Ex-Tiger Katie Habeck (left) capped a brilliant freshman season by helping Concordia University-St. Paul to a sweep of three matches at the NCAA Division II national volleyball tournament in San Bernardino, California. The national championship was the Golden Bears' fifth straight.
Habeck, who earlier received National, Central Region and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Freshman of the Year awards, was named to the all-tournament team at nationals. Habeck also earned second team all-American honors and made the all-NSIC squad this fall.
Two other former Tigers saw their 2011 fall seasons end in the national semifinals. Cody Eich totaled eight tackles in Minnesota-Duluth's 31-25 loss to Metro State (Michigan) in the NCAA Division II semis a week ago. Eich, a three-year starter and a member of two national championship teams at UMD, finished his career among the top 10 tacklers in that school's history. During his four years with the Bulldogs, the team won 52 of 57 games.
2004 FHS Athlete of the Year Matt Simon was tight ends coach for the University of St. Thomas which fell to defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater in the NCAA Division III football semifinals last Saturday.
Ex-Tiger Danielle Dombeck, who played with Habeck in Farmington's only state volleyball appearance in 2009, registered eight digs for North Dakota State in its opening round loss to Minnesota in the NCAA Division I regional tournament last week in Minneapolis.
2008 Tiger grad Abby Kenealy is averaging 17.7 points and four rebounds a game for Southwest State University this season. She scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a loss to St. Cloud State last weekend...2009 FHS Athlete of the Year Kirstee Rotty had 21 points and 12 rebounds in a recent St. Olaf win over Hamline. Rotty is averaging 12.9 points and five rebounds a night for the Oles who are unbeaten in seven games.
2011 Tiger grad Jordan Bridges is averaging 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds for Jamestown College (North Dakota) which is off to a 13-1 start...Another member of the FHS class of 2011, Jamie Kenealy, has played in all six games for unbeaten Wisconsin-River Falls, totaling five points and eight rebounds...
2009 Tiger grad Josh Zitzmann who played a year of football at Minnesota State, Mankato is playing basketball for Rochester Community and Technical College. Zitzmann scored 11 points for RCTC in a recent win over Vermillion Community College...Jake Lippert, (left) also a 2009 FHS alum, hurt his back at the University of St. Thomas' season-opening tournament in California and has not returned to action.
2011 Tiger Athlete of the Year Carl Elmer, a freshman on the wrestling team at St. Olaf College, suffered a concussion in a match at Luther College in November and isn't expected back on the mat until January.
Krystal Baumann (left) is tied for second in scoring for the University of Vermont's women's hockey team this season with four goals and five assists...Ex-Tiger Alex Carlson has a goal and four assists for Ohio State University.
Former Tiger Athletes of the Year and state champion throwers Trey Davis (2007) and Logan Hussung (2010) have begun workouts with the University of Minnesota men's track and field team. The Gophers begin their 2012 indoor season in mid-January.
