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December 2013 Archives
The U.S. women's national team defeated Canada, 3-2 in a shootout at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday afternoon. Catch up on the game and the ties to Gopher women's hockey along with some of the media coverage surrounding the win.
Read more:
Star Tribune: Gameday preview: Team USA vs. Canada
Dec. 27, 2013
ESPN-W: U.S., Canada ... Best of Frenemies
Dec. 27, 2013
Dec. 27, 2013
Pioneer Press: U.S.-Canada a gold-medal women's hockey rivalry
Dec. 28, 2013
USA Today: U.S. women's hockey team beats Canada 3-2 in shootout
Dec. 28, 2013
USA Hockey: Knight Time Is The Right Time For A Shootout In St. Paul
Dec. 28, 2013
Star Tribune: U.S. women's hockey beats back rivals from Canada 3-2 in shootout
Dec. 29, 2013
Dixon signed a contract with Rabita Baku as she will play in Azerbaijan for the next two and a half years. Dixon, a middle blocker, follows former Gopher middle blocker, Lauren Gibbemeyer, who also plays in Azerbaijan for Lokomotiv Baku.
Wittman leaves January 2 and will compete for four months in Puerto Rico. The outside hitter signed a contract with Indias de Mayaguez for the rest of the season and joins Northwestern standout Stephanie Holthus. Former Gopher Katherine Harms is also playing professionally as she plays in Italy for Agil Novara.
The Dixon/Wittman duo capped off their collegiate careers with a pair of All-America honors. Dixon a First Team All-American, finished her college career ranking fifth all time in total blocks (507), the best career hitting percentage (.369) and ninth all-time in career kills (1,479). Wittman, a Second Team All-American, ranks sixth in Minnesota history in career kills (1,778) and fourth in career digs (1,510).
The Gopher women's hockey team is pleased to host a Teddy Bear Toss during its game against Ohio State at Ridder Arena on Saturday, Jan. 11.
The Teddy Bear Toss will occur after the first Gopher goal. Fans are invited to bring teddy bears or other stuffed animals to the game and throw them on the ice after the first Minnesota goal. All of the stuffed animals will be donated to charity as part of the Gophers' annual toy drive.
The Gophers hosted a Teddy Bear Toss last season during a 2-0 win over Wisconsin on Dec. 2, 2012. Senior Mira Jalosuo broke a scoreless tie with a power-play goal in the third period. After the goal, fans tossed nearly 200 bears onto the ice. Staff members collected the bears, and members of the Gopher women's hockey team delivered them to a Toys for Tots collection site.
The Jan. 11 Gopher game will air live on the Big Ten Network, so fans not in attendance will be able to see the Teddy Bear Toss as it happens!
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Despite being on a four-week mid-season break from competition, Minnesota (19-1-0, 13-1-0 WCHA) has received lots of recent media coverage. Catch up on some of the recent news surrounding Gopher women's hockey.
Ohio State Series Recap
Minnesota Daily: Minnesota blows past Ohio State
Dec. 9, 2013
Star Tribune: Gophers women complete hockey sweep of Ohio State
Dec. 9, 2013
Pioneer Press: Gophers women's hockey: Rachel Bona hat trick leads win over Ohio State
Dec. 7, 2013
WCHA: UM's Bona, McMillen and Cameranesi, UW's Packer Named WCHA Women's Players of the Week
Dec. 11, 2013
USCHO: Wednesday Women: Midseason Looks
Dec. 11, 2013
Frozen Four Hosts Named
Star Tribune: Minnesota Scene: Xcel, Ridder get three Frozen Fours between them
Dec. 11, 2013
Dec. 13, 2013 Minnesota Daily: NCAA announces sites for future tournaments
Dec. 11, 2013
Olympic Updates
KSTP: US Women's Olympic Hockey Camp Opens In Blaine
Dec. 13, 2013
KSTP: U.S. Women's National Team to Train in Blaine
Dec. 16, 2013
Fox9: Team USA Work Out in Blaine
Dec. 16, 2013
Star Tribune: Slowed by injury, Gophers product Amanda Kessel expected to be healthy when Olympics begin
Dec. 18, 2013
USA Hockey Magazine: Bozek Brings Versatility To Team USA Blueline
Dec. 2013 Issue
Grand Forks Herald: Minnesota native strong candidate to return in 2014 games
Dec. 19, 2013
Minnesota Daily: Raty, Jalosuo selected to Finnish Olympic team
Dec. 18, 2013
Lions.FI: Here they are - female lions Sochi Olympics
Dec. 18, 2013
Sport.FI: Finland Women's Ice Hockey Olympic Team named
Dec. 18, 2013
Sarah Erickson Coaching at Concordia Moorhead
Inforum: At 23, Cobbers women's coach has already accomplished much in hockey
Dec. 9, 2013
Minnesota Daily: Erickson coaches college at young age
Dec. 10, 2013
Other Noteworthy Gopher Items
USA Today: Ad Meter Year in Sports winner revealed
Dec. 18, 2013
USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Final Poll of 2013
Dec. 17, 2013
USCHO.com Final Poll of 2013
Dec. 16, 2013
MinnPost: U of M's successful 'non-revenue' sports teams contribute in other ways
Dec. 20, 2013
Gold and Gopher: Gophers Hockey: 10 things to look forward to in 2014
Dec. 22, 2013
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention is taking place in Orlando this week. One highlight of the convention is the annual presentation of The Bowerman Award, the highest honor in collegiate track and field. The Bowerman debuted in 2009 and is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.
