Posted 02/09/2000
Contact: Stephanie Reck, 218-281-8422
UMC to Add Men's and Women's
Golf in Fall of 2000
Tangquist Named Head Coach
The University of Minnesota, Crookston is elated to announce the addition of Men’s and Women’s Golf coming in the fall of 2000. After several discussions on whether to add golf at UMC, the administration on campus felt it necessary to add the golf programs to expand the sport offerings in the athletic department and help draw more student athletes to the UMC campus. “We have one of the only degrees in the region with the Golf Facilities and Turf Systems Management Program so they will complement each other very well,” said Athletic Director Brad Kerr.
UMC currently has eight athletic teams competing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, a member of the NCAA Division II. UMC’s hockey team competes in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (Division III). With the addition of golf, UMC will have five men’s athletic teams and six women’s athletic teams increasing the total number of sports offered to eleven.
In their first year of existence the Golden Eagle golf teams will feature Head Coach Jason Tangquist. Tangquist, a native of Thief River Falls, MN, is the Program Advisor for Student Support Services on the UMC campus. He will take the reigns for the inaugural 2000 season. Tangquist received his Master of Arts in Counseling from UND (1995), Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Minnesota (1992), and received his Associate of Arts from Northland Community and Technical College (1990).
Tangquist was a member of the varsity golf team and captain of the 1989-90 Northland Community and Technical College golf team during his two-year stint in Thief River Falls while he completed his Associate of Arts Degree.
Tangquist brings to UMC what every athletic program needs in a coach, dedication and a passion for the game. He has been an avid golfer since the fifth grade. His previous golf coaching experience includes assistant of the Boys Golf Team at the High School here in Crookston.
Tangquist is looking forward to his teams competing within the NSIC. Teams in the NSIC with golf programs include: Men’s - Bemidji State University, Winona State University, Wayne State College, University of Minnesota - Morris, and Northern State University. Women’s - Winona State University, Moorhead State University, University of Minnesota-Morris, Bemidji State University, Southwest State University, Wayne State College, and Northern State University.
The NSIC collegiate golf season is a fall sport with the Conference Championships held in October. From there, golfers who qualify for the National tournament wait until the spring when the NCAA Division II Nationals are held in May.
Coach Tangquist says, “I am excited to be starting the program, I believe it is a great opportunity. There is a lot of local talent and we will focus on that in the recruiting arena. UMC offers a variety of degrees along with the Golf Facilities and Turf Systems Management degree which will also help attract potential student-athletes.”
Jason and his wife Renee have one child, Elise age 16 months they reside in Crookston where Renee is the 1st Grade Teacher at Washington Elementary.