Holthusen signs with Beavers, Minot State though

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

April 28, 1999

By Devlyn Brooks

Red Lake basketball standout Delwyn Holthusen will be playing college basketball as a Beaver after all -- just not a Bemidji State University Beaver.

Holthusen signed a letter of intent to play at Minot (N.D.) State University Tuesday, ending speculation as to where he would continue his athletic career.

Holthusen, who scored more than 1,800 points in his five-year Warrior career and played on three consecutive state playoff teams, said in a telephone interview that he visited the Minot State campus Thursday and it clinched his decision.

"I wanted to get away from home, and get a good education," he said. "They've got a good (computer information management program), a good native American support group and everything is really up to date and new. "

Holthusen said that he considered Bemidji State University and the United Tribes college in Bismarck, N.D., his other finalists. He added that there wasn't any negative aspect about the other two colleges that was a deciding factor. He just felt Minot's overall package -- including athletics, academics and accommodations -- was a better fit for him.

The decision ends speculation among sports aficionados in the area that Holthusen would sing with BSU, which along with several other NCAA Division II programs had pursued his talents.

Bemidji State officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday evening.

Although he said some people have asked him why he would sign with Minot State -- a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics member -- Holthusen said he answered them with his own rhetorical, "Why not?"

"It doesn't matter to me (if I play in the NAIA or the NCAA). I'm just going for the education," he added. "Ball might not always be there. I've got to have something to fall back on."

Holthusen said he will receive a partial athletic scholarship, but between that and other academic-based grants and scholarships, he'll receive his degree for free.

Minot is guided by second-year head coach Mike Hultz, who in his rookie year posted a 13-13 overall record. He formerly was an assistant coach with Northern State University.

"We're ecstatic to have Delwyn in our program. He's won a ton of games. ... He's a hard-nosed kid. He stays out of trouble, and does a good job in the classroom," an audibly excited Hultz said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "The one thing that has always stood out about him is how unbelievably hard he plays."

Hultz said to begin with, Holthusen will be used as a No. 4 position, or power forward, but in the future expects that he has the talent to move to a small forward position.

"He will have an immediate impact on our program, and he'll be given a chance to compete for a starting spot," the coach said. "We expect him to contribute significant minutes next year. We have a lot of players leaving, and the freshmen will have the opportunity to direct where this program goes."

The Beavers play in the North Dakota Collegiate Athletic Conference with five other North Dakota colleges, including Mayville State, Valley City State, Jamestown College, Dickinson State and Mary of Bismarck.

But Holthusen fans will have the opportunity to see him perform a little closer to home when Minot faces North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D., and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., next season.

Holthusen's decision is historically significant in the fact that he is only the second Red Lake student ever to play for an organized collegiate team. The first, Delwyn's nephew Randy Holthusen, signed with BSU but never played. He later enrolled at United Tribes in Bismarck, and is currently playing there.

"I hope everybody following in my footsteps will go off to college too," Holthusen said about being a role model.