Sports

Former Lumberjack Engel signs with Dickinson State

By Matthew Semisch

07/29/2014

One of North Dakota’s native sons in the college basketball world is set to keep pursuing his dreams at the next level.

What’s good news for hoopheads in the Peace Garden State is that he won’t yet be traveling outside of North Dakota to do it.

Billy Engel’s time at Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) came to an end this spring. Come this fall, he will transfer to Dickinson State University (DSU) and become a member of the Blue Hawks’ men’s basketball team.

DSU head men’s basketball coach Justin Wetzel indicated in a statement that he’s excited  to be adding a player with the former Lumberjack guard’s work ethic.

“The first thing I noticed about Billy is his toughness and how he plays hard on every possession,” Wetzel said.  

“In addition, he is an excellent student and a great example of what a student-athlete should be. He is the son of a very successful high school coach so he understands the value of being coachable and being a leader.”

Engel, a Cooperstown, N.D., native, first arrived in Bottineau in 2012 from Griggs County Central High School. He was a two-sport athlete for the Cougars, having also played on the Griggs-Barnes County co-op football team.

Engel then enjoyed a solid freshman season with the DCB Lumberjacks. He started in 26 of the 30 games he appeared in in the 2012-13 season and averaged 26.4 minutes, 9.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

In his second and final season in Bottineau, he became even more of a workhorse for the Lumberjacks. He started 31 of the 33 games he appeared in in DCB’s banner season in which it won the NJCAA Region XIII championship.

In the 2013-14 season, Engel led the Lumberjacks in free throw percentage at 90.0 percent.

At DSU, he’ll be reunited with Roybell Baez. They were teammates at DCB during the 2012-13 season.