NDHSAA Member School Alumni: Weston Dressler, former multi-sport standout at Bismarck High

Editor's Note: NDHSAA Media Specialist Tom Mix will periodically feature former student athletes and participants of NDHSAA-sponsored sports and activities on the NDHSAA NOW website (www.ndhsaanow.com).

This week's NDHSAA Member School Alumni Spotlight shines on Weston Dressler, a 2004 graduate of Bismarck High School. Below is a list of accomplishments in Dressler's prep, collegiate and professional athletic career.

WESTON DRESSLER - PREP ATHLETIC STANDOUT AT BISMARCK HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATION YEAR: 2004

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC CAREER

FOOTBALL:

  • Rushed for 3,564 yards for Bismarck High School from 2001-03 and also had 1,139 receiving yards and 79 total touchdowns. 

  • Rushed for over 2,100 yards and scored 40 touchdowns in his senior football season (2003).

  • Named 2003 North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year in football.

  • Was the first player in the history of the Western Dakota Association to earn North Dakota High School Coaches Association All-State First Team honors in three seasons (sophomore, junior and senior seasons).

  • Three-time Western Dakota Association All-Conference Team in football (2001, 2002, 2003).

  • Helped Bismarck High win the 2001 NDHSAA Division AAA football state championship game - a 21-9 win over Fargo South.

  • Helped Bismarck High advance to the 2003 NDHSAA Division AAA football state championship game.

  • In 2009, his No. 2 Football Jersey was retired by Bismarck High School.

BASKETBALL:

  • Played three seasons of varsity boys basketball at Bismarck High (2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04).

  • Helped Bismarck High advance to the 2004 NDHSAA Class A boys basketball state championship game.

TRACK AND FIELD:

  • 11-time NDHSAA Class A state meet placer.

  • Was a state meet qualifier in a total of nine different events during his prep track career.

  • 5-time NDHSAA Class A individual state track champion.

  • Won individual Class A state championships in the 100 meters (10.66 seconds), 200 meters (21.83 seconds *Broke a Class A and Overall State Record at the time*) and the 400 meters (48.48 seconds).

  • Member of Bismarck High’s 2003 NDHSAA Class A 1,600-meter state championship relay team (Ryan Miller, Dressler, Rob Deringer, Jordan Engelhardt) with a time of 3:25.64.

  • Member of Bismarck High’s 2002 NDHSAA Class A 3,200-meter state championship relay team (Dressler, Robby Meland, Nick Clausnitzer, Andrew Staiger) with a time of 8:00.09.

  • Holds the Class A and Overall State Record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.44 seconds set in the 2004 NDHSAA Class A 100 meter preliminaries. 

  • Helped Bismarck High to a NDHSAA Class A Boys Track and Field team state championship in 2004.

  • Was named North Dakota Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2004.

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL HONORS

  • Graduated valedictorian from Bismarck High School in 2004.

  • 2004 North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA) High School Male Athlete of the Year winner in 2004.

COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL CAREER

  • Played football at the University of North Dakota from 2004-2007. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in Business Management. 

  • Made an immediate impact on UND’s football team and was the first true freshman to see game action since fellow North Dakota prep athletic star Jim Kleinsasser (1995).

  • Named UND’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Special Teams player in 2004.

  • Led all NCAA Division II players in punt return yardage in his freshman season 

  • Named to All-North Central Conference First Team all four years at UND.

  • Was a candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy Award (given to the top football player in NCAA Division II) in both his junior and senior seasons.

  • Was a four-year letter winner in football at UND.

  • Led UND in all receiving and returning statistical categories all four years he played at the school.

  • Was Academic All-American and UND and was a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy given to the nation’s top scholar athlete.

  • Was a 14 All-American honoree while at UND and finished his career owning 19 school records in football.

  • Finished his collegiate football career with 7,072 all-purpose yards.

  • Caught a total of 243 passes for 3,382 yards and 38 touchdowns while at UND.

  • Amassed 514 career rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns at UND.

  • Posted 1,698 punt return yards and three punt return touchdowns in his collegiate football career.

  • Posted 1,478 kickoff return yards and one kickoff return touchdown in his collegiate football career.

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CAREER

  • Played 11 seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2008-2015) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2016-2018). Played as a wide receiver and slot back during his professional football career in the CFL.

  • Named 2008 CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Award winner. Caught 56 passes for 1,128 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie in 2008 and also had his best season as a kickoff and punt returner.

  • Was a two-time CFL All-Star in 2012 and 2013.

  • Was a four time CFL West All-Star in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

  • Helped the Saskatchewan Roughriders win the 101st CFL Grey Cup Championship in 2013. Dressler caught a 26-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the championship game that the Saskatchewan Roughriders won 45-23 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

  • He signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) in 2014. 

  • Played in 161 professional games in his CFL career.

  • Caught a total of 715 passes for 10,026 yards and 61 receiving touchdowns during his CFL career.

  • Rushed for 495 yards on 79 carries in his CFL career and a total of two rushing touchdowns. 

  • Accounted for 404 total points in his CFL career.

  • Returned 125 punts for a total of 1,287 yards and three touchdowns during his CFL career.

  • Returned 36 kickoffs for 718 yards during his CFL career.

  • 2022 inductee into the Saskatchewan Roughriders' “SaskTel Plaza of Honour” which recognizes individuals and teams who have made major contributions to the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

OTHER HONORS

  • 2014 Bismarck High School Hall of Fame inductee.

  • 2016 North Dakota High School Track and Field Hall of Fame inductee.