[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S147-S149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Recognizing the NDSU 2022 NCAA Division II Championship Title
Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 2022 Football
Championship Subdivision national champions, the North Dakota State
University Bison.
This past weekend, North Dakotans once again filled Toyota Stadium in
Frisco, TX, where the NDSU Bison seized their 17th NCAA championship,
earning victory over the Montana State University Bobcats by a score of
38 to 10.
I had the opportunity to join Bison Nation in Frisco to cheer on the
team, and, as always, the fans created an overwhelming atmosphere of
support and team spirit.
At the same time, the Bobcats should come away from the game with
pride, having capped off a successful season. The Bison have now won 9
of the past 11 FCS championships--an achievement that goes unmatched in
modern collegiate football history.
Further, this victory followed a strong season for the Bison, where
they had a 14-win and 1-loss record--a continuation of a decades' worth
of excellence and skill. Since 2011, the NDSU Bison have had 149 wins
to only 12 losses, which includes a streak of 39 consecutive wins. Such
a record stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the
players and staff, including Head Coach Matt Entz.
Accordingly, I am joining with my colleague Senator Cramer to
introduce a resolution honoring the NDSU Bison's achievements. We
congratulate all of the players, coaches, and university leadership,
including Athletic Director Matt Larsen, NDSU President Dean Bresciani,
and others, on building this tremendously successful program. We
recognize the important support of Bison Nation, which helps drive this
team to victory year after year.
The NDSU Bison are the pride of North Dakota. Their accomplishments,
character, and work ethic represent the very best of our State. We say
congratulations again to the national champions, and, as always, we
say: Go Bison.
I ask unanimous consent to have the resolution printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Resolution
Congratulating the North Dakota State University Bison
football team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate
Athletic Association Division I Football Championship
Subdivision title.
Whereas, the North Dakota State University (referred to in
this preamble as ``NDSU'') Bison football team won the 2022
National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this
preamble as the ``NCAA'') Division I Football Championship
Subdivision (referred to in this preamble as the ``FCS'')
title game 1n Frisco, TX, on January 8, 2022, in a well-
fought victory over the Montana State University Bobcats by a
score of 38 to 10;
Whereas, including the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS title, the
NDSU Bison football team has won 17 national football
championships;
Whereas, the NDSU Bison football team has won 9 of the last
11 NCAA Division I FCS titles, an achievement that continues
to be unmatched in modern collegiate football history;
Whereas, the NDSU Bison have displayed tremendous
resilience and skill since 2011, with 149 wins to only 12
losses, including a streak of 39 consecutive wins;
Whereas, head coach Matt Entz and his staff led the NDSU
Bison football team to a dominant season and a second
championship in his 3 years as head coach at NDSU, continuing
the NDSU Bison football program's culture of excellence;
Whereas, thousands of Bison fans once again attended the
championship game in Frisco, TX, reflecting the tremendous
pride and dedication of Bison Nation, which has supported and
helped drive the achievement of the NDSU Bison football team;
and
Whereas, the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS title was a victory
for both the NDSU Bison football team and the entire State of
North Dakota: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the North Dakota State University Bison
football team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate
Athletic Association Division I FCS title;
(2) commends the players, coaches, and staff of the North
Dakota State University Bison football team for--
(A) their tireless work and dedication; and
(B) fostering a continued tradition of excellence;
(3) congratulates North Dakota State University President
Dean Bresciani, North Dakota State University Athletic
Director Matt Larsen, and all the faculty and staff of North
Dakota State University for creating an environment that
emphasizes excellence in both academics and athletics; and
(4) recognizes the students, alumni, fans, and all of Bison
Nation for supporting the North Dakota State University Bison
football team so well during its successful quest to bring
home yet another NCAA Division I FCS trophy for North Dakota
State University.
Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, before I turn to my colleague Senator
Cramer, I want to mention that I was at the national championship game.
It was just fantastic.
As I say, Bison Nation, which is all our Bison fans from North Dakota
and across the country, and the coaches, the staff, President
Bresciani, and, of course, these great student athletes who had such a
wonderful game--it was a great show. They turned out in force in
Frisco, TX. We are starting to call Frisco Fargo South, which is
actually the name of one of the high schools up in Fargo, which is kind
of fun. But our fans travelled down there so well, filled the stadium,
and they did once again. It was just a wonderful atmosphere. It was on
national television, so they performed on a national stage, and people
from across the country got to watch a wonderful game.
But leading up to that game, in the semifinals, they played James
Madison University, which has a tremendous football program as well.
