Athletic Department Records
Collection
Identifier: UA 0063
Scope and Contents
Basketball Series consists of Men’s Game Program Sub-Series and Women’s Game Program Sub-Series.
Baseball Series consist of programs from games.
Hockey Series consist of clippings, programs, awards, schedules, and statistics.
Football Series consist primarily of programs and fact books/media guides and some newspaper clipping. There are two broad series: general information and programs. General information includes early programs, schedules, clipping, and fact book/media guides (1903-present). This series is very sparse through the 1950s. The Programs series (1924-present) is also sparse until the late 1960s.
General Publications Series consist of General Histories (1900-1950); Move to Division I (2002-2007); Women’s Athletics (1920-2004); Promotional (1914-12006); Awards/Honors (1993, 2004); Rahjahs (1949-1969); Booster Club/Cheer team (1925-2008); Aggies to Bison name change (1922); Mascots/Logos (1965-2008); Rivalries – Nickel Trophy (1937-2004); Rivalries – Dakota Marker (2004-2007); Handbook/Code of Conduct (1963-2007); Bison Hall of Fame (see Alumni Association); Academics – closed see Archivist (1999-2006); and Publications – Bison Booster (1967), Herd Thunder (1976-77), Bison Strength (1991), Bison Illustrated (2007-2008)
Gymnastics Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Soccer Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Softball Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Swimming Series consists of men’s and women’s programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Wrestling Series consist of programs. Volleyball Series consist of programs.
Baseball Series consist of programs from games.
Hockey Series consist of clippings, programs, awards, schedules, and statistics.
Football Series consist primarily of programs and fact books/media guides and some newspaper clipping. There are two broad series: general information and programs. General information includes early programs, schedules, clipping, and fact book/media guides (1903-present). This series is very sparse through the 1950s. The Programs series (1924-present) is also sparse until the late 1960s.
General Publications Series consist of General Histories (1900-1950); Move to Division I (2002-2007); Women’s Athletics (1920-2004); Promotional (1914-12006); Awards/Honors (1993, 2004); Rahjahs (1949-1969); Booster Club/Cheer team (1925-2008); Aggies to Bison name change (1922); Mascots/Logos (1965-2008); Rivalries – Nickel Trophy (1937-2004); Rivalries – Dakota Marker (2004-2007); Handbook/Code of Conduct (1963-2007); Bison Hall of Fame (see Alumni Association); Academics – closed see Archivist (1999-2006); and Publications – Bison Booster (1967), Herd Thunder (1976-77), Bison Strength (1991), Bison Illustrated (2007-2008)
Gymnastics Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Soccer Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Softball Series consist of programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Swimming Series consists of men’s and women’s programs, media guides, and newspaper clippings. Wrestling Series consist of programs. Volleyball Series consist of programs.
Dates
- 1903 – 2020
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyrights to this collection is held by The North Dakota State University Archives.
Biographical / Historical
The proud tradition of North Dakota State University athletics was one of the finest in the country at the NCAA Division II level for many years. The Bison men's and women's programs were regular contenders for championships on a national scale. Now a Division I program featuring 16 varsity sports, the vision for North Dakota State is "Continuing the Championship Tradition of Bison Athletics."
North Dakota State University's athletic teams have progressed from the "Farmers" in the 1890's to the "Aggies" in the early 1900's to the "Bison," NDSU's current athletic symbol. In 1919, head football coach Stan Borleske developed it because he and members of the football team didn't like being known as "Aggies." Borleske wanted a strong and fierce mascot. The "Bison" was a logical choice. The great animals once roamed the North Dakota prairie in vast numbers, and over the years Bison athletic teams added an additional name, the "Thundering Herd."
NDSU has a storied history of athletic success including 28 team national championships since 1965 in football, women’s basketball, wrestling, softball, men’s cross country and women’s indoor track and field, plus 61 individual championships. Since completing a reclassification to NCAA Division I in the fall of 2008, the Bison have won eight football national championships, earned five NCAA men’s basketball tournament berths, made 10 softball regionals and one super regional, three NCAA women’s volleyball postseason appearances, two NCAA baseball regionals, as well as NCAA regionals in women’s soccer, and men's and women’s golf while producing several All-Americans in track and field, cross country and wrestling.
North Dakota State has a remarkable history of academic and athletic success. Since the Academic All-America® program was initiated by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the North Dakota State athletic programs have had 91 student-athletes earn 143 CoSIDA Academic All-America® awards, which ranks among the top 25 programs in all levels of college athletics.
Men’s Basketball goes back to the founding of the university. According to the NDSU Media /Recruiting Guide for Men’s Basketball, NDAC began playing competitive basketball in 1897-1898, with 6 games (3 each against the Fargo YMCA and Fargo College [a private Congregational college located in Fargo from 1887-1922]. NDAC lost all 6 games. The following is excerpted form the February 1898 issue of The Spectrum: “Since the last issue of THE SPECTRUM a basket ball [sic] league has been organized consisting of the Y.M.C.A., Fargo College and this College. … A series of nine games was scheduled to be palyed in the Armory of Co. B. as follows: Jan. 22 …YMCA vs. NDAC, Jan. 20 … YMCA vs. Fargo College, Feb. 4 … NDAC vs. Fargo College, Feb. 11 … NDAC vs. YMCA, Feb. 18 … Fargo College vs. YMCA, Feb. 22. … Fargo College vs. NDAC, Feb. 25 … YMCA vs. NDAC, March 4. … Fargo College vs. NDAC, and March 11 … Fargo College vs. YMCA. The first four games have been played with results somewhat discouraging to us, bur when we consider that this is our first appearance with basket ball, and that some of our players have never seen a game before this winter, while the Y.M.C.A. team is the champion of the state and the Fargo College team contains men of several years experience, we have reason to feel encouraged with the progress thus far made.” pp. 12-13
Women’s Basketball is first mentioned in The Spectrum is in the December 15, 1899 issue: “The ladies have organized a basket-ball [sic] team and are practicing daily.” P. 39 In February of 1900, the team played the “All Stars.” “While the ladies played good ball, they were out-played by the seniors and professors and made most of their points on fouls. Score 6 to 14 in favor of the ‘All Stars’.” (The Spectrum, February 15, 1900, p. 73). Although not particularly clear, it seems as though the women played competitive basketball in 1901. “One thing our institution stands supreme in, and that is an undefeated ladies’ basket-ball team. It has successfully met on the field of athletic honor every form and shape of feminine aspirants for athletic laurels and to them all has it left naught but defeat. Their final game with the Moorhead Normal [Minnesota State University Moorhead] was a crushing defeat for the Pedagogues, for they were outclassed in every feature of the game, especially so in the skill of manipulating the ball. The game, instead of consisting of two halves of 20 minutes each was played in quarters. The final score was 20 to 1.” (The Spectrum, April 15, 1901, p. 104). Baseball’s is first mentioned in any university publication is in May of 1898 in an article from The Spectrum, titled “Base Ball,” pp. 5, 12. The article describes the games again Fargo College and the “High School,” which was probably Fargo Central High.
Ice Hockey at North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC) became an intercollegiate sport in 1922. In the mid-1930s it is listed as a minor sport and by 1937 it is an intramural sport. There was a slight revival of intercollegiate competition in 1948 when the team went 4-2, with wins over Bemidji (twice), Jamestown, and Concordia and loses to St. Cloud and the University of North Dakota. Outside of a short revival in1951 and 1952, when the team played in the Fargo-Moorhead Commercial League against such teams as the Detroit Lake Rangers, Concordia and the F-M Comets, ice hockey did not revive until 1983, as the NDSU Ice Hockey Club.
Golf’s first mention was in 1955 there was a men’s intercollegiate golf team. As of 1969 there was a women’s intercollegiate golf team.
Football The first North Dakota Agricultural College [NDAC] Football Coach, H.L. Bolley recalled that … In 1890, when the writer came here as a member of the first faculty of the North Dakota Agricultural College, he found at the University a fellow botanist, Prof. M. A. Brannon, personal opponent and member of the Wabash University team at the time of the Purdue University’s victory in 1889. Remembering that spiritful game, he (Brannon) suggested that the contest at once be continued in North Dakota, between the two state institutions. That would have been easy for the "U", for it was the original territorial university of the two Dakotas and had a sizeable student body. Though anxious to try out as a volunteer coach, it was three years before I was able to find sufficient students to line up in scrimmage. The first games between the University of North Dakota and North Dakota Agricultural College occurred in 1894. Not having many nearby colleges to furnish cash and game experience, neither team had had much practice other than demonstrated by the over enthusiastic volunteer faculty coaches. To help develop interest, an agreement called for two games. This "game and return game" prevailed for a number of years thereafter. (excerpted from H.L. Bolley’s Papers, UA Mss. 18 – one of the first professors at NDAC, specialties in botany and plant pathology and Purdue’s first quarterback - http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/archives/collections/Bolley.htm).
General Print Series is an artificial Bison athletic publication collection of materials that do not fit into specific sports.
NDSU has a storied history of athletic success including 28 team national championships since 1965 in football, women’s basketball, wrestling, softball, men’s cross country and women’s indoor track and field, plus 61 individual championships. Since completing a reclassification to NCAA Division I in the fall of 2008, the Bison have won eight football national championships, earned five NCAA men’s basketball tournament berths, made 10 softball regionals and one super regional, three NCAA women’s volleyball postseason appearances, two NCAA baseball regionals, as well as NCAA regionals in women’s soccer, and men's and women’s golf while producing several All-Americans in track and field, cross country and wrestling.
North Dakota State has a remarkable history of academic and athletic success. Since the Academic All-America® program was initiated by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the North Dakota State athletic programs have had 91 student-athletes earn 143 CoSIDA Academic All-America® awards, which ranks among the top 25 programs in all levels of college athletics.
