Alumni Dinner Honors 1978-80 Champion Vikings

CHICAGO, IL (March 3, 2003) - "You have no idea how much joy you brought to this school."

Those were the words of North Park Covenant Church pastor Art Nelson just prior to giving the invocation at an alumni reunion dinner at North Park University for the (then) North Park College men's basketball teams of 1978-80.

Throughout Saturday's celebration of three consecutive Division III titles more than two decades ago, hundreds of people were telling the players that very same thing. And the players, who had traveled from Ireland, California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Florida, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and the Chicago area, appreciated the royal treatment.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of North Park's first title, a 79-67 triumph over Widener College of Pennsylvania on March 18, 1978, at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. That title game victory ended a year reflecting a 20-game winning streak that included a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title and local and national media attention. The magnitude of the team's effort brought most of the standouts back to the campus to see teammates they hadn't seen in years.

Attendees included four performers from all three national title teams: All-America center Michael Harper, All-America guard Mike Thomas and Academic All-America forwards Jim Clausen and Gregg Gierke. They also included standouts from the 1978 national title team: Al May, Tom Florentine and Ernie Flores, as well as other key players from the 1979-80 teams: Keith French, Grant Grastorf and Scott Groot. Coach Dan McCarrell spoke about the team at the alumni dinner and the trainer from the 1979 squad, Brian McCaskey (director of business development for the Chicago Bears), served as emcee.

The event brought a host of fans back to the campus. More than 1,000 attended an alumni game at North Park University Saturday afternoon that began with players from the 1978-80 teams competing against players from North Park's 1985 title squad. About 180 attended a dinner honoring the players. Finally, a standing-room-only crowd of about 1,800 cheered the "three-peat" team members during halftime of the NPU-Augustana College basketball game that evening.

Nelson may not have been the most fervent North Park basketball fan during the team's most glorious years, but he certainly could appreciate what the Vikings did for school morale. He was acting president when the greatest Division III men's college basketball team filled the gymnasium at North Park College. He told about how the team's success brought excitement to a campus that was in the midst of financial crisis and thanked them for their efforts before giving the invocation at the dinner.

David Horner, NPU's current president, also talked about the unique feats the Vikings accomplished on the court as he discussed his hopes for a new indoor recreation center and an outdoor athletic complex to strengthen North Park athletics in the future. However, most of the day's activities centered on honoring past accomplishments that haven't been equaled since the Vikings of 1978-80 dominated the court.

McCarrell introduced the returning players at the dinner, lauding their efforts in the process. And there was a lot to talk about. After winning their first title with a 29-2 record, the Vikings then went 26-5 in 1979 and 28-3 in 1980, beating Potsdam State University of New York and Upsala College of New Jersey respectively in the next two Division III title games to end the three-year run with an 83-10 mark.

Since North Park's three-peat, no NCAA Division I, II or III men's basketball team has won three straight titles. And no Division III team has ever had as many players from one roster get drafted by teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The 6-foot-10 Harper eventually became North Park's lone player ever to make an NBA roster - he played two years with the Portland Trailblazers. Modzel Greer (Chicago Bulls), French (Phoenix Suns) and Thomas (Philadelphia 76ers) also were drafted by NBA teams. Greer, the lone starter not attending the reunion, has continued to shine on the basketball court, playing professionally in Holland and coaching at the professional and junior levels.

Members of the 1978-80 teams not only distinguished themselves athletically, they also have made their marks off the court. Thomas enlisted in the military - after his dreams of a pro basketball career ended - and played on All-Army teams for a time. He now serves in Fort Riley, Kansas, leading food service efforts for 15,000 people. He will celebrate 20 years of military service at the end of March.

French and May have been longtime employees of large companies in Pennsylvania and Illinois after stellar careers as student-athletes at North Park. Flores and 1980 player Sheldon Youngberg have been longtime teachers. Harper and Groot own or are in management positions with large insurance agencies.

Gierke and Rus Bradburd (a reserve on the 1979 title team) have excelled in coaching, the former recently winning his 400th game as a college coach. A reserve on the 1978 team, Rich

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