That was on a Friday night, and it was the Friday night where we were
last here several weeks ago voting until about 2 o'clock in the
morning.
The reason I bring up the story is because we must have had--you were
there, Mr. President--we must have had like north of 20 votes at least.
So we started early in the evening and went until 2 in the morning or
thereabouts.
But the semifinal game between the North Dakota State University
Bison and the James Madison Dukes was on television that Friday
evening, so between votes, we were going into the cloakroom, and we had
it on television there. So between votes, all the Senators--at least in
the Republican cloakroom--we had it on, and we were watching the game.
It was a lot of fun and helped, you know, with the long evening, but
it really demonstrated how this program has done so much in terms of
for the State and NDSU and really providing an awareness nationwide of
these great student athletes we have, because all of our colleagues got
to see them, and they commented on not just the caliber of the football
that our team played--it was a hard-fought game. James Madison has a
wonderful program as well; again, really just a class operation. So the
Bison won in a hard-fought game.
But the other thing that was fun--we have a dome. We call it the
Bison Dome. Go figure. And remember that Bison is B-I-S-O-N, but it is
a Z, not an S, when you say it properly. But they showed all the fans
having fun and the noise in the dome, which makes it so hard to come up
and play North Dakota State on our home field in our dome. Everybody,
of course, is dressed in green and gold. But what an incredible sports
atmosphere.
For anyone who likes collegiate athletics, this is one of the most
iconic, greatest venues in the country. Again, it is Bison Nation. It
is the fans. It is everybody--the coaching staff, President Bresciani,
his whole team, the staff and faculty, and, of course, most of all, the
student athletes.
I know the Presiding Officer, coming from Michigan, knows what great
sports teams are all about.
Their commitment, their hard work, their passion, their support of
Bison Nation--all these things just make it a joyous and wonderful
thing.
I can't say enough about these young people, the commitment they made
and the hard work that they do. Many of them may actually end up in the
professional ranks. So they are playing at an extremely high level.
They are just wonderful young people, and I can't say enough great
things about them.
Once again, now 9 out of the last 11 years, national champs--again,
congratulations and go, Bison.
With that, I would like to turn to my colleague Senator Cramer.
[[Page S148]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I thank Senator Hoeven. I just want to
fully associate myself with every word of Senator Hoeven and every
thought you just heard. John Hoeven is not just a Senator who
represents the State that the Bison play in; he is a fan. To say the
least, he is a fan.
Senator Hoeven did a great job, as have ESPN and everybody else, in
highlighting the legacy of the Bison Nation. There has been 9 out of 11
national championships.
One of the things I really appreciate about Coach Matt Entz--who, by
the way, was named this year again the FCS Coach of the Year. That is
the second FCS National Coach of the Year in the last 3 years. He has
been the coach for 3 years.
But, as he likes to point out, while it is, in fact, the ninth
national championship in 11 seasons for the Bison, it is the first one
for this team--a fact that we sometimes forget. Excellence over time
requires one excellent team after another. So I want to focus just a
little bit not so much on the legacy but on this particular team.
Remember, as Senator Hoeven said, they beat the Bobcats 38 to 10. It
became 38 to 10 after they had been ahead 35 to 0. That is not a minor
thing in collegiate football. But the 38-to-10 victory tied with the
fourth largest margin of victory in FCS championship game history.
After that is NDSU's 28-point victory over Towson to cap the 2013
season. It was the fourth time NDSU has won the FCS championship by 26
or more points.
North Dakota State's 108 rushing yards in the first quarter and 160
in the second quarter marked the third and fourth times in the 2021 FCS
playoffs that the Bison ran for 100 yards in a quarter. Imagine that.
Twice they did it in the same game--103 in the first quarter and 116 in
the second quarter of NDSU's second-round win over Southern Illinois.
Now, NDSU's 28-to-0 halftime lead was the largest halftime margin in
FCS championship history, passing the 24-to-0 Bison lead over
Jacksonville State in 2015. In other words, this team, this one team,
is excellent among excellence. They had 378 yards rushing and 540 yards
of total offense. That was the most by the Bison in FCS championship
game history, surpassing a 300-yard rushing performance against Sam
Houston State in 2012 and 488 total yards against Eastern Washington in
the 2018 season.
We have to talk a little bit about fullback Hunter Luepke, who was
voted the Most Outstanding Player of the championship game. He tied a
career-high with three rushing touchdowns--the first three of the game,
one shy of the FCS championship game record of four rushing touchdowns
by Furman's John Bagwell in 1985.
