Don't expect to see a new athletic director named at Concordia or Minnesota State Moorhead anytime soon.
Neither school has begun accepting applications.
Concordia named assistant athletic director Bob Nick as its interim AD. Larry Papenfuss is chairman of the Physical Education and Health Department. Both will continue those duties through the end of next year.
"They want to do it right, that's the bottom line," Concordia sports information director Jim Cella said. "I'm sure they're going to take their time and get the best person available."
MSUM, however, has no choice.
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Due to Minnesota's hiring freeze for state employees, the university has to wait for the end of the current legislative session until making a decision.
"It's our intention to start a national search if we have the funds to provide for that," MSUM President Roland Barden said. "It's not ideal, but I don't think our situation is going to induce the government to speed things up."
An interim AD could be named if the need arises, Barden said.
At Concordia, longtime AD Armin Pipho plans to retire at the end of the school year. MSUM athletic director Katy Wilson will head the department until June, when she leaves to pursue a law degree.
Dormanen earns MVP award
Concordia senior Derek Dormanen was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball player of the year.
A pitcher and third baseman, Dormanen hit .366 with four home runs and 22 RBI in 39 games.
On the mound, the Menahga, Minn., product set a single-season school record with nine saves. He also holds the Cobbers' career saves record with 15.
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Former Concordia standout Chris Coste, now in the Boston Red Sox organization, earned three-consecutive league MVP awards from 1993-95.
"I'm extremely proud of Derek," Concordia coach Bucky Burgau said. "No matter where we put him, he would've been our best player. And I do think he's the best overall player in the MIAC."
Dormanen has a 17-game hitting streak heading into the Cobbers'
first-round playoff game today against St. Olaf.
Concordia's Ryan Hebrink, Jeremy Hinderks and Dormanen were all-conference selections.
Hebrink led the conference with a school-record tying nine home runs and 43 RBI. Hinderks set a school mark with nine pitching victories.
MSUM signs transfer hoopsters
MSUM signed junior transfers Deandre Buchanan and Eddie Small to national letters of intent.
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Buchanan, a 6-foot-5 forward, played in 10 games for Wisconsin the past two seasons.
Small, from Romeoville, Ill., was a second-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American as a sophomore at Joliet Junior College.
Readers can reach Heath Hotzler at
(701) 241-5562 or hhotzler@forumcomm.com
"Our needs were great this year, losing 80 percent of our scoring. It's too much to ask just from our freshman class," Dragons coach Stu Engen said. "We had some kids that will be really tough to replace, but we feel pretty happy now that we landed these two."
