Golden Nuggets

The recruiting database was an exciting new feature to the GopherHole and will continue to be updated and improved over the coming months, but that was just the beginning to the new features we hope to bring you in 2006.

The next in line is a column of Gopher related notes covering all sports, male and female, which will run periodically and is called “œGolden Nuggets.” The column will recap Gopher stories that some fans may have missed. It will give attention to the minor sports that don’t receive as much coverage as the major sports and will give updates on the Gophers playing in the big leagues, plus try to give updates on those playing in the minor leagues and overseas. We may also include stories on other Big Ten teams that would be of interest to Gopher fans and will have some recruiting information.

Minnesota finished 22nd in the Final 04-05 Sears Cup standings, the Gophers 10th straight top 25 finish. Winning the title for the 11th year in a row was the Stanford Cardinals. The Big Ten had five teams in the top 25 and all eleven in the top 50. Michigan led the way finishing 5th, followed by Ohio St. at 12, Wisconsin at 19, and Penn State at 20. Purdue was last among Big Ten teams at 46. The Pac Ten finished with 6 of the top 18 spots.

The women’s basketball team recently picked up two major verbal commitments in Breanna Salley of St. Francis and Kelly Mullaney from Breck. Salley is a 5’10” wing who has been a three year starter and averaged 21.3 pts, 9.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. She was being recruited by California, UNLV, Colorado, Marquette, Northwestern, Oregon and many more, but she always wanted to be a Gopher. This article explains it best: (http://www.abcnewspapers.com/2005/July/21salley.html). If Mullaney’s name sounds familiar to football fans, it should. Her father Mark played football for the Vikings and her brother Mark is a freshman linebacker at the U. Kelly may be only 5’8″ but she has been a key part of some very successful Breck teams the past two years and is considered the top guard in Minnesota. The big prize in Minnesota remains Bloomington Kennedy’s center Jenna Smith. Her final list includes Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska and Baylor with the two Big Ten teams believed to be at the top.

The Gopher women are also involved with four other out-state targets with the hopes of a commitment from an Illinois player in the coming weeks. The four players are: Brittney McCoy, a 5’10” SG from Loyola H.S. in Lincolnwood, Illinois, Ashlee Bridge, a 5’11” F from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Michelle Harrison, 6’3″ F/C from Orem, Utah who has the Gophers in her top four with Stanford, Georgia, and Texas Tech. Last but not least from Chicago’s Whitney Young is a 6’1″ forward Amanda Thompson. She has been rated by two recruiting publications as a top 10 recruit. Minnesota joins Oklahoma, Georgia, and LSU on her list.

After a very successful freshman season in which she averaged almost 20 points a game, former Minneapolis North star Mia Johnson has transferred from the St. Louis Billikins to the Michigan State Spartans.

Liz Podominick finished the Big Ten tour of the Netherlands and Belgium averaging 10 points and 4 rebounds in five games. Liz was third on the team in both scoring and rebounding and made 22 of 33 field goals for 66%. The Big Ten won all five games by an average of 45 points.

Spencer Tollackson will represent Minnesota on the men’s tour August 9-19 with five games in Spain.

The Gopher men’s basketball team is recruiting 6’2″ PG Roderick Pearson from Raytown South High School in Kansas City, Mo. although they have yet to offer a scholarship. Pearson plays with another Gopher target; 6’8″ forward Casey Crawford of Overland Park, Kansas who has received an offer from the Gophers.

Marquette has offered a scholarship to former St. Bernard’s star A.J. Wilson who is currently enrolled at Mt. Zion. Marquette has also expressed interest in St. Bernard’s 6’3″ wing Deonte Roberts.

Minnesota has picked up its football recruitment of CB Bryant Williams. Williams has left Minneapolis North and will play his senior season at Edina. He is also receiving Div. 1 interest in basketball and spent most of the summer playing with Howard Pulley. He also recently attended the Michigan State camp and Minnesota’s passing camp.

