Doug Larsen prepares to shoot the basketball. Photo courtesy of the Library of Special Collections

Dear UND Students,

Thank you for choosing UND as your university. I am confident you made a wise decision – as I did over 60 years ago. I remain very proud of UND.

I had the opportunity to be a member of the UND basketball team. We were known as the Nodaks and wore this identification on our jerseys. I am respectfully asking you to continue a proud tradition with this identification which will always be unique for our university.

We now have the opportunity to preserve respect and build on a proud part of UND history by returning to the Nodaks. This identification will set UND apart. We will not be copying another school. Nodaks will be unique and a name which speaks to a successful and honorable past and future. A fitting identification for the first public university founded in the Dakota Territory – six years before North Dakota became a state.

Thank you,

Doug Larsen

Fargo, ND

UND Class of 1953