of the game and for what he’s done for me as a player and for a young man as well,” Schlichte said.

“As a young man he definitely helped me mature and to treat everyone that I would like to be treated,” said Schlichte. “My dad treated everyone with respect and treated everyone the same. That’s how I’ve always kept that open mind and try to get to know as many guys as I can. I try to find something about someone on the team if I don’t know everyone on the team. I’ve always tried to be a leader and pick people back up when they are down.”

Following a redshirt year on 2015, Schlichte saw action in seven games as a freshman in 2016 prior to assuming the starting role for the Mavericks as a sophomore, helping guide the team to a 13-1 record as they claimed an NSIC Championship and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Sharing starting duties with J.D. Ekowa in 2018, Minnesota State again posted a 13-1 record.

Dave Schlichte feels Ryan’s exposure to the Mavericks and the college football culture likely has played a role in Ryan’s success at Minnesota State. 

“Being a part of a team was one of the best moments I had at college and I thought it was something that would be good for him to be exposed to,” said Dave. “I think the ups and downs we had when we played made our group closer and that’s what being a part of team is all about.”

 In playing for his college coaches, Dave learned that there’s more than one way to get things done in understanding Al Sandona and Dan Runkle very different coaches and how they not only wanted their teams to play, but also how they worked with their players. “Sandona was more defensive than an offensive style and Runkle was more offensive than defensive,” said the senior Schlichte.  “It was an adjustment switching everything around between the two coaches, but we were able to overcome all of the years that we were struggling to winning the conference championship within a five-year span.”

On becoming a college coach right out of college, Dave felt that it was something he was ready for, even if it was a young age. “Runk’s staff was allowed to voice your thoughts and opinions on what to do. Sometimes as a team we were trying to figure out a way to be competitive. The hardest thing about changing from a player to coach was that it wasn’t about you anymore it was about the players and what their future holds. It also was about their families and what was best for them. Sometimes the mindset changes completely and it can’t be about you."

A football family, which besides Ryan and Dave includes Ryan’s mother Jody and brother, Jay, who was a tight end at Minnesota Duluth, you know where you’ll be able to find the Schlichte’s in the fall.  Most likely they’ll be at a football game.

                          - contributed by Mason Tonsager, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern

           

To the Max

Max Coatta is a two-time team captain for Minnesota State

Given the fact that his grandfather served as head coach of the football team there and that his father is in one of the high school’s athletic Hall of Fame there, it must seem inevitable that Max Coatta would end up in Mankato playing college hockey for the Minnesota State Mavericks. Right? 
 
“When I was younger the goal was just to play college hockey,” said Coatta. “I was always a fan of the WCHA growing up and as things went along, once I started hearing from Minnesota State, with the coaching staff, where the program appeared to be headed with the possibility of being on a team that could compete for championships every year, the school itself, it all was pretty attractive and some something that I wanted to be a part of.” 

So far, so good.  

Following a standout high school career at Minnetonka (Minn.) where he had 89 goals and 190 points in four seasons with the Skippers and junior hockey stops with Penticton of the British Columbia Hockey League and Waterloo of the United States Hockey League, Coatta has made his mark in his four seasons at Minnesota State. 

With a penchant for durability, special teams play and a knack for scoring goals in bunches (he has a pair of hat tricks during the course of his college career), Coatta is a two-time WCHA All-Academic selection and a two-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 2015-16 and has twice been named Minnesota State’s Hardest Worker. 

The reliable two-way forward is in his second season as a team captain, but in reality has been working as a team leader from the get-go. 

“I try to bring positive energy with every shift,” said Coatta. “I think skating is one of my stronger points and I think I have a good shot, I can play a role on the penalty kill and chip in offensively, as well, and it’s important to set the table, actions-wise, for the younger guys on the team.” 

With a pair of MacNaughton Cups under his belt in his first three years with the program, Coatta is looking for a third this year and head coach Mike Hastings feels that the contributions being made by his veteran front-line player over the course of his career should not be overlooked or undervalued. 

“He’s been an example for others from the time he joined our program as a freshman,” said Hastings, who is in his seventh year in charge of the Mavericks. “As Max has continued to mature as a player and as a person, he’s continued to exude leadership skills in all areas. He is mentored classmates and teammates and he’s one of those guys that takes care of the group...everybody. I respect him as a player, as a leader and as a young man.There is no doubt the he’s helped us get to where we are as a program.” 

Coatta’s older brother, Sam, won a NCAA Division I men’s hockey national championship as a member of the Union Dutchmen in 2014 and maybe this is the year that the younger brother will have an opportunity to emulate that feat. 

