[0:00] It is a great day.

[0:05] The wait is

[0:23] finally over. The new head coach for SCSU has been named.

[0:27] Nick Oliver is the next bench boss for the Huskies, and with the change comes a lot to cover.

[0:32] We'll break it all day, down today here on Huskie Mag, including an exclusive interview

[0:36] with Oliver, and the voice of the Huskies, Jim Ericsson. Hi everyone, I'm Thomas Reese.

[0:41] alongside Rachel Roberts, Rachel, a busy time for Husky's hockey, in addition to the spring sports.

[0:47] Absolutely, both the baseball and softball teams also making a push for the postseason and

[0:51] justice porter, making some history in the circle with their second no-header of the season.

[0:56] We'll also have our latest on track and field team and some new personal best and their last meet.

[1:01] Thomas, a lot to get to today, should be a fun show. Yes, it will. All right, let's get started quickly

[1:07] with the Oliver News. The college hockey season has officially come to an end this past weekend,

[1:12] as the NCHC is back on top after Denver defeated Wisconsin 2-1 in the National Championship

[1:18] game. SDSC needed a weight for the end of the season to announce the Nick Oliver hiring,

[1:23] as he was on the bench for the Badgers during their frozen four run. Nick is back where he started

[1:28] in the St. Cloud, playing for the Huskies from 2011 to 2015, where he was part of the first

[1:37] after graduation and has built an impressive resume over eight seasons.

[1:41] Oliver started his coaching journey as an assistant with the Sioux All Stampede of the USHL

[1:46] before Brett Larson brought him as an assistant for the Huskies from 2018 to 2022.

[1:52] Oliver's on the bunch for the 2021 Frozen 4 run that ended in the program's first national

[1:56] championship appearance. From there, Nick got his first opportunity as a head coach,

[2:01] returning to the USHL with the Farnal Force for one season. It would be a hard to picture a

[2:06] year, the fourth one, the regular season championship game, with a game of winning the Clark

[2:12] Cup in postseason, and Oliver was named the USHL coach of the year. Nick then kept his

[2:17] SESU roots going strong, joining Huskies alum, my casting staff at the University of Wisconsin.

[2:24] Oliver coached the forwards in Madison and was part of the Badger Squad that made it to this year's

[2:28] National Championship game. He spoke Monday at the introductory press conference about the excitement

[2:33] he has to return to the program. And after he sat down with our own Jim Erickson to break down the news.

[2:41] Hey, Husky fans. I'm Jim Erickson the voice of the St. Cloud State Husky's excited to be joined here today

[2:47] by the new head coach of the St. Cloud State Husky men's hockey team Nick Oliver Nick.

[2:52] First of all, welcome back to St. Cloud. This has been an important city town school for you for many years.

[3:00] Just kind of give me an idea what it's been like here last two weeks for you with Wisconsin and the success, the run in the NCAA tournament and now becoming the next head coach of the skis.

[3:12] Yeah, it's been all good things.

[3:15] busy good between obviously finishing up what was a successful season with our group at Wisconsin.

[3:23] My wife and I had her third child on Easter Sunday and obviously being out in Las Vegas two days ago

[3:29] with the National Championship game and coming back last night and being announced here.

[3:34] So it's all led me to this and that's what I'm most excited about and can be more happy to be associated with the program

[3:42] in the university and the St. Claude community again.

[3:45] Just 34 years old and I know when you were here before the four years under head coach Brett

[3:50] Larson then you'll have to be the head coach at Fargo with the force in the USAHL I go

[3:55] That young man's going to be back here at some point time and he's going to be the head coach of the Huskies.

[3:59] I didn't realize it would be quite this early, but it's exciting to have you back here and have a Huskie at the

[4:06] and I mentioned Brett Larson, Bob Matsko,

[4:09] you work under my case things here the last three years

[4:11] at Wisconsin.

[4:12] You've learned from some pretty good head coach

[4:14] as haven't you starting with your father, too.

[4:17] Yeah, and I think that's been probably the most fortunate part

[4:21] of my coaching journey so far is the people

[4:23] I've been able to be surrounded by.

