Ron Gardenhire was named Twins manager in January of 2002 and since then has the fifth most wins among all major league managers with 622 (Joe Torre, 675, Mike Scioscia, 646, Tony LaRussa, 634 and Bobby Cox, 623). The Twins announced yesterday that Gardenhire, 51, was signed to a two-year contract extension through 2011. His contract previously was through next year.
The Wild (9-4-1) play 10 of their next 11 games at the Xcel Energy Center, starting with tomorrow night’s game with Columbus. Center Mikko Koivu didn’t have a point in last night’s win over Phoenix, the seventh such game this season. The Wild are 2-4-1 this year when Koivu doesn’t score, with the other win at Tampa Bay. The Wild are 7-0-0 in games he has scored at least one point. Minnesota is 19-4-3 all-time when Koivu has two or more points.
Don Zierden, the Minnesota Lynx coach, is the new color commentator on Gopher basketball. He and play-by-play man Mike Grimm do their first game on WCCO tonight when the Gophers play Concordia-St. Paul at 8 p.m. in the NABC tournament at Williams Arena. The game is the regular season opener for the Gophers, but an exhibition for Division II Concordia. Other teams in the round robin tournament that runs through Sunday night are Division I Bowling Green (Saturday night versus Gophers) and Georgia State (Sunday evening against Minnesota).
Carleton is hoping for its first MIAC football championship since 1992 and only the second in school history when it hosts Saint John’s tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. at Laird Stadium in Northfield. The winner earns the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Both teams are 7-2 overall and 5-2 in conference.
Saint John’s is after its MIAC-record 30th conference championship and 26th under head coach John Gagliardi. He is 25-0 all-time against the Knights. Carleton head coach Kurt Ramler was a star quarterback for the Johnnies and was also an assistant coach to Gagliardi.
KSTP TV’s High School Sports Wrap recently reported on 5-foot-3 junior running back Kwaku Amoah of St. Michael-Albertville. He’s rushed for over 1,106 yards this season, according to an e-mail from coach Earl Bauman. Bauman wrote that the 185-pound Amoah, who is averaging 6.5 yards per carry, is from Accra, Ghana and has lived in America since third grade. Bauman describes Amoah as a “super nice young man with a big smile.” Amoah has never been in the Metrodome but that’s about to change. The Knights have advanced to the semi-finals in the Class AAAA playoffs and meet Mankato West at the Metrodome tomorrow.
Concordia-St. Paul’s volleyball team (30-1, 19-0 NSIC) ends it regular season Saturday afternoon, hosting St. Cloud State (7-20, 5-14 NSIC). Then on Sunday Concordia will receive details on the eight North Central Region teams making the NCAA tournament. Information will be posted at 7 p.m. at www.ncaa.com.
The Golden Bears had six players named to the All-NSIC first team. Maggie McNamara was named Offensive Player of the Year, Mary Slinger Defensive Player of the Year and Brady Starkey Coach of the Year.