MSU President's Newspaper Column
February 24, 2024
Student athletes shine throughout the regular season and as conference tournaments begin
Games at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wis., and Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa, Feb. 16 and 17 wrapped the 2023-24 regular season for Mayville State women’s and men’s basketball. For the women, a great deal was riding on the outcome of these games and others across the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), as these final games helped to determine how the conference tournament will play out. It had already been determined that the men would be the #2 seed in the conference.
For the past several years, conference tournament games have been played at a neutral site, in Watertown, S.D., but the decision has been made to play the conference tournament games at home sites of the highest seeded teams this year. Getting a game at home is a big deal.
The Comets women’s team swept both games over the weekend of Feb. 16 and 17 and captured a share of the regular season NSAA championship, along with Dakota State. As the result of a coin flip, Mayville State was the #1 seed going into the NSAA Tournament, which began Wednesday, Feb. 21.
As the #1 seed, Mayville State earned a first round bye in the tournament. The semifinal game was played at home in the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on Sunday, Feb. 25. when Mayville State hosted Viterbo, winner of the opening round game versus Bellevue University of Nebraska. The Comets were victorious and will now face Dakota State University in the championship game of the conference tournament. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3 at Mayville State’s Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.
We are extremely proud of and excited for a couple of Mayville State players who reached personal milestones the weekend of Feb. 16 and 17.
Thompson, N.D. junior Mackenzie Hughes went over 1,000 points for her Mayville State career with a free throw made in the second half of the Waldorf game. She has joined her mom, 1996 Mayville State graduate Beth Koppang Hughes, in the Comets 1000-point club. Kenzie is outstanding on and off the basketball court. She exemplifies what it means to be a Comet, and we congratulate her on her great successes.
Jordan Zrust, a graduate student from Buffalo, Minn. grabbed her 1,000th career rebound during the Waldorf game. Jordan has scored more than 2,300 points in her career and now has 1,005 career rebounds as well. This is a significant accomplishment for any basketball player. Like Kenzie, Jordan has worked very hard to get to these milestones. We are Comet Proud of her!
The Mayville State men’s basketball team lost a couple of hard-fought games to Viterbo and Waldorf the weekend of Feb. 16 and 17. The Comets finished the regular season at 19-7 and 7-5 in the North Star. They earned the #2 seed in the conference, behind #1 Bellevue, and hosted Valley City State at the Lewy Lee on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The Comets came out on top of that match-up, but they fell to Dickinson State when they hosted them in the semi-final game of the conference tournament on Sunday, Feb. 25.
We are extremely proud of our Mayville State men’s basketball team and congratulate them on a very successful season.
The NSAA postseason tournament men’s and women’s champions earn an automatic bid to the NAIA tournament opening rounds. The national tournament four-teams pod first and second rounds are scheduled for March 15-16. Winners of the men’s NAIA opening round will advance to the final site at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., March 21-26. The winner of the women’s NAIA opening round will advance to the final site at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, March 21-26.
As conference play winds up for men’s and women’s basketball, the softball, baseball, and golf seasons are underway. Softball played games in Kansas City, Mo. last weekend and will be in Sioux Center, Iowa Feb. 23-24. The baseball team will begin spring play in Yankton, S.D. Feb. 23, 24, and 25.
Athletics are a big part of what happens at Mayville State. So many of our students wish to play the games they love while pursuing their college degrees. It is a pleasure to watch these hard-working individuals achieve their goals and represent Mayville State University so well. We sincerely appreciate the support of the Mayville-Portland community and beyond in this journey. This support means so much to our university and our student athletes. Thank you!
Stay up-to-date with Comet Athletics at www.msucomets.com.