University of Minnesota Crookston Athletics

Cleon Melsa was instrumental to the UMN Crookston athletics department serving as Faculty Athletic Representative from 2004-12. Melsa was the liaison between athletics and the academic departments, helping students with eligibility and success in the classroom. He also remained an avid supporter of Golden Eagle athletics after his retirement and until his passing in 2021, attending countless athletic events and serving as a UMC Teambacker.

Melsa received his bachelor of science from the University of Iowa in 1964. He went on to do graduate course work at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa while teaching high school sciences at Northeast Hamilton High School in Blairsburg, Iowa. Melsa then went to the University of North Dakota, where he received a master of science degree in teaching in 1969, then going directly into the doctoral program, received his Ph.D. from UND in inorganic chemistry in 1973. Melsa was an assistant professor in the Math, Science, and Technology department at UMN Crookston. During his time, he also helped start a science club on campus and judged many events at the annual science fairs on campus. While at UMN Crookston, Melsa also did research work for Argon National Laboratories in Chicago, Ill. He and his wife, Jeri, have sons Jeff (Shari), Brent (Jasmine), and Ryan (Ashley),grandchildren Kali, Kelsey, Emi, Keane, Blake, and Bladen, and a great granddaughter Mae.