Montana State Northern Lights & Skylights Athletics

Coach R.W. "Sandy" Sandven coached basketball, baseball, golf and tennis at NMC and was Athletic Director from 1937 to 1948. At that time, the College was a two-year school and his teams shared the gym facilities at Havre High School. He guided the Northern Lights to the College's first state basketball championship in 1938 and his baseball and golf teams also won conference championships. Coach Sandven was not able attend the awards presentation, but he wrote to say: "NMC was my first college teaching job and it was a memorable learning experience in a perfect setting of excellent faculty, great administration and the finest and best possible student body. I am indeed honored to be inducted as a coach into your Athletic Hall of Fame. This pleasure is added to the whole Montana experience which was and still is a wonderful and cherished part of my life. You have made an 88-year-old man very happy." His good friend Don Vaupel accepted the award on his behalf.