Minot swimmer Dagny Knutson set three national high school records at the North Dakota state swim meet in November. Then she got serious.

After shattering high school marks held by such swimmers as Olympian Janet Evans, the 16-year-old Knutson set her sights on the U.S. Short Course Nationals in Atlanta, where her record-setting year continued.

Knutson won three times in Atlanta, setting an American record of 4:00.62 in the 400-yard individual medley.

Knutson's outstanding season was voted the top sports story of the year by print and broadcast members of The Associated Press in North Dakota.

Knutson - a 15-time state champion - also won the 200 freestyle in 1:42.83 and the women's 200 IM in 1:54.03 at nationals.

One month earlier, Knutson stood out at the North Dakota state meet in Mandan, where she set national high school records in the 200 and 500 freestyle events. She also swam a 48.33 leg in the 400-yard freestyle relay, good enough to qualify as a national high school record in the 100 free.

Knutson posted a 4:34.78 in the 500, shattering the 20-year-old mark of 4:37.30 set by Evans, a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

"It's excitement and relief, and I was just really happy and surprised," Knutson said at the time. "She was definitely one of the best distance swimmers of all time. It gives me high hopes for the future."

Knutson's time in the 200 was 1:42.81, topping the mark of 1:45.49. The previous North Dakota record was 1:50.09.

Knutson edged out two veterans in the balloting for top story. Chris Coste's World Series title with the Philadelphia Phillies and the retirement of longtime North Dakota State women's basketball coach Amy Ruley tied for second place.

Coste grew up in Fargo and toiled in the minor leagues 11 years before earning a job as backup catcher for the Phillies. He hit .263 with 9 homers and 36 RBIs in 98 games last season, and was with the team during its World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ruley left the team after 29 years for another job within the NDSU athletic department, saying she felt it was time to "step into a new direction." Her record was 670-198 with the Bison.

Ruley was No. 11 in all-time victories for Division I coaches and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

Weston Dressler is not yet at the point where he worries about a Hall of Fame, but he took the first steps in that direction last season with the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The former Bismarck High School and University of North Dakota wide receiver and return specialist was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie. He caught 56 passes for 1,123 yards and six touchdowns last season, and had 1,014 kick and punt return yards.

Dressler is the first Saskatchewan player to win the award in 27 years.

Rounding out the Top 10 stories:

n NDSU's Ben Woodside scored 60 points in three-overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin. Woodside set Summit League and team records for points and free throws made and attempted in a game, and tied Pete Maravich's NCAA free throw record with 30.

n Minot's Donny Schatz became the second driver to win three straight Knoxville National titles en route to his third straight World of Outlaws racing championship.

n The North Dakota Board of Higher Education approved a schedule for discarding Fighting Sioux nickname. A panel headed by University System Chancellor William Goetz should meet at least twice with Sioux leaders during 2009, the timeline says. If there is no agreement to allow continued use of the name and logo, it says, UND should begin preparing in January 2010 to retire them.

n University of Mary Athletic Director Al Bortke retired after 35 years and he was replaced by former University of North Dakota football coach and North Central Conference Commissioner Roger Thomas.

n Chris Mussman was named head football coach at the University of North Dakota, replacing Dale Lennon, who moved to Southern Illinois. The Fighting Sioux went 6-4 in the first year of transition to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA I-AA).

n The Mandan High School girls basketball team won its sixth straight state Class A title. Mandan beat Bismarck 68-56 in the state title game. The Braves won 19 straight games after starting the season 3-3.