Former Gophers men's basketball recruit Alvin Ellis has signed with Michigan State.
"Alvin will be a great addition to our backcourt," Spartans coach Tom Izzo said in a news release issued Wednesday. "We like his offensive skill set, especially his shooting touch."
Ellis, a 6-4, 190-pound guard for Chicago De La Salle High School, had committed to the Gophers but reopened his recruitment after former coach Tubby Smith was fired after the season.
U wins in baseball
Shortstop Michael Handel hit a two-run homer and had three RBI as the Gophers beat North Dakota State 5-3 in a nonconference game on Wednesday at Siebert Field. Ben Meyer, the Gophers' second of five pitchers, went 2⅓ innings in the middle of the game for his fourth victory. Billy Soule pitched the ninth inning for his eighth save.
The Gophers (24-13) fell behind 1-0 in the second inning when Wes Satzinger hit a solo homer for NDSU (15-15). But Minnesota scored two runs in the fifth inning and three in the seventh inning to take a 5-1 lead.
Softball sweep for U
The Gophers' softball team scored 25 runs in sweeping a doubleheader from Iowa State 12-6 and 13-1 in Ames. Kayla Wenner and Tyler Walker hit homers in the first game for the Gophers, who led 9-1 after the top of the sixth inning. Sara Moulton got the victory, her 23rd of the season. Kayla Richardson went 3-for-4 and had three RBI in the second game while Wenner was 2-for-3, including a two-run triple.
Etc.
• Steve Rohlik, a former player and coach for Hill-Murray, was named the Ohio State men's hockey coach. He has been the Buckeyes' associate head coach the past three seasons and before that was a Minnesota Duluth assistant for 10 years.
He replaces Mark Osiecki, a Burnsville native, who was fired last week.
• Swarm transition player Jordan MacIntosh is the National Lacrosse League's Transition Player of the Week for the fourth consecutive week and the fifth time in six weeks. MacIntosh, 23, set a franchise record for most loose balls in a game with 24 against visiting Colorado last Saturday. The native of Oakville, Ontario, also had one goal and three assists and won 22 of 34 faceoffs.