Ski-U-Mah July 2014 Issue by University of Minnesota Athletics

- Ava Available fo for private, semi privaate or ffu ull buyout ut events ffo or groups of 1 - 1,300 - Dedicatted sales staff - Dozens of culinary experts

- 30 unique private event spaces - Prefferred catering partner of Minneapolis St. Paul M Maagazine, Minnesota Vikinggs, M Min innesota Timberwolvees, M Miinneapolis St. Paul, Business Jo Journal, JJaaguar Land Rover

T O B O O K YO U R N E X T E V E N T C A L L 9 5 2 . 5 6 2 . 5 6 2 5 - O R - E M A I L SALES@K A S K AI D H OS P ITALIT Y.C O M

W E L C O M E T O T H E J U LY I S S U E O F S K I - U - M A H !

e recently completed the 2013-14 year and, not surprisingly, the roughly 750 student-athletes who proudly wore the Maroon & Gold for our 25 teams this past year accomplished incredible things. In all, our teams won eight conference championships, including men’s hockey capturing the inaugural Big Ten regular season championship, men’s golf winning the Big Ten Tournament, women’s hockey sweeping the WCHA regular season and tournament championships and our resurgent softball program bringing home the Big Ten title. By the end of the year, 52 Gopher student-athletes representing 15 of our teams were named All-Americans, further emphasizing our strength across a variety of sports here at the U. While I enjoy our athletic accomplishments, I’m also quite proud of our success in the classroom. We celebrated more than 200 Academic All-Big Ten honors this past year. We also learned that our teams posted exceptional scores in Academic Progress Rates (APR). In

fact, we had the fourth-highest percentage of teams to earn an APR Award among all FBS institutions. Success at a high level in either academics or athletics is challenging. Succeeding at both simultaneously requires extraordinary effort, focus and perseverance, which I see our student-athletes display every day. This issue of Ski-U-Mah shares a few of these stories, including a goalkeeper who seized an opportunity to rise from virtual anonymity last summer to become one of the nation’s best; a quarterback who has wholly embraced his role as the team’s leader; and a tennis player who joined the team as a walk-on and rose to become a star player. We also take a deeper look at former studentathletes who continue to play key roles in Gopher Athletics and in our local community. While last year was great for Gopher Athletics, I look forward to accomplishing even more in 2014-2015. Thank you for your continued support. We’ll see you again in the fall. Go Gophers!

Norwood Teague, Director of Athletics

{ A completely sold-out Jane Sage Cowles Stadium hosted an NCAA Regional in May. The Gophers advanced to the Super Regional for the first time in program history with a victory over Auburn in the Regional Final game. Photo by Chris Mitchell. }

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1

SKI- U- M A H JULY the

2014

official

ISSUE

mag azine

VOL.

Gop he r

II At hlet ics

GOPHER SPORTS FEATURES 8

MARLENE STOLLINGS

MITCH LEIDNER

LOU NANNE

GOPHER ROAD TRIP

JESSIKA MOZIA

TARAH HOBBS

ADDITIONAL CONTENT 3

NEWSWORTHY

PHOTO FEATURE

CREDITS

BEHIND THE SKI-U-MAH COVER

BACK ON TOP: MEN’S GOLF

AN EPIC SEASON: SOFTBALL

A GOLDEN EVENING

GOLDEN GOPHER FUND DONORS

BILL & TERRY DIRCKS PROFILE

BEHIND THE SCENES:

ANDREA SMITH & JEREMIAH CARTER 42

ALUMNI NOTES

for these stories and much more, visit the home of Gopher Sports at gophersports.com.

2 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

{ Senior Zach Siegmeier successfully defended his Big Ten Outdoor pole vault title, clearing 17’10.5” in West Lafayette, Ind. Siegmeier went on to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, finishing fifth overall. Photo by Eric Miller. }

NEWSWORTHY Gopher junior Leandro Toledo advanced to the final 16 of the NCAA men’s tennis singles championships, becoming Minnesota’s first All-American since 2002.

Senior All-American pitcher Sara Moulton was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft by the Chicago Bandits. Following the conclusion of the 2014 college season, she signed with the Bandits.

Senior pitcher Alec Crawford was selected in the 25th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft by the Colorado Rockies while incoming freshman Lucas Gilbreath was chosen in the 36th round by the Rockies as well.

Gopher alums Clayton Rask (’08) and Donald Constable (’11) qualified for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 through Sectional qualifying in June. Rask made the cut, finishing in a tie for 63rd.

The Sports Pavilion is receiving an upgrade this summer with the addition of new video boards and fascia boards on each end of the arena. The scoreboards will be 21 feet wide by 13 feet tall with an LED fascia board that extends 46 feet wide. The Gopher men’s track and field team scored 13.50 points to finish 17th at the NCAA Championships, the team’s best finish since 2004. Wally Ellenson led the way for Minnesota, taking runner-up honors in the high jump.

The University of Minnesota reported nine athletic programs with perfect multi-year Academic Progress Rates (APR) in 2012-13 while 22 of Minnesota’s 25 teams maintained or improved their multi-year scores, according to the NCAA. Overall, the U of M ranked fourth among FBS institutions with the highest percentage of teams earning APR Awards. The Gophers, who held 48 percent, ranked behind only Northwestern (63), Notre Dame (58) and Duke (54).

TREVOR YEDONI DURING HIS RUN TO THE BIG TEN LONG JUMP CHAMPIONSHIP [ERIC MILLER].

JESS HERAUF COMPETES IN THE HEPTATHLON AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS [ERIC MILLER].

SOPHIE KITCHEN COMPETES AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS [WALT MIDDLETON].

LUCA WIELAND PREPARES FOR THE 110 HURDLES AT BIG TENS [ERIC MILLER].

SIEBERT FIELD HOSTS ITS FIRST NIGHT GAME WITH NEW LIGHTS ON APRIL 25 [ERIC MILLER].

MINNESOTA CELEBRATES A WALK-OFF VICTORY AGAINST PURDUE ON MAY 11 [ERIC MILLER].

MINNESOTA’S SECOND NOVICE EIGHT COMPETES AGAINST WISCONSIN AT LAKE PHALEN ON MAY 4 [ERIC MILLER].

THE GOPHERS HONOR THE 1964 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM ON MAY 10 AT SIEBERT FIELD [ERIC MILLER].

BREE BLANCHETTE RECORDS AN OUT AGAINST AUBURN IN THE NCAA REGIONAL [CHRIS MITCHELL].

AMANDA BECKMAN COMPETES IN THE HEPTATHLON AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS [ERIC MILLER].

NIKKI ANDERSON CLOSES THE DOOR ON MINNESOTA’S 8-6 WIN OVER AUBURN TO ADVANCE TO THE SUPER REGIONALS [CHRIS MITCHELL].

THE GOPHERS CELEBRATE AFTER SAM MACKEN’S GAME-WINNING THREE-RUN HOