North Dakota

Franek provides example for other North Dakota wrestlers to follow

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2024

Franek provides example for other North Dakota wrestlers to follow

Iowa Hawkeye’s Jared Franek wrestles Columbia Lion’s Jaden Le in a 157 pound match at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

IOWA CITY – University of Iowa’s Jared Franek has said representation matters.

But, growing up in Harwood, N.D., and attending West Fargo High School, Franek didn’t have many examples of wrestlers blazing a trail from his area to the NCAA Division I level. He understands the impact he could have, filling that role for young wrestlers, especially from his home state.

“It’s always been super important for me,” Franek said during the team’s weekly media availability Tuesday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “Bigger than wins and losses is inspiring the next generation and trying to live the right lifestyle. Be a good example on and off the mat.”

Franek has produced a successful college career as a three-time NCAA qualifier and an All-American. He transferred to Iowa this season and has been a fixture in the top five of national rankings at 157-pounds.

No. 5 Franek will close the regular season when No. 4 Iowa faces No. 2 Oklahoma State Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.

“Everyone of us has a good match, a big match,” said Franek, who is expected to wrestle No. 10 Teague Travis. “I’m excited. Nothing really changes in the approach besides being ready and continuing to make those little improvements and get ready for March.”

North Dakota hosts one of the nation’s top age-level freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments – Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. The state doesn’t churn out a lot of NCAA D-I talent.

Franek was born after the storied competitive careers of Terry and Troy Steiner, who were from Bismarck, N.D. Terry was a three-time All-American and 1993 NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes and legendary coach Dan Gable. His twin brother, Troy, was a four-time All-American, two-time national finalist and 1992 NCAA champion.

Despite being before his time, Franek was exposed to their careers and accomplishments. He was inspired to be like them and was influenced by stories of their work ethic.

“I heard a lot of stories about them when I was younger,” Franek said. “They didn’t know much about wrestling and their first few matches they got beat up. It’s kind of crazy what hard work and dedication did for them.”

Former Minnesota three-time All-American and Big Ten Conference finalist Scott Schiller was much closer to his home and his age. Schiller also attended West Fargo and they were family friends.

“Scott Schiller was a really good example on and off the mat for me,” Franek said. “My dad grew up with his dad, so I got to know him pretty well. He was a class act on and off the mat. A lot of the way he approached the sport is the way he did it.

“Those were some good role models for me, growing up.”

Franek has produced a successful college career as well. He reached the round of 12 at two straight NCAA Championships and made placed fourth last year for North Dakota State.

As he contends for a national title and a second All-American finish, he wants to be a positive influence that might make a difference in an aspiring athlete. Franek has encouraged wrestlers at various camps and clinics and why he obliges young fans with autographs and pictures.

Those moments could propel a younger wrestler toward success, regardless of whether they reside in Iowa, North Dakota or elsewhere.

“Taking the time out to do that stuff is really important because at one point we were all that kid, wanting to achieve those goals and who knows what impact you might have,” Franek said. “That might be just enough to get a kid into it and they might have a great career out of it.”

Franek owns a 19-3 record, giving him 111 career victories. He immediately slid into the Hawkeyes lineup, climbing as high as No. 2 in the national rankings.

Franek has demonstrated stinginess in matches, allowing just 3.04 points per match. He is coming off a 17-point outburst in a technical fall over Wisconsin’s Luke Mechler last Sunday.

“It was big,” Franek said. “That’s how we want to wrestle. That’s how the guys on the team want to wrestle. Score points and dominate. It was good to get that flow back a little bit. I had a couple matches where I wasn’t scoring much, so get those points on the board and look to keep building that momentum.”

Iowa Coach Tom Brands said he possesses a strong “wrestling IQ” that likely blossomed under his dad, Shawn, a wrestling coach. Brands said Franek is not content or complacent, looking to consistently improve.

“I know that he knows there’s work to do,” Brands said. “That’s always good. He doesn’t rest. He’s ambitious. He’s energetic. He loves a challenge. He has thick skin.