Former Gopher Michael Bauer leaves in August for France where he will play with Roanne of the French League. Last season Michael played for Scottwood Waikato Titans in New Zealand where he averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds. He also played with Amicale Steinsel in Luxemburg averaging 26 points and 16 rebounds.

Kansas Coach Bill Self and Minnesota assistant coaches Bill Walker and Vic Couch watched Cole Aldrich, Blake Hoffarber, Chris Taylor and Al Nolan scrimmage recently at Hopkins High School. Blake continued his impressive summer by knocking down long range shots all afternoon with one of the most beautiful shots you will ever see, while Al Nolan showed a great ability to find the open man while in traffic. Even though his shot wasn’t falling from outside, Al didn’t let it affect him on the defensive side of the court. He is always getting his hands in the passing lanes and causing problems for opposing guards.

141 pound wrestler Tommy Owen has left the Gophers and will transfer to Boise St. for his senior season.

The Gopher hockey team picked up two verbal commitments last week when Apple Valley defenseman David Fisher and tiny forward Jay Barriball from Holy Angels said they wanted to be Gophers. Both are expected to play a year of juniors after they finish high school. Fisher had most of the WCHA after him and turned down an invite to play in Ann Arbor with the US Development team. Barriball saved his best for last as he had two goals and an assist to lead Holy Angels to its second Class 2A state boys’ hockey title with a 6-4 victory over Moorhead. The Gophers did suffer a recruiting loss as Edina’s giant defenseman Joe Finley decided to play for rival North Dakota over Minnesota. Finley stands 6’7″, and Saturday was selected by Washington with the 27th pick in the first round of the NHL draft.

Overall the Sioux had a very big day at the draft as seven of their recruits were selected, including three in the first round and two more in the second. Minnesota had three drafted, all in the second round. Freshman Ryan Stoa went #34 to Colorado, freshman goalie Jeff Frazee #38 to New Jersey, and sophomore D-man Nate Hagemo #58 to Carolina. The Gophers should have a strong showing at next years draft with potential #1 pick Phil Kessel, plus highly ranked Eric Johnson and Kyle Okposo. Overall, the state of Minnesota had a very good draft with 4 first rounders, 6 selected in the second and 8 more picked in the final 7 rounds. Edina had 4 kids drafted including three in the top 58 picks. Wayzata’s Tony Lucia, son of Gopher hockey coach Don, was taken at 193 in the sixth round.

Some names to keep an eye on for hockey recruiting are Centennial F Ryan Flynn, Fergus Falls Tyson Dowzak (playing in Lincoln of the USHL), and Sam Gagner, former North Star Dave Gagner’s son (playing in Sioux Falls of the USHL). Some young guys to watch for are Duluth’s Cade Fairchild, St. Paul’s Jim O’Brien, Coon Rapids native Brennan Vargas, Mike Hoeffel of Hill Murray, Taylor Matson of Holy Angels, and Nick Jaskowiak from Benilde St. Margaret’s.

Next years Timberwolf Shootout is almost complete with 6 of the 8 teams confirmed. Representing Minnesota will be Bloomington Jefferson, Duluth East, St. Thomas Academy, Minneapolis North, Henry Sibley, and Braham. Out state teams include Linn-Mar (IA) with Wisconsin commit Jason Bohannon, Sioux City East (IA), Webster Grove (MO) and Madison Memorial (WI). There is a group of 10 teams from around the country that are under consideration for the final two spots, although it’s possible they could be filled with local teams.

Next weekend is the annual Pacesetter Sweet 16 basketball tournament in St. Cloud which is designed to feature the top four teams from each class. Hopkins, Bloomington Jefferson, Duluth East and Henry Sibley will represent 4A, Mankato East, Mankato West, Fairmont, and Benilde St.
Margaret’s are in 3A, Braham, Pierz, Pelican Rapids and Rocori represent 2A, and Pillager, R-T-R, Maranatha and Esko are in A. The women start play at 10:00 AM with Jenna Smith and Bloomington Kennedy and Kelly Mullaney and Breck. The men play at 12:30 and 1:45 on Saturday August 6th, then take a break and play again at 5:30 and 6:45. Then the playoffs start on Sunday.