MSU goes local
Former Dickinson State head coach Graupe to take over Minot State WBB
If Mark Graupe ever ventured outside of his family farm in Crosby growing up, it likely was because he was visiting Minot.
Graupe, who was born in the Magic City, remembers all too well attending Minot State basketball games when he was in high school. It’s a memory that stays with him and his family to this day, as his father and brother both attended MSU.
The next time Graupe’s family attends a Minot State women’s basketball game it will be a special occasion, though.
Minot State announced Graupe as its fifth women’s basketball coach in program history Tuesday, handing the North Dakota native the reigns to a team he has watched throughout his life. Graupe previously coached the NAIA Dickinson State women for the previous four seasons before accepting the Beavers’ opening. With the Blue Hawks, Graupe had a 46-17 record in the last two seasons and made two consecutive NAIA national tournament appearances.
“There’s a lot of pure excitement in getting this job,” Graupe told the Minot Daily News in a phone interview Tuesday. “It’s always a little nerve wracking when you leave a place like Dickinson where you’re comfortable. You go into a little bit of uncertainty, but the good news is I’ve been fortunate to have played them twice every year so I’m very familiar with them. I feel like I know the team and I know Minot very well.”
Graupe went 4-0 against the Beavers the last two seasons, with each victory being by double digits. He’s 5-0 total against the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in that same span with a double-digit victory over the University of Mary as well.
“I feel like I have a good grasp of the conference,” Graupe said. “I felt that my Dickinson State teams the last two years would have competed just fine in the NSIC just by watching the scores. Not saying we would have won it by any means, but I definitely think we could have competed.”
The new MSU coach said his first goal is to win the NSIC North, then hopes to turn that into an overall conference championship. Graupe didn’t lay out a timetable for his championship aspirations, but conceded it might take some time. Dickinson was 14-16 and 10-18 in Graupe’s first two seasons.
“If we want to be a good Division II school, we’re going to have to get a few gals that are borderline Division I players,” Graupe said.
But Graupe’s first priority is on the upcoming season alone. He’s shifting his immediate focus to recruiting and finalizing a coaching staff, then hopes to work with his current players on their offseason development. He added he doesn’t plan on trying to bring any Dickinson players with him to Minot.
“I really don’t have a number of wins in mind for next year,” Graupe said. “But I’m going to do everything I can to make sure everyone has a good experience and are competitive.”
Before Dickinson State, Graupe 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 coached the Lake Region State College men from 2001-08.
“Our search process worked well in that it produced two high-level coaches as our finalists,” said MSU Director of Athletics Andrew Carter in a press release. “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’s first coaching job was at Unity High School, coaching both the boys and girls programs. He also coached at Devils Lake High School and Williston High School.
Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge