DORN CONCLUDES CAREER
AS WOMEN’S AD AT NDSU

As she prepares to conclude a 37-year career as
women’s athletic director at North Dakota State University, Lynn Dorn remembers well the lessons she learned as a student and athlete at Bemidji State.

Recalling an era when women were first playing on
the collegiate level, she said, “We were so grateful to compete; we took every opportunity.”

Dorn, who wore the green and white for volleyball,
field hockey, basketball and golf before graduating in 1972, announced in August that she will retire from
NDSU in March.

Since 1977, she has passed those lessons to others in her leadership role at NDSU. The Bison have learned well. During her tenure, NDSU women earned seven national titles, 98 conference or league championships, and nine conference all-sports trophies.  Since 1981, 138 athletes won All-America status, while 35 were selected for 54 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards and 18 earned NCAA postgraduate scholarships.

An award-winning athletic administrator once listed among the five most influential people in NCAA Division II athletics, Dorn has seen a lot of change since 1977.
Now entering their second decade of competition on
the NCAA Division I level, NDSU women have better training facilities, more coaching, significant scholarship support and increased national exposure.

Dorn still sees the values of 1972 as important today.
“It’s great for athletes to have the opportunities they have today,” she said. “But the fundamental beliefs like teamwork, trust, camaraderie and integrity are intangible, lifetime gifts.”

They are lessons well learned, and well given.