Carleton (3-1 MIAC, 5-1 overall) and St. Thomas (3-2 MIAC, 4-2 overall) play on the Tommies home field tomorrow in perhaps the conference’s game of the week. Concordia also has a 3-1 conference record and five teams have two MIAC losses. The conference champion or co-champion could finish with two defeats. Both Carleton and St. Thomas experienced last minute losses last week and one will have an opportunity to strengthen its position in the title race (MIAC schedule ends November 15). Carleton features a passing offense led by senior quarterback Shane Henfling. St. Thomas offers a balance of run and pass using sophomore tailback Ben Wartman and freshman receiver Fritz Waldvogel.
Daktronics has been selected to design and build a multimillion dollar, integrated video, scoring and advertising display system at Target Field, the new Twins ballpark scheduled to open in 2010. The integrated system will include 50 digital LED displays, scoring and statistics systems, and fixed advertising panels. The centerpiece of the system is a large, high definition display that will measure approximately 101 feet wide by 57 feet high, featuring Daktronics HD-X LED (light emitting diode) video technology.
Jim Dutcher told Sports Headliners that because of the team’s “awful” nonconference schedule, the Gophers won’t know how good they are until the Big Ten season. Minnesota is playing a Charmin-like nonconference schedule but Dutcher, the former Gopher coach and TV analyst, thinks Tubby Smith’s second team might finish third or fourth in the so-so Big Ten. While there’s been a lot of hype about the incoming players, Dutcher likes the Gopher “veterans.”
The Wolves will unveil a new court at their home and regular season opener on October 29 against Sacramento. There will no longer be a parquet playing surface.
Wolves second-year forward Corey Brewer has been involved in the non-partisan “Respect My Vote” campaign that encourages low-income people ages 18-29 to vote on November 4. He’s been featured on ESPN.com and Dime Magazine for his efforts.
Wolves forward Ryan Gomes has purchased a home in Chanhassen where he lives with his wife and new baby daughter.
Coach Don Lucia’s 2-0 Gophers play in Madison tonight and tomorrow evening against a Wisconsin team that is 0-4 for the first time in its modern hockey era that began in 1963-64. All losses came against teams that are in the top four of this week’s national rankings. Freshman forward Jake Gardiner from Minnetonka leads the Badgers with five points after producing five assists in his first four games. The Badgers are 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the WCHA while the Gophers have played only twice, two league wins last weekend against St. Cloud State.
With John McCain unlikely to win the White House, his decision not to choose Tim Pawlenty as his running mate looks like a positive for the Minnesota governor. A political insider said, though, that earlier this year Pawlenty had reason to believe he was the VP choice.