“There’s going to be ups and downs every year,” said Coatta.“We came out of the gates pretty fastthis year, but as a team we’ve been confident, knowing that we can compete for a championship.I think we’re especially close this year as a group and we have good depth with a lot of game changers. We’ve put ourselves in a good spot as we get near the end of the regular season.Obviously we’re hoping to finish on top of the conference standingsand then it’s moving on to the league playoffs. We’ve had some good teams during my time here, but haven’t been able to win one of a WCHA playoff title during my time here, so that would be a big stepping stone for us. And then after that we’ll see how things go.” 

Contributed by Paul Allan, Minnesota State Assoc. Director of Athletics

Bandwidth | Q & A With Michael Thursby, Minnesota State's Director of Athletic Bands & Percussion

Spectators at Minnesota State athletics home events the last five years have enjoyed and appreciated the energy and atmosphere enhanced by the performances of the Maverick Machine, the school's marching and pep band.

These ensembles fall under the direction of Michael Thursby, MSU's Director of Athletic Bands & Percussion.  

MavBlog took a few moments to do a Q & A with the guy who is in charge of one of the most integral pieces to the Maverick game-day experience.

Tell us about where you're from and where you went to school
I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, got my undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and have a master's from Northern Iowa.

What were you up to prior to coming to Minnesota State to get our band program up and running?
I taught high school band in Grand Rapids, Minn., for three years.  My wife (Sarah) is from the Twin Cities and went to UMD.  That's kind of how we ended up up north. We liked the northern Minnesota feel and this was my first introduction to hockey. And as far as my interest in coming to Minnesota State, I like sports and I like band.  This is what drew me to this position.  

I was a drummer growing up, but thought I could be an athlete.  I played high school basketball, but it was during that time that my attention shifted to music. I've always had a passion for sports, something that was always there.  I was in the drum and bugle corps and that was my outlet.  Growing up, I was always a big Hawkeye fan and loved going to those events. I was in the band at Iowa and had a great experience and I knew at that point that this could be a career path. 

So, you throw in my background with my passion and I thought this would something I could do, But there's not a lot of college band jobs across the country and honestly, I got lucky (in landing the Minnesota State job) and like a lot of things in life, this opportunity opened at the right time for us.

The band program at Minnesota State had been dormant for several years. How hard was it getting the Maverick Machine up and running?
We had a small budget to start with, so we bought some used stuff.  In think we bought some used tubas from Waseca High School and found some used uniforms to get everything started.  And we started recruiting. Between 2013 and 2015 I would say I was in 50+ schools letting kids know we had a program.  

Now we take the band places. Last year there was the Super Bowl Live event (we were the only college band there). There's a big high school marching band event in October at US Bank and we've been up there a couple of times when we don't have a home football game.

My goal is to make the program open to anyone who wants to participate.  We have 130 kids right now and our goal is to get to 200.  I'm by myself here, so it's a big task. Right now, I don't know if we can go any bigger than that.   

What kind of goals do you have for the band moving forward?
I think when I first came, I had a different vision then were we are now. I'm happy where we are now.  Our goal is entertain and pump people up. I think originally I was focused more on the band and less on athletics and we've flipped that. It's gotta be fun.  For everyone, the student-athletes, the fans, and for us.

I'd like to increase our numbers.  That's the biggest one - increasing numbers.  The travel experience has been amazing and the connections that the students have as result of what we've created. They're developing life long relationships and that's pretty cool. At the end of the day, there's wins and losses, good performances and bad performances, but we'll always have these relationships.

Personally, what lies ahead?
Well, our family's busy.  Sarah is an english teacher and runs the theatre program at New Ulm High School. We have a couple of energetic sons (Carter (4) and Dillon (2)) and we absolutely love being here. We're looking forward to playing a part in the success of Maverick Athletics and continuing to grow our band program.

Mission Cap

Anna Keys, Jared Spooner, Nick Bryant, Emily Antony,
Taylor Gulenchen, Josh French and Aaron Nelson spent
a week in Trinidad on a Varsity Catholic mission trip

What do you do when school's over for the semester?

For a few members of the Minnesota State men's and women's hockey programs, you take the opportunity to spend a week in Trinidad, bringing the game of hockey to youth and sharing with them the passion for the sport. 
 

Along with former Maverick women's hockey equipment manager Nick Bryant, three men's hockey players (Jared Spooner, Josh French and Aaron Nelson) and three women's hockey (Anna Keys, Emily Antony and Taylor Gulenchyn) players went to schools and taught children how to play street hockey, as well as a school for disabled youth and where they played an adaptive form of street hockey. 