From USTFCCCA:
"Clemson hurdler Brianna Rollins and Indiana high jumper Derek Drouin were awarded The Bowerman Trophy as the most outstanding collegiate track & field student-athletes of the 2013 season in a ceremony held Wednesday evening at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes as part of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Convention. Rollins is just the second hurdler to win the award -- the first since Queen Harrison in 2010 -- and the first from Clemson, while Drouin scored a plethora of firsts for the award. He is the first student-athlete from Indiana and the Big Ten to win the award, and is the first field event specialist to hoist The Bowerman Trophy."
Watch a replay of the award presentation courtesy of flotrack.org:
Watch more video of Bowerman Awards 2013 on flotrack.org
Minnesota's cross country and track & field coaches are enjoying the convention.
In Orlando for @USTFCCCA convention! Excited for a great week of learning and seeing friends from around the country :-)
-- Sarah Hopkins (@MNXCCoachHop) December 14, 2013
Big Life, Big Stage, Big Ten!!! Derek Drouin wins the Bowerman! First @bigtenconf athlete to win! pic.twitter.com/kb8gosQuXO
-- Sarah Hopkins (@MNXCCoachHop) December 19, 2013
Catch up on all the details of The Bowerman Award presentation and the rest of the 2013 USTFCCCA Convention.
Team Finland's women's ice hockey roster for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games has been released, and former Gophers Mira Jalosuo and Noora Raty are set to represent their home country in Sochi, Russia.
Naisten maajoukkue // Sotshi 2014 from Leijonat TV on Vimeo.
Raty will make her third Olympic appearance after competing for Finland in both the 2010 (bronze) and 2006 (fourth place) Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Jalosuo will make her Olympic debut this winter.
Tervetuloa Olympiajoukkueeseen @ntikkine, @AKilponen, @Nooraty41, @MiraJalosuo, @AnninaRajahuhta, @VlimkiLinda, #leijonat #RoadToSochi
-- Olympic Team Finland (@OlympicTeamFI) December 18, 2013
Such a great honour to be selected as the member of @OlympicTeamFI for @Sochi2014. Thank you for all the congrats! Third time's the charm?
-- Noora Räty (@Nooraty41) December 18, 2013
Finland's roster includes three goaltenders as Meeri Raisanen and Eveliina Suonpaa join Raty between the pipes. The roster has seven defensemen; Minnesota Duluth junior Tea Villila will join Jalosuo in action at the blue line. Eleven forwards round out the line up, including North Dakota's Michelle Karvinen and Susanna Tapani.
Eight nations will compete for gold in women's ice hockey at the 2014 Olympic Games, set for Feb. 7-23, 2014: Canada, U.S., Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Germany and Japan.
Up to seven current and former Gophers could compete in Sochi as Megan Bozek, Gigi Marvin, Anne Schleper, Lee Stecklein and Amanda Kessel hope to earn a place on Team USA. The final 2014 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team, which will include 18 forwards/defensemen and three goaltenders, will be announced during the second intermission of the NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2014, in Ann Arbor, Mich., live on NBC.
Read more:
Sport.FI: Women's Ice Hockey Olympic Team named
Here they are - female lions Sochi Olympics
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Just days after shopping for Toys for Tots and St. Joseph's Home for Children, the University of Minnesota women's basketball team got back into the giving spirit Tuesday, shopping for and donating gifts to the Amplatz Children's Hospital and a family which it adopted through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities.
The Gophers used their own money, as well as funds donated by the women's basketball staff, to shop for gifts at Target on Monday night. The team carefully hand-selected presents for more than 10 children at the hospital and picked out items from the family's list, which included a mother, a 13-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy.
The first stop for the team was at Amplatz on Tuesday morning, where it dropped off its gifts and visited with numerous patients and their parents. Along with the gifts they had shopped for, the Gophers also handed out posters and Minnesota head gear on each of its stops.
Later that day, the Gophers headed out to St. Paul to deliver gifts to their adopted family, which had two children who just-so-happened to be big basketball fans.
On March 23, 2013, Minnesota head coach Don Lucia was named the head coach of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team by USA Hockey. With Lucia behind the bench, the Red, White and Blue will compete at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013 - Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden.
In addition to Lucia, Gophers Brady Skjei and Hudson Fasching are competing for a roster spot on next year's U.S. squad.
The U.S. program will seek its fourth medal in five years including a gold-medal performance in 2013 with Gophers defenseman Mike Reilly on the roster and assistant coach Grant Potulny on staff. As the tournament approaches, Gophersports.com will provide updates using "Eyes on Sweden".
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MINNEAPOLIS -- With the U.S. National Junior Team hosting training camp at Mariucci Arena this week, NHL.com caught up with head coach Don Lucia to talk about the team.
With the 2014 season just around the corner, junior Ellis Mannon is working on perfecting his new skill on parallel bars - the Healy. An All-American in 2013, Mannon was the NCAA runner-up on pommel horse last season. He scored a career-high on parallel bars with a score of 14.600 at Nebraska.
Last August, Mannon competed at the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, posting an all-around score of 161.500, which was good for 24th place. He tied for 15th place on the pommel horse with a combined score of 26.900 after scoring a 14.850 in the event finals. Mannon also placed 15th on parallel bars (28.250), including a 14.350 in the finals. Last season, Mannon competed on pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar for the Gophers and looks to carry over his recent success into the 2014 season.
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Listen to tonight's show: 1500ESPN.com | Archived Radio Broadcasts
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Don Lucia Radio Show returns to the airwaves of 1500 ESPN for the 2013-14 season, airing live on Mondays during the year from the Beacon Public House inside the Commons Hotel on campus.
With Lucia coaching the U.S. Junior National Team this month as it prepares for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships next month in Sweden, tonight's show will feature special guest Adam Wilcox. Listen to the Gophers' netminder, along with co-hosts Wally Shaver and Jeff Dubar, from 6:00-6:30 p.m. tonight.
This week's show will look back at the first half of the season with Minnesota posting a 12-2-2 overall record over the first three months of play. We'll also look ahead to a busy January that will see the Gophers host the Mariucci Classic, then head to Penn State for the first time in program history before hosting the Hockey City Classic on Jan. 17 at TCF Bank Stadium and the inaugural North Star College Cup the following weekend.
For the second-season in a row, Beacon Public House will host a live viewing of the Don Lucia Radio Show with food and drink specials every Monday night for Gopher Hockey fans. Learn more about Beacon Public House here.
On March 23, 2013, Minnesota head coach Don Lucia was named the head coach of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team by USA Hockey. With Lucia behind the bench, the Red, White and Blue will compete at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013 - Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden.
In addition to Lucia, Gophers Brady Skjei and Hudson Fasching are competing for a roster spot on next year's U.S. squad.
The U.S. program will seek its fourth medal in five years including a gold-medal performance in 2013 with Gophers defenseman Mike Reilly on the roster and assistant coach Grant Potulny on staff. As the tournament approaches, Gophersports.com will provide updates using "Eyes on Sweden".
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By: Ben Gotz, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
After sweeping Ohio State in its final series of 2013, the University of Minnesota women's hockey team is getting some well-deserved rest for a few weeks before resuming their season at the beginning of 2014. It's hard to say they haven't earned it, as their 19-1-0 record gives this year's team the second most wins at the holiday break in team history, trailing only last year's undefeated team. The 2012-13 Gophers boasted a 20-0-0 mark at the holiday break en route to their 41-0-0 perfect season.
This year marks the fifth time in program history the team has concluded the first half of the season with one loss or less. Three of those seasons resulted in national championships. With half a season left to play, the Gophers are off to a strong start in their quest for back-to-back-to-back national championships.
