It began with a volleyball triumph over Findlay College in St. Augustine, Fla., in late August and wrapped up with Danielle Kohlwey's All-American outdoor track performance on Memorial Day weekend. In between, University of Minnesota Duluth athletics experienced a myriad of highlights -- including some program firsts -- in each of the three C's (competition, classroom and community) during the course of the 2018-19 athletic season.

"Without question this was another banner year for Bulldog Athletics," said UMD Athletic Director Josh Berlo. "On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, I wish to express our sincere appreciation to the dedicated fans, season ticket holders, faculty and community that supports UMD Athletics and helped make these record achievements realities in Bulldog Country."

Those notable accomplishments included:

COMPETITION
• The Bulldogs became just the third school in the past 47 years to win back-to-back NCAA national men's hockey championship, doing so with a 3-0 takedown of the University of Massachusetts in the title bout on April 13 in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
• The men's hockey Bulldogs were one of seven UMD teams that qualified for NCAA II Tournament play -- joining women's basketball, football, softball, women's indoor track and field, women's outdoor track and field and volleyball.

• UMD produced eight All-Americans, including senior Danielle Kohlwey, who captured the 60-meter hurdle title at the NCAA II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas, and becoming the third women's national indoor champion in program history. Kohlwey, the recipient of both the 2019 NSIC Outdoor and Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award, also attained All-American status in the indoor 200-meter dash (seventh) and the outdoor 100-meter hurdles (third place). The rest of the 2018-19 UMD All-American circle was comprised of senior football offensive linemen Jason Anderson, Matt Juneau and Trapper Ward, senior football linebacker Alex Helmer, senior volleyball middle blocker Sarah Kelly, sophomore men's hockey defenseman Scott Perunovich, junior men's hockey goaltender Hunter Shepard, and junior volleyball setter Emily Torve.

• For sixth time in the program's 86-year football history, the Bulldogs ran the regular season table by going a perfect 11-0. UMD, which captured a share of the NSIC overall title and claimed its 11th consecutive NSIC North Division crown, also advanced to the NCAA II postseason for the ninth time since 2008. Although the Bulldogs did bow out to Texas A&M-Commerce in the playoff's opening round, they did finish first among all NCAA II schools in total defense rushing defense, and third down conversion defense -- all program firsts – were second in pass efficiency defense, time of possession, and kickoff return defense (12.92 yards per return), and third in scoring defense. UMD was ranked 13th in the final American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.
 
• Although it came up short of reaching the NCAA II Elite Eight, the volleyball Bulldogs pulled off an impressive double-double as they reigned as both NSIC regular season and tournament champions. They also posted a 28-8 overall record, secured a berth in the NCAA II Central Regional Tournament for the 21^st time in program history (and 16^th time in the past 17 seasons), held down the No. 1 spot in the AVCA II Poll at one point in the season (UMD was ranked fifth in the final 2018 AVCA II)
 
• The Bulldogs rolled up 29 overall wins in men's hockey – the second most in program history – and concluded their 75^th year of intercollegiate competition riding the nation's longest winning streak at eight games. UMD also captured its second NCHC Frozen championship in three years and posted a Top Two finish in the league's regular season standings for the second time in three seasons as well. In addition, the Bulldogs went 4-0 in the NCAA Tournament to hike their all-time record at that event to an impressive 27-12. That figures out to be a .692 winning percentage – the best mark of any school in the entire country. UMD's three national titles this decade (2019, 2018 and 2011) are also the most of any NCAA I team. Junior All-American netminder Hunter Shepard, who broke his own UMD single-season goals against average record this past winter (with a 1.76 mark), allowed just seven goals during the Bulldogs' entire 2018-19 post season run. He also became the first goalie in a half century to backstop his club to two consecutive NCAA titles.
 
• The Bulldogs battled their way to the NCAA II softball regionals for the third time in four seasons and set a program single-season record for NSIC wins (going 22-8 in league play) along the way.

• UMD hoisted the NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament title trophy after taking down arch-rival Minnesota State-Moorhead 52-48. That gave the Bulldogs an automatic bid into the NCAA II Tournament – their first berth in seven years. Senior Sammy Kozlowski, who helped lead UMD to its first 20-win season since 2009-10, was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year.

