Minot State University has selected Mark Graupe as its head women’s basketball coach Director of Athletics Andy Carter announced Tuesday.

Graupe becomes just the fifth head coach in the program’s 45-year history.

“Our search process worked well in that it produced two high-level coaches as our finalists,” Carter said. “Mark really impressed everyone throughout the time he was in Minot and our campus. His energy, desire, and love for the game of basketball was evident and we are all excited for this new era of Beaver Women’s Basketball.”

Graupe just completed his fourth season as the head women’s basketball coach at Dickinson State in Dickinson, N.D. He turned around the Blue Hawks, earning back-to-back NAIA National Tournament appearances the past two seasons. His teams were a combined 46-17 over the past two years, setting a school record for wins in 2015-16 with 23 and then tying that record this past season.

He indicated his ties to northwest North Dakota and MSU’s strengths as important aspects in his interest in the position.

“One of the biggest factors was familiarity,” Graupe said. “Growing up in Crosby we would come to Minot a lot, both my dad and brother went to Minot State, so I am very familiar with Minot State and the Minot community. It’s comforting to be that familiar.

“You are given the tools you need to be successful – the MSU campus, the facilities, the coaching staff,” he said. “I’m excited to put together a staff, it’s something I have wanted to do for a while because you can work together as a team.”

Graupe plans to work on getting his staff in place and to begin recruiting as soon as possible.

“I think it’s crucial moving forward to finalize my staff and land some recruits,” he said. “A lot of student-athletes are signing and the list of potential recruits is getting shorter. And, I want to make sure the team we have now is motivated to put the time in during the offseason. For the sake of the players here right now, we want to win next year. I’m not saying a conference title, but we want to win right away for them. The goal is to win the North Division. How long will it take to get to that point, I’m not sure, but that’s the first goal.”

Before Dickinson State, he was the interim head men’s basketball coach at NCAA Division I Dartmouth for one season. He spent a year with Colorado State as men’s basketball Director of Basketball Operations and was the head men’s basketball coach at Lake Region State College from 2001-08, earning Region 13 Coach of the Year twice.

He started his coaching career at Unity High School in Petersburg, N.D. with both the boys and girls programs and coached at Devils Lake High School and Williston High School.

“If you look at the six positions I have been at before here, they all started in tough shape so to speak,” Graupe said. “I’ve loved that challenge. I’ve not taken over a program that was winning at the time and that’s a challenge, but it has always motivated me. I want to turn Minot State into a winning program.”

Graupe, a native of Crosby, N.D., earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Dakota. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and mathematics with a minor in athletic coaching and has his master’s in kinesiology. He is also the author of a book, “Basketball Drills and More” published in 1998.

Graupe’s hire is pending successful completion of a background check required by all employees in the North Dakota University System.

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