Athletics History
Early Years
Director of Athletics
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Nordic Skiing
Early Years
Nationally, starting in 1971, women's collegiate athletic programs participated in the American Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), an association for and led by women. Minnesota's association was the MAIAW. During these years, all Minnesota colleges and universities competed in the same division. Eventually, for some sports, large college/small college divisions were established.
Title IX was passed in 1972, prohibiting federally funded educational institutions from discriminating against students or employees on the basis of sex and thereby changing the lanscape for collegiate athletics. In 1982, the NCAA added women's sports and the AIAW was dissolved.
In her first official year as CSB's Athletic Director, (1974-75), Carol Agnes attended the 4th Annual MN Women's Basketball Tournament, sponsored by MAIAW and held at Moorhead State College from February 20th to the 22nd, 1975. Carol served on the Protest Committee and used this opportunity to meet other female sport leaders. A total of 16 institutions competed in this tournament, including a community college and the University of Minnesota.
1982-83: CSB joined the Midwestern Women's Collegiate Conference (MWCC)
The MWCC included seven colleges: Dr. Martin Luther, St. Scholastica, Northwestern, U of M Morris, Viterbo, and St. Theresa (now closed).
CSB had six MWCC Championships during its three years of membership:
- Basketball: 1983-84, 1984-85
- Tennis: 1983, 1984, 1985
- Softball: 1983
Blazers and Bennies
In the fall of 1977, CSB Athletic Director and 1992 Hall of Fame inductee Carol Agnes decided that a name was needed for the school's newly formed athletic programs. A committee was established to come up with the name, comprising of coaches, athletes, students, and fans of CSB athletics. Jim McConnell, head softball coach and SJU graduate, came up with the name "Blazers." The name was inspired by the NBA Portland Trail Blazers as well as from the torch, which is often associated with quality education. In the early 1980s, Chuck Dewey designed the fireball logo which was used for years until updated CSB logos were created. Over time, "Bennies" became the standard nickname for CSB students. In 2015 the decision was made to discontinue the use of "Blazers" and use "Bennies" for all CSB students, including student athletes.
1985-86: CSB joined the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) as its 13th member
Special thanks to Carol Howe-Veenstra for drafting this text.
Director of Athletics
Year established at CSB: 1972
1972/73-1973/74: Carol Agnes - "Recreation and Student Activities Coordinator" (2 years)
1974/75-1978/79: Carol Agnes - "Athletic Director" title given (5 years; 7 years total)
1979/80-1981/82: Dixie Branscom (3 years)
1982/83-1986/87: Margo Coleman (5 years)
1987/88-2014/15: Carol Howe-Veenstra (28 years)
2015/16-2019/20: Gennis Werner (5 years)
2020/21: Coaches Nicole Hess, Steve Kimble, and Rachael Click (COVID year)
2021/22-present: Kelly Anderson Diercks
Basketball - Winter Season
Year established at CSB: 1973-74; Year entered MIAC: 1985-86
1973/74-1976/77: Carol Agnes (4 seasons)
1977-1978: Sue Werner (1 season)
1978/79-1980/81: Richard Jochman (3 seasons)
1981/82-1982/83: Bryan Hill (2 seasons)
1983/84-1985/86: Lynne Williams (3 seasons)
1986/87-present: Mike Durbin
Cross Country - Fall Season
Year established at CSB: 1983; Year entered MIAC: 1985
1983-1984: Rick Besemann (3 seasons)
1985-1986: Margo Coleman (2 seasons)
1987-1989: Laura Brewer (3 seasons)
1990-1992: Margaret Gehring (4 seasons)
1993-1996: Ellen Carpenter (5 seasons)
1997-present: Robin Balder-Lanoue
Golf - Fall Traditional & MIAC Championship, Spring Non-traditional & NCAA Championship
Year established at CSB: 1987; Year entered MIAC: 1991
1987/88-1989/90: Dave Olsen (3 seasons)
