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Athletics > Men's Basketball > Coaches
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Stu Engen, Head Men's Basketball Coach |
Stu Engen
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Phone: (701) 671-2446
Email: Stuart.Engen@ndscs.edu
North Dakota State College of Science President John Richman announced that Stu Engen has been named the new Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach for NDSCS effective immediately.
Engen has complied 306 Head Collegiate Coaching victories, and last October was inducted into the Augsburg College Athletic Hall of Fame. Eight of Engen’s former assistants have now become Head Collegiate Basketball Coaches, and seven of his former players have signed professional contracts.
Prior to his short time serving as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Northland College, Engen coached at Minnesota State University - Moorhead (MSUM) for eight seasons.
Previously he has held head coaching positions at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (UWL) (2000-2002); Upper Iowa University (UIU) (1992-2000); and Western Wisconsin Technical College (WWTC) (1990-1992). Engen also served as an assistant coach at both the University of South Dakota and Augsburg College.
“Stu Engen’s 24 years of coaching, comprehensive teaching and administrative experience at various collegiate levels will prove invaluable to NDSCS,” said Richman at a press conference held on the Wahpeton Campus. “NDSCS’s athletic program will richly benefit from Engen’s leadership.”
During his time at MSUM, Engen’s 2003 team achieved the best record for the Dragon’s basketball team in 28 years, just missing a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. They finished second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament. Engen’s team also experienced great regional success going 1-1 against North Dakota State University, 3-2 against the University of North Dakota, and 7-1 against Concordia College.
While at UW-La Crosse, Engen was men’s head basketball coach for two seasons. It was here that Engen was named the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after his team finished runner-up in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Engen also achieved great success during his tenure at Upper Iowa University, a NCAA Division III school. With Engen’s guidance, UIU won three Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Championships and also captured the first annual (IIAC) Conference Tournament Championship. He was also presented with the IIAC Coach of the Year Award on three separate occasions.
In 1994 Engen’s team achieved the largest turnaround in the history of the IIAC, last to first. His teams also made two NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and compiled the best season record in school history, twice. In eight seasons, Engen amassed an overall record of 135-70.
Engen also coached at the NJCAA level where in 1992 he led Western Wisconsin Tech to a school record 25 victories capturing the NJCAA Regional Championship and advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament in Delhi, NY.
Engen, 49, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Adapted Physical Education from Augsburg College in 1986, where he was a two-time First-Team All MIAC selection leading his team to the 1985 MIAC Championship, while advancing to the NCAA National Tournament. Engen also attended Normandale Community College where he was also a First-Team All MCCC selection, leading his team to 24 victories in his sophomore season. He earned his Master of Arts at the University of South Dakota in 1990. Engen and his wife, Mary, have three daughters, Mikkel, Alyse and Tierza, and a son, Everett.
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Assistant Men's Basketball Coach |
Jason Birr
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Phone: (701) 671-2548
Jason Birr is in his first season working for the wildcat men’s basketball coaching staff at North Dakota State College of Science.
The past two years coach Birr served as the men’s assistant basketball coach at Concordia University in Saint Paul. While specializing on defensive strategy and the development of the perimeter players, Jason also served as the video coordinator and assisted in recruiting. In addition, Coach Birr has work extensively with the Howard Pulley AAU program out of Minneapolis.
Prior to joining the Concordia St. Paul coaching staff, Birr gained his first coaching experience as an assistant varsity girls coach at Henry Sibley High School. He worked specifically with individual skill development and was the summer league head coach at the varsity level.
Coach Birr played collegiately for the NCAA Division II Golden Bears from 2004-2008, and helped the team to the best four-year record in Concordia University St. Paul basketball history. Known as a defensive specialist, Birr’s prowess as a defensive player was highlighted by a single game during which he drew five charges. He dished out 87 assists, had 91 rebounds and 50 steals as a senior.
He received his Master’s in Education from Concordia University in 2012, and obtained his Bachelor’s in Mathematics in 2008.
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