2009-10 Coaches

Head Coach - Mike Hultz

Mike HuItz enters his twelveth season as the head coach of the MSU basketball program.  Hultz has built the most consistent program in the Dakota Athletic Conference.  Over the past five seasons no other school can match MSU's 61-31 record in conference play and have finished third or better in the DAC standings in all but one of the past eight seasons.  Hultz has led the Beavers to appearances in the DAC Championship game the past two seasons and three in the past five seasons.

During Hultz's 1997-98 rookie campaign, the Beavers posted their first .500 record since 1994-95 and enjoyed the school's best conference finish since 1993-94.  In 2003-04 Minot State was ranked nationally in the NAIA Top 25 for the first time in the school's history.  That accomplishment was followed up by winning the 2005 DAC-10 regular season and tournament titles.  The 2005 team set a school record for wins (23) and made an appearance in the NAIA II National Tournament.  For his efforts Hultz was recognized as 2005 DAC-10 Coach of the Year.  The Beavers made yet another trip to Nationals in 2007-08 by winning the Dakota Athletic Conference Tournament.  This past season MSU fell just short of another national tournament by losing the the DAC championship game.

HuItz comes to Minot after five years at Northern State University in South Dakota.  After two seasons as a graduate assistant and a volunteer assistant, he served as NSU's head assistant basketball coach and Director of Athletic Development. During his tenure at Northern, the Wolves won four conference titles and made an appearance in the 1994 NAIA II National Championship game and the NAIA National Semifinals in 1995. Northern then moved up in division as a NCAA II school, during which time the Wolves qualified for the NCAA II National Tournament in each of his three seasons. Those final three years were highlighted by winning the North Central Regional Playoffs and advancing to the NCAA II Elite Eight.

Hultz, an Idaho native, graduated from Notus High School in 1988. He then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell. There, Hultz served as a student assistant for three seasons in which the 'Yotes made appearances in the 1989 NAlA Elite Eight and the 1991 NAIA Sweet Sixteen. After his time at the C of I, Hultz moved onto the University of Utah for one season, where he again filled the role of student assistant under head coach Rick Majerus. The Utes finished third in the post-season National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Hultz then returned to the College of Idaho and graduated in 1993 with a major in physical education and a minor in computer science. While finishing his undergraduate degree there, he served as an assistant basketball coach at Homedale High School and head baseball coach at Marsing High School. He led the Marsing Huskies to a fourth place finish in the 1993 state tournament.

Mike has three boys. Sam (21), Max (17) and Oscar (6).

Assistant Coach - Steve Grabowski  

Steve Grabowski enters his fifth year as the Beavers Head Assistant Basketball coach.  Grabowski has been an instrumental part of MSU's basketball program the past nine years.  After a four year playing career Grabowski entered the coaching profession at Minot State as a student assistant coach.  During Steve's senior season as a player, MSU complied a 19-10 record which at the time was the most wins by a Minot State team since the 1971-1972 season.  He averaged 4 points and nearly 4 assists per game.  In his junior season, Grabowski appeared in 16 contests, and shot an impressive 42% from the three-point line while earning Academic All-Conference Honors.  Coach Grabowski's court sense and basketball savvy have definitely transfered over into his coaching duties, which makes his presence on the sidelines a valuable one.  Before his time at Minot State, he attended Minot High School where he was a member of the 1999 Class A State Championship team.  Grabowski earned All-WDA honors as a senior while averaging 13 points, 3.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2 steals per game.  He also made the WDA All-Tournament team as a junior.  Coach Grabowski will be primarily in charge of recruiting efforts in addition to strength/conditioning and on-the-floor coaching.  Steve has also been the head coach of the ECI West AAU program for the past three summers.  Steve also serves as an Admissions Counselor at Minot State and is currently working on a graduate degree in Human Performance and Physical Education. 

Assistant Coach - Tim Brandt

After a year away from the program Tim Brandt returns for his second season as a member of the Beaver's coaching staff.  Brandt is a graduate of Minot High where he averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds per game as a senior.  Brandt led his team in three-pointers made and percentage.   Brandt was a member of the Minot State basketball program as player from the 2003-04 season to the 2007-08 season.    Tim posesses a strong knowledge of the game and will be a valuable addition to the coaching staff. 

Tim has a degree in Corporate Fitness and is returning to school to gain an additional degree in Teacher Education.  He is currently engaged to MSU women's basketball player Sam Medcalf.

Assistant Coach - Joe Snowden

Joe Snowden is back for his second season with the Beaver coaching staff.  Snowden, a native of St. Paul, MN, played college ball at North Dakota State (3 years) and started in 20 games for the Bison.  He transfered to Concordia College Moorhead to finish his playing career and was an All-MIAC selection in his senior year for the Cobbers, averaging 17 ppg.  Snowden played his high school ball for Roseville Area High School.  As a senior he averaged 24 ppg and was a All-Conference and All-State selection.  He was also a candidate for Minnesota's Mr. Basketball award.

Snowden pursued a teaching career which took him to Randolph, MN.  There, he taught Physical Education while coaching football, baseball and was the Head Boy's Basketball coach.  After moving to Minot, Snowden taught Physical Education at Turtle Lake-Mercer and was the assistant for the girl's basketball team.  He is currently the Guidance Counselor at Dakota Elementary on the Minot Air Force Base.

Joe and his wife, Heather (Brenden) are the proud parents of one son, Gunnar and are expecting another in the Spring of 2010.

Assistant Coach - Mike Woollard

Coach Woollard returns to the Beavers staff after a two year hiatus.  After working with the Beaver men while completing his Master's degree, Mike went on to spend one year teaching and coaching at Brandon University where he helped guide the Bobcats to a 20-2 Canada West record and a Bronze Medal finish in CW play.  The next year Coach Woollard moved with former Bobcat Head Coach Mike Raimbault to the University of Northern British Columbia where they took the team to a school high 21-14 record and a 4 th place finish Nationally.  Mike also teaches in the Teacher Education Human Performance department at Minot State.

Assistant Coach - Stan Schaurer

Stan Schaurer joins the coaching staff after being past of the MSU basketball program for the past five years.  Shaurer averaged 8.6 points and started 24 games last season.  Prior to attending Minot State Schaurer was two-time all-conference performer at Fessenden-Bowden High School.  Stan is student teaching at Elementary School on the Minot Air Force Base to complete his Elementary Education Major.

Student Manager- Erik "EZ" Bertram

Erik Bertram begins his sixth season serving as the Beaver's Student Manager.  Bertram is from Williston, ND and has earned majors in Criminal justice and Psychology.  He is now attending Graduate School at Minot State.  Erik is the son of Joan Bertram.