Top prep football recruit Seantrel Henderson told Sports Headliners on Saturday that his final list of potential college programs consists of Miami, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC. Henderson was in attendance at the Gophers-Michigan State basketball game on Saturday.
The Cretin-Derham Hall offensive tackle said his college choice will be announced on signing day for prep players, Wednesday, February 3. Henderson was the No. 1 choice of Rivals.com as the nation’s best prep football player for many months and now is ranked No. 2, https://rivals100.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?SID=880&Year=2010&ra_key=2369. Media sources doubt that Minnesota will be Henderson’s final choice for a scholarship, but that won’t discourage Gophers coach Tim Brewster from selling his product.
ESPN will tape a segment of its one hour “Homecoming” show on Wednesday night at Cretin-Derham Hall. Host Rick Reilly will interview Cretin alum and Twins catcher Joe Mauer.
Cornerback Marcus Sherels, who completed his eligibility with the Gophers in December, is training locally for the NFL draft. His brother, Mike Sherels, said Marcus is being trained by Billy Welle, the same trainer used by Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald, the Arizona All-Pro wide receiver.
New Gophers offensive coordinator Jeff Horton was quarterbacks coach for Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin for six years. He was a graduate assistant for the Gophers in 1984 under Lou Holtz.
Former Gophers national championship coach Murray Warmath celebrated his 97th birthday last month. When Warmath was a player at Tennessee he played against Bear Bryant who was at Alabama and later coached the Crimson Tide to national championships. Bryant died in 1983 but Warmath may live to be 100 or more.
The Gophers hockey team, 4-3 and 4-1 losers to St. Cloud State over the weekend, is 12-0-0 when holding opponents to fewer than three goals. Minnesota is 0-12-2 when its opponents score three goals or more.
Fans were entertained at the Wild’s skills competition yesterday including by forward Cal Clutterbuck’s first attempt in the hardest shot competition that registered zero miles per hour on a faulty radar gun. Later he had a 99 miles per hour shot, fastest of the day.
Defenseman Kim Johnsson went 4-for-5 to win the accuracy shooting competition. Defenseman Shane Hnidy wowed the crowd with an iimpressive shootout goal to win the best style in the shootout challenge.