The MSU-Northern Athletic programs are in full swing and the fall of 2006 proved to be a record breaking year. The Skylights and Lights made great strides that will carry the programs far into the future.

The Lights defeated Carroll College 10-3 on October 29 in a packed Blue Pony Stadium.

The Lights football program accomplished many things this season that have created great excitement in the community. The Lights finished the season at 9 3 and ranked 11th in the nation. On October 28th the Northern football program did something that has not been done by any other NAIA football program in the country in 2 years, and that is beat the Carroll College Fighting Saints. The Lights snapped the 4 time National Champions winning streak at 29 with a 10 3 win at Blue Pony Stadium. This win along with many others propelled the Lights into their first ever post season appearance. The Lights met Carroll for the third time in the season and lost to the Saints in the first round of the NAIA Division 1 Championship Series. The Lights only other loss came on a 10 7 defeat at the hands of Eastern Oregon.

The accomplishments kept rolling in after the season ended. Northern senior quarterback Kyle Samson was named the Frontier Conference MVP and First Team quarterback. Samson was joined on the First Team All Conference by Will Deegan, Kellen Lake, Steve Aherns, Andy Leichtnam, Dilan Saisbury, and Marc Samson. The Lights also had seven players named to the All Conference Second Team; Nick Bodeman, Don Saisbury, Luke McKinley, Josh Glahn, Kennedy Anderson, Khalin Anderson and Jake Eldrige. Lights Head Coach Mark Samson was named Frontier Conference Co Coach of the year as well as AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) NAIA Region 5 Coach of the Year. Samson was recognized at the AFCA Coach of the Year dinner, January 10th in San Antonio, Texas. Losing only seven seniors this year, the Lights will return the bulk of their starters for next season setting up the 2007 season as one the most exciting in the schools history.

Don Saisbury carries the football down the field to set the lights up for a touchdown against Carroll College during the first round of the NAIA Division I Championship series.

The Skylights volleyball program went in a new direction this season with a new head coach. Greg Ryan was hired this spring to replace Lisa Handley as head coach. Ryan comes to Northern after coaching the men's volleyball program at the University of Calgary for 21 seasons. The Skylights finished the season 5 17 overall and 311 in conference with wins over the University of Montana at Western, Montana Tech and Rocky Mountain College. The Skylights Brittni Sesler was the only member of the team to receive All Conference accolades. Sesler was named the Frontier Conference Newcomer of the Year; she was also given an Honorable Mention at the setter position. The Skylights will return 11 players for the 2007 campaign.

Brittni Sesler shows why she was named Frontier
Conference Newcomer of the year and also received an Honorable Mention at the setter position.

Northern's Women's Golf team again took to the course in the fall of 2006. The team members were seniors, Julie Wagner, Heather Riener, and Anita Strommen, sophomores, Heather Haas, and Mandee Carroll, and freshman Danielle Dirden. At the Carroll College Invitational, September 18th and 19th in Helena the Skylights finished fourth in the eight team field. The Skylights are coached by long time Havre resident Dave Boles. The Skylights Golf Team will continue their season this spring with tournaments in Lewiston, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Northern Rodeo team also got a jump on their season this fall as they competed at rodeos in Powell, Wyoming, Miles City and Dillon. The team hosted the MSU-Northern Rodeo at the Blaine County Fairgrounds on the weekend of September 16th 18th. The Lights and Skylight wranglers will finish up their season this spring with some of the larger rodeos in the state, with trips to both the MSU Rodeo in Bozeman and the University of Montana Rodeo in Missoula. This year's College National Finals Rodeo will be held June 11 17th in Casper, Wyoming.

The Lights Wrestling team is steeped in tradition after winning six national titles. The Northern grapplers have started the season well with a 4 1 record in duals, with wins over North Idaho College, Northwest College and a big win over rival University of Great Falls. The Lights wrestlers also had good showings at the John Hancock Dual meet in Golden, Colorado and the University of Northern Colorado Open in Greeley. The Lights have one final home dual on January 26th against Simon Fraser. In the December 6th NAIA National Rankings the Lights are tied for 15th.

Chris Smith shows his stuff during the Alumni Games

The Northern men's basketball team has battled through a tough preseason as they played exhibition games against three NCAA Division 1 programs. The Lights have played the Grizzlies of the University of Montana as well as Mountain West foe Colorado State and the Big Sky's Northern Arizona University. The Lights have a new assistant coach as long time assistant Nate Larson left to take the head coaching position at Montana Tech. Fifth year head coach Shawn Huse has brought in Western standout Gabe Walker as the new assistant coach. The Lights program is geared up for the start of the Frontier Conference season in January.

The Skylights basketball program is coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent history, as Northern made it to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. The Skylights return eight players from last year's team and have only lost three games in the preseason. Skylights second team All American Jacy Heny has stayed on this year as a student assistant under second year head coach Chris Mouat. The Skylights come into the 2006 2007 season ranked 24th in the nation in the NAIA Division I preseason poll. The Skylights are gearing up for the Frontier Conference regular season which will start with games against Rocky and Carroll on the 4th and 6th of January.