[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 24 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO THE FINLANDIA UNIVERSITY LIONS FOR THEIR NSCAA BASKETBALL 
                              CHAMPIONSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2002

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to say a few words about a great 
accomplishment by a small university in my congressional district--one 
of the nation's newest universities, as a matter of fact.
  Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan, up on the beautiful 
Keweenaw Peninsula, is less than a year old. That age is deceiving, 
however. Finlandia is actually a new name for Soumi College, a school 
founded by Finnish immigrants in 1896 to ensure their children would 
have a better life through advanced education.
  One of the qualities of Finnish culture is a respect for the quality 
of ``sisu,'' translated variously as persistence, determination, drive, 
or stamina. The Finlandia Lions, the university's basketball team, 
recently demonstrated the characteristic of sisu by capturing the 
National Small College Athletic Association national championship in 
basketball.
  The team entered the tourney with a 14-14 record and came up in the 
first round against St. Mary's College of Ave Maria University, an 
Orchard Lake, Mich., school. After defeating St. Mary's by a score of 
76-50, Finlandia University next faced the tournament's No. I seed, 
Northwest Christian College from Eugene, Ore. In a comeback victory, 
69-66, Finlandia won the right to meet Southern Virginia College of 
Buena Vista, Va., which it defeated 98-84 to take the title.
  The Finlandia Lions basketball team was led by second-year coach Art 
Van Damme and assistant coach Duane Snell. Nine Michigan students and 
one student from Finland make up the roster of the National Small 
College Athletic Association championship team. Team members are Nick 
Forgette and Jacob Polfus of Carney; Jeffrey Stiefel of Capac, Jeremy 
Suardina of Gwinn; John Abramson, Painesdale; Mark Nolan, Watton, Jon 
Paul Katona, Negaunee, Pete Flaska, Ishpeming, Bill Loeks, Iron 
Mountain; Marcus Ylalnen of Helsinki, Finland, and Michael O'Donnell, 
Negaunee, the tournament MVP.
  Mr. Speaker, Finlandia University is the only private university in 
Michigan's Upper Peninsula and one of only 28 colleges and universities 
in the U.S. affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 
In its vision statement, Finlandia University says it is ``committed to 
offering liberal arts based, globally connected, international, 
ecologically sensitive, spiritually engaged and career focused 
baccalaureate and associate degree programs as well as community 
education opportunities.''
  Clearly, Mr. Speaker, Finlandia is also offering its students an 
opportunity to cheer for one heck of a basketball team. I ask you and 
my House colleagues to join me in offering the warmest congratulations 
to Coach Van Damme and the Finlandia Lions for their success in 
capturing the NSCAA basketball crown.




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