This team, this one excellent team out of dozens of excellent teams
over the years, and this one excellent player obviously stand out,
along with their one excellent coach, as I said earlier, Matt Entz, the
FCS National Coach of the Year.
I love that Senator Hoeven consistently refers to these players as
student athletes because, remember, before they are football players,
they are students, and I think it is worth noting what exceptional
students they are.
NDSU's Cole Wisniewski was the winner of the NCAA Elite 90 Award. The
Elite 90 is presented to the student athlete with the highest
cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for
each of the NCAA's championships. But he is one among many. Five
student athletes were named to the football all-academic team. NDSU
linebacker Jackson Hankey headlines this group of five student athletes
named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic Team on
December 14.
I think it is important to highlight and be specific about these
guys. Hankey is a senior from Park River, ND. John and I know Park
River. It is a pretty small place. He has an undergraduate degree not
in underwater basket weaving and not even in physical education,
although there is nothing wrong with that, but, rather, in agricultural
economics. He was selected to the first team with a 3.636 grade point
average.
Here are the other four besides him: Hunter Luepke, the outstanding
player of the game, has a 3.42 GPA in finance. Sophomore defensive
tackle Eli Mostaert has a 3.733 GPA in finance. Kicker Jake Reinholz
has a 4.00 GPA in the master's degree program in mechanical
engineering. The senior defensive tackle, Lane Tucker, has a 3.857 GPA
in the MBA program. Great athletes are smart athletes. Great athletes
are smart athletes.
All right. To continue that, this is a tribute. Well, while they take
the stage on ESPN and on game day and the various programs, it is
important to point out that North Dakota State University's athletic
teams achieved a remarkable--remarkable--semester last fall with a
3.418 grade point average among all 427 student athletes. Three Bison
teams earned the highest ever GPA. The statistics are incredible. They
are incredible in terms of academic achievements of these outstanding
athletes throughout all of the sports at North Dakota State University,
not just football. But they definitely lead the charts.
So, to wrap up, in talking again a little bit about the dynasty, one
of my favorite quotes--and I refer to it a lot; I use it a lot when I
talk about Bison football--is Aristotle, who said:
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, [therefore], is
not an act, but a habit.
It is not an act. It is a habit.
There are 9 out of 11 national championships in the FCS alone. Before
that, as Division II, they won several national championships. They
never lost a national championship. In other words, they repeatedly win
national championships. That makes winning habitual. It is habitual.
They made their ninth appearance, as I said, in the championship
game--the most of any FCS team. They won them all, as we know. They now
have 17 football national championships in history. They won their last
13 title game appearances. I mean, it is kind of remarkable. They
improved to 41 and 3--imagine this, Senator Hoeven--41 and 3 in FCS
playoffs since 2010.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a
habit.
I, as well, salute Dean Bresciani, the president; Matt Entz, the head
coach; the entire coaching staff; the entire faculty; every student
athlete; and every parent who got these student athletes to college.
It is just a remarkable thing to be able to represent this level of
excellence, and I join Senator Hoeven in saying: ``Horns up! Go Bison!
Go Bison!''
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Cramer for his comments
and wonderful commentary on these great student athletes, but there is
one other point I want to make that goes to the excellence of this
program.
In the last national championship they won, the quarterback was a
wonderful player by the name of Trey Lance. He played for 1 year as a
redshirt freshman. So he easily could have been playing this year,
which would have been probably his sophomore or, maybe, junior year. It
is a little hard to say with the COVID spring season, but I think it
would have been his sophomore year.
The reason he wasn't able to quarterback the team is that he was
quarterbacking the San Francisco 49ers to a win in the NFL. So they
bring in another redshirt freshman quarterback who platoons with some
other players, who is another wonderful quarterback, Cam Miller. So
they win it with another player.
Again, it just shows, even as they lose some of these players--
sometimes in the transfer portal and sometimes to the NFL, as Senator
Cramer said--they keep bringing in just excellent athletes, and he
mentioned a number of them. It is not just that they are excellent
athletes; they are student athletes. Again, that goes to the quality
and the character of the program.
So we commend all of them--Senator Cramer, thanks for joining me--and
also with Kelly Armstrong in the House in recognizing a wonderful group
that truly deserves it--all the Bison nation.
Anything else from Senator Cramer? All right.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I want to congratulate the North Dakota
[[Page S149]]
Senators, my colleagues, on the great job with their football team.
``Go Bison!''
Well done, North Dakota.