Former Gopher Mike Sherels said if the Vikings retain six or seven cornerbacks on their roster his brother and former U teammate Marcus will for sure make the team. Marcus is also trying to win the punt returner job.
Gophers radio broadcasts on KFAN will include two voices heard when WCCO was broadcasting the games. Mike Grimm, who last year was a studio host, will do the play-by-play. Analyst Darrell Thompson, who used to work with Dave Lee and Dave Mona, will assist Grimm. Justin Gaard will be the sideline reporter, Kevin Falness will host the pre-game show, and Corbu Stathes will host halftime and post-game shows and provide scoreboard updates.
Ex-major league catcher Chris Coste, a Fargo native, is playing for the Moorhead Brewers and hitting .283, according to the team website.
Former Gophers hockey coach Doug Woog is the 2011 recipient of the Minnesota Minute Men’s Courage Award. The award will be presented to Woog during a luncheon at Mancini’s Char House on September 9. The Courage Award has been presented by the Minute Men since 1979 to individuals for their outstanding service to the community. Woog has more wins than any coach in Gophers history, with a 389-187-40 record. He now trains athletes and is a Fox Sports North hockey analyst.
Phil Esten, head coach of men’s cross country at UW-La Crosse from 1970-1998, will be inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in San Antonio on December 14. His son Phil is a former Gophers associate athletics director and now heads the University of Minnesota’s Alumni Association. The older Esten was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1996 when he led UW-La Crosse to the NCAA Division III cross country national title. His teams also finished second at the national meet eight times during his career.
Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed to report that Marcus Marshall (St. Paul Johnson) has officially committed to Missouri State.
Wonder if Dennis Rodman (inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame last week) is the first player ever enshrined who once wore a wedding dress?