Grand Rapids boys' hockey coach Trent Klatt, who led the Thunderhawks to third place in the recent Class 2A state tournament, is giving up the job after one season.
"I thought that I was going to have enough time to do my job as a scout for the New York Islanders and coach the high school team," tweeted Klatt, an NHL player for 14 seasons before retiring in 2005. "It has become clear to me that I do not have the time needed to do both to the level that is required.
"I want to thank [Grand Rapids activities director] Anne Campbell, for hiring me and giving me the opportunity to coach this team. What an honor it has been to be the bench boss in this community."
U sweeps No. 23 Missouri State
The Gophers baseball team beat No. 23 Missouri State twice on Saturday, 12-5 and 7-5 in a doubleheader in Springfield, Mo.
Riley Smith hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning of the first game for Minnesota (12-9) and Austin Athmann had a solo homer in the eighth. Terrin Vavra had four hits for the Gophers.
In the second game, the Gophers took a 6-1 lead over the Bears (19-4) by scoring four runs in the third inning with two outs. Jordan Smith had a two-run triple and Connor Schaefbauer a two-run double.
Gophers beat Purdue in softball
The No. 22 Gophers softball team defeated Purdue 4-1 on junior righthander Sara Groenewegen's two-hitter in West Lafayette, Ind. Minnesota (21-9, 2-0 Big Ten) only had five hits, but two of them were two-run doubles by Paige Palkovich in the second inning and Sydney Fabian in the fifth.
Two relay titles for U women
The Gophers won the 4x800- and 4x1,500-meter relays at the Raleigh (N.C.) Relays. Paige Peschel, Stacy Swatek, Ally McSherry and Madeline Strandemo won the 4x800 in 8 minutes, 47.62 seconds, more than seven seconds ahead of the field.
Strandemo also anchored the 4x1,500 which won in 18:18.65. The other runners were Taylor Mikkalson, Tess Wasowicz and Jamie Piepenburg.
Cami Gilson of the Gophers took third in the pole vault, clearing 12-5.
Gophers divers fifth, ninth on platform
Senior Manny Pollard of the Gophers placed fifth and junior Matt Barnard ninth in platform diving at the NCAA swimming and diving championships in Atlanta. As a team, the Gophers placed 20th with 41 points.