1990/91-1991/92: Bernie Brown (3 seasons)
1992/93-2005/06: Theresa Solarz (14 seasons)
2006/07-Fall 2010: Patrick Michaud (5 seasons)
Spring 2011-present: Daryl Schomer
Ice Hockey - Winter Season
Year established at CSB: 1997; Year entered MIAC: 1997
1997/98-1998/99: Bill Kelly (2 seasons)
1999/00-2002/03: Tom Peart (4 seasons)
2003/04-2004/05: Dave Laliberte (2 seasons)
2005/06: Neil Andruschak (1 season) - interim
2006/07-2010/11: Patrick Michaud (3 seasons)
2011/12-2017/18: Jennifer Kranz (7 seasons)
2018/19-2021/22: Nick Thibault (4 seasons)
2022/23-present: Lindsay Macy
Lacrosse - Spring Season
Year established at CSB: 2022; Year entered MWLC: 2022
2022/23-present: Patrick Crandall
Soccer - Fall Season, Spring non-traditional
Year established at CSB: 1983; Year entered MIAC: 1985
1983: Steve Thomas (1 season)
1984-1986: Andreas Kiryakakis (3 seasons)
1987-1992: Steve Pratt (6 seasons)
1993-1995: Laure Schingen (3 seasons)
1996-2002: Bill Kelly (7 seasons)
2003-2008: Kate (Hand) McNeil (6 seasons)
2009-present: Steven Kimble
Softball - Spring Season, Fall non-traditional
Year established at CSB: 1975; Year entered MIAC: 1985
1975: Rosie Stallman and Cheryl Cassibo - SCSU Seniors on internship (1 season)
1976-1978: Jim McConnell (3 seasons)
1979-1980: Terry Washburn (2 seasons)
1981: Pam Brennan (1 season)
1982: Cheryl Cassibo (1 season)
1983: Anne Campbell (1 seasons)
1984-1985: Denise Goralski (2 season)
1986: Carol Howe-Veenstra (1 season)
1987-2012: Denny Johnson (30 seasons)
2013-present: Rachael Click
Swimming and Diving - Winter Season
Year established at CSB: 1973; Year entered MIAC: 1985
1973/74-1974/75: Valerie Rogosheske (2 seasons)
1975/76-1979/80: Barbara Ainsworth (5 seasons)
1980/81-1981/82: Jon Bennett (2 season)
1982/83-1983/84: Janet Hoskins (2 season)
1985/86: Vance Stanoff and Sue Williams (1 seasons)
1986/87-1987/88: John Brandstetter (2 seasons)
1988/89-1997/98: Mike Ritchie (10 seasons)
1998/99-2003/04: Bill Saxton (6 seasons)
2004/05-2008/09: Kathy Walker (5 seasons)
2009/10-2010/11: Kathy Walker and Mike Ritchie (2 seasons)
2011/12: Kathy Walker (1 season)
2012/13: Jordan Wolfrum (1 season)
2013/14-2018/19: Dan Eckberg (6 seasons)
2019/20-present: Mandy Wolvert
Tennis
Year established at CSB: 1975-76; Year entered MIAC: 1985-86
Note: teams play short fall season, MIAC Championships in spring
1975/76-1976/77: Barb Ainsworth (2 seasons)
1977/78-1978/79: Dick Schroeder (2 seasons)
1979/80-1980/81: Eileen Bitzan (2 seasons)
1981/82: Carl Moschkau (1 season)
1982/83-1988/89: Randy Anderson (7 seasons)
1989/90: Karen Bellmont (1 season)
1990/91-1997: Jack Bowe (6 1/2 seasons, left December '97)
Spring 1998: Jeff Halberg (1 season)
Fall 1998: Adam Beduhn
Spring 1999: Leif Johnson (1 season)
1999/2000: Deanne Johnson (1 season)
2000/01: Zach Remis (1 season)
2001/02-2005/06: Janna LaFountaine (5 seasons)
2006/07-2015/16: Scott Larsen (9 seasons)
2016/17-2021/22: Michael Engdahl (6 seasons)
2023-present: Jack Bowe
Track and Field Indoor/Outdoor - January to May Season
Year established at CSB: 1987; Year entered MIAC: 1987
1988-1990: Laura Brewer (3 seasons)
1990-1991: Margaret Gehring (2 seasons)
1991-1997: Ellen Carpenter (7 seasons)
1997-2000: Scott Eide (4 season) - interim
2000-present: Robin Balder-Lanoue
Volleyball - Fall Season, Spring nontraditional
Year established at CSB: 1973; Year entered MIAC: 1985
1973-1976: Carol Agnes (4 seasons)
1977: Sue Werner (1 season)
1978: Carol Agnes (1 season; 5 total)
1979-1981: Dixie Branscom (3 seasons)
1982-1985: Margo Coleman (4 seasons)
1985-1999: Carol Howe-Veenstra (15 seasons)
2000-2009: Michele (Swanson) Blaeser (10 seasons)
2010-present: Nicole Hess
Nordic Skiing - Winter Season
Year established at CSB: 1999; Year entered MIAC: 1999
1999/00: Kris Anderson/Kia Malenkovich (1 season)
2000/01-2010/11: David A. Johnson (11 seasons)
2011/12: First year of club program status, reporting to Campus Rec.