Here's a look at how the Gophers have started over the history of the program:
1997-98: 9-4-1 start, 21-7-3 finish
1998-99: 11-1-1 start, 29-4-3 finish
1999-00: 12-5-0 start, 32-6-1 finish, national champions
2000-01: 11-4-1 start, 23-9-2 finish
2001-02: 12-2-3 start, 28-4-6 finish
2002-03: 15-2-1 start, 27-8-1 finish
2003-04: 13-0-1 start, 30-4-21 finish, national champions
2004-05: 15-1-2 start, 36-2-2 finish, national champions
2005-06: 12-5-1 start, 29-11-1 finish
2006-07: 14-3-1 start, 23-12-1 finish
2007-08: 13-4-1 start, 27-7-4 finish
2008-09: 15-2-1 start, 32-5-3 finish
2009-10: 15-3-2 start, 26-9-5 finish
2010-11: 13-6-0 start, 26-10-2 finish,
2011-12: 17-3-0 start, 34-5-2 finish, national champions
2012-13: 20-0-0 start, 41-0-0 finish, national champions
2013-14: 19-1-0 start
Be there when the Gophers resume play in 2014. Minnesota hosts Ohio State at Ridder Arena in a Friday/Saturday series Jan. 10-11, 2014.
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Members of the University of Minnesota women's basketball team used their break from games to start spreading holiday cheer to the Twin Cities community, as they shopped for and donated items for Toys for Tots and St. Joseph's Home for Children.
The money used to purchase gifts was donated by Gopher fans during toy drives held at select Minnesota home events, including women's and men's basketball and men's hockey games. In addition to the toys that were donated at the contests, fans also gave cash donations which equaled $3,000.
Senior Sari Noga and freshman Joanna Hedstrom took a portion of those donations to Target and selected gifts for the sometimes-forgotten teenage group, who also receive gifts through the toy drives set up on campus. Noga and Hedstrom carefully chose gifts such as books, CDs, makeup, perfume, hats and scarves and art supplies and then dropped off their gifts at St. Joseph's Home for Children.
The Gophers have a long tradition of giving back to the community, especially around the holiday season. Stay posted to gophersports.com to see how else the women's basketball team plans to give back during their break from classes.
The NCAA announced the sites for the 2015-2018 men's and women's gymnastics championships today. Watch the announcement from NCAA.com:
National Collegiate Men's Gymnastics Championships Sites
2015: Norman, Okla., University of Oklahoma
2016: Columbus, Ohio, Ohio State University
2017: West Point, N.Y., Army
2018: Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago/Chicago Sports Commission
The sites for the four championships were chosen from six finalists, including the University of Minnesota's Sports Pavilion and the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill., along with the four selected sites.
Along with the men's championships locations, the NCAA revealed the women's regional and championship sites. The University of Minnesota will host women's gymnastics regionals at the Sports Pavilion in 2016 and 2018.
The gymnastics announcements came as the NCAA announced 523 sites that have been named hosts for 82 of its 89 championships for the 2014-18 seasons, marking the largest collection of host site announcements in association history.
Learn more:
NCAA: NCAA Championships Site Selections
The NCAA announced sites for upcoming national championships in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field for all divisions today. The locations and hosts have been determined for the championships between 2014-15 and 2017-18. Watch the announcement from NCAA.com:
NCAA Division I Cross Country
2014: Terre Haute, Ind.
2015: (TBA)
2016: Terre Haute, Ind.
2017: Louisville, Ky.
NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field
2015: Fayetteville, Ark.
2016: Birmingham, Ala.
2017: College Station, Texas
2018: College Station, Texas
NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field
2015: Eugene, Ore.
2016: Eugene, Ore.
2017: Eugene, Ore.
2018: Eugene, Ore.
2019: Eugene, Ore.
2020: Eugene, Ore.
2021: Eugene, Ore.
The cross country and track & field announcements came as the NCAA announced 523 sites that have been named hosts for 82 of its 89 championships for the 2014-18 seasons, marking the largest collection of host site announcements in association history.
Learn more:
NCAA: NCAA Championships Site Selections
USTFCCCA: NCAA Championships Sites for Cross Country and Track & Field Announced Through 2017-18
Sophomore Paul Montague is working on a new dismount on still rings. Check out his recent progress at fall practice.
Montague competed on pommel horse, still rings and parallel bars as a freshmen during the 2013 season. He received the team's Spirit of Gopher Gymnastics award. Montague took 18th on parallel bars (14.550) at the 2013 Big Ten Championship and competed on pommel horse (12.750) and rings (14.450) at the NCAA qualifier.
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Listen to tonight's show: 1500ESPN.com | Archived Radio Broadcasts
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Don Lucia Radio Show returns to the airwaves of 1500 ESPN for the 2013-14 season, airing live on Mondays during the year from the Beacon Public House inside the Commons Hotel on campus.
For tonight's show, associate head coach Mike Guentzel fills in for Lucia with the show airing live from 6:00-6:30 p.m. CT on 1500 ESPN with co-hosts Wally Shaver and Jeff Dubay.