[4:25] And I think you can be go through it.

[4:28] And I'm fortunate to be able to learn from some of the best

[4:31] Brett Larson, my case things.

[4:33] Scott Owens played for Bob Botsko and then I got to grow up in a household watching my dad

[4:39] be either a college football or hockey coach and I used to get off the bus after school

[4:45] and he would drop me off right over at the football field so I just grew up in that environment

[4:49] and so for me I've been fortunate to work for like I said some of the best people in our

[4:54] our sport and I think I've been able to take a lot from each of them. What do you remember about your

[4:58] playing time here? You're an alternate captain, your junior year and then a captain, your senior year,

[5:02] What do you remember about those years before then embarking on your coaching career?

[5:07] I think it's cliche, but for the best years of my life and the thing I'm most

[5:14] excited about is seeing, I've gotten to see where this program's come and whether it was

[5:20] what I was recruited here to St. Claude. The program had one an NCAA tournament game yet.

[5:25] They got their first one as a player as a sophomore in 2013.

[5:29] and make our first draws them for them coming back

[5:31] as a coach, make sure first national championship game

[5:34] in 2021.

[5:36] And so to see where the program is coming,

[5:37] where I think we can take it as unbelievable,

[5:40] but in terms of my four years,

[5:41] like I said, four of the best years of my life,

[5:43] best friends of the state,

[5:45] where the guys that I was living with and playing with,

[5:48] and so obviously it's a big part of why I'm back here.

[5:51] You made the jump from an assistant in the USAHL,

[5:54] Brett Larsen gave you the call his first year to come

[5:57] and help him here with the Huskies.

[6:00] You jumped at that chance, I'm sure.

[6:02] You jumped at this chance to be back with your alma mater.

[6:04] What did you learn those four years

[6:06] underhead coach, Brett Larson,

[6:08] and your first division one assisted coaching position?

[6:11] Well, Brett was great.

[6:12] And I think what I got to see,

[6:14] most was obviously how he does things on a day-to-day basis

[6:18] and the amount of respect I have for him

[6:21] and the great coach that he is.

[6:23] But it was great to see the transition

[6:25] into taking over a new program, which I think will really help me out as I embark on this.

[6:32] He came from Duluth and now I get to jump into it too.

[6:35] How important is it because having been here all eight years with Coach Larson, I felt that

[6:40] he really did have it was the family atmosphere with the players and the team and the program and the

[6:44] other people involved? That's something you're going to continue, right? I mean, I can just tell,

[6:49] just talking to you that that kind of thing, the culture, the tight knit group is something that's

[6:54] important and is something it's hard to have success without having that.

[6:59] No question and the cool part for me has been even since last night when I was able to jump

[7:04] on a zoom call with our current players and then be able to meet with them and sit down with them

[7:09] in person today and I just asked them why did you pick St. Claude? Why did you come to play hockey here

[7:17] and every single person I asked that to the first thing out of their mouth was talking about someone

[7:21] talking about a teammate, talking about how much they love the guys that are here and I think that's a special thing that's been...

[7:40] We're going to start a practice tomorrow. How pumped would you be to put the skates out and drop the puck and let's go?

[7:46] Yep. I'd be ready. I'm still in mid-season for you.

[7:49] I'm just going to be playing a couple days ago.

[7:52] So I get the coaching voice built up, so I don't think I've lose that, but I'm excited

[7:57] like if. And there's a lot of work that our guys need to do between now and when school ends,

[8:05] and then when they get back for fall semester and obviously when we can get on the ice and serve

[8:09] practicing, there's a lot of work that needs to be done, but we'll set those expectations as we go.

[8:14] Well, Nick congratulations. Welcome back. I'm looking forward to very excited to see you here.

[8:19] Looking forward to working with you on the broadcast side of things Monday night show.

[8:24] That kind of stuff. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. So I'll welcome back. Can't wait.

[8:28] I'm looking forward to a gym. All right. Husky fans, your new head coach, Nick Oliver.

