[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 18 (Thursday, February 12, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1401-S1402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COMMENDING THE CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 303, submitted by Senators 
Burns and Baucus earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant journal clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 303) commending the Carroll College 
     Fighting Saints football team for winning the 2003 National 
     Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national 
     football championship game.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Carroll College 
Fighting Saints and to congratulate them on their second consecutive 
NAIA National Championship.
  The Fighting Saints won their second straight NAIA National 
Championship by defeating Northwestern Oklahoma State University 
Rangers. And what was the score? 41 to 28.
  We were very worried what kind of game this was going to be, and I 
was just elated when we broke the game open early and just kept the 
feet to the fire of the other team and we won by a large margin.
  Mr. NICKLES. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. BAUCUS. To the Senator from Oklahoma, I am sure this is a very 
sensitive topic for him and I would be glad to yield to the Senator.
  Mr. NICKLES. We have been in mourning over the terrible upset at the 
hands of--is it the Montana Rangers?
  Mr. BAUCUS. Saints.
  Mr. NICKLES. Montana Saints. Is that an acronym?
  Mr. BAUCUS. Saints generally prevail.
  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I did not usually put Montana and saints 
in the same sentence, but I understand the Montana Saints prevailed and 
I wish to congratulate the Senator from Montana.
  Mr. BAUCUS. I appreciate that. It is the Carroll College Fighting 
Saints. I might say the University of Montana has won AA national 
championships a couple of times in the last several years, too. We love 
football in Montana. I think--I know as much as people in Oklahoma love 
football, with the Sooners and the great history Oklahoma has had in 
football.
  I might say, too, although the game was magical--it is always magical 
when you win--magic really did not play a large part in the Fighting 
Saints' victory. It was just good old-fashioned hard work and teamwork. 
Coach Van Diest is one very special guy, a Montanan, a real basic down-
to-Earth guy who inspires such teamwork, just working together, hard 
work, making sure nobody takes credit for anything. This is a team 
game. We all work together to get this done.
  When you meet the coach and see the team practice with him, it is 
very apparent. They are very humble. That is why we were very worried 
about this

[[Page S1402]]

game with Oklahoma. We don't take anything for granted. I am so proud 
of the team.
  It is hard work on the football field. It is hard work in the weight 
room. It is hard work in the classroom. These are great guys, led by a 
group of very honorable young men through a solid season and an 
incredible string of 12 playoff games. Mike was one of five coaches to 
receive the American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year 
award, one of five in the Nation, because he is such an inspirational, 
hard-working, no-nonsense, wonderful guy, representing the high caliber 
of the team and of Carroll College. We are extremely proud.
  I might say, too, I am proud because this is my hometown. The Saints 
are from a college in Helena, MT. I thank the Saints, thank Coach Van 
Diest, thank them all for their hard work.
  We may give Oklahoma a few points the next time we play them. We wish 
them well, too.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 303) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 303

       Whereas the Carroll College Fighting Saints football team 
     won the 2003 NAIA national championship game and its second 
     straight national championship by defeating the Northwestern 
     Oklahoma State University Rangers by a score of 41 to 28 at 
     the Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee, on December 
     20, 2003;
       Whereas the Fighting Saints won 15 straight games, going 
     undefeated in the 2003 regular season to win the Frontier 
     Conference Championship and progressing through 4 rounds of 
     playoffs;
       Whereas head coach Mike Van Diest led the Fighting Saints 
     to their second straight championship in his fifth season as 
     head coach and was 1 of 5 coaches to receive the American 
     Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year award;
       Whereas Fighting Saints quarterback Tyler Emmert was named 
     NAIA Player of the Year and offensive MVP for the 
     championship game;
       Whereas wide receiver Mark Gallik was named NAIA 
     Football.net Offensive Player of the Year;
       Whereas both Emmert and Gallik were named to the NAIA First 
     Team All-American;
       Whereas 2 players were named to the NAIA Second Team All-
     American--Spencer Schmitz and Marcus Atkinson--and 4 players 
     received NAIA Honorable Mention All-American honors--Regan 
     Mack, Rhett Crites, Nate Chiovaro, and Brett Bermingham;
       Whereas 7 Fighting Saints were named as NAIA All-America 
     Scholar Athletes--Kyle Baker, D.J. Dearcorn, Tyler Emmert, 
     Kevin McCutcheon, Matt Peterson, A.J. Porrini, and Zach 
     Zawacki; and
       Whereas the Carroll College community, including the 
     Carroll College Athletic Department, students, 
     administration, board of trustees, faculty, and alumni, the 
     city of Helena, and the entire State of Montana, are to be 
     congratulated for their continuous support of the Carroll 
     College football team: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the Carroll College Fighting Saints football 
     team for winning the 2003 NAIA national championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of all the players, 
     coaches, support staff, and fans who were instrumental in 
     helping Carroll College during the 2003 season; and
       (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the president of Carroll College.

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