With Lucia serving as head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team as it prepares for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships in Sweden, Guentzel will serve as acting head coach during the winter break as well as Minnesota's two games of the Mariucci Classic (against Colgate at 7 p.m. CT on Jan. 3 and against either Ferris State or RPI at 7 p.m. on Jan. 4).
This week's radio show will examine Minnesota's preparations for a busy month of January as the Gophers return to action with the Mariucci Classic, then travel to Penn State for the first time in program history in a rare Sunday-Monday series before returning home for a short week of practice before the Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium on Friday, Jan. 17. The Gophers then participate in Hockey Day Minnesota the following day at Mariucci Arena. The following week, Minnesota hosts the inaugural North Star College Cup on Jan. 24-25 at Xcel Energy Center.
Guentzel will also talk about Minnesota's first half of the season that saw the Gophers go 12-2-2 including the first-ever Big Ten win and sweep against Wisconsin and the league's first-ever shootout last Friday against Michigan State.
For the second-season in a row, Beacon Public House will host a live viewing of the Don Lucia Radio Show with food and drink specials every Monday night for Gopher Hockey fans. Learn more about Beacon Public House here.
Gopher Golf Fans!
The offseason for college golf is upon us. Strength and conditioning sessions are at a higher intensity. individual meetings, fall season statistical analysis, yoga sessions and recruiting are in full swing around the country's best college golf programs. A reflection on our fall finds me smiling and sitting back in my office chair relaxing in knowing that my players are having the time of their lives competing for the Maroon and Gold!
Without getting too far ahead, I still have our final tournament of the fall to analyze. The Kiawah Classic hosted by Charleston Southern brought 18 teams from all across the country to compete on the par-72, 7,015-yard Jack Nicklaus-designed Turtle Point Golf Club. To say this golf course was tight would be an understatement. Out of bounds stakes and water hazards greeted each player from hole 1 to 18. The constant winds off the ocean, tough pin placements and thin Bermuda lies greenside presented the biggest challenge of the year for our team. Day 1 is a day that I have already erased from my memory as balls careened out-of-bounds, 3-putts abounded and Gopher Golf endured the toughest scoring day of our outstanding fall season. 312 was the score as Jon Trasamar led our team with a 3-over-par round of 75. Junior Tyler Lowenstein (76), freshman Jose Mendez (79), freshman Matt Rachey (79) and senior Alex Gaugert(80) round out the scoring.
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![]() ![]() Read a Q&A with Matt Rachey at the end of this blog entry. ![]() |
We have all watched the movies "Miracle," "Invincible" and "Rudy" which offer inspiration in times of desperation. For the 45 minutes following Round 1, I gave my best impression of the great coaches in these movies. It was hard to see our well prepared team collectively struggle but it also gave our coaching staff the opportunity for teaching/coaching moments, and each of the players responded well. Round 2 would prove to be dramatically different as we putted the ball considerably better and controlled our trajectories better from tee to green. We moved from 15th to 12th on Day 2 and put ourselves in position to secure our sixth top-10 finish of the year heading into Day 3.
Day 3 once again greeted us with cold weather, ranging from 30 to 40 degrees at 8 a.m., with winds off the water. Our scoring leader, Jose Mendez, played one of his most solid rounds of the year in posting a 2-under-par score of 70. That proved to be one of the lowest scores in the entire field that day and also helped him secure another top-20, with a tie for 16th in his sixth collegiate tournament. The others battled on Day 3 with scores of 74 by Lowenstein (T-16), 77's by Gaugert (T-54) and Rachey (T-69), and rounding out with an 82 by Trasamar (T-82). Despite higher than normal scoring, we managed to move up to finish in a tie for 10th place.
I never want my guys to stop learning by asking questions about the golf swing, mental processes or golf course conditions, and I can say that we have assembled a very hard working group of young men. We talk about launch conditions with drivers, grooves in wedges, face rotation with putting, gap spacing in irons...just to mention a few of the great conversations these young men bring up while driving back from Braemar Dome or our Tom Lehman Practice Facility. Our preparation in the offseason is a well-oiled machine producing solid results the past few seasons in the spring and I don't expect anything less from our intelligent group of budding stars in Gopher Golf right now.
Our rankings heading into a spring season that will see us competing in six to eight tournaments, depending on NCAA bids, have us positioned at No. 68 in Golfweek and No. 79 in Golfstat out of the 308 Division I golf teams in the country. We are in great position with a +22 (.500) record that ranks 43rd among those same teams. Our schedule will remain strong as we compete in the Big Ten Match Play at Concession GC, Long Beach State at Virginia CC, Oregon at Emerald Valley GC, Iowa at Finkbine GC, Penn State at the PSU Blue Course, the Big Ten Championships at French Lick Resort, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Finals.
