Dakota Wizards, Benson is new general manager

The Dakota Wizards have had a long run of success at the game of basketball. But owner Steve McCormick said there's a game that's just as important where the team needs some improvement.

'It's become very obvious that this has become a sales game, sales game, sales game,' McCormick said.

The Wizards are hoping they got stronger in that are Tuesday by hiring Terri Benson to be the team's general manager. Benson takes over for Tom Wagganer, who was fired last week after three seasons as GM.

Benson, a Flasher native, has extensive sales experience, primarily in radio and television. She has been the sales manager for Fox (Prime Cities Broadcasting) since 1999. In 2002 she added the duties of ABC (Forum Communications) television affiliates on a regional and local level.

'We feel very fortunate that we have somebody of her sales caliber to help us for next season,' McCormick said. '... We didn't make money last year. It's hard to have two high-profile people. We needed to be more sales-oriented. Tom's done a great job for us. We wish Tom nothing but the best.'

Benson said she was eager to get the chance to help get the Wizards back in the black.

'I'm always up for a new challenge,' Benson said. 'When it was presented to me, I thought it was an optimum time to do it.'