“I wouldn’t say he’s never satisfied, but he knows that there’s always work to do.”

Franek described wrestling as a sport that can’t be perfected. Some aspect can always be tweaked, evolved and bettered. He was raised with that mentality, which is enhanced by a quest to be the best.

“I was always climbing for the next guy,” Franek said. “I was never the best at any age group. For me, that’s been a big motivation.

“I think there’s a lot left in my wrestling game to piece together here before March. I’m looking to keep improving on that and peak when it’s time.”

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com

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North Dakota

$2 million anonymous donor to Grand Forks Children’s Museum is revealed

Published

4 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks Children’s Museum has revealed the anonymous donor of the $2 million in matching funds that prompted others to step forward and bring the fundraising campaign closer to its goal of $35 million.

“It is with deep gratitude that the Grand Forks Children’s Museum now shares the name behind that bold vision,” said Katie Mayer, executive director of the museum, in naming Pam Laffen of Grand Forks as the anonymous donor.

With this gift and other major contributions, the fundraising campaign “stands at just $1.75 million remaining, bringing the finish line clearly into view,” Mayer said.

The museum “reflects Pam’s passion for learning and her belief in creating meaningful opportunities for children which have guided her life’s work and are deeply reflected in this gift,” she said.

Laffen said, “I am honored to be part of a community that supports a project dedicated to encouraging growth in education and service for future generations.”

Recognizing the impact of Laffen’s gift, Mayer said, “Pam and her late husband, Lonnie, shared a deep appreciation for this community. Being raised in a rural area in North Dakota taught them to be actively engaged in their immediate and surrounding communities across the state.”

Members of the Grand Forks Children’s Museum Staff and Fundraising Team are (back row, from left) Alyssa Donacki, Diane Martinson, Ashley Stroble, Katie Mayer, Pam Laffen, Betsey Aasen and Kim Woods and (in front) Maura Tanabe (left) and Sally Miskavige.

Contributed / Grand Forks Children’s Museum

At the start of the “Unlocking Tomorrow, Together Challenge,” the $2 million would be released, or “unlocked,” with the receipt of each of eight $250,000 donations. The challenge actually resulted in “securing nearly 10 leadership-level commitments and accelerating the campaign even further,” Mayer said.

A leadership gift of $250,000 from the Pancratz Family Foundation, based with the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, has helped to “unlock one of the final keys in the challenge,” according to an announcement from the museum. The gift has added “meaningful momentum at a pivotal time in the campaign.”

The foundation’s commitment to the museum “reflects a strong belief in expanding opportunity for children and families, and helped carry the challenge to completion.”

The final keys to the $2 million matching grant were “propelled by an extraordinary wave of generosity from families and businesses across our community,” Mayer said.

A vertical climber, to be named for Pam Laffen, is designed to physically and symbolically connect the land and sky levels of the museum, Mayer said. It will span two stories and include a slide. Designed to face 42nd Street, it will be visible from the road, serving as a signature feature of the building.

The climber will reflect the guiding phrase “In land, we root. Through sky, we rise. Together, we grow.”

“The words echo both the spirit of the community and the belief that learning, curiosity, exploration and opportunity are built step-by-step, grounded in place and lifted by possibility,” Mayer said.

Pamela Knudson is a features and arts/entertainment writer for the Grand Forks Herald.

She has worked for the Herald since 2011 and has covered a wide variety of topics, including the latest performances in the region and health topics.

Pamela can be reached at pknudson@gfherald.com or (701) 780-1107.

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North Dakota

Broncos won’t repeat as NCHC hockey champs, lose to N. Dakota: ‘We broke down’

Published

16 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Broncos won’t repeat as NCHC hockey champs, lose to N. Dakota: ‘We broke down’

Kalamazoo — There’ll be a new champion in the NCHC.

Will Zellers scored the game-winning goal in the third period as No. 3 North Dakota downed No. 4 Western Michigan, 5-3, Friday night at Lawson Arena. The Broncos never led and trailed all of the third period, though a late push nearly tied the game with the net empty.

