Category: Lindsay Whalen

It will be Bruce Smith Day tomorrow for the Gophers game at TCF Bank Stadium.  A bust by Faribault artist Ivan Whillock immortalizing Smith, a Faribault native and the only Gopher ever to win the Heisman Trophy, will soon be on permanent display in the Hall of Fame at the stadium. The bust will be presented by Bruce Krinke and other Smith admirers to University president Eric Kaler and athletic director Joel Maturi between the first and second quarters.  Smith trading cards will be given out to fans and the bust will be on display near the stadium plaza before the game.

The Gophers-Miami (Ohio) game tomorrow afternoon will be telecast by the Big Ten Network and the broadcast crew will include former Minnesota coach Glen Mason.

North St. Paul mayor Mike Kuehn told Sports Headliners he supports a referendum in Ramsey County regarding the proposed Vikings Stadium in Arden Hills.  He said “several cities” in Ramsey County, including his, have seen their councils approve resolutions opposing the use of a half cent sales tax increase to help fund a facility on the Twin Cities Army Ammunition site.

Kuehn said the resolution passed in North St. Paul recognized the Vikings as a community asset and stated no preference for stadium location but objected to the county being a partner dedicating a half cent sales tax increase.  Kuehn said the sales tax percentage increase is too large and the county and his city have too many other pressing needs.

Ted Mondale, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chair, will be the First Friday speaker on October 7 at the University of St. Thomas.  The commission and Metropolitan Council are expected to issue a report in October about the feasibility of the proposed stadium in Arden Hills.

The Bucs team that plays the Vikings at Mall of America Field on Sunday lost 27-20      to Detroit in the opening regular season game for both teams.  Sports Illustrated predicted in its September 5 issue the Bucs will finish behind the Saints and Falcons but ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen will be trying for his third consecutive regular season game with one interception and one sack.

The attendance of 114,804 in Ann Arbor last Saturday for the Michigan-Notre Dame game was the largest crowd ever to watch a college or professional game.  After two weeks Big Ten home games have attracted more than 1.4 million fans, but Illinois followers don’t seem too excited about coach Ron Zook’s 30-45 career record in Champaign.  Illinois has drawn home crowds of 45,154 and 42,212 in its first two games.

Don’t think the Big Ten hasn’t been hurt by the demise of Michigan and Ohio State.  The conference has four teams in the A.P. top 25 including league newcomer Nebraska.  The highest ranked team is Wisconsin at No. 7, followed by No. 10 Nebraska, No. 15 Michigan State and No. 17 Ohio State.

Hopkins coach John DenHartog said via email that his much recruited wide receiver Andre McDonald has better speed and strength after “hard training” in the offseason.  “Andre has made himself into the best blocking WR on our team,” DenHartog wrote.

The Lynx open the Western Conference playoffs tonight against San Antonio at Target Center and not only is there optimism about winning a WNBA championship this fall but the future beyond could see more titles.  The Lynx produced a league best 27-7 record and standout players are 30 or younger.  Included are Rebekkah Brunson, No. 3 in league rebounding, and Lindsay Whalen, the WNBA’s assist leader, who are both 29, and the league’s best rookie, Maya Moore, 22.  Seimone Augustus, 27, was eighth in the WNBA with a scoring average of 16.2 during the regular season.

The Klas family, dedicated for decades to helping people with developmental and learning disabilities, holds its women’s charity golf tournament on Monday. The Tapemark Charity Women’s Golf Event at Southview Country Club is open to all women amateur golfers.

Five St. Thomas teams came into the week ranked nationally in Division III polls. Football is ranked fourth and in the top 10 for the 20th consecutive poll. Volleyball is seventh and has been ranked in 72 of the last 73 polls.  Women’s soccer is ranked No. 21, men’s cross country No. 30 and women’s cross country No. 34. St. Thomas is the only Division III school with nationally ranked and unbeaten teams in both football and volleyball.

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USC dropped out of the Associated Press top 25 after the Trojans’ close victory, 19-17, over the Gophers.

There are only five major college head coaches who have assistants with more total consecutive years with their bosses than Kill.  No. 1 is Joe Paterno with a staff total of 173 years, followed by Gary Pinkel, 120; Frank Beamer, 116; Jim Grobe, 111; Kirk Ferentz, 99; and Kill, 94.  It’s impressive that Kill’s longevity with his assistants has been compiled at five different schools while the others have either been at one or two programs.

The New Mexico Sate depth chart includes starting offensive right guard Andrew Kersten from Washburn High by way of El Camino College.

