The Gophers football program announced Monday that its spring game will be played April 14 at TCF Bank Stadium. The game will begin at noon and will be free to the public.
Minnesota's spring practice schedule and events surrounding the game will be announced later.
The Gophers posted a 5-7 record in P.J. Fleck's inaugural season in 2017. The Gophers open 2018 on Aug. 30 against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium.
Nine early enrollees joined the Gophers for spring semester, and they will participate in spring practice. Included in that group are quarterbacks Vic Viramontes of Riverside (Calif.) City College and Zack Annexstad of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., along with offensive linemen Curtis Dunlap, a four-star recruit, and Daniel Faalele, a 6-9, 400-pounder, both from IMG Academy.
Randy Johnson
Bell honored again
Gophers junior guard Kenisha Bell earned her second Big Ten Player of the Week honor on Monday, sharing the nod with Katelynn Flaherty of Michigan.
Bell, a Bloomington Kennedy grad, averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 assists, seven rebounds and three steals per game last week in leading the Gophers to two conference wins. Bell had 21 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals Sunday in the 77-72 win over No. 20 Iowa, recording her team-leading fifth double-double of the season. She also had 24 points, eight assists and three steals against Wisconsin.
State schools jump in men's hockey poll
Three Minnesota teams are in the top 10 of the U.S. College Hockey Online men's poll released Monday, and two of them moved up significantly in the rankings ahead of a Tuesday night intrastate showdown.
Minnesota State Mankato (18-7) jumped two spots to No. 7 after its 5-2 victory over then-No. 3 St. Cloud State on Saturday during Hockey Day Minnesota. And Minnesota Duluth (13-9-3) rose five spots to No. 9 after sweeping North Dakota 5-3 and 5-2 over the weekend. The Mavericks, who've won nine of their past 11, and the Bulldogs, on a 6-0-1 run, meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Mankato.
St. Cloud State (14-5-3) dropped two spots to No. 5, while the Gophers (15-12-1) remained at No. 13 after sweeping Michigan State.
Notre Dame (19-4-1) remained No. 1 after a split with Wisconsin that saw the Fighting Irish's 16-game winning streak end Sunday with a 5-0 loss to the Badgers in Chicago. The Irish visit the Gophers on Friday and Saturday.
Cornell is No. 2, followed by Clarkson, Denver and St. Cloud State.
Randy Johnson
U women fall to No. 7
The Gophers women's team dropped two spots to No. 7 in the USCHO poll after being swept at Ohio State over the weekend. Wisconsin remained a unanimous No. 1, followed by Colgate, Boston College and Clarkson tied for third, and Ohio State.
