Tuesday, November 17, 2015
PORTLAND, Ore. – Episode 75 of GNAC Insider aired Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Pacific time and featured Humboldt State athletic director Dan Collen, Concordia athletic director Brian Jamros and GNAC commissioner Dave Haglund.
Collen has been the athletic director for Humboldt State since December 2001. Over his tenure, he has helped oversee many improvements to the Humboldt State athletic department including the increase of the athletic scholarship fund by four times and the renovation and enhancement of the school’s athletic facilities. This year in the GNAC, the Humboldt State football team finished the regular season 9-1 overall and 6-0 in conference and qualified for its first postseason appearance since 1968. The Lumberjacks will host their first playoff game against Augustana on Sat., Nov. 21 at the Redwood Bowl. Collen spoke about the community excitement surrounding the game, the team's turnaround from an 0-11 season two years ago and the opportunity to represent the GNAC in the playoffs.
Jamros is in his first year as athletic director at Concordia University in Portland, joining the Cavaliers after almost 10 years working at Concordia-St. Paul. Concordia is in its first year as a member of the GNAC and NCAA Division II. This year, Concordia hosted the GNAC Student Athlete Advisory Committee retreat, in which members received a tour of the campus and spectated at two Concordia athletic events. In their first season competing, Cavaliers’ teams have impressed with the women’s soccer team placing second in the regular season and earning a berth to the GNAC Championships. The men’s soccer team placed fifth and the volleyball team is currently tied for fifth in the GNAC after an impressive 9-0 start to the season. Jamros spoke about his first year with Concordia, the school's transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II and the success of the fall sports teams this year.
Haglund is in his fourth year as commissioner. Since taking over, the conference has hosted multiple NCAA Division II tournaments including the 2013 Men’s Golf Super Regional, the 2013 Cross Country West Regional, the 2013 Cross Country National Championships and the 2015 Cross Country West Regional. In 2014, the conference also hosted the Div. II Conference Commissioners Association annual summer meetings in Burnaby, B.C.. This year, Haglund has brought Concordia into the GNAC as the conference’s 11th full-time member. Haglund spoke about the strength of the GNAC's fall sports teams, the playoff football game for Humboldt State and Concordia's impressive tranisition into the NCAA Division II.
GNAC Insider is hosted by Rob Lowery airing live at 7 p.m. Pacific every Tuesday and is produced by the conference office. All episodes become available as free podcasts via iTunes. To listen to archived episodes go to GNAC.TV.