The trip was made in conjunction with Varsity Catholic, an organization that sponsors numerous mission trips over college breaks and especially during the summer months for student-athletes in particular. 

The purpose of the trip was to give back to those less fortunate and in addition to sharing hockey, the group also went on multiple home visits, went to visit an elderly home, and spoke to a group of high school boys about sports and faith. 

The trip came about with these individuals in particular as they are in the same bible study group at Minnesota State. They wanted to do something productive with their shared interests and thought this would be a great way to do just that.They fundraised the entire cost associated with the trip and the was the first time doing something like this for all of them.

"Going on the trip was an opportunity of a lifetime," said Bryant. "And being able to share the sport we love with those kids was unforgettable."

Davis Has Earned Her Stripes

MSU women's basketball and volleyball
alum Vicki Davis serves as the coordinator
of women's basketball officials for the
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

Vicki Davis admits that officiating runs in her blood.

A 1971 graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, she owns three degrees from the school. After completing her undergraduate degree, she finished a master’s degree in 1978 that was in physical education and health, and then in 1983 she received an administration degree.

Davis’s schedule is anything, but free. Her calendar is consistent for month long periods filled with: scouting out new talent, attending NCAA clinics to relay information to coaches and officials, understanding new rules and regulations, watching and attending women’s basketball games, reviewing previous calls on games making sure they were correct and legal, and setting up meetings with coaches to discuss how the season went.

Davis first attended college the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, before transferring back closer to home to attend MSU.

She played women’s basketball for three years in Mankato, with primary position was forward center during the years of 1968-1971.

It is no surprise that her passion lies within women’s basketball.

Having been inspired by by her father, who served as a basketball official, Davis was first introduced to officiating while she was participating in practice, as the classes ran at the same time. She understood what officials were looking for and then learned the rest through listening during practice.

Her first job officiating was at a junior varsity basketball game. The coaches liked what they witnessed and then asked Davis to officiate the rest of the season.

Besides working the JV games, she also worked with volleyball and basketball at the college level. Furthermore, a great moment of her officiating career was in 1972 when she was asked to officiate the national volleyball tournament, which was held in Miami, Fla.


Davis now serves as the coordinator of women’s basketball officials for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

“They (official) are both a part of basketball, to make basketball better together," she said when asked what she liked about the officiating profession, stressing the importance of her position in watching coaches and officials work together.


As a long-time official, Davis said she understood that one of the most important qualities an official can have is gaining the coaches trust. “Basketball is a game of trust and without being on the same page challenges can arise.”

She mentioned the difference from her past experiences in women’s basketball to her now future experiences as “night and day.” The major differences are more players on the court, and the name of women’s basketball as a whole being more respected.

“It has been fun to watch the game grow. Players need to appreciate what they have, as things can be taken away very quickly.”

“Hopefully kids are going to school to get a good education, and I worry about what the kids choose to participate in, as they should enjoy the ability to play basketball at a university, and not be forced to do so.”

Inducted into the Minnesota State Athletics in 1983, Davis served as the ssistant Athletic Director and Volleyball Coach at Hastings (Minn.) High School and served as the President of the Minnesota State girls high school coaches association.

A lasting piece of advice that she can give to college level athletes is “stay involved, and gives back to the sport. Attend games and volunteer to be a scorekeeper or timer for high school or college teams. Most importantly be a good fan, come to the alumna games and be a huge supporter to women’s basketball or any sport that you may have previously played in.”

                                    Liz Anderson, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern

Aspect Ratio

Jase Hanson has thrived in her first season of swimming
for her hometown Mavericks

Jace Hanson is happy she made the decision to swim collegiately in her hometown.

The sophomore, a Mankato West High School product, has helped the Mavericks post an almost perfect dual meet season in 2017-18 with the Mavericks sporting a 6-1 win-loss record.

At the mid-season Rochester Invitational in November, Hanson finished in the top 24 in the 100-yard backstroke with a 1:01.06 clocking. She also helped two of the Maverick relays place fifth (200-yard freestyle) and second (200-yard medley), respectively at the UW-Steven’s Point Invite.

"I really appreciate the way Coach Owens runs the team and each practice has meaning," said Hanson about her swimming for the Mavericks.

Nate Owens, who is his 14th season in charge of the Minnesota State women's swimming & diving program, said that Hanson's been a key member of the team.

