New Gophers coach Jerry Kill has made a positive impression since being hired in December, winning praise from high school coaches, business leaders and media.
Kill and his staff will participate in the Minnesota Football Clinic, March 31-April 2. The clinic is a partnership between the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Gophers. More clinic information is available on the association’s website.
Kill lost a recruiter with a national reputation this week when running backs coach Thomas Hammock left for Wisconsin.
Coach Jacques Lemaire’s New Jersey Devils have won eight straight games, the longest win streak in the NHL. No word on whether the former Wild head coach, 65, will return to lead the Devils next season.
The Wild has no games tomorrow and Sunday, the only two-game break during a busy 17 day period. The Wild is on national TV Monday with a Versus game against Chicago at Xcel Energy Center.
As of yesterday morning Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom’s 1.23 goals against average and .955 save percentage were the best in the NHL since the All-Star break (late January) among goalies with more than one start.
The NHL trade deadline is Monday afternoon, 2 p.m. our time.
Michigan senior Whitney Taney, the former Edina prep champion, won her third career Big Ten Athlete of the Week tennis award earlier this month.
Timberwolves center Darko Milicic ranks third in the NBA in blocked shots per game, 2.2.
Timberwolves president Chris Wright is the honorary chairperson for Minnesota FoodShare’s 2011 March Campaign. Each March, Minnesota FoodShare conducts a drive to raise more than half the food distributed annually through 300 food shelves across the state.
Gustavus head men’s basketball coach Mark Hanson became the 65th coach in NCAA Division III history to reach 400 wins when the Gusties defeated Saint Mary’s last Saturday. After a win over St. Olaf this week, his all-time record is 401-176. He is the 31st active coach to achieve 400 wins. It’s believed that Hanson is the 14th fastest coach to reach 400 victories in Division III history. He is the sixth MIAC coach to earn 400 wins.