[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S1431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                          SIOUX FALLS COUGARS

 Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the University 
of Sioux Falls Cougars men's football team for winning the 2008 
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, NAIA, National 
Championship and for finishing at the top of the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 
Postseason Poll. This was USFs third consecutive trip to the National 
Championship and second championship victory in that time.
  The University of Sioux Falls men's football team has a long history 
of success, including 3 National Championships from 1996 to 2008 and 16 
Great Plains Athletic Conference titles. This season proved to be yet 
another outstanding performance by the Cougars, as they finished with a 
perfect record of 14 to 0 and defeated Carroll College, 23 to 7, in the 
NAIA National Championship game. Their excellent performance throughout 
the season was awarded by receiving all 18 possible first place votes 
in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll.
  The 2008 Cougars were led to the championship thanks to the 
combination of a powerful offense and a dominating defense. The Cougars 
averaged nearly 37 points per game while giving up only 6. The defense 
ranked first in the Nation in numerous statistical categories, 
including scoring defense and total defense. The team effort displayed 
each week by this group of men is a tribute to the countless hours of 
training and preparation that preceded this great accomplishment.
  Certainly this season would not have been possible without the 
coaches and players themselves. The coaching staff, in alphabetical 
order, is as follows: Ross Cimpl, Al Christensen, Kalen DeBoer, Jeff 
Fitzgerald, Ryan Grubb, Al Hansen, Eric Inama, Dan Moe, and Kurtiss 
Riggs.
  The team, in alphabetical order, is as follows: Blake Andersen, 
Brandon Andersen, Alex Anderson, Drew Anderson, Eric Anderson, Anthony 
Baldassari, Jeremy Barnes, Bret Beachner, Travis Beaver, Nick 
Benedetto, Tony Benedetto, Dustin Bergmeier, Quintin Biermann, Brandon 
Boe, Lorenzo Brown, Tyson Brown, Doug Carlson, Jordan Carlson, Cody 
Cavender, Erik Cimpl, Jacob Crowl, Kyle Cummings, Drew DeGroot, Josh 
Dorr, Dane Driscoll, Trevor Engelson, Nathan Everett, Eric Fjeldheim, 
Shawn Flanagan, Dylan Fritz, Stanley Green, Jake Hahne, Adam Halseth, 
Mike Hartley, Brad Hartzler, Michael Hill, Trevor Holleman, Lavell 
Jackson, Eric James, Maxon Keating, Taylor Klein, Brandon Koolstra, 
Kyle Lancaster, Jade Larson, Scott LeBrun, Landon Leveranz, Matt 
Lindgren, Marlon Lobban, Adam Lopez, Ryan Lowmiller, Mitch Lupkes, Brad 
Maag, Justin Meidinger, Joe Moen, Tyler Mousel, Tyler Newman, Eric 
Page, Mike Patterson, Tony Pedri, Casey Peters, Kristian Porter, Nick 
Ramstad, Jim Rawhouser, Jared Redding, T.J. Ross, Jon Ryan, Spencer 
Sailors, Sean Santiago, Mark Sayler, Mark Schaffer, Dan Schmeichel, 
Shawn Schnabel, Andrew Schoenfelder, Ryan Schuler, Ismael Small, Eric 
Smith, Kyle Staudt, Dominic Studzinski, Rene Velasquez, Jared Vlotho, 
Tim Voegeli, Demetrius Washington, Kyle Wasson, and T.J. Wendt.
  While the Cougars' success was truly a team effort, I would like to 
recognize the team's head coach Kalen DeBoer for being honored as the 
2008 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coach of the Year. This 
is the second time that he has received this honor since taking the 
helm for the Cougars in 2005. In only 4 years of Cougar leadership, 
Coach DeBoer has amassed a daunting record of 52 to 3. He has led the 
Cougars to the NAIA Championship game three times. The Cougars' 
continued success is a testament to Coach DeBoer's ability to motivate 
his players to perform and succeed at a high level of competition.
  The coaching staff and student-athletes of the University of Sioux 
Falls men's football team should be very proud of all of their 
accomplishments this season. On behalf of the Sioux Falls community and 
the State of South Dakota, I am pleased to say congratulations to the 
Cougars on another remarkable season. You have made us all very 
proud.

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