“Jace has been a great addition to our sprint group this year. Although she’s been dealing with a torn labrum for the duration of the year, she’s battled and held up well throughout a very demanding training schedule. As a credit to her, she has continued to steadily improve every week. With her best events being sprint Freestyle and Backstroke, it will be exciting to see what kind of time drops she can post next week at the NSIC Championship meet. Along with the rest of our team, Jace has worked her tail off this year, it will be good to see all that hard work pay off.” 

Hanson has been swimming for eight years, but she has more than just one passion.  In addition to her ability on the pool, but she also has a passion for photography.

Looking through a camera lense, exploring different settings and editing techniques,"gives her a perspective on the the world in new in different ways," says Hanson.

She also feels that it's helped her be more open to the world around her and see each situation at different angles. It has helped her think of many solutions to problems by thinking creatively during her political science classes.

“It helps me to be more positive on a daily basis and to see the beauty in things many people wouldn’t think about looking at,” said Hanson. She also said that it has helped her meet many new and interesting people through their shared interest. She has curated a photography business for herself two years ago called JHanson Photography, with examples of her work available here.

An advocate for the empowerment of women of all ages, Hanson is featured on the website at sheofstrength.com, as a co-founder. “I believe young women are the foundation of a new outlook on life,” Hanson said when asked about why she wanted to join the site. She believes that in combining her love of photography, swimming and politics, she is an example of leadership and seeks inspire young women to find their passion and use it to change the world.


Hanson, who has worked at the Mankato YMCA as well as at Tourtellotte Park pool in the summer, where she is a head lifeguard at both pools and has been working there for three years. A six-year member of the Scarlet swim team at Mankato West as a high-schooler, she now serves as an assistant swim coach for the Scarlets.

With a dream job of working as a White House photographer, Hanson looks forward to continuing to pursue a political science degree and to grow her photography business.


                   Contributed by Morgan Seaton, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern

Scout Team

Minnesota State assistant coaches Amy Sander and Ketty
Paula (left) discuss a play for the Scout Team. Photo
courtesy of freshman guard Maddie Olson.

Prior to each tipoff, the Minnesota State women's basketball team spends several hours on preparation for their upcoming opponent. 

While the Mavericks are also attending classes, the hours getting ready to play games are spent watching video, rehabbing injuries, studying game plans and practicing. And a large amount of time is spent going over the upcoming opponents. 

For the past three seasons, Minnesota State has delegated a part of this task (the opponents part) to the student body in the form of the scout team. The scout team is comprised of a group of students that volunteer their time for Maverick practices. During practice, the scout team primarily learns and runs plays of upcoming Maverick opponents. Additionally, these student volunteers mimic tendencies of key players and assist with drills in practice. This season, around five to eight scout team players serve on the scout team at a given session.

Utilizing student volunteers for scout teams is a fairly common practice in collegiate women’s basketball. In her eight years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level, head coach Emilee Thiesse was a member of staffs that used scout teams consistently. The same goes for her program here at Minnesota State where she incorporates a scout team with the understanding of how it benefits her team. 

“If we didn’t have a scout team, we would have to use our own players to run the opponent’s offensive schemes—which takes time from our overall preparation and also limits the number of reps that our players are actually defending the actions,” said Thiesse, who took over the Maverick program in 2012-13 after serving as an assistant coach at South Dakota State and Drake.

Though the Mavericks benefit from the scout team, the student volunteers derive enjoyment from their own service as well. “I’ve been surprised how much I miss being in a practice atmosphere,” says graduate sport management student Zach Miner. Along with the atmosphere, Miner enjoys the exercise, intentional teaching moments, and the opportunity to play his favorite sport competitively. With these benefits, a common theme underlies the main motivation of the scout team players—to help the Mavericks improve. Engineering student D’Ante Ross affirms, “I just love helping out the team.”

The value of having students volunteer on the scout team is not lost on Maverick players and coaching staff. “We're grateful for the scout team dedicating their time and effort to make our players compete to the best of their ability” said graduate assistant Kelsey Little. Coach Thiesse added, “Our players appreciate them very much. They understand the commitment that the scout team is making on a volunteer basis and that [the scout team volunteers] are committing to the grind of practices without the reward of the games.”

In the past, the Maverick women’s basketball coaching staff has relied on word of mouth to assemble student volunteers. Minnesota State students with previous playing experience and some schedule flexibility are encouraged to give it a shot. If Minnesota State students are interested in potentially volunteering on the scout team, they can contact assistant coaches Ketty Paula or Amy Sander. 

                                                                            Contributed by Tyler Hajek, Minnesota State Athletic Communications intern