[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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