The excitement is growing and I want everyone to be a part of it by following our results on Golfstat.com, Gophersports.com, "Carlson's Corner" and mngolf.org, and support our program's technological needs by donating via GoldenGopherFund.com on the right hand side of the page under Our Sports or calling me anytime at my office at 612-625-5863.
Have a great Holidays from all the players and tremendous support staff at Gopher Men's Golf and finally from my wife, Caese, myself and our 15-month-old, Collins!
![]() 2013-14 Men's Golf Team at the Tom Lehman Practice Facility ![]() |
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Player Feature: Matt Rachey (Fr./Waconia, Minn./Waconia HS)
GopherSports: What are your goals for the 2013-14 season?
Matt Rachey: Practice hard each day and consistently improve each part of my game.
GS: What part of your game is your biggest strength?
MR: Ball striking
GS: Which course in the Twin Cities area is your favorite and why?
MR: Somerset. We played it for qualifying this year and it had some of the coolest looking holes around.
GS: Favorite club in your bag?
MR: Driver
GS: Anything interesting you carry around in your golf bag?
MR: A bag of quarters so I can by my Snickers at the turn.
GS: What is your favorite thing about being a Golden Gopher?
MR: Getting to play some of the nicest courses in the country and being able to hang out with the older guys on the team.
This weekend Minnesota will play its' first ever Big Ten-road series when it travels to East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans. On Wednesday, players and coaches met with the media to discuss the team's final series of 2013 and the events of the previous week.
Michigan State enters this weekend with a record of 5-7-0, but Minnesota players and coaches caution that the Spartans are better than their record indicates.
"I think they are an improving team," Minnesota head coach Don Lucia said. "When the year began a couple of their key guys were out due to surgery, in John Deager and Matt Berry. They are just starting to play again, and I think that is why you saw them win a couple of games this weekend."
The Spartans swept Princeton by scores of 4-1 and 8-2.
Seth Ambroz was named the Big Ten's First Star of the week after he tallied four goals against Wisconsin, including the game-winning goal late in Saturday's contest.
"It was probably the biggest goal I have scored so
far as a Gopher," Ambroz said. "It was against Wisconsin and the game winner."
Ambroz has become a vocal leader on the team, a role coach Lucia would not have initially pegged him for.
"I don't know if I have every been around a player who has grown so much as a person than Seth has from when I first met him at age 15 to where he is today."
Seth says he likes to make sure his teammates are having fun on and off the ice.
"We have a young team with a lot of quiet guys. I like to joke around and get them smiling."
Earlier Wednesday, USA Hockey announced their preliminary roster for the 2014 World Junior Championship. Lucia will be the head coach of this year's American entrant, who will look to repeat as gold medalists.
"We are excited about our group. I thought we had a good summer and improved a lot over the course of the evaluation camp in Lake Placid."
Two of the players that make up Lucia's American forces are Gopher teammates Hudson Fasching and Brady Skjei. Fasching is currently tied for the freshman scoring lead in the Big Ten with 14 points.
"With the type of first half he has had offensively, he really earned his way on the team," Lucia said. "He put himself in good position this summer and continued to elevate his play during the course of the fall."
Brady Skjei was one of the last cuts off last year's American roster. He is eager to write a different script this year.
"I definitely have a chip on my shoulder," Skjei said. "Anytime you put on the USA jersey it is pretty special, but you watch the U-20s on TV over Christmas. It is definitely something you look forward to your whole life."
Coach Lucia is familiar with Skjei's game and has a good idea about the role he will play for the USA. "He will have to play in a shutdown-type role with the team and be a good penalty killer."
This week's games at Michigan State will take place Friday night at 6:00 p.m. CT, and Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. CT. Friday's game will be shown live on FSN Plus and Saturday's rematch will be live on Fox Sports North.
Story by University of Minnesota Communications Intern Josh
Brennock
Enjoy fan photos and reactions from last weekend's Skate with the Gophers event at Ridder Arena.
Catch up on the recent media coverage of Gopher women's hockey, including recaps of Minnesota's series sweep over Princeton and previews of this weekend's series at Ohio State.
