If there's a single theme that could be identified this week for the local sports scene it's NDSU/SDSU. For most that means the game on Sunday in Frisco but there were also a pair of games Thursday between the basketball teams.
There's going to be plenty of conversation about the championship game and the hoops may even generate some buzz as the weekend gets underway, but the specific, local-oversight came to mind NYE as the two North Dakota teams faced off and remained in consideration as the Bunnies' games closed in.
In contrast to the football & men's basketball teams (and both UND & SDSU), the women have a poor track record of getting the best from North Dakota or Northern Minnesota to come to Fargo.
It was prior to Jory Collins but South Dakota State first came into Wahpeton & now took an impact player from Fergus Falls. With the profile they have it's an uphill battle to win area recruits and that's just two examples so not necessarily worth pressing the panic-button about.
The school up North also came into what should be NDSU's prime territory a few years ago to get Maggie Manson from West Fargo Sheyenne to go along with Roseau's Kacie Borowicz, who has developed into a dynamite scorer! And they've also, already, gotten a commitment from Grand Forks Red River's dynamic junior guard Jocie Schiller. As a hometown player it may have never been in the cards for someone else to pilfer her from the Forks but that makes five in recent years to bypass the Bison & do well.
The former regime did keep Shanley's Sarah Jacobson & Emily Dietz in the zip code, along with Rylee Nuddell. Henning's Ellie Dague also spent a year on the bench at the SHAC before transferring to St. Thomas. In addition, West Fargo standout Miriley Simon will be making the short trip starting the 2023 school year.
So they haven't just let everyone go, it's important to keep that in mind.
They just haven't gotten the ones that have proven to be the best.
In the three+ years since Collins took over, Dietz has been the only regional player to make much impact. In fairness, he's made a concerted-effort to find gems from the Twin Cities, which is close enough to get some fans up for at least a share of games. But to really build a re-commitment to the program by the fans, he & his staff should try to build the same sort of funnel to Fargo that Matt Entz continues to capitalize from & Dave Richman is reaping the rewards of with Grant Nelson, Boden Skunberg & incoming swing-man from Minot Darik Dissette.
Even as the talent continues to increase state-wide it's not as though six, seven, eight or more of the members of team will hail from the 701. It just seems as though there may be an oversight in not trying to keep a higher share of the best ones right in Fargo.
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