The community of Minot has benefited from Minot State University in many ways. Some of the benefits are long lasting residual over the years. The stories of Rick Hedberg, Kevin Bohl, and Chris Lamoureux are intertwined and have had a lasting impact on the Minot community. The three each had historic high school careers for their communities, and all signed and had hall of fame careers at Minot State University.
They all have excelled in their careers in Minot, they are family men, and all are community first minded. This is pretty much the pinnacle of what an athletic department is looking for in athletic recruits. Now their three boys are all playing at Minot State University and were all high school stars for Bishop Ryan and Minot High. Their three sons are repeating history, and the community of Minot is now getting a Hedberg, Bohl, and Lamoureux 2.0.
Rick was a high school star at Parshall High School, then started all four years at Minot State University. His mother also attended Minot State. After Minot State Rick taught and coached at Williston High School before becoming the Assistant Athletic Director at University of North Dakota. He then came home to Minot and has given his life to Minot State and the Minot community. He was the athletic director that brought Minot State to the NCAA level and helped push for an all-new/updated facilities for Minot Athletics. Rick spent many years giving back to the North Dakota community officiating high school sports.
Kevin Bohl was a star athlete at Towner High School and started all four years at Minot State. After college he went to Rugby, where he taught and coached at the high school. He came back to Minot and became the Vice President Commercial Lending and Consumer Banking Manager at First Western Bank and Trust. He officiated basketball with Rick for many years. He also was the president the Beaver Booster Club Board of Directors for many years. Kevin said, “I had a great time playing at Minot State, but I made lifelong friendships, that’s what I cherish most. I left to teach and coach at Rugby, but I came back to continue those relationships and to get involved in the community.”
Chris Lamoureux was “Mr. Basketball” for North Dakota and came to Minot State and started all four years. He graduated and stayed in Minot and went to work for First Western Bank and Trust and now is the Executive Vice President of the bank. He also coached basketball at Bishop Ryan when they won a State Championship. He and his son, Peyton, are two of three remaining Charter members of the Beaver Nation. Chris served on the Beaver Booster Club Board of Directors and the MSU Alumni association board. During the nineties while Chris served on the Beaver Booster Board, he was the first to push for Minot State to go Division 2. It was until years later when his MSU teammate Rick Hedberg became Athletic Director that Minot State made the jump.
This group was born and bred in North Dakota and helped Minot State win three conference titles in the eighties. You had to get to the Dome early during the late eighties when these three Hall of Famers were on the court.
“I can tell you when they were playing at MSU, you had to get to games early or you were stuck up in the corners of the north and south sections of the bleachers, it was awesome,” said Chad McNally.
Mason Hedberg and Ben Bohl played at Bishop Ryan and now both are teammates at Minot State. Mason is a third generation Minot State student. When asked what their favorite moments at Bishop Ryan and Minot State they have been both had the same answer. Both said playing for the State Championship for Bishop Ryan Basketball even with the loss was amazing memory. They both had the same favorite memory at Minot State and that was being a part of the first Minot State Basketball team to win a game at the Pentagon.
Peyton Lamoureux played football and basketball for Minot High School. He is the all-time leader in three pointers for Minot High, he chose a different path than his dad and decided to play football for Minot State. His favorite memory at Minot State is the longest catch in school history and he jokingly said, “I didn’t even score.” He went on to say that play has shaped my training. He said he will never be caught from behind again. He has made a commitment to getting as fast as he can. Chris said he would take Peyton to every basketball and football games from birth at Minot State. He would walk him around in a stroller when he was little on the third floor of the dome.
In the last forty years in western North Dakota if high level basketball was being played, one of these names was probably involved. The three dads were all-stars in high school early to mid-eighties, then they combined to win championships at Minot State in the mid to late eighties. Then they were all coaching high school in the nineties, and Rick and Kevin were officiating high school basketball after the turn of the century. Their sons were high school basketball stars leading teams to state championship games, and now Mason and Ben are both playing at Minot State on the team that went further than any team in Division 2 history. Kevin’s oldest boy, Jacob, played at Bishop Ryan and now is one of the best high school officials in the state. Kevin’s daughter, Gabby, won a State Championship at Bishop Ryan.
Family men serving their school, church, and community that were “raised by a village” were molded in western North Dakota communities and polished at Minot State University. Minot State now polishing their sons has been there to help arm North Dakota’s children for generations to become leaders within their respective communities. This is still the vision of this university today. These three amazing families as much a part of the beauty of Minot State and the community of Minot as they are a product of them.
