III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 185 

Commending the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats men’s basketball team for another National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 

II national championship victory. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 2, 2019 

Mr. BLUNT (for himself and Mr. HAWLEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the Northwest Missouri State University 

Bearcats men’s basketball team for another National 

Collegiate Athletic Association Division II national championship victory. 

Whereas, on March 30, 2019, the Northwest Missouri State 

University Bearcats men’s basketball team (referred to in 

this preamble as the ‘‘Bearcats’’) defeated Point Loma 

Nazarene University by a score of 64 to 58 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this 

preamble as the ‘‘NCAA’’) Division II national championship game in Evansville, Indiana; 

Whereas that victory is the second national championship victory in 3 years for the Bearcats; 


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•SRES 185 ATS 

Whereas the Bearcats ended the 2018–2019 season as the 

only undefeated men’s basketball program in the NCAA, 

with an overall record of 38–0, tying the NCAA Division 

II record for most wins in a season and making the 

Bearcats only the fifth team in the history of NCAA Division II men’s basketball to win a national title with a 

perfect record; 

Whereas, with 38 wins, the undefeated 2018–2019 season— 

(1) was only the fourth time in the history of the 

men’s basketball program at Northwest Missouri State 

University that the Bearcats reached the 30-win mark; 

and 

(2) broke the previous Bearcat record of 31 wins 

and zero losses set by the 1929–1930 Bearcats led by 

Coach Hank Iba; 

Whereas all 11 players on the Bearcats roster should be congratulated, including— 

(1) Diego Bernard; 

(2) Tyler Dougherty; 

(3) Kirk Finley; 

(4) Ryan Hawkins; 

(5) Trevor Hudgins; 

(6) Daric Laing; 

(7) Xavier Rhodes; 

(8) Dray Starzl; 

(9) Luke Waters; 

(10) Ryan Welty; and 

(11) Joey Witthus; 

Whereas, during the 2018–2019 season, the Bearcats— 

(1) held opponents to an average of 61.7 points; 

(2) forced 13 turnovers per game; and 


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•SRES 185 ATS 

(3) shot 50 percent or better from the field in 22 

of 38 games; 

Whereas all 5 starters on the Bearcats roster (Diego Bernard, Ryan Hawkins, Trevor Hudgins, Ryan Welty, and 

Joey Witthus) made 40 or more 3-point field goals during the 2018–2019 season; 

Whereas 3 players on the Bearcats roster (Ryan Hawkins, 

Trevor Hudgins, and Joey Witthus) scored more than 

500 points during the 2018–2019 season; 

Whereas, with 339 rebounds during the 2018–2019 season, 

Ryan Hawkins set the Northwest Missouri State University single-season record for rebounds; 

Whereas Trevor Hudgins— 

(1) tied the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics 

Association (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘MIAA’’) 

record for consecutive free throws made, with 36 consecutive free throws made during the 2018–2019 season; 

(2) set a Northwest Missouri State University single-season record for assists, with 203 assists during the 

2018–2019 season; and 

(3) set the MIAA freshman scoring record for 

points, scoring 712 points during the 2018–2019 season; 

Whereas Joey Witthus— 

(1) set the Northwest Missouri State University single-season record for 3-point field goals made, with 114 

3-point field goals made during the 2018–2019 season; 

and 

(2) set the Northwest Missouri State University single-season record for points, scoring 780 points during 

the 2018–2019 season; 

Whereas the 2018–2019 Bearcats— 


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•SRES 185 ATS 

(1) set the single-season MIAA record for points, 

scoring a total of 3,130 points during the 2018–2019 

season; 

(2) set the team record for field goals made, with 

1,105 field goals made during the 2018–2019 season; 

and 

(3) set the team record for 3-point field goals made, 

with 404 3-point field goals made during the 2018–2019 

season; 

Whereas Joey Witthus and Trevor Hudgins were named to 

the All-MIAA First Team; 

Whereas Ryan Hawkins— 

(1) was named to the All-MIAA Second Team; and 

(2) was named to the MIAA All-Defensive Team; 

Whereas Diego Bernard— 

(1) was named to the MIAA All-Defensive Team; 

and 

(2) was an All-MIAA honorable mention; 

Whereas Ryan Welty— 

(1) was an All-MIAA honorable mention; and 

(2) is the active career leader in 3-point field goal 

percentage in the United States, with a 3-point field goal 

percentage of 50.8; and 

Whereas Coach Ben McCollum— 

(1) earned the John McLendon Collegiate Basketball 

Coach of the Year award, making Coach Ben McCollum 

the first non-Division I head coach to receive the award; 

(2) was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year 

by Basketball Times; 

(3) was named Coach of the Year by the MIAA; and 


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•SRES 185 ATS 

(4) led the Bearcats to a 100–5 record over 3 seasons: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the Northwest Missouri State 

3 University Bearcats men’s basketball team for an4 other National Collegiate Athletic Association Divi5 sion II national championship victory in men’s bas6 ketball; 

7 (2) recognizes the athletic prowess, hard work, 

8 and dedication exhibited by the players, coaches, 

9 support staff, and student body of Northwest Mis10 souri State University; and 

11 (3) congratulates— 

12 (A) the city of Maryville, Missouri; 

13 (B) the fans of the Northwest Missouri 

14 State University Bearcats men’s basketball 

15 team; and 

16 (C) the alumni of Northwest Missouri 

17 State University throughout the world. 

Æ 


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