Northern rodeo, golf and cross country return this fall

While college football and volleyball will have the eyes of sports fans on the Hi-Line, there are several other collegiate sports taking place this fall. Over the next few months, the rodeo teams, the golf teams and the cross country teams for Montana State University-Northern will begin competition.

The MSU-N rodeo teams will begin the fall portion of their schedule with a rodeo at Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyoming from Sept. 9 to 10. The rodeo teams will then return to Montana to compete in another rodeo hosted by Dawson Community College in Glendive from Sept. 16 to 17. MSU-N will then host a rodeo in Havre from Sept. 23 to 24. The rodeo teams will then wrap up the fall portion of their fall schedule with a rodeo hosted by Montana Western in Dillon from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.

The MSU-N rodeo teams will return many riders from last season. Garrett Cunningham returns for his sophomore year after competing in saddle bronc riding at the College National Finals Rodeo last year. The MSU-N womens team that competed at the CNFR also returns several riders. Mikenna Schauer returns for her junior year while Brittany Bo Cox and Jill Marcenko come back after strong freshman seasons. Doug Kallenberger will return to once again coach both rodeo teams.

The MSU-N golf teams will begin the season with a golf tournament in Shelby from Sept. 12 to 13. The golf teams will then head on the road to Helena for a tournament hosted by Carroll College from Sept. 19 to 20. The golf teams will then wrap up the regular season with a tournament hosted by Rocky Mountain College in Billings from Oct. 3 to 4. After a lengthy break, the MSU-N golfers will compete at the Frontier Conference Championships in April.

On the MSU-N mens team, Tom Reynolds returns for his junior year with the program. The rest of the mens team is made up of sophomores Kyler Cassel and Gerit Johnson and freshmen Theron Peterson and Mason Ruthbin. The MSU-N womens golf team will be made up of junior Shaan Danelson, sophomore Maddison Underdal and freshmen Sky Didyoung and Molly Hamilton. James Kirkpatrick will coach both golf teams this fall.

The MSU-N cross country teams will begin the year with the Frontier Conference Preview in Helena on Sept. 12. Then on Sept. 24, the MSU-N runners will head to Missoula for a meet hosted by the University of Montana. MSU-N will then run in a meet hosted by Montana Tech in Butte on Oct. 7. On Nov. 2, MSU-N will wrap up the year with the Frontier Conference Championships in Helena. If any runners qualify, they will then run in the NAIA National Championships in Tallahassee, Florida from Nov. 17 to 18.

Field Soosloff returns for his senior year as he hopes to compete in the NAIA National Championships for the third straight season Eddie Harmon also returns for his senior year. The rest of the MSU-N mens team will be made up of Jaden Koon, August Spottedwolf and freshman and Havre local Ethan Durward. The MSU-N womens team will consist of sophomores Brooke Holland and Tamera O'Leary and freshmen Katie Gaines and Mattiah Murrillo. Both teams will be coached by Daniel Lavy in his first year leading the programs.