• The Bulldogs secured a spot in the NSIC Tennis Tournament for the third consecutive spring and went 11-5 overall (for their most wins since 2007) while tying for third place in the final NSIC standings at 8-3 (their highest conference finish in 12 years).

• UMD secured its first NCAA II Men's Basketball Central Regional Ranking (placing as high as No. 8) for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The Bulldogs closed out the year with a 17-10 record (for their most victories in 10 seasons) and finished third in the NSIC overall standings (after being picked 10th in the annual conference preseason coaches poll).

•  Forward Gabbie Hughes was named USCHO.com All-Rookie Team after putting up the best numbers by a Bulldog newcomer in almost a decade -- 37 points on 19 goals and 18 assists in just 33 games.  Hughes became just the third freshman history to ever lead the Bulldogs in scoring.

CLASSROOM
 • UMD's 398 student-athletes -- which includes redshirted freshmen -- collectively posted a GPA of 3.20 in 2018-19 and of that group, 135 achieved GPAs of 3.50 or above and 13 turned in perfect 4.00 marks. The women's basketball Bulldogs registered the best GPA (3.65) of any UMD team during the academic year while volleyball (3.55), women's cross country (3.53) and women's soccer (3.47) were next. Women's basketball also took top GPA honors for both the Fall (3.66) and Spring (3.64) Semesters. For the 12th year in a row, cross country posted the highest GPA of all men's sports at 3.35. Bulldog student-athletes have now surpassed the 3.10 GPA plateau in each of the last 13 semesters.

• A total of 102 different UMD student-athletes qualified for a spot on the NSIC All-Academic Team at some point in 2018-19. In addition, 15 Bulldog men earned All-Academic Team status from the NCHC and seven women did likewise from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

• A trio of Bulldogs were voted CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for the 2018-19 season -- senior Makenzie Morgen (volleyball- first team) and junior Emily Torve (volleyball -second team) and senior Isaac Overmyer (cross country/track and field – second team)

• A school-record one dozen Bulldogs – Morgen, Overmyer, Torve, Jason Balts (football), Emma Boehm (women's basketball), Josie Buckley (women's basketball), Tayler Hebner (women's track and field and cross country), Alex Lasinski (football), A.J. Naatz (Football), Sarah Schrader (women's track and field), Garret Schleis (men's track and field) and Andrew Schiessl (football) -- representing seven sports, earned a NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award for 2018-19. The honor, named for the late NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, is bestowed upon NSIC student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher and are on track to graduate after the season.

• The NSIC Elite 18 Award, which goes to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NSIC's 18 Championships, was bestowed on three Bulldogs – Morgen, Balts and junior Kendall Hill (men's cross country).

• USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country recognition was awarded to four women (senior Megan Stuart, junior Lizzie Schlafke, sophomore Lexie Chambers and freshman Morgan Radel) while seniors Luke Lahr and Isaac Overmyer,  along with sophomore Braydon Kubat, attained the same honor on the men's side. In addition, for the 13th year in a row, both the UMD men and women were recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above. Lahr, Overmyer, junior Dan Clark and freshman Haleigh Reindl were USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field honorees and both the Bulldog men and women also locked down a USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team citation as well.

• An all-time program-high 10 seniors  –- Jason Balts, Ryan Duxbury, Chris Edyvean, Bryce Juedes, Alex Lasinski,  Sam Lynch, A.J. Naatz, Andrew Schiessl,  Brandon Scott and Joe Yernatich -- earned National Football Foundation Honor Society distinction in recognition of their exemplary academic achievements.

• UMD once again received an American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for registering a 3.30 or above cumulate team grade point average.

• Jason Balts was one of 179 semifinalists for the 2018 National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation

COMMUNITY
 • UMD student-athletes, coaches and staff collectively logged a school-record 4,627 hours of community service during the past year (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019) -- over 800 more hours than the previous mark set in 2017-18.

