A look back at some of the sports happenings during the week of March 31-April 6:

Last year on April 1, 2023: Former 1980s NSU coach Doug Ekmark was inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Ekmark, a 1966 Anoka (MN) High School, coached for almost five decades at the college and high school levels, mostly in Minnesota. He has degrees from Hamline University and the University of St. Thomas.

10 years ago on April 4, 2014: Doland native, former Northern State assistant and Nebraska coach Tim Miles was named the national men’s basketball coach of the year, winning the Jim Phelan award.

20 years ago on April 3, 2004: Milbank native Jeremy VanVeen of SDSU won the 1,500 meters at the University of Sioux Falls Invitational. VanVeen would later transfer to NSU where he became one of the best runners in school history.

30 years ago on April 2, 1994: Snowmobile trails across South Dakota reported usage at an all-time high this past winter. Last winter there were 8,464 registered snowmobiles in South Dakota, and that number jumped to almost 10,000 this winter.

40 years ago on April 6, 1984: Renae Amundson of Langford won the 800 meters at the Dan Lennon Relays at the DakotaDome in Vermillion.

50 years ago on March 31, 1974: Steve Lovrien of Aberdeen and Steve Heller of Faulkton earned letters this season for the USD wrestling team.