Men’s D-I: North Dakota

UND Authorized To Sue NCAA Over Fighting Sioux Nickname

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The lengthy and heated battle between the University of North Dakota and the NCAA could be headed to the next level. After a decision by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, UND has been granted the authority to sue the NCAA over the association’s policies on “hostile and abusive” Native American nicknames and … Read more

Spirko Latest Sioux Player To Depart

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The outflow of players from Grand Forks, N.D., continued as Rastislav Spirko became the fourth North Dakota player to leave school after the end of the 2005-06 season. Spirko, a 5-9, 175-pound native of Slovakia, confirmed that he will play professionally in Europe next season, joining Travis Zajac, Matt Smaby and Drew Stafford as Sioux … Read more

Stafford Signs With Buffalo

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Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the team has signed North Dakota junior Drew Stafford to a three-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Stafford is currently on the United States roster and playing in the World Hockey Championships in Riga, Latvia. “I’m looking forward to starting my professional career,” … Read more

NCAA Denies UND Appeal On Nickname

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The battle between the University of North Dakota and the NCAA over UND’s “Fighting Sioux” nickname and imagery continued Friday with the NCAA’s decision to deny North Dakota’s final appeal, keeping the school on the list of institutions subject to restrictions from NCAA championship events. The NCAA’s Friday release said, in part: In denying the … Read more

Zajac, Smaby Depart UND For Pros

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One week after playing in its second consecutive Frozen Four, North Dakota is down two players for an attempt at a repeat performance in 2006-07. Junior defenseman Matt Smaby — UND’s captain in 2005-06 — and sophomore forward Travis Zajac have decided to forego their remaining college eligibility and sign professional contracts, the school announced … Read more

Coach’s Chalkboard: BC-North Dakota

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Chess matches happen all the time in hockey. Bench bosses Jerry York of Boston College and Dave Hakstol of North Dakota waged one during their NCAA semifinal on Thursday at the Bradley Center. In the end, BC won 6-5. Two pawns in this match were 6′-5″, 220-pound defenseman Matt Smaby of NoDak, and 6′-7″ 240-pound … Read more

Learning Experience

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It was a question for the Fighting Sioux all year: Could a team with such a young defense survive the season? Everyone in Milwaukee knew the answer to that question by the 18:08 mark of the first period in the first semifinal between Boston College and North Dakota. It was at that point that the … Read more

Something ‘Extra’: BC-UND

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Jordan Parise would probably like to forget the 2006 Frozen Four. After a stellar season, Parise had one of those games straight out of a goaltender’s nightmare on the largest stage in the sport. It wasn’t Jordan Parise’s day Thursday against Boston College (photo: Melissa Wade). The numbers spell disaster pretty quickly: three goals on … Read more

Semifinal Notebook: North Dakota

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Appearances Can Be Misleading North Dakota is a team of seeming paradoxes. With more freshmen than any other team in the Frozen Four, the Sioux are the only team making a return appearance to try for the national title. And while there are 13 rookies on the Sioux squad, North Dakota faces the youngest team … Read more

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Who Needs It?

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Last year when the Fighting Sioux returned to North Dakota after losing the NCAA championship game, assistant coach Cary Eades remarked, “We didn’t win a championship, but we won a lot of respect.” For the second straight year, the Sioux are back in the Frozen Four with their sights set firmly on winning an eighth … Read more

Three Pairs Beat 12 Of A Kind

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The big, punishing, veteran defensemen who carried North Dakota to the Frozen Four in 2005 are long gone. According to some, the group replacing them is less physical, more finesse-oriented and too inexperienced to replace what UND lost last season. So if that’s the case, why is this year’s Sioux team giving up the exact … Read more

Preview: Boston College-North Dakota

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Boston College vs. North Dakota Thursday, 2 p.m. CT, Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wis. If the participants in the first semifinal Thursday in Milwaukee seem familiar, there’s a good reason. Boston College and North Dakota face off for the fifth time in eight years at the Bradley Center, and their contest will be a rematch of … Read more

Minor Key

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Not yet old enough to vote, Jonathan Toews is already plenty good to help North Dakota to the Frozen Four, says Patrick C. Miller.

Sioux Name, Logo Out Of Jeopardy For Now

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The battle is far from over, but the University of North Dakota has won a small victory against the NCAA in its effort to retain the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo used by the university’s athletic teams. The NCAA put off until April 27 the enforcement of its policy penalizing UND and 12 other college … Read more

North Dakota Files Second NCAA Appeal

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In a deviation from its original policy, the NCAA will allow University of North Dakota athletes to wear uniforms adorned with the Fighting Sioux name and logo during NCAA-sponsored playoff events — at least until Feb. 1 next year. Last Friday, UND filed a second appeal for review by the NCAA Executive Committee, the same … Read more