SIOUX FALLS—The fifth installment of the Augustana Thought Leader Forum focuses on "Professional Sports in America: Perspectives from the field, press box and executive suite." All three forums will feature Augustana alumni with professional sports experience.

The series began Thursday, February 25, with Bryan Schwartz, a 1994 Augustana graduate, taking a loook "Inside the NFL." Schwartz is a former NFL athlete, having played for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Currently, he lives in Broomfield, CO and is a pastor at Living Faith Church.

The second forum on Friday, March 5, Mel Antonen, a 1979 graduate, will speak on his experiences as a sports writer for the USA Today in Washington, D.C. He will be telling us "How baseball in Lake Norden, SD and Yankee Stadium are exactly alike."

The series concludes on Friday, April 23*, with Laurel Prieb, a 1977 graduate, will give "Commentary on America's Pastime." Prieb is the Vice President of Western Operations for Major League Baseball (MLB) in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The first two forums will be held at the Holiday Inn City Centre beginning at 11:30 a.m. The third forum will be held at CJ Callaway's Event Center (69th & Minnesota) beginning at 11:30 a.m. Reserved tickets are $20 and include lunch. Reserve tickets at www.augietickets.com or call 605.274.4404 for more information. Tickets at the door are $25. (A $3.50 fee for US Mailed orders only.)

BRYAN SCHWARTZ '94 grew up in the farming community of St. Lawrence, SD. He was a two-time all-state linebacker at Miller High School and a finalist for South Dakota’s Mr.Basketball as a senior. He was also a state champion in the discus and shot put.

He majored in biology at Augustana, graduating cum laude in 1994. He was a three-time All-North Central Conference selection with the Vikings and, in 1994, was named the league’s most valuable defensive back. He was also chosen to the Academic All-NCC football team in 1993 and 1994.

Schwartz was the first Augustana player selected to play in the Senior Bowl and he was a candidate for the Butkus Award as the nation’s outstanding collegiate linebacker. His many collegiate recognitions included the 1994 American Football Coaches Association College I All-America Team, the 1994 NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region Team, First Team Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America Team, and Dr. C.M. Frank Small University All-America Team.

Following graduation, Bryan was a second-round draft pick of the first year NFL expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie team and set the Jaguars' single season record for tackles. He is on the Jaguars all-time career tackles list. His NFL career was cut short after five years due to a serious injury.

After leaving the NFL, Bryan was called to serve as Associate Pastor at Southpoint Community Church in Jacksonville, FL, from 2000-2002. He then moved his family to Austin, TX, to be the Associate Pastor of Christ Community Church from 2002-2005. This led Bryan to Colorado in 2005 to be the Senior Pastor of a church plant, now Living Faith. Bryan has drawn on his experiences in the NFL and his passion for Christ to be a dynamic public and motivational speaker and leader to a variety of audiences including professional athletic teams through chapel services, discipleship teaching and personal mentoring.

Bryan has been married to his lovely wife, Diane, for 13 years and they have seven children, three girls and four boys ranging in age from 13 to 11 months. The family currently resides in Broomfield, CO.

MEL ANTONEN '79 has been a baseball reporter at USA TODAY for 24 seasons. He's also worked as a commentator for various radio stations, including WCCO in Minneapolis, WFAN in New York, WBAL in Baltimore and WTOP in Washington, D.C. He's also been a co-host and analyst for XM Radio, CNN and ESPN.

Antonen is a voter for the baseball Hall of Fame. He's covered every World Series since 1980. He's covered all of baseball's major issues, from work stoppages to steroids to Congressional antitrust.

On the field, Mel has covered numerous events, including seven players getting their 3,000th career hits, the McGwire-Sosa Home Run Derby, the opening and closing of Yankee Stadium and profiles of Hall of Famers such as Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Yogi Berra and Stan Musial.

Antonen has also covered for USA TODAY the Super Bowl and three Olympics, including the Tonya Harding knee-bashing incident.

Mel is from Lake Norden, S.D., and did his first baseball reporting by calling newspapers with the results of the Lakers' amateur baseball teams. He started work as a sports reporter at the Argus Leader after graduating from Hamlin High. After Augustana, he covered agriculture and politics for the Argus and then went to USA TODAY.

Mel and his wife, Lisa, live in Washington, D.C., with their son Emmett, 3.

LAUREL PRIEB '77 is now in his fifth year as Vice-President, Western Operations and Special Projects for Major League Baseball. In this post, Prieb is responsible for Baseball’s office in Phoenix, AZ, which houses personnel from MLB Advanced Media and the Arizona Fall League in addition to his staff. Prieb maintains regular communication with MLB’s western region clubs, monitoring their opportunities and issues, and employs measures to enhance best practices of the clubs. He and his staff are also involved with Baseball’s varied business interests in the western region.

Laurel has spent nearly thirty-two years in Major League Baseball. Prior to his current position, he was with the Milwaukee Brewers for fourteen years, most recently as the club’s Vice-President of Corporate Affairs.

Laurel began his career with the Minnesota Twins, from 1977 to 1991. He was in the club’s public relations department for seven years before coordinating the Major League All-Star Game in 1985, then Traveling Secretary for the Twins for three years before becoming the club’s Director of Marketing and Broadcasting from 1989 to 1991. He gained his initial sports experience by interning with the Boston Celtics in 1976-77 while working on his business major at Augustana.

Laurel is a member of the Board of Trustees at Augustana, is on the Board of Directors of the Phoenix Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, and volunteers for various projects at the Phoenix Rescue Mission and Partnership for a Drug-Free America. The Prieb Family are members of Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, AZ, where Laurel teaches Sunday School.

Laurel, whose hobbies include distance running and piano, grew up in Webster, South Dakota. He and his wife, Wendy, reside in Scottsdale, AZ, with their daughter, Natalie.

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