| | GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota celebrated its winning hockey tradition Wednesday with a rally that included past players and several thousand fans who welcomed home the national champions.
"It was a great year for our team. Right from the get-go we were a team that had a chance to win the championship," said senior center Jason Ulmer, who scored the game-winning goal in the 4-2 championship game victory over Boston College on Saturday in Providence. "It's been a great four years for myself."
Ulmer is one of four seniors who were also part of North Dakota's 1997 championship. Lee Goren, another senior, was ineligible for that team because he had played for a junior team in Canada.
North Dakota (31-8-5) was a young team that played its best hockey in the postseason en route to the school's seventh national title.
"I can honestly say that this team overachieved and worked as hard as any team that we've had here in North Dakota," said sixth-year head coach Dean Blais, a former Sioux assistant.
School President Charles Kupchella read letters of congratulation from North Dakota's governor, congressional delegation and university chancellor. Past players, including Las Vegas casino owner Ralph Engelstad, thanked the Sioux for the latest title. Engelstad, a former goalie, has donated $50 million to help the Sioux build a new hockey arena.
"You had a dream and you went to work and you worked hard enough to take you right to the top. You did it. Enjoy it. Savor it. You earned it," Engelstad said.
The Sioux have won five national titles in the past 20 years. Their championships have come in 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997 and 2000. | |
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