Don Lucia – Page 9 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Lucia Won’t Gloat at Critics Now

Posted on March 28, 2012March 28, 2012 by David Shama

Don Lucia won’t gloat now that he’s answered critics by coaching his Gophers to the Frozen Four. It’s Minnesota’s first trip to the Frozen Four since 2005, and follows three disappointing seasons when the Gophers played about .500 hockey and didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Lucia, who has been coaching the Gophers since 1999 and won national championships in 2002 and 2003, was the target of an angry fan base last year. But with a talented roster and the addition of new assistant coach Mike Guentzel, Lucia has silently answered the criticism in 2012, even if he won’t boast about an overall record of 28-13-1, regular season WCHA championship and beating North Dakota last Sunday 5-2 to earn a place in the Frozen Four on April 5 in Tampa.

“The criticism goes with the territory,” Lucia told Sports Headliners. “We’ve got a pretty good track record (over the years). I am most happy for our players.

“Our staff has worked hard. I am grateful to (athletic director) Joel Maturi for standing by us and president (Bob) Bruninks, too.”

Maturi’s courage in facing the hockey negativity and calls for a coaching change didn’t surprise Lucia. “They don’t get any better. He’s one of the good guys in college sports,” Lucia said. “He stands for all the right things.”

Lucia, who is recovered from the health problems that bothered him a few years ago and has the security of three years remaining on his recent contract extension, will see if Minnesota’s special season can continue in an opening Frozen Four game against Boston College, a team that has won 17 straight and even last fall was creating speculation about a 2012 national championship. “BC is strong at every position,” Lucia said. “There are no weaknesses.”

He wants the Gophers to avoid errors with the puck and be prepared to control the hard attacking BC offense. There will be a lot of pressure on Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson who was an All-WCHA selection this year. Lucia brought up Patterson’s name when asked about next season, indicating that having to replace the senior goalie will likely be one of the team’s few major personnel losses and his 2012-13 group could be even better than this year’s Gophers.

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Gophers, Twins & Other Notes

Posted on November 18, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday but was in the office about 5 a.m. Tuesday. That’s a typical arrival time for him.

GopherIllustrated.com. reports that defensive back Jeremy Baltazar from Blinn College in Brenham, Texas has given a verbal commitment to the Gophers for 2012. He visited campus last weekend.

Cornerback Kyle Henderson, who transferred to the Gophers from Minnesota State-Mankato State, said perhaps six to eight of his former teammates could have played Division I football. “The talent level is not terrible in Division II by any means,” he said.

Because of a commitment to play MarQueis Gray at quarterback, Gophers freshman Max Shortell has been on the field for only a few plays since he started the Michigan game on October 1. Kill said he’s “pleased with the progress” of the 19-year-old quarterback. “…Actually he’s probably farther along than what I thought he would be when he came here,” Kill said. “He’s worked hard.”

Round one of the 32-team NCAA Division III playoffs are about to start and no game has more local interest than St. Thomas hosting St. Scholastica. UST will be at home for the noon start tomorrow and hopes to improve its all-time first-round playoff record to 3-0. The MIAC website reports that the Tommies’ Fritz Waldvogel tied a Division III record by catching a pass in each of 40 career regular season games.

Twins executive Jim Rantz describes newly signed infielder Jamey Carroll as a “young” 37 year old. He said Carroll has taken care of himself and his personality will be a positive in the clubhouse.

Rantz said minor league pitching prospect Kyle Gibson won’t throw with “any velocity” until June or July after his Tommy John surgery. Rantz wouldn’t predict whether Gibson’s recovery schedule will allow him to pitch in organized baseball in 2012.

Max Kepler, the native of Germany who the Twins signed at 16, turns 19 in February and Rantz said the former infielder is considered a prospect at all three outfield positions. It’s possible Kepler will play for the Twins Class A Beloit team next year.

Coach Don Lucia’s No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team has scored a goal in the last minute of regulation play in five of 12 games this season and only one goal has been an empty-net goal. Seven times this season the Gophers have scored during the last five minutes. Minnesota plays at St. Cloud State tonight and tomorrow night.

The Wild has the second-ranked prospects in the NHL, according to an ESPN Insider story this week. Mentioned in the article were Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Jonas Brodin and Johan Larsson. ESPN Insider discounted any player who had begun his entry-level contract.

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Worth Noting

Posted on November 11, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

In the November issue of Sporting News Magazine writer Matt Hayes doesn’t include Wisconsin-Minnesota in his listing of top 10 college football rivalries. No. 1 is Alabama-Auburn with Ohio State-Michigan No. 2.

The late Sandy Stephens, a 2011 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, will be remembered at tomorrow’s game against Wisconsin. A National Football Foundation Hall of Fame salute will recognize the great career of Stephens. He was the first black All-American quarterback and a key contributor to Minnesota’s 1960 national championship and Rose Bowl teams.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi expects a decision “soon” on whether he will continue as Gophers athletic director after his contract ends next June. He said a mutual decision between himself and University president Eric Kaler could come before 2011 ends.

In a mid-season NFL evaluation, the November 7 issue of Sports Illustrated has the 8-0 Packers losing in the 2012 Super Bowl to the Patriots, 31-27. Next Monday the Vikings and Packers meet for the fourth time in seven years in a Monday night game.

Blooming Prairie coach Chad Gimbel earned his 100th career win last Friday night with a 20-14 victory over Southland. His 15 year record is 100-50-0. Blooming Prairie plays Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity tonight in a Class A quarterfinals playoff game.

A busy prep playoff week includes quarterfinal games in classifications ranging from nine-man football to Class AAAAA. Semifinal games will be played at the Metrodome November 18 and 19, with the finals November 25 and 26 in the dome.

MIAC football champion St. Thomas is awaiting a first round Division III opponent for a game on Saturday, November 19. Coach Glenn Caruso’s team has a 10-0 overall record, 8-0 in the MIAC. UST became the first conference team in 48 seasons to have consecutive unbeaten regular seasons, and the first ever to have consecutive 10-0 records. The Tommies allowed 100 points in 10 games, the fewest by an MIAC team since Saint John’s 2003 NCAA championship team gave up 95 during the regular season.

The No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team, with the National Player of the Month for October in goalie Kent Patterson and the Rookie of the Month in Kyle Rau, plays in Madison tonight and tomorrow night in games televised respectively by FSN and the Big Ten Network. Minnesota coach Don Lucia’s team won’t play the Badgers again after this weekend until March 2 and 3 in Minneapolis.

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