FUNDRAISING
UND Champions Club
breaks fundraising record
The North Dakota Champions Club, the lead fundraising arm for UND Athletics, raised a record $2.43 million in cash gifts and commitments from over 2,286 members for student-athlete scholarships and athletics program support in 2012-13.
It's the seventh straight year the group has exceeded its previous total. The club, formerly known as the Fighting Sioux Club, first surpassed the $2 million mark in 2008-09. Since, the group has reported totals of $2.035 million in 2009-10, $2.19 million in 2010-11 and $2.23 million in 2011-12.
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The club has a new leader in former UND football defensive coordinator Mike Mannausau, who took over as Assistant Athletics Director/Champions Club Executive Director two weeks ago.
"I have seen firsthand how the work of the Champions Club positively impacts our athletics programs," Mannausau said. "I look forward to seeing how we will continue to create the future for UND's student-athletes by providing critical scholarship support."
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Mayville's McMillan nets honor
Mayville State center Marcisa McMillan has been voted to the NAIA All-American second team.
McMillan was voted as the 12th-best player in the country. She was also AII all-conference first team, as well as conference player of the year.
McMillan finished the year averaging 15.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. McMillan finished third in the country in field goal percentage (63.6 percent).
"It has been a fantastic year for Marcisa" Comets coach Dennis Hutter said. "She has worked very hard to improve her game, thus improving our team as well."
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The Comets qualified for the national tournament for the first time in school history and also reached 20 wins for the first time in program history.
"I am so proud of Marcisa and how far she has come as a player," Hutter said. "I look forward to even better things from her and the team next year as well."
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Illinois 51, Minnesota 49
CHICAGO -- Brandon Paul scored 25 points and hit a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to lead Illinois to a victory over Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten tournament on Thursday.
Illinois (22-11) led by as much as 12 but was trailing by three when D.J. Richardson nailed a 3 with 47 seconds left to tie it at 49. That basket came after the Illini missed four shots on the possession.
The Gophers (20-12) had a chance to win it, but Austin Hollins stepped on the sideline after catching an inbounds pass with 14 seconds left. Paul then raced up the court and pulled up for the winner as time expired, sending the eighth-seeded Illini to the quarterfinals against top-seeded and third-ranked Indiana.
BASEBALL
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Creighton 4, UND 1
OMAHA, Neb. -- UND took an early 1-0 lead, but errors proved costly as Creighton took advantage of North Dakota's miscues to get the win.
UND starting pitcher Andrew Thome, who pitched into the sixth inning without allowing a hit, took the loss to even his record at 2-2.
North Dakota scored in the second inning, when Jeff Campbell walked and later scored on a Patrick Vandoorne base hit.
The lead held until Creighton scored three runs on one UND error.
UND heads back to Minneapolis on March 29 for a four-game series against NDSU at the Metrodome.