“Overall in the game, I thought it was a pretty tightly contested effort. I thought they just scored too easy,” Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler said. “You know, for us, we had a couple breakdowns, and they’re so talented, so good, they took advantage when we broke down.”

The teams finish the regular season Saturday night. Western Michigan came into Friday’s game tied with Denver in standings points and five points behind North Dakota, needing that many to get a share of the Penrose Cup it won last season en route to an NCAA championship, too.

As far as regular season results go, the Broncos will play for second seed in the NCHC Tournament, needing to outpace Denver, which plays Arizona State this weekend.

Western Michigan (23-9-1, 15-7-1 NCHC) goaltender Hampton Slukynsky made 16 saves on 20 shots in the loss while North Dakota’s Jan Spunar stopped 22 of 25 shots. It was a battle of two of the NCHC’s top netminders, and each made key stops in a tight-checking, physical game.

Zellers put North Dakota (25-7-1, 17-5-1) up 4-2 4:42 into the third period off an assist from Detroit Red Wings draft choice Dylan James.

“He kind of made a play out of nothing there,” said North Dakota coach Dane Jackson, who is in his first season as head coach after being on the coaching staff since 2006. “And that was a really nice kind of moment where you go OK, we got a little got a little leeway here, and we can just kind of play a little bit more free.”

North Dakota took a 3-2 lead into the third period with goals from defenseman Sam Laurila alongside forwards Ollie Josephson and Josh Zakreski. Defenseman Zach Bookman and forward Liam Valente scored for Western Michigan.

One too many times in the second frame, Western Michigan’s blue line let a North Dakota forward in all alone to face Slukynsky, who stopped a couple of rushes in the opening minutes of the period.

With four minutes until the intermission, the Broncos finally got burned. On a feed from linemate Anthony Menghini, Lakreski cut to the glove side of a sprawling Slukynsky and beat him with the backhand. The goal gave North Dakota the 3-2 lead, after a seeing-eye shot from Bookman along the right wall had tied it up two apiece 8:10 into the period.

“I actually thought the second period was our best period,” Ferschweiler said. “… We started to take over. We got the goal, tied 2-2, and are kind of just humming along. Four minutes left, we just hand them a goal. Blown coverage. That was inexcusable, honestly, with some of our better players on the ice.”

The opening period played out as a back and forth track meet through the neutral zone as each side settled in. Laurila put North Dakota up 1-0 with his first career goal. After Slukynsky denied him on a trio of tries earlier in the shift, he fired a shot to beat the Western Michigan netminder 4:40 into the game.

It took just a minute and 34 seconds after Laurila’s opener for Western Michigan’s top line to get it right back. A blue-collar shift from captain Owen Michaels fed linemate Will Whitelaw along the left boards, and he sprung Valente for a breakaway goal that evened up the score.

“I thought we gave it to them too easy a couple times tonight,” Whitelaw said. “And I think when you’re playing a team like that, obviously they’re gonna put it in your net. But I think it’ll be a big lesson for our group going forward.”

For the better part of the first period, the Lawson Lunatics peppered North Dakota defenseman Jake Livanavage with jeers, but he got his own licks in with 7:48 left in the first period as he fed Josephson right at the net for the 2-1 goal. That score held through the first period.

With 2:02 remaining and Slukynsky pulled, forward Zaccharya Wisdom pulled Western Michigan within one. He nearly had the equalizer with 40 seconds on the clock on a backdoor try, but he mistimed the shot. Mac Swanson scored an empty-netter with 20.7 seconds on the clock to clinch the win, and with it the Penrose Cup, presented to North Dakota in the locker room and then paraded around the ice.

“It’s the hardest regular season championship to win, in my opinion,” North Dakota forward Ben Strinden said. “So it’s awesome. Obviously, it’s not our end goal, but we’re going to enjoy it for sure.”

cearegood@detroitnews.com

@ConnorEaregood

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