North Dakota

Who should the Mountain West add? Ranking North Dakota State, UTEP and more candidates

Published

1 year ago

September 13, 2024

Who should the Mountain West add? Ranking North Dakota State, UTEP and more candidates

With its four most prominent football programs leaving for a reconstituted Pac-12 Conference, the Mountain West has reached an existential crisis. In fact, it’s unknown whether its holdovers will stay or bolt.

Should the Mountain West want to remain intact, it will need to target replacements for Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State. But which additions make the most sense? Do any current FBS programs fit geographically? Can the Mountain West persuade prominent FCS programs to also take a leap upward?

Remaining Mountain West members

As speculation swirls about other departures, here’s a look at the top candidates for the Mountain West should it stay together as a conference.

North Dakota State has won nine FCS championships since 2011 and boasts a 129-17 record over the past 10 seasons. The Bison regularly traveled to FBS power conference teams over the past decade-plus and won games, including against defending Big 12 champion Kansas State and Big Ten runner-up Iowa. North Dakota State’s yearly attendance averages have been between 15,000 and 20,000 per game, and Fargo has hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” twice. Inviting the Bison instantly would provide the Mountain West with credibility, stability and a College Football Playoff contender.

A longtime rival of the Bison, the Jackrabbits have won two consecutive FCS championships and are 103-31 over the past 10 seasons. Among FCS programs, South Dakota State ranked sixth last year in average regular-season attendance at 18,208, numbers of which were compiled by Hero Sports. There’s a passionate following for the Jackrabbits, and SDSU would provide other Mountain West schools with a travel partner for NDSU outside of football. Like the Bison, the Jackrabbits have hosted “College GameDay” and instantly would compete for conference titles.

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There’s no use separating these two because it would be a both or neither situation. These two are among the most successful in FCS, with one national title game appearance each in the past three years (Montana last season, Montana State in 2021). The Grizzlies and Bobcats ranked second and third, respectively, in FCS attendance in 2023, with Montana averaging 26,269 and Montana State at 21,610. Both have won more than 70 games over the past decade, and “College GameDay” appeared at their picturesque Brawl of the Wild rivalry game in Bozeman in 2022. Few programs fit better geographically in the Mountain West than these two.

UTEP is best known for its 1966 NCAA men’s basketball championship in which it fielded an all-Black lineup against all-White Kentucky, but its lack of football prowess kept it away from its traditional foes. Of the 10 members of the Western Athletic Conference before it expanded in 1996 (and then imploded two years later), UTEP was the only one to never go on to compete in the Mountain West. With its proximity to New Mexico and its ties to the Mountain West holdovers, UTEP would provide some instant name recognition.

New Mexico State has played its in-state rival New Mexico every year since 1907, except for during COVID-19 and two World Wars. It has almost the same rivalry history with UTEP, which is located only 45 miles from Las Cruces, N.M. Combined, New Mexico State has played 212 games against those programs, but it hasn’t competed in the same conference with New Mexico since 1951. It rejoined UTEP in Conference USA last year after a 61-year nonconference rivalry. If New Mexico would allow it, bringing in the Aggies would make sense geographically.

Along with Montana, Idaho once was among 10 members of the Pacific Coast Conference, which was disbanded in 1959 and later reborn as the Pac-8. Idaho then became a vagabond and bounced from conference affiliation to independent status in the FBS until opting to move down to the FCS in 2017. It never could secure a Mountain West invitation once the WAC capsized in 2012. Should the Mountain West invite both Montana schools, Idaho would be a nice addition, too. Oh, and the Vandals play in one of college football’s great structures in the Kibbie Dome.

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Perhaps a surprise for this list, Sacramento State boasts an enrollment exceeding 22,000 undergraduate students. The Hornets averaged 13,348 in football attendance last year, beat Stanford by a touchdown and generated $11.46 million in fiscal 2022-23. While there’s not much football history, Sacramento State has a 58-48 record over the past 10 seasons and qualified for the FCS playoffs in each of the past three seasons. Two years ago, the Hornets were 12-0 before losing 66-63 in a playoff shootout to Incarnate Word. Located only 120 miles from San Jose State, Sacramento State would make for a nice travel partner outside of football.

3 others to consider

North Dakota and South Dakota boast quality football programs, but from attendance to on-field success, they’re not quite at the level of their in-state rivals. Northern Arizona is located in Flagstaff and has an enrollment of more than 20,000 students. It’s a good area for the Mountain West to claim, but it ranked 50th in FCS attendance in 2023.

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(Top photos: Andrew Wevers and Steven Branscombe / Getty Images)

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

21 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”