BISON
FAMILY
Mike Ahneman
-
1965 1968
Mike was named
to the Bison Hall
of Fame in 1989.
He was two-time
All-North Central
Conference
linebacker and
honorable mention
All-American at that
post in the mid1960s for the Herd.
He earned his allleague awards in
1966 and 1967 for
two Bison teams
that won NCC
championships.
Ahneman was a tricaptain of the 1967
NDSU football
team, the same
season he received
All-American
recognition.
Bison Bond
Ben and Erin moved back to Fargo because
they figured it was a great middle ground
between their two families. They found out
that they had a big Bison family in Fargo
and, in some instances, just down the block.
“Our former teammates are like family,” said
Erin. “Since I don’t have any family up here,
it’s been nice to have my teammates who
are my closest friends here.” Ben and Erin
remain close with their former teammates as
they go through the next chapter in life and
are literally raising their children together.
Ben’s best friend and former teammate Ronnie Steffen is the Ahnemans' son Tommy’s
20
BISON ILLUSTRATED
godfather and the Ahnemans are the godparents to the Steffens’ oldest. “We always
make it a point to go to the games together,”
said Ben. With two groups of teammates,
the Ahnemans have two groups they enjoy
tailgating with at every Bison football home
game. The Ahnemans have been Team Makers and football season ticket holders for
seven years.
Rich Tradition
“For me, it’s always been, since the moment
I got here until now, it’s always ‘No one
person is greater than the team,’” Ben said,
explaining the deeply-rooted ties athletes
develop with NDSU even after their playing
days. That selfless attitude is what brings
teams together, Erin said, and is why the
individual players on the team become one
big family. At NDSU, it doesn’t matter what
sport, what position or how many minutes
you play. Once you join the fraternity of
Bison athletes, you are a part of the bond for
life. Erin thinks that’s what makes NDSU so
unique. “We know a lot of people that played
college athletics at different schools and they
don’t have the types of relationship that we
have. We are so lucky.”