USCHO: Cameranesi picks up three points, Leveille stops all 11 as Minnesota blanks Princeton
Nov. 30, 2013
USCHO: Photo Gallery: Princeton at Minnesota
Nov. 30, 2013
Star Tribune: Gophers women's hockey shuts out Princeton
Nov. 30, 2013
Pioneer Press: Minnesota wins 9-1, completes sweep of Princeton
Dec. 1, 2013
Minnesota Daily: Minnesota dominates series with Princeton
Dec. 2, 2013
Minnesota Daily: Building greatness from the bench
Dec. 4, 2013
The Hockey Writers: NCAA Women's Hockey Weekly Round-Up
Dec. 4, 2013
Minnesota Daily: Gophers duo proves valuable this season
Dec. 5, 2013
Star Tribune: U women's hockey aims to keep two streaks going at Ohio State
Dec. 6, 2013
Sophomore Jack Metcalf is making progress on his still rings routine. Check out a video from a recent practice to see how he's coming along.
Metcalf competed solely on rings as a redshirt freshman last season after red-shirting the 2012 season. His scored a career-best 15.200 at the 2013 NCAA Qualifier where he tied for fifth on rings. Metcalf also tied for third on rings (15.150) at the Big Ten Championship.
Nine different Gophers scored goals in Minnesota's 9-1 win over Princeton last Sunday: Sarah Davis, Meghan Lorence, Hannah Brandt, Milica McMillen, Baylee Gillanders, Bethany Brausen, Maryanne Menefee, Kelsey Cline and Kelly Terry. Nine different players!
As it turns out, Sunday's win marked the third time in program history that at least nine different Gophers have scored in a single game. It was the first time since the 1997-98 season that the feat has happened.
In just the fifth Minnesota women's hockey game in program history, nine different Gophers scored goals en route to a 10-0 win over St. Cloud State (Nov. 15, 1997). Marisa Pettiford (2), Julie Otto, Paula Vogt, Brittny Ralph, Megan Milbert, Betsey Kukowski, Lacey Franzmeier, Laura Tryba and Heather Alm each found the back of the net against the Huskies.
Later during the 1997-98 season, 10 Gophers scored goal in a 10-0 win over Wisconsin at Mariucci Arena (Feb. 7, 1998): Betsey Kukowski, Tracy Donaghue, Matty Brekken, Laura Tryba, Sarma Pone, Tai Thorsheim, Julie Otto, Dacia Lyons, Kelly Olson and Hattie Hoff.
Even though it's happened before, the widespread scoring in Sunday's 9-1 win was remarkable. In addition to nine different players scoring goals, 15 of 18 Minnesota skaters had at least one point, including all six defensemen and each member of the Gophers' top three lines. The Gophers combined for 26 points, but no individual had more than three points, led by Sarah Davis (1g-2a), Kelly Terry (1g-2a) and Hannah Brandt (1g-2a).
The scoring summary attracted the attention of Roman Augustoviz from the Star Tribune. He wrote a series of tweets breaking down the box score.
Coaches talk about team wins a lot, but Brad Frost's Gophers took it to the extreme. Every player on top three lines had at least one point
-- Roman Augustoviz (@RomanStrib) December 1, 2013
And all six defensemen had a point. Only three players on fourth line didn't get on scoring sheet. And Frosty played two goalies.
-- Roman Augustoviz (@RomanStrib) December 1, 2013
And, keeping in the team theme, all nine goals were scored by nine different players.
-- Roman Augustoviz (@RomanStrib) December 1, 2013
Take a look at the final box score from the 9-1 win.
On March 23, 2013, Minnesota head coach Don Lucia was named the head coach of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team by USA Hockey. With Lucia behind the bench, the Red, White and Blue will compete at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013 - Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden.
In addition to Lucia, four current Gophers are competing for a roster spot on next year's U.S. squad. Earlier this year, sophomore defenseman Brady Skjei, freshman forward Hudson Fasching, freshman forward Taylor Cammarata and freshman defenseman Michael Brodzinski participated at the 2013 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid.
Next year, the U.S. program will seek its fourth medal in five years including a gold-medal performance in 2013 with Gophers defenseman Mike Reilly on the roster and assistant coach Grant Potulny on staff. As the tournament approaches, Gophersports.com will provide updates using "Eyes on Sweden".
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MINNEAPOLIS -- USA Hockey will announce the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster on Wednesday morning, the organization announced earlier this week.
The training camp for the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team is Dec. 15-18 at the University of Minnesota's Mariucci Arena. For camp details, click here, and to request credentials, click here ... Practices at Mariucci Arena will be open to the public ... Training camp continues Dec. 19-23 in Angelholm, Sweden. The final roster will be named Dec. 23.
The 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship is being held in Malmo, Sweden, Dec. 26, 2013 - Jan. 5, 2014. Team USA will compete in a group with Canada, Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia For more information about the tournament, click here.