• Nearly 100 different organizations and charities were beneficiaries of the Bulldogs' volunteering efforts this past year, including Safe Haven, Neighborhood Youth Services, Duluth's Laura MacArthur, Homecroft and Myers-Wilkins Elementary Schools, Bentleyville, Special Olympics, the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland, Aftenro Home, Damiano Center, Make-A-Wish, Salvation Army, Udac, Duluth 709 Baseball, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, the ALS Foundation, Duluth East-Ordean Middle School, YOUMatter, the UMD Newman Center, Duluth Freighters Hockey, the Northland Community Wellness Day, Habitat for Humanity, and the Duluth Lion's Cub.

• Women's tennis led all UMD teams in average volunteer hours (47.8 per player) in 2018-19 en route to claiming the UMD Team Impact Award for the third time in its three-year existence while women's soccer (34.5 hours), women's basketball (33.5 hours) and softball (24.9 hours) were next. Basketball (19.1 hours) and hockey (9.8) were the top two men's teams.

• Through sales of UMD camouflage hats and commemorative coins along with individual donations, UMD raised  $8,500 for Operation One Voice as part of the Bulldogs' fifth annual Military Appreciation Night at James S. Malosky Stadium on Sept. 8.  Operation One Voice is a program designed by police officers, firefighters and community leaders to generate funds to help support the immediate needs of children and families of wounded and fallen Special Operations Forces.

• Six individuals were named finalists for the Shjon Podein Community Service Award, which has been presented annually since 2003 to a UMD student-athlete who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the field of play and has made noteworthy humanitarian contributions in the Duluth and University communities. That honor was given to senior women's soccer goaltender Sisley Ng at UMD's Dinner With Champions banquet in April.

WORTH NOTING
• UMD Athletics launched Bulldogs 2025, an updated strategic plan and vision for the future of Bulldog athletics. Bulldogs 2025 is a comprehensive plan outlining the objectives and goals of UMD Athletics, a better definition of the values of Bulldog all while concurrently supporting and enriching the UMD's institutional strategic plan and mission. It's also an outline of how the department will strengthen the infrastructure to fulfill the Bulldog mission of sustaining the highest levels of excellence in the three Cs: Classroom, Competition and Community.

• UMD's average men's hockey home attendance of 6,028 this winter was the fifth-highest figure among the nation's 60 NCAA I institutions. Women's hockey posted the third-best attendance average (1,115) out of 40 NCAA programs. In women's NCAA II volleyball, the Bulldogs average attendance of 863  was bettered by just four schools in the country while women's soccer's average (281) ranked first in the NSIC and was 22nd nationally.

• The volleyball Bulldogs christened the refurbished Romano Gymnasium with a 3-1 victory over MSU-Moorhead on Oct. 21. Among the renovations, which were part of Phase Two of the Romano 2020 project, were installation of a a new NCAA competition grade wood flooring, enhanced lower level seating with backs support, aisle-mounted hand rails and increased ADA capacity, new high-end floor mounted basketball standards, and a new climate control system– including air conditioning and humidity control that will improve playing, teaching and patron conditions.

• Incoming 2019-20 rookie forward Quinn Olson was selected in the 2019 National Hockey League Draft, going in the third round (92nd pick overall) to the Boston Bruins.  A total of 112 Bulldogs have been chosen in the NHL Draft  since 1970, incouding seven on the 2019-20 UMD roster  --  Olson,  junior-to-be defenseman Scott Perunovich (2nd round; 45th overall by St. Louis in 2018), sophomore forward Cole Koepke (6th round; 183rd overall by Tampa in 2018), rookie forward Luke Loheit (7th round; 194th overall by Ottawa in 2018), junior defenseman Dylan Samberg (2nd round; 43rd overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017), junior forward Nick Swaney (7th round; 209th overall by Minnesota in 2017) and sophomore forward Noah Cates (fifth round; 137th overall by Philadelphia in 2017). Loheit was among 44 players from the United States invited to compete in the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase, which runs from July 28-Aug. 3 in Plymouth, Mich.. It features hopefuls from four nations – the U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden – auditioning for a spot to represent their country in the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.

• UMD Head Coach Scott Sandelin, who completed his school-record 19^th season with the Bulldogs this past spring, now owns a 21-6 lifetime NCAA tournament record. That .777 winning percentage is the best of any active NCAA head coach and the third best of any bench boss in the history of college hockey.

• Sandelin will serve as a head coach for the U.S. entry with veteran Bulldog equipment manager Chris Garner being part of his support staff. Maura Crowell, who has presided over the Bulldog women's hockey program the past four years, was named the U.S. Under-18 head coach for a second straight year after directing that club to a silver-medal finish last January.

• Juniors Sydney Brodt and Maddie Rooney both won gold medals with the U.S. National Team at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in April. Rooney also came home with a gold medal at the 2017 event and backstopped the U.S. to another gold medal at the Winter Olympics one year later. 
 
• UMD athletic sponsorship and ticket revenue topped the $3 million mark for the fourth consecutive year. The Bulldogs have approximately 135 sponsorship partners and continue to sport one of the strongest hockey season ticket holders groups in the NCHC (men) and WCHA (women).

• Karen Stromme, a 36-year veteran of the UMD athletic department staff, was selected the NCAA Division II recipient for the 2019 Women' Leaders in College Sports Administrator of the Year Award. The Administrator of the Year Award is presented to Women Leaders in College Sports members for significant contributions made as an administrator of intercollegiate athletics. Stromme currently serves as UMD's senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, a role she's held since 2004. Stromme and Athletic Director Josh Berlo both handled key leadership positions outside of UMD. Stromme is a member of the NCAA Diversity, Retention and Professional Development in Women's Basketball Committee while Berlo completed a year as the chair of the NCHC Advisory Committee and served on the WCHA Women's Commissioner Search Committee.

• UMD was recognized for its innovative athletics marketing and fan-experience efforts this past June when it received a "Best of" Awards (Silver citation) from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA).

• Bulldog Productions continued to increase the visibility of UMD Athletics with an updated live streaming package this past year for all 16 Bulldog sport programs.

• In February, it was announced that college hockey's signature opening weekend event -- the Ice Breaker Tournament -- will be coming to AMSOIL Arena again in 2020 with the UMD serving as the host. The Ice Breaker Tournament traditionally features four of the nation's top teams -- each from a different conference -- and the 24th annual tourney should be no exception as the Bulldogs of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference will be joined by a pair of long-time rivals in the University of Minnesota (Big Ten) and Minnesota State University-Mankato (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) along with 2015 NCAA title winner Providence College (Hockey East). UMD has competed in three previous Ice Breaker Tournaments, including in 2017 when over 13,000 spectators packed AMSOIL Arena during the successful, two-day event.

• On the fundraising front, more than $1.0 million was raised from over 2,000 donors (a record) during the 2019 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. This marks the sixth year in a row that athletic development generated over $1 million in gifts. These totals include current gifts and future pledges to the Bulldog Club Annual Fund as well as named scholarships, program support, capital projects, facility enhancements and various fundraising events. 

• Intern Evan Smegal and the UMD Sports Information Office were the recipients of the 2018-19 American Volleyball Coaches Association Grant Burger Award for the NCAA II Central Region. The honor is in recognition of those media/communication outlets who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball through consistent coverage in all mediums.

• A program-record 13 UMD alums did time in the National Hockey League during the course of the 2018-19 season: Joey Anderson (New Jersey Devils), J.T. Brown (Minnesota Wild), Justin Faulk (Carolina Hurricane), Jason Garrison (Edmonton Oilers), Alex Iafallo (Los Angeles Kings), Adam Johnson (Pittsburgh),  Karson Kuhlman (Boston Bruins), Hunter Miska (Arizona Coyotes), Matt Niskanen (Washington Capitals), Neal Pionk (New York Rangers), Alex Stalock (Minnesota Wild), Dominic Toninato (Colorado Avalanche) and Andy Welinski (Anaheim Ducks).  In addition, goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the year, but did not see any crease minutes.

•  @umdbulldogs currently has nearly 16,000 Twitter followers -- the third-most of any NCAA II athletic department in the nation.