[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 24593-24594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  TRIBUTE TO UND'S FIGHTING SIOUX, NCAA DIVISION II FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS

 Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to note the 
accomplishment of the University of North Dakota football team, who on 
Saturday won the NCAA Division II football championship, defeating 
Grand Valley State University of Michigan.
  It was a nail-biter, and one of the most remarkable, last-minute 
comebacks in the history of championship football.
  UND's spectacular defense held the Grand Valley State team to 14 
points, but with less than three minutes to play, and 80 yards to go, 
we were trailing 14-10. A field goal wouldn't do it. We had to drive 
the length of the field and score a touchdown. It looked as though the 
championship would slip from our grasp.
  Moving the ball out to their 41-yard line, UND faced a crucial 
fourth-down play, needing four yards to keep the drive alive. 
Quarterback Kelby Klosterman linked up with wide receiver Luke 
Schleusner on an incredible 58-yard pass play, landing us on the one-
yard line. Running back Jed Perkerewicz took the ball the final yard in 
the last 29 seconds to win the game and the championship for Grand 
Forks and North Dakota. It was the first national football title in the 
school's 105-year history.
  These were well-matched teams and worthy opponents. Yardage and time 
of possession were very close, almost identical. UND's 80-yard final 
drive made the difference. Imagine the pressure.
  Only minutes left on the clock, a national championship at stake, and 
nearly the whole field left to drive. It's a measure of this team's 
grit and determination that the final drive was marked by two fourth-
down conversions. Converting on a fourth down is do or die, fail, and 
it's all over. UND did it not once, but twice. That's a demonstration 
of real character.
  All of North Dakota is celebrating this tremendous win, but this is 
an especially sweet victory for the people of Grand Forks. They know 
about comebacks against long odds. After the floods of 1997 all but 
destroyed the town, and badly damaged the university, they came back. 
And Grand Forks is on its way to being bigger and better than ever.
  Grand Forks is a comeback town, and North Dakota is a comeback team. 
I could not be more proud of these fine young athletes and their 
coaches.
  And I look forward to the conclusion of a little bet that Senator 
Dorgan and I made last Friday with our dear colleagues from Michigan, 
Senators Levin and Stabenow. I look forward to hearing them recite the 
words of the UND fight song, loud and clear from the steps of the 
United States Capitol this week.
  While the two final plays in the game put us over the top, everyone 
knows that at UND, it's teamwork that matters. Every member of this 
team contributed to the victory. I would ask to have printed in the 
Record the full roster of this championship team, and their first-rate 
coaching staff. They have made us very proud.
  The roster follows:

         University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Team Roster

       No. 1, Thayne Bosh.
       No. 2, Jesse Smith.
       No. 3, Dustin Thornburg.
       No. 4, Jamel Alkins.
       No. 5, Adam Roland.
       No. 6, Shad Carney.
       No. 7, Jeff Glas.
       No. 8, Caleb Johnson.
       No. 9, Kelby Klosterman.
       No. 11, Cameron Peterka.
       No. 11, Jamaal Franklin.
       No. 12, John Bowenkamp.
       No. 13, Joe Wilson.
       No. 14, Evan Nelson.
       No. 15, Brian Loe.
       No. 16, Josh Ranson.
       No. 17, Bret Bentow.
       No. 18, Jim Miller.
       No. 19, Tom Maus.
       No. 20, Ryan Manke.
       No. 21, Peyton Ross.
       No. 22, Cory Urban.
       No. 23, Tony Hermes.
       No. 24, Willis Stattelman.
       No. 25, Craig Riendeau.
       No. 25, Demetrius Charles.
       No. 26, Adam Stratton.
       No. 27, Josh Copple.
       No. 29, Tom Miller.
       No. 30, Gregg Olson.
       No. 32, Jamaal Griffin.
       No. 33, Adam Dehnicke.
       No. 33, Danny Gagner.
       No. 34, Riza Mahmoud.
       No. 35, Matt Nelson.
       No. 36, Chris Beatty.
       No. 36, Travis O'Neel.
       No. 37, Jed Perkerewicz.
       No. 37, Matt Hillbrand.
       No. 38, Josh Brandsted.
       No. 38, Mike O'Neil.
       No. 39, Brian Wilhelmi.
       No. 40, Digger Anderson.
       No. 40, Eric Schmidt.
       No. 42, Ross Brennan.
       No. 43, Matt Vanderpan.
       No. 44, Tyler Dahlen.
       No. 45, Chad Mustard.
       No. 46, Jason Gravos.
       No. 47, David Wisthoff.
       No. 48, Josh Kotelnicki.
       No. 49, Blaise Larson.
       No. 50, Mac Schneider.
       No. 52, Andy Hendrickson.
       No. 53, Mike Mularoni.
       No. 54, Troy Newhouse.
       No. 55, Tom Irvin.
       No. 56, Josh Christofferson.
       No. 57, Brook Maier.
       No. 58, Eric Halstenson.
       No. 59, Jake Nordick.
       No. 60, Ross Walker.
       No. 61, Dan Schill.
       No. 62, Josh Cranston.
       No. 63, Ryan Grant.
       No. 64, Brennan Marsh.
       No. 65, Stephen Larsen.
       No. 66, Mike Gruchalla.
       No. 67, Jason Peterson.
       No. 68, Matt Knutson.
       No. 70, Brian Osterday.
       No. 71, Dave Butler.
       No. 72, Ben Murphy.
       No. 73, Chris Kuper.
       No. 74, Mike Crouse.
       No. 75, Brian Dokken.
       No. 76, Ben Olson.
       No. 77, Barry Smith.
       No. 78, Matt Buisker.
       No. 78, Mike Bryant.
       No. 79, Mike Wacek.
       No. 80, John Kyvig.
       No. 81, Dan Graf.
       No. 82, Justin Klabo.
       No. 84, Jesse Ahlers.
       No. 85, Erik Ahlstrom.


               UND Fighting Sioux Coaches and 2001 Staff

       Dale Lennon, Head Coach.
       Kyle Schweigert, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive 
     Coordinator.
       Chris Mussman, Offensive Coordinator.
       Tom Dosch, Defensive Line/OLB.
       Tim Tibesar, Inside Linebackers.

[[Page 24594]]

       Curt Sienkiewicz, Running Backs.
       Tim Belmore, Wide Receivers.
       Cooper Harris, Graduate Assistant.
       Greg Lotysz, Graduate Assistant.
       Mike Mannausau, Graduate Assistant.
       Jon Young, Graduate Assistant.
       Steve Westereng, Head Football Athletic Trainer.
       Paul Chapman, Director of Strength and Conditioning.
       Dan Benson, Director of Media Relations.
       Lon Carlson, Football Equipment Manager.
       Cindy Klug, Office Secretary.

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