As we prepare for the NCAA Tourney, here's a look back and one of the most recent memories in 2011. Trailing 0-2, Minnesota came back and defeated Washington, 3-2 in the Second Round. The win advanced the Gophers in their own NCAA Regional, where they went on to face Iowa State. Read the full recap.
Richmond - When I got the job, I looked at this game on the
schedule and was very concerned.
Richmond is a well-coached team with an established winning culture. It
is also a tough environment and difficult style to prepare for. Holding them
without a point for over seven minutes and ending on a 19-0 run was impressive.
![]() Richard Pitino and Syracuse's Jim Boeheim shake hands after their match-up in Maui ![]() |
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Syracuse - I don't believe in moral victories but I am very
proud of the effort we gave. To be even on the glass without Mo Walker was
great. Costly turnovers at the end of the game were just too hard to overcome. Malik
Smith showed that he loves to take the big shot but I am the most proud of how
much better his defense and leadership has become.
Arkansas - We came out in the first half and played potentially
our best half of the year. Shot 65% from the field and played very unselfish
basketball. The second half was a different story. Give Arkansas credit for playing
a great overall game. I was also disappointed with our defensive intensity
towards the end. Turnovers and rebounding were also a problem.
Chaminade - I know it sounds funny but this was easily the hardest
game of the tournament. Our guy's bodies were finally adjusted to Maui time and
it truly felt like a 9:30 a.m. start. They were tired and disappointed to be in
this position. Chaminade has won that "Game 7" several times in the past and
had been playing great offensively. The true character of this team came out in
the second half. They had nothing to lose and we could have folded. Nothing was
going right for us but our guys refused to accept losing. I was very proud of
the way we finished this game.
Overall assessment of Maui - Our team was so grateful of our
fan turnout for the trip. Not only did our great fans show up but they were
arguably the loudest group in the tourney. We really appreciate their support
and referenced the fans several times during timeouts. Overall, we played
four-out-of-six great halves of basketball.
The second half of Arkansas and the first half of Chaminade were major
learning experiences for us. It was an awesome tournament and we hope to be
invited back again in the future. We took the red-eye back Wednesday night in
hopes of getting our players bodies adjusted back to Central Time for tomorrow's
game.
![]() Coach Pitino and the Gophers went 1-2 in Maui last week. ![]() |
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Florida State - We will have our toughest test of the season
tomorrow night at the Barn. Florida State has been battle tested early. They
were up double digits on Michigan in the second half and ended up losing in
overtime by two. The game before that, they blew a very good VCU team out in a game
where they were up by 30. They won by double digits at Central Florida and they
just lost a tough rivalry game at Florida by one point as well. They are well
coached as always and physically very imposing. We must rebound the ball, keep
them out of transition and not turn the ball over. Their two losses could have
gone either way and they could easily be ranked top 15 if they had won those
games. We need a great environment tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. Hope to see
everyone there!
Scheduling - There has been some speculation about a game
between us and Louisville next year. We are currently working on scheduling a
game with ESPN against Louisville in Puerto Rico in a military hangar on Nov.
14. We are 99% sure it will happen but we
are just ironing out some details. We are also confirmed to play in the Preseason
NIT next year around Thanksgiving time in Madison Square Garden. These are two
great opportunities for our fans to travel to great locations and hopefully see
some exciting basketball. We will release details on both events when
everything is finalized.
See everybody tomorrow night!
Go Gophers!
Richard Pitino
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Listen to tonight's show: 1500ESPN.com | Archived Radio Broadcasts
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Don Lucia Radio Show returns to the airwaves of 1500 ESPN for the 2013-14 season, airing live on Mondays during the year from the Beacon Public House inside the Commons Hotel on campus.
Join Lucia and co-hosts Wally Shaver and Jeff Dubay on Mondays throughout the season with each show airing live at 6 p.m. CT on 1500 ESPN.
This week, the Don Lucia Radio Show looks back at the Gophers' sweep over Wisconsin in the program's first-ever Big Ten Conference series. Minnesota topped the Badgers 4-1 on Friday afternoon for the first-ever Big Ten game before battling to a 4-3 victory on Saturday. Seth Ambroz tallied a pair of goals in both games including both game winners and has now scored six goals in the last four games against Wisconsin. Tonight's show will also look ahead to this weekend's conference series at Michigan State -- the Gophers' final series before breaking for the holidays. Minnesota is 103-43-12 all-time against Michigan State including a two-game sweep over the Spartans to open the 2012-13 campaign.
For the second-season in a row, Beacon Public House will host a live viewing of the Don Lucia Radio Show with food and drink specials every Monday night for Gopher Hockey fans. Learn more about Beacon Public House here.
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