[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 653]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, with great pride and admiration I 
honor the Carroll College football team, better known as the Fighting 
Saints who, on December 18, 2004, defeated the University of St. 
Francis Cougars to win their third consecutive NAIA football 
championship. Carroll is the first team to achieve this feat since 
Texas A & I accomplished it in 1974-1976.
  St. Francis was leading 13-12 with just 1:13 left to play in the game 
and 89 long yards for Carroll College. Without a timeout remaining, 
quarterback Tyler Emmert drove the Saints within field goal range and 
with ten seconds on the clock to spare, which gave freshmen kicker 
Marcus Miller an opportunity to kick a 32-yard field goal.
  Along with the honor of being national champions, quarterback Tyler 
Emmert was named the offensive MVP of the NAIA All-American Team. Four 
other team members of the Fighting Saints were also named to the NAIA 
All-American Team and two received honorable mentions. This great team 
is led by head coach Mike Van Diest who was named 2003 NAIA National 
Coach of the Year and Frontier Conference Coach of the Year. Van Diest 
also received the Frank Leahy Coach of the Year Award and the Johnny 
Vaught Head Coach Award, both presented by the All-American Football 
Foundation. The Carroll College football team was well represented on 
the 2004 NAIA All-American squad with five players making the first 
team. The Saints placed three players on offense--lineman Kyle Baker, 
quarterback Tyler Emmert and wide receiver Kevin McCutcheon. Linebacker 
Gary Cooper and defensive lineman Kevin Cicero were named to the first-
team defense.
  On this outstanding Carroll team, 23 of the 52 players had never been 
to a championship game before. This victory must be credited to all of 
the players on this fine team. At this time I would like to submit a 
full roster of the Fighting Saints to be printed for the Record of the 
Senate following my statement.
  Carroll College is not known just for their football program. U.S. 
News and World Report ranked Carroll College as the Fourth Best Western 
Regional Comprehensive College in America's Best Colleges for 2005. The 
Talking Saints forensics team is ranked in the top five of all 
universities and colleges in the United States. Their Nursing 
Department uses state-of-the-art technology including a $30,000 
simulated patient, the most advanced of its kind and the only one in 
the state of Montana. Nine faculty members received Fulbright 
Scholarships, which continues to add to the school's excellent 
reputation. The ABET, Accreditation Board for Engineering and 
Technology, recently presented Carroll College with its Innovation 
Award in recognition of the creative way that they combined their 
engineering and mathematics curriculums.
  I congratulate the three-time national champions and the fine 
educational institution of Carroll College.
  Carroll College 2004 Football Roster, 51-man playoff roster:

       A.J. Porrini, Mike Pancich, Seamus Mohillo, Justin Rigen, 
     Mark Esponda, Cody Zimmerman, Marcus Miller, Andy Johnson, 
     John Barnett, Matt Thomas, Dustin Michaelis, Tyler Emmert, 
     Kevin McCutcheon, Jed Thomas, Regan Mack, Zach Thiry, Nick 
     Milodragovich, Josh Schmidt, Zach Bumgarner, Austin Hall, 
     T.J. Lehman, Jayce Peavler, Ryan Grosulak, Mike Maddox, Gary 
     Cooper, Ellis Beckwith, Nick Bradeen, C.J. Bugas, Jeff Pasha, 
     Phil Lenoue, Dan Mazurek, Kyle Baker, Kyle Cicero, Jason 
     Ostler, Devin Wolf, Bryson Pelc, Sam Morton, Kevin Cicero, 
     Nick Hammond, Paul Barnett, Tom Boyle, Scott Holbrook, 
     Kendall Selle, Casey Crites, Nick Colasurdo, Mike Donovan, 
     John Klaboe, Andrew Davenport, Jeff Shirley, and Chris 
     Ramstead.
       President: Dr. Tom Trebon.
       Athletic Director: Bruce M. Parker.
       Head Coach: Mike Van Diest.
       Assistant Coaches: Nick Howlett, Jim Hogan, Mike McMahon, 
     Kyle Mihelish, Gary Guthmiller, Mark Gallik, Mark Lenhardt, 
     Jarod Wirt, Daryl Wilkerson.
       Student Coaches: Mike Mahoney, Tyler Peterson.

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