Men’s Basketball goes back to the founding of the university. According to the NDSU Media /Recruiting Guide for Men’s Basketball, NDAC began playing competitive basketball in 1897-1898, with 6 games (3 each against the Fargo YMCA and Fargo College [a private Congregational college located in Fargo from 1887-1922]. NDAC lost all 6 games. The following is excerpted form the February 1898 issue of The Spectrum: “Since the last issue of THE SPECTRUM a basket ball [sic] league has been organized consisting of the Y.M.C.A., Fargo College and this College. … A series of nine games was scheduled to be palyed in the Armory of Co. B. as follows: Jan. 22 …YMCA vs. NDAC, Jan. 20 … YMCA vs. Fargo College, Feb. 4 … NDAC vs. Fargo College, Feb. 11 … NDAC vs. YMCA, Feb. 18 … Fargo College vs. YMCA, Feb. 22. … Fargo College vs. NDAC, Feb. 25 … YMCA vs. NDAC, March 4. … Fargo College vs. NDAC, and March 11 … Fargo College vs. YMCA. The first four games have been played with results somewhat discouraging to us, bur when we consider that this is our first appearance with basket ball, and that some of our players have never seen a game before this winter, while the Y.M.C.A. team is the champion of the state and the Fargo College team contains men of several years experience, we have reason to feel encouraged with the progress thus far made.” pp. 12-13
Women’s Basketball is first mentioned in The Spectrum is in the December 15, 1899 issue: “The ladies have organized a basket-ball [sic] team and are practicing daily.” P. 39 In February of 1900, the team played the “All Stars.” “While the ladies played good ball, they were out-played by the seniors and professors and made most of their points on fouls. Score 6 to 14 in favor of the ‘All Stars’.” (The Spectrum, February 15, 1900, p. 73). Although not particularly clear, it seems as though the women played competitive basketball in 1901. “One thing our institution stands supreme in, and that is an undefeated ladies’ basket-ball team. It has successfully met on the field of athletic honor every form and shape of feminine aspirants for athletic laurels and to them all has it left naught but defeat. Their final game with the Moorhead Normal [Minnesota State University Moorhead] was a crushing defeat for the Pedagogues, for they were outclassed in every feature of the game, especially so in the skill of manipulating the ball. The game, instead of consisting of two halves of 20 minutes each was played in quarters. The final score was 20 to 1.” (The Spectrum, April 15, 1901, p. 104). Baseball’s is first mentioned in any university publication is in May of 1898 in an article from The Spectrum, titled “Base Ball,” pp. 5, 12. The article describes the games again Fargo College and the “High School,” which was probably Fargo Central High.
Ice Hockey at North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC) became an intercollegiate sport in 1922. In the mid-1930s it is listed as a minor sport and by 1937 it is an intramural sport. There was a slight revival of intercollegiate competition in 1948 when the team went 4-2, with wins over Bemidji (twice), Jamestown, and Concordia and loses to St. Cloud and the University of North Dakota. Outside of a short revival in1951 and 1952, when the team played in the Fargo-Moorhead Commercial League against such teams as the Detroit Lake Rangers, Concordia and the F-M Comets, ice hockey did not revive until 1983, as the NDSU Ice Hockey Club.
Golf’s first mention was in 1955 there was a men’s intercollegiate golf team. As of 1969 there was a women’s intercollegiate golf team.
Football The first North Dakota Agricultural College [NDAC] Football Coach, H.L. Bolley recalled that … In 1890, when the writer came here as a member of the first faculty of the North Dakota Agricultural College, he found at the University a fellow botanist, Prof. M. A. Brannon, personal opponent and member of the Wabash University team at the time of the Purdue University’s victory in 1889. Remembering that spiritful game, he (Brannon) suggested that the contest at once be continued in North Dakota, between the two state institutions. That would have been easy for the "U", for it was the original territorial university of the two Dakotas and had a sizeable student body. Though anxious to try out as a volunteer coach, it was three years before I was able to find sufficient students to line up in scrimmage. The first games between the University of North Dakota and North Dakota Agricultural College occurred in 1894. Not having many nearby colleges to furnish cash and game experience, neither team had had much practice other than demonstrated by the over enthusiastic volunteer faculty coaches. To help develop interest, an agreement called for two games. This "game and return game" prevailed for a number of years thereafter. (excerpted from H.L. Bolley’s Papers, UA Mss. 18 – one of the first professors at NDAC, specialties in botany and plant pathology and Purdue’s first quarterback - http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/archives/collections/Bolley.htm).
General Print Series is an artificial Bison athletic publication collection of materials that do not fit into specific sports.
Extent
27 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Overview
This collection contains Athletic programs, media guides, newspaper artilces, and result sheets. Sports include Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Football, Publications, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Wrestling, Volleyball
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred by Unknown; (Unknown Acc.#; )
Separated Materials
Lynn Dorn – Women in Sport Excellence – April 2004 – length 6 & ½ minutes - See Video Tape
Collection
NDSU Celebration of Women’s Athletics – April 2004 – length 4 minutes - See Video Tape
Collection
Women’s Athletic Reunion – May 1, 2004 - See Video Tape Collection
NDSU Celebrates Women’s Athletics 1997 - See Video Tape Collection
Legal Status
The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Athletic Department Records
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University Archives Repository
Contact:
West Building
3551 7th Avenue N
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building
3551 7th Avenue N
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu