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528:, the Dragons' 17th football coach, was hired in spring 2011 after helming the Fargo Shanley High School program. In 2015, after defeating Minnesota Crookston 59–21, the Dragons earned their first winning season since 2006 with a 6–5 record. The next year, Laqua's team increased its win total to 7–4. While the Dragons finished with a losing 5–6 record in 2017, the 18 wins over those three years were the most victories since the 1995–1997 seasons.
33:
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Minnesota State
University Moorhead was coached by Chad Walthall from 2010–2022. In his second season, he led the team back to the post season for the first time since 1965 and the first 20 win season since 1982. In an exhibition game to start his second season, Walthall's team earned a 90–84 win in
652:
MSUM has a wide variety of intramural sports including flag football, softball, and soccer. Club teams are also available for men's and women's rugby, men's and women's lacrosse, and baseball which compete nationally. MSU Moorhead also has a club ice hockey team, which began play in the 2018–2019
627:
His Dragon teams have made the NCAA Division II Basketball
Tournament six times, the latest berth in 2022 via the NSIC tournament title. In the 2015 tournament, the Dragons reached the Division II Elite Eight. That season, he was named conference, Central Region and National coach of the year.
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After a 6–5 campaign in 2019 where they finished the season by defeating St. Cloud State
University, the Dragons did not play in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, the team returned to action, finishing 5–6. The following season, MSUM would go 4-7, losing the finale against
615:
MSUM has won four division titles and six conference titles in the NSIC. The
Dragons won conference titles in 1964–1965, 1970–1971, 1980–1981, 1981–1982, 2014–2015 and 2016–2017. The Dragons have also earned seven trips to the NSIC Tournament Final, winning the title in 2022 and 2023.
340:
Minnesota State
University Moorhead plays in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as one of the charter members. The conference was founded as the Northern Teachers Athletic Conference in 1932, when MSUM was Moorhead State Teachers College. For decades, the NSIC competed in the
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Nemzek's name is also on the 3,500 seat fieldhouse and basketball arena. In 2012, Nemzek
Fieldhouse was renovated, with new sound systems, scoreboards and a 144-square foot video board installed. The next year, a new basketball court was installed in the arena.
495:
The
Dragons football team plays at Alex Nemzek Stadium, a 6,000 seat facility. The stadium is named after the school's athletic director from 1923–1941. In 2015, the stadium received a renovation, with the added title of Scheels Field.
592:. MSUM leads 37–35–3 in the series for the trophy which dates back to 1948. The axe originated in the village of Mount Hagon, New Guinea. The series as a whole dates back to 1929, with MSUM holding a 47–40–3 series lead in total.
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In March 2022, Walthall retired from the head coaching position. Walthall's successor is Tim
Bergstraser. In his first season at the helm, 2022-2023, Bergstraser led the Dragons to an NSIC Tournament Championship.
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Current Head Coach Karla Nelson has been with MSUM since 2000. Nelson has led the
Dragons on six trips to the NCAA Division II tournament. She's earned coach of the year honors from the NSIC four times.
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The 2018 campaign proved to be Laqua's best season so far with the
Dragons, earning an 8–4 record and a trip to the Mineral Water Bowl. In the regular season finale, the Dragons defeated
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MSUM has earned six conference titles, with championship seasons in 1981–1982, 1984–1985, 2004–2005, 2016–2017, 2017–2018 and 2018–2019. The team has also won four division titles.
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MSUM has 16 NSIC titles. They won the conference in 1932, 1934, 1935, 1947, 1952, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1995.
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577:. MSUM leads the series 9-8. The Paddle was developed by the student governments, as both schools are located near a river. UMary is located on the
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The team bounced back with a winning record in 2023, finishing 7-4. The 2023 campaign included the Dragons' first ever win against the
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599:. Concordia leads the now defunct rivalry 49–25–12, winning the final game in a 34–32 thriller. Today Concordia plays at the
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for the State Farm Traveling Trophy. MSUM leads the series 14–7. The series ended in 2020 when UMC cut its football program.
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to earn their eighth win, their most victories since 1991. The Mineral Water Bowl, which the Dragons lost 51–16 to
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In total, the Dragons have won 101 conference championships, with 77 in men's sports and 24 in women's
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Nine of those conference championships were won by MSUM’s winningest coach
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intercollegiate sports. The Dragons generally compete as members of the
934:"St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Crookston both eliminate football programs"
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The school's soccer and softball fields are also named after Nemzek.
698:
The Knowledge article on the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
32:
607:. The two schools still play in other sports, such as basketball.
905:"Stellar Seniors Go Out on High Note, Dragons Retain Paddle 35-7"
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Athletic teams representing Minnesota State University Moorhead
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287:
1005:
MSUM's Football's 100th anniversary page on Concordia rivalry
852:"Official recap of final 2019 MSUM game Vs. St. Cloud State"
783:"Schnepf: Ross Fortier remains the king of Dragons football"
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959:"MSUM Football Downs Golden Eagles in Season Opener, 44-20"
758:"Fargo-Moorhead Forum article about the court installation"
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Fargo-Moorhead Forum article on first win at Scheels Field.
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in 1992 and by 1995 full members at the Division II level.
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MSUM's recap of the 2023 NSIC Tournament Championship Game
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MSUM Football's 100th anniversary page on Bemidji rivalry
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who coached from 1993-2004, winning the NSIC in 1995.
709:
The NSIC Conference Championship section on Knowledge.
18:
Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons men's basketball
539:, was the first postseason game for MSUM since 1994.
447:† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor
624:, located in Moorhead's neighboring city of Fargo.
57:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
919:"Dragons Roast Cougars with Homecoming 50 Burger"
343:National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
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1072:"MSUM article announcing Walthall's retirement"
676:MSUM Visual Identity Guidelines by MSU Moorhead
595:The Dragons also had a cross-town rivalry with
568:University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
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744:"Fargo-Moorhead Forum article about upgrades"
605:Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
537:Missouri University of Science and Technology
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657:, participating at the Division II level.
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
1408:Griggs Field at James S. Malosky Stadium
1085:Tim Bergstraser's page at MSUM's website
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880:"Official recap of final MSUM 2021 game"
573:The Battle for the Paddle Trophy vs the
347:National Collegiate Athletic Association
316:) are the athletic teams that represent
1337:Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
1174:Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
620:double overtime against the Division I
330:Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
163:Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
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554:after losing the previous five games.
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1107:MSUM's official page on Karla Nelson.
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1118:MSUM club hockey's official website.
1096:NSIC women's basketball record book.
932:Peterson, Eric (December 10, 2019).
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210:SCHEELS Field at Alex Nemzek Stadium
55:adding citations to reliable sources
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622:North Dakota State University Bison
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318:Minnesota State University Moorhead
153:Minnesota State University Moorhead
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1249:Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs
1016:NSIC men's basketball record book.
829:MSUM's St. Cloud State Game Recap.
66:"Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons"
25:
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1219:Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
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771:NSIC's football record book page.
1606:Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons
1513:Maxwell Field at Warrior Stadium
1214:Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons
1060:MSUM's Sweet Sixteen game recap.
866:"MSUM cancelled season schedule"
655:American Club Hockey Association
653:season. The team is part of the
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302:Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons
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818:MSUM's 2017 final game recap.
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575:University of Mary (Bismarck)
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332:for all 14 varsity sports.
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588:The Battle for the Axe vs
533:St. Cloud State University
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1209:Minnesota State Mavericks
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226:Alex Nemzek Soccer Field
1367:Bismarck Community Bowl
1239:St. Cloud State Huskies
840:MSUM's Bowl game recap.
270:Red and white
1199:Concordia Golden Bears
963:MSU Moorhead Athletics
420:Swimming & Diving
314:Moorhead State Dragons
218:Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse
1380:Chet Anderson Stadium
1259:Winona State Warriors
1234:Northern State Wolves
1194:Bemidji State Beavers
581:and MSUM is near the
1499:Kirkeby–Over Stadium
1394:Dacotah Bank Stadium
1254:Wayne State Wildcats
306:MSU Moorhead Dragons
51:improve this article
1569:Minnesota–Crookston
1544:Southwest Minnesota
1422:Herb Parker Stadium
1354:Alex Nemzek Stadium
1268:Future full members
1244:Sioux Falls Cougars
1229:Minot State Beavers
907:. 11 November 2023.
854:. 16 November 2019.
679:. September 8, 2011
545:Wayne State College
322:Moorhead, Minnesota
193:Moorhead, Minnesota
1441:Concordia-St. Paul
1049:MSUM's game recap.
965:. 5 September 2019
921:. 14 October 2023.
785:. 29 January 2011.
760:. 10 January 2013.
636:Women's basketball
434:Track & Field
261:We Are The Dragons
242:Scorch & Torch
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1285:Associate members
1275:Jamestown Jimmies
1189:Augustana Vikings
807:MSUM's game recap
648:Non-varsity teams
601:NCAA Division III
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181:Athletic director
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746:. 25 March 2012.
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1074:. August 2024.
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