MSU President's Column for Traill County Tribune
August 10, 2019
August marks the beginning of fall sports seasons and the welcoming of student athletes, coaches
Summer is coming quickly to a close as we eagerly anticipate the return of students to campus and the beginning of classes on Aug. 26. The beginning of the fall semester also signals the start of the fall sports season and the opportunity to watch our football and volleyball teams in action. Volleyball preseason camp began on Aug. 7, while the football team has their first practice Sunday, Aug. 11. The first home football game will be versus Lewis-Clark Valley on Aug. 31. The Comets volleyball team will host Concordia College on Sept. 3. We hope you’ll check out the full schedules for the teams at www.msucomets.com and plan to join us in cheering on the Comets whenever you can.
Lindsey Johnson will return as the head coach of the volleyball team. This is her 11th season as head coach. Katie Aasen and Michelle Warren will return as her assistant coaches. Student assistant coach is Cassidy Pryzbilla.
This will mark Comets head football coach Jeff Larson’s first season at Mayville State. He began his duties in early March. We are delighted that Coach Larson has joined the Mayville State family.
Larson spent the past seven seasons as the defensive coordinator at Chadron (Neb.) State College. During that time, Coach Larson was a part of teams that compiled a 46-31 record and made an NCAA Division Two playoff appearance. The Eagles also had success in the classroom, winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Award for the highest team grade point average three of the past six academic years. Larson began his collegiate coaching career at Chadron State. Overall, he has been a part of collegiate football teams that have posted a 91-52 record.
Coach Larson has been extremely busy over the last months attacking the challenges of building a successful football program at Mayville State University, including recruitment of student athletes and his staff of coaches.
Micah Smith is Mayville State’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He joins us from Eastern Illinois University, where he coached the inside receivers, tight ends, and wide receivers over the past five seasons. He also had coaching stops at Fort Lewis College, Wabash College, and Wayne State College. He played collegiately at Chadron State College. He and his wife, Jadrianne, have one daughter, Joslyn.
Erik Tonkin is the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. Coach Tonkin comes to Mayville State from Chadron State, where he coached the defensive line and was an assistant special teams coach the last two seasons. He has also coached at Robert Morris University and Poudre High School. Tonkin played collegiately at Concordia University St. Paul and Glendale Community College. He and his wife, Paula, were married just prior to their arrival in Mayville.
Mac Robinson is the offensive line coach. Coach Robinson comes from Southeast Missouri State University, where he was the offensive line assistant/offensive quality control/video coordinator this past season. Coach Robinson’s previous coaching stops include Chadron State College and Robert Morris University. He played collegiately at Robert Morris University. He and his wife, Sarah, were married this summer.
Logan Levy is the wide receivers coach. Coach Levy was recently the pro scouting coordinator for Optimum Scouting. He also served as the assistant director of player personnel for YourCall Football. Levy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Jordan King is the Comets running backs coach. Coach King has coached at Monterey Peninsula College, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, and Watsonville High School. During his coaching career, he has coached wide receivers, tight ends, and fullbacks, and was the co-offensive coordinator at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. Coach King played collegiately at Macmurry College and Gavilan College.
Adam Plageman is the corners coach. He joins the Comets staff after serving as the linebackers and defensive backs coach at the College Gridiron Showcase. He has coached at Yutan High School. Plageman earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern State University and is a certified strength and conditioning coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Grant Hartmann is the linebackers coach. He most recently coached running backs at Carleton College. He has also coached at St. Louis Park High School, where he worked with tight ends and linebackers. Coach Hartmann played collegiately at The College of St. Scholastic. He and his fiancé, Katy, enjoy chasing after their dog, Bert.
Please join me in giving our new Comets football coaching staff and their families a warm Mayville State welcome. We look forward to seeing the culmination of their planning and efforts, while supporting the coaches and the student athletes. Each of them is a very important member of the Mayville State family.