Edina High senior Nick Rallis has verbally committed to the Gophers and could join brother Mike on the Gophers roster next season.  Mike is a junior linebacker for Minnesota and Nick could be a college safety.  Mike was asked to compare himself as a high school senior with his brother.

“He’s a lot more technically sound than I was,” Mike said.  “He’s a lot smarter than I was. …He’s an absolute student of the game.  When I was in high school I watched a little bit of film, but I can’t even imagine watching the amount of film he watches.”

The Gophers depth chart is loaded with inexperienced offensive linemen.  Senior center Ryan Wynn said there’s no way to completely prepare for the transition from high school to college line play.  A big difference is the “speed” of the defensive linemen, Wynn said.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson needs one more rushing touchdown to become the franchise’s career leader.  Peterson, Bill Brown and Chuck Foreman all have 52 touchdowns.

Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in less than three years at Florida State, then had his MBA before his senior season playing for the Seminoles.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier works with All-Pro Dads, an organization that emphasizes fathers placing family first.

Former Vikings defensive lineman Keith Millard is the defensive line coach for Tampa Bay.  The Bucs play the Vikings a week from Sunday at Mall of America Field.

The Lynx’s Lindsay Whalen broke the franchise single season record for assists last night with her 185^th assist in the first quarter, then had nine more assists in the game. She was the WNBA’s Player of the Month in August, averaging a league point guard best of 14.2 points and 5.8 assists.

MIAC football favorite St. Thomas plays at UW-River Falls tomorrow.  Then coach Glenn Caruso’s team starts the conference schedule on September 17 at home against St. Olaf.  WCCO Radio broadcasts Tommies games as part of a two-year deal that began this season.

Gophers left-handed pitcher Tom Windle is ranked as a top 20 Northwoods League prospect by both Baseball America and Perfect Game USA scouting service.

Canterbury Park closes its season this weekend with racing tonight, tomorrow afternoon and a special 11 a.m. start on Sunday.  Admission is free all three days.

Correction: the September 6 Sports Headliners said New Mexico State isn’t on future Gophers football schedules but the Aggies return to Minneapolis in 2016.

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When it comes to college football bragging rights in Minnesota, the honors go to Division II and III teams.  Minnesota-Duluth, national champion two of the last three years, is rated No. 1 in the country in preseason rankings like D2Football.com. St. Cloud is No. 13 in the D2Football.com rankings.

Minnesota-Duluth coach Bob Nielson has turned plenty of heads with his work.  His best players include junior offensive lineman Garth Heikkinen from Duluth Central High School.  He’s a popular choice for preseason first team All-American.  The Bulldogs open their season at Augustana (ranked No. 9 by D2Football.com) on Saturday.

MIAC powers St. Thomas, Bethel and Saint John’s have all received at least one top 10 national preseason ranking.  The Tommies have been ranked fourth by The Sporting News, No. 5 by D3football.com and seventh by Lindy’s Sports. The Royals were ranked No. 4 by Lindy’s Sports, seventh by D3football.com and No. 15 by The Sporting News.  The Johnnies were No. 9 in The Sporting News poll and No. 25 in the D3football.com poll.

In the preseason MIAC coaches poll, St. Thomas is the favorite to win the conference championship.  The Tommies received six of nine first place votes while the Royals had two and the Johnnies one.  Among the league’s outstanding players is St. Thomas wide receiver and returner Fritz Waldvogel, a former MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, who could be a first team Division III All-American.

The Lynx, who have won the first Western Conference championship in franchise history, are awaiting official playoff dates from the WNBA.  The club has four regular season games remaining including a home game against New York Friday night and the season finale in Phoenix on September 11.

A WNBA source told Sports Headliners the Western Conference best of three games semifinals may start on Thursday, September 15 and end on Tuesday, September 20 at the latest.  The WNBA finals are likely to begin on September 22.  The Lynx will have home court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs and possibly in the finals.

Minnesota’s talented roster includes players like Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen who have been on winning NCAA, WNBA and Olympic teams.  Moore will be Rookie of the Year, while Whalen and teammate Seimone Augustus are league MVP candidates.

Although the franchise has lost money for several seasons, the WNBA source said the Lynx revenue sources, including ticket sales and corporate revenues, have “dramatically increased” and the club is “nearing profitability.”

Twins starting pitchers finished the club’s 2-9 homestand on Sunday with a 7.04 ERA.

Ben Revere, with 25 stolen bases, is chasing the Twins record for most stolen bases by a rookie, 31 by Luis Rivas in 2001.

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