The Gophers finished fourth in the 200-yard medley relay on Wednesday in the first event of the Big Ten women's swimming and diving meet in Iowa City. Michigan won the race in 1 minute, 34.21 seconds. The Gophers' time was 1:36.57; relay members were Emily Cook, Lindsey Kozelsky, Tevyn Waddell and Grace Bennin.
Minnesota was seventh in the 800 freestyle (7:07.28), the only other final on the first day. Wisconsin (6:55.84) won that event. In the team standings after two events, Michigan led with 118 points. The Gophers were fifth with 98.
Etc.
• St. Thomas (21-2, 17-1 MIAC) was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches' NCAA Division III team of the week. The No. 3 Tommies beat No. 2 St. John's 71-66 last Saturday in Collegeville to end the Johnnies' 22-game winning streak.
• Augsburg guard Booker Coplin and Bethel forward Taite Anderson were named to the D3hoops.com's team of the week in men's and women's basketball, respectively. Coplin averaged 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Auggies won twice. Anderson averaged 25 points and six rebounds in two Royals road wins.
• The first NCAA Division II men's basketball regional rankings were released and the NSIC had three of the top 10 teams in the Central Region. Northern State was ranked fifth, Minnesota Duluth sixth and Sioux Falls ninth in the first of three rankings. Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the NSIC, Great American Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, with the remaining five spots going to at-large teams.
• In the first women's basketball Central Region rankings, Minnesota Duluth is second, Sioux Falls third and St. Cloud State sixth.
• St. John's, the defending conference playoff champion, was picked first in the MIAC baseball preseason coaches' poll. St. Thomas was second and Gustavus third. St. Olaf will play Luther in a doubleheader at 9 and 11 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Hamline, Macalester and Bethel also will play games there this weekend.
• Defending MIAC champion St. Thomas was named the favorite in the conference softball coaches' preseason poll.
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