[8:35] Good stuff from both gym and Nick. Now, no grant joins us on the show to talk roster moves in the

[8:40] season 4 SCSU. No, the transfer portal has become prominent across college athletics. What's

[8:46] the latest in the portal for the Husky's after to open on Monday?

[8:49] Well, thanks Thomas and transfer portal. Every Husky's fan is two favorite words right

[8:54] now. After this last week, it's been pretty crazy for St. Claude State. But the good news

[8:58] is for their lineup. They have been alone in all the pieces they have lost. Everyone has been

[9:03] missing pieces. As well for 200 players jumped in to the portal on Monday. One of them opened

[9:08] for St. Claude State. They saw some notable departures. So this right here in your screen,

[9:13] this is the lineup from their last playoff game on UMD against UMD and game 2 when they lost

[9:18] an over time. So that's the lineup for the final game of the season for St. Claude State. And they lost

[9:23] a lot of big pieces as that whole top line departs, a bunch of defensemen left as well for St. Claude

[9:29] State. The names right there in red and your screen. Those are all the huskies who are gone either

[9:34] by way of the pros by way of graduation or for some who happened to transfer portal. Most notably

[9:39] Barrett Hall, he's off to UMD. That one really stings for St. Cloud State. They'll see him

[9:43] next season. Austin, Burtivic, Finn, Loftis, Tanner Henricks, all follow Brett Larson down to

[9:49] anyapolis to play with the University of Minnesota next year, so he can take some of his top

[9:53] guys with him to the gofers and that's a couple big losses for St. Cloud State, Burtivic, and

[9:59] Henricks most notably a couple guys with serious, pro potential. So if you look at this lineup

[10:03] right now just four forwards return from that playoff loss only one defenseman who

[10:09] was in the lineup and the two gold tenders on show stack and Patrick's Persons and

[10:13] we have to say for now as with the portal guys it can change like the Midwest weather

[10:17] you never quite know what to expect but so far a lot of movement for the Huskies.

[10:21] For Nick Oliver now it's already been a whirlwind of a week for him what is next on his list

[10:25] for recruitment.

[10:26] Yeah I can only imagine what the last week was like one minute you're on the bench coaching

[10:30] in the National Championship game for Wisconsin and then you instantly jump to St.

[10:33] Loud State.

[10:34] You're now at the head coach.

[10:36] And oh yeah, you need an entirely new roster to fill out in front of you.

[10:39] I did like his coat with the press conference though when he spoke on Monday, he was asked

[10:42] about the transfer portal and the NIL and all that stuff that comes with recruitment nowadays.

[10:46] They said, the biggest thing for him is you don't want to rush it.

[10:48] You want to take your time and obviously it's a frantic time with a portal opening player

[10:52] is jumping in and out every single day, but you want to make sure you're getting the right

[10:55] person for your team.

[10:56] So, that's what we'll have to set out to do, and he's shown success in recruitment at one year

[11:00] where he was the head coach at Fargo in the USA, Chelle, like great season form.

[11:04] So, he's a proven recruiter, he's already grabbed two players from the portal.

[11:07] William Oliver comes in from Lake Superior State.

[11:09] He was their leading score last year, put up 27 points, 11 goals,

[11:13] so a guy who's shown some offensive production in the CCHA,

[11:16] and then Fidwick Locklin comes in from University of Minnesota.

[11:20] I'm a defenseman.

[11:21] I've played 32 games last year just one assist, so the number is perhaps not quite what you want to see,

[11:26] But at the same time, look at the guy like Mason Riders of the Husky's last season who took

[11:30] to his 90 first career game to get his first collegiate goal, but he was a lockdown defenseman

[11:35] could play 20 plus minutes a night for St. Cloud State. If they can get that kind of production

[11:38] from the clock, I think that'll be something they're looking forward to, but still a lot more moves

[11:43] to go for Oliver in the portal guys. Yeah, well, no, it's far too early, but what do you think Husky's

[11:49] fans should expect for next season with Nick Oliver? Thomas, not sure. I'm the right guy to answer

[11:53] this question. If you go back to my hockey preview, when I picked Denver to drop in the

[11:56] standings this year, I didn't work out quite too well for me as they won the national

[12:00] championship. But I think for the Huskies going forward this year, patience is the number

[12:04] one thing to have to keep in mind for Nick Oliver. You look at Miami with Anthony, no rain

[12:08] taking over last season. They had a very tough year, the year prior. But this last year, they

[12:13] jumped up in the standings, climbed up to six with about 20 new players in the roster. So it'll

[12:18] take some time. It might be a tough for you ahead for the Huskies. But I like the Nick Oliver

[12:22] hiring, I think he's proven success at every level, and guys excited to see what he can

[12:25] go and do go to Ford.

[12:27] And I thank you again for your time, no.

[12:29] Alright, we'll pitch things over now to the softball diamond where the Husky's kept

[12:32] it pumped up at home this past weekend in the Husky dome.

[12:35] The ladies swept the weekend for a while recording history with the program's ninth

[12:40] no hitter before we get to history Sunday.

[12:42] Let's take a look at Saturday's double header.

[12:45] Game one against Southwest Minnesota State started off the weekend right as sophomore Morgan

[12:50] Honeycuts struck early with a three-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning.

[12:54] To the third week, go as SMSU rallied a couple doubles to score two runs in the top of

[12:59] the frame.

[13:00] The Huskies were already, however, as they nailed two runs a few pitches later to score

[13:04] two right back.

[13:06] RBI knocks by Bethany Weiss and Kaley Collins kept the lineup sailing.

[13:11] SDSU would add onto their lead slowly with one run score to the fourth and one in the fifth.

[13:16] star of the weekend, Justice Porter improved to 11 and 5 with a solid start, followed by

[13:21] an even better one that we will get to shortly.

[13:24] But in the 6th, it would bring a final 3 run inning dagger to close things out, 4 players

[13:30] tallied, 2 RBIs, and this one, and the Huskies got the win, 10 to 2.

[13:35] Game 2 on the day 4 shot out what was to come tomorrow.

[13:38] A senior Macy Clark had a no bid out and go late in the 5th.

[13:41] It was pitcher Jordan March for CSU that broke it up with a single into center field.

[13:47] Clark still got the win along with a complete game and 5k's, March had a fine smart

[13:52] 2.

[13:53] Going 6 innings pitched with 4th strikeouts and only 1 earned run.

[13:57] This game would be tightly net as both teams can find for 9 hits.

[14:01] It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth where the lone run would be scored.

[14:05] Red shirt freshman Hannah Weckman bumped down a suicide bunch that would bring home Grace,

[14:10] Diamond, Damon from the third.

[14:13] The Mustangs would record a hit in the 6th and 7th innings, but the Husky shut things

[14:18] down defensively, Morgan Honeycutt would double to extend on her base strike to 7 games.

[14:24] SUSU would get the win, one nothing, as the team notched its 7th shot out of the season.

[14:29] The team would build off these wins heading into Sunday after against the same falls for

[14:34] some more history.

[14:36] Yeah, and Game 1 against the Coopers was just as tight as Saturday afternoon, but the story

[14:40] would be finished this time.

[14:42] Crafty senior Justice Porter would make history, tossing her respect and second low-hitter

[14:47] of this season.

[14:49] Her first no-no came in late February against Bridgeport where she tallyed six caves.

[14:54] She tallyed eight punch-outs this time against Sioux Falls as she coasted her way to the

[14:58] programs. Knife. Knife. Knife.

[15:00] The Kent Washington native has pitched 100 total innings now, and has held batters to an impressively low, 214 batting average.

[15:09] She would temporarily lead the team with 12 wins, as she looks to keep the push going.

[15:13] Porter brings her ERA down to a classy 161, as she continues to be a huge spark for the roster.

[15:20] The scoring was just enough to get the history marked in this one, as it was one run scored in back-to-back games to seal it.

[15:27] This run came the same way as Saturday's game.

[15:31] With Morgan Honeycutt laying a butt to score Junior Grace for Shets, the Huskies would be

[15:36] the team's second straight shut up, wrapping things up one to nothing.

[15:41] The weekend finale brought the run support we'd been looking for.

[15:44] The bottom of the first wasted no time, as Bethany Weiss and Kaylee Collins teamed up for a handful

[15:49] of doubles to score four runs.

[15:51] Brooke Holmes went three for four on the day, with two RBIs improving her batting average

[15:56] to 0.341. Sioux Falls wouldn't be shut out this time, a Sandra Ribbich delivered an RBI

[16:03] triple to score one at the top of the second.

[16:06] Naci Clark would pitch a stellar complete game performance for SESU with 8K's Tally. Clark

[16:12] leads the team with 11 complete games this season to go with 13 wins. It is clear that the

[16:18] arms of Clark and Porter have been showstoppers for opposing lineup games and game out.

[16:24] came in and came out, Clark led the team by gunmarrying with 112 strikeouts, looking on to

[16:30] the fourth inning, Jr. brief back with score from a second off an RBI single to center.

[16:36] The Huskies would add one more insurance run in the sixth to close things out. Holmes would

[16:41] get her third and final hit on the day, driving in Cayley Collins one last time. The ladies

[16:47] would finish the weekend sweep with the win 6-1. SESU now improves to 11-1 at home with

[16:53] pitching showcase to remember. From red shirts to season vets, the combo of Husky's pitching

[16:58] and hitting has fans more excited to see the steam rolling continue.

[17:04] And impressive stuff for the Husky's who are back in action today at Husky's stadium against

[17:08] Minnesota State. We'll jump over to the track now as the Husky's track and field team had a busy

[17:13] few days last weekend with two meets in three days. Last Saturday the Husky's were down in North

[17:18] field at the Manitu Classic hosted by St. Olaf. St. Claude State had some big performances

[17:24] from Freshman Sprinter, F-A-O-Tah, who won both the 100 and 200 meter dashes with a 12-6

[17:30] in the 100 and a personal best 25-3 in the 200.

[17:34] sophomore thriller McKenzie McMahon won the discus throw after recording a career best throw

[17:39] of 40.18 meters for her first career of that win.

[17:44] And finally, sophomore pole vaults are Lauren Wolffle, one of her second straight pole vault events after clearing 3.4 meters.

[17:52] It was Wolffle's fourth win of the season and fifth of her career.

[17:56] The Huskies, as a team, recorded four total event wins, ten personal bests, one season best, and 13 top five finishes.

[18:04] It was then a quick turnaround for the team as they traveled down to Mancato on Monday for the Minnesota State Open.

[18:09] The quartet of Junior Jenna Markausen, freshman F.A. Ota, freshman Jillian Nyzler, and sophomore Abigail

[18:16] Nunas, won the 4 by 400 relay in just under 4 minutes, with 3.59 which is the first time

[18:22] S.A.C.A.S.U. has run a sub 4 minute by 4.4.4.Hundred since 2024.

[18:27] A few notable personal best were recorded in my Cato as well.

[18:31] Markausen continued her strong day recording a new PB, finishing in her first in her 100 meter

[18:37] heat where she ran 1268, sophomore Saria Staplesen ran the 11253, which is a personal

[18:44] vest. And finally, Junior's rowers Savannah Rinky also recorded a new PB in the hammer

[18:49] throw where she recorded a 42 89 meter throw. Tonight, as CSU will travel just a bit up the road

[18:56] to college and ill for the CSB-inventational hosted by St. Benedict. The Huskies have 19

[19:01] Let's participate in tonight's meet.

[19:05] Alright, our diamond discussion continues as we switch over to the focus on St. Claude State Baseball.

[19:11] It has been an interesting last week for the team,

[19:13] winning the first two against one on a state over the weekend on a couple comeback wins

[19:17] before losing their last three games.

[19:20] They dropped the series finale to the Warriors in a weird rain-shorten game that saw

[19:24] a known win 12-8 and a little over five innings.

[19:27] Then on Wednesday, the Huskies were back on the road,

[19:30] heading to the Twin Cities to take on Concordia St. Paul.

[19:33] In the scheduled seven inning game, one Concordia St. Paul scored once in each of the first two

[19:38] innings to take a tune up in lead. A two-out RBI single from Will Hausman in the first brought home the

[19:44] first run. Before, a solo homeer to left field from Hawkins, Headlands in the second. In the top of

[19:51] the third, the Huskies would get on the board as Hayden Frank lifted a deep fly ball to left

[19:56] for an opposite field home run,

[19:59] cutting the deficit to 21.

[20:01] SUSU would strike again with a long ball one inning later.

[20:04] Eric Beow led off with a walk with one out.

[20:08] Jonathan Prievela, towered a two-run home

[20:11] to right fields to put the Huskies in front, three-two.

[20:15] The Golden Bears drew even in the bottom of the fourth

[20:17] with another solo home run from Headland to make it three-three.

[20:21] It was the first career multi-home game for the both teams.

[20:24] For them, both teams were able to put up a zero defensively in the fifth with CSP helped out by a good defensive

[20:31] inning including a double play. In the sixth, Liam Moreno opened the inning with a single.

[20:36] They attempted to lay down a sacrifice fund, but the second, but the throw to second was wild and both runners were safe.

[20:43] After two quick pop-ups, Matt Robinson filled an infield single down the third base to load the bases.

[20:49] That set up Dawson Schmidt, who ripped a ground off through the left side for a go ahead single to score Morano.

[20:57] Fellow tried to score as well on the play, but was thrown out out on a good relay for the Golden Bears.

[21:02] Concordia St. Paul tied it up again in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of two errors.

[21:08] One hit and a sacrifice fly to even the score.

[21:11] Neither side could score in the seventh spending the game to extra innings.

[21:16] The eighth one score list, setting the game tonight.

[21:19] SESU managed two singles but couldn't score in the top of the inning.

[21:23] In the home half, a lead off single from Charlie Harms and an outfielder Eric put a runner

[21:28] on second.

[21:29] A sacrifice button moved to Harms to third before Eric Burrick lined an RBI single to

[21:34] left to give the Golden Bears the 5-4 walk off win.

[21:37] And Kim Kordia St. Paul earned the sweeping game to behind dominant starting pitching from

[21:42] Lou Walker.

[21:43] The Huskies had hits in six of the seven innings and bass runners in every frame but couldn't

[21:47] push anything across. The Golden Bears scored two honored runs in the bottom of the second

[21:52] on an RBI single from Eli Nelson and a throwing error. CSP tacked on single runs in the

[21:59] third, fourth and sixth. Charlie Harms let off the third with a loud double to right center

[22:04] field and would come around the score I will use min ground out to make it three nothing.

[22:09] Blake Ekman brought home the fourth run with a long solo home run down the left field line

[22:13] the fourth. AJ Price came on and released in the fourth, recording four strikeouts in an

[22:17] inning a third, and escaping a bases loaded jam in the fifth. In the sixth, a walk to

[22:23] harms an error put runners on 1st and 3rd, an Eric Burd singled to round out the offense for the

[22:28] Golden Bears. Burd finished.

[22:46] We've talked a lot about the vats this year for SESU. But, Brace Bassfield has been electric on his mound in his senior season. For SESU, Brace leads the pitching staff with an era of just 4.30. He came into the season with a lot of pressure on the team, and he was the best player in the world.

[22:59] his career high at H strikeouts in game.

[23:02] So far, in 9 starts in 2026, Rasfield struck out 9 against Saganoff, Valley State, another

[23:09] 9 in Augustana, 11 vs Minnesota Crookston, and 10 vs Golden Bears this week.

[23:15] He puts his total at 67 strikeouts over the 52.1 innings.

[23:20] The best mark in the NSIC.

[23:22] Already beating the mark of 65 punchouts he record in 2025, depending on how the final few

[23:28] We could even see Bryce reach the top 10 list for single season Husky records.

[23:33] And that's all from us here at Husky Mag.

[23:35] And be sure to keep up with all of our content on the ETVS app on your mobile device or on your television.

[23:40] I'm Thomas Reese.

[23:42] And for racial Roberts, we hope you guys have a nice night.

Husky Mag - April 16, 2026

Transcript