Montana State Northern Lights & Skylights Athletics

Receiving the Veteran Award this year is Al Faechner, of Great Falls, Montana. He attended MSU-Northern (then Northern Montana College) on a basketball scholarship for two years from 1951-53 graduating in the Pre-Business program. During his freshman year, Faechner scored 350 points in 24 games ranking second on the team to teammate Gene Espeland and led the team his second year. He set a record for scoring at the Junior College Regional Tournament at Dixie Junior College in Provo, Utah netting 37 points and a spot on the All-Tournament team in 1952. At that time, there were no 3 point shots and the quarters were only 8 minutes long. NMC was also the only Junior College in the league, so they competed against more seasoned juniors and seniors. Faechner also played baseball both years for Northern. After leaving Northern, he served two years in the Korean War. Returning to Montana, he married his college fiancée, Joyce Ferrin, and continued his education at the College of Great Falls. After graduation, he worked in banking in Glasgow, Montana and, as President of the Glasgow Sports Club, he was instrumental in arranging a football game between Minot State and the NMC Lights in Glasgow which drew over 2,000 fans in 1969. He was President of Multisports which built the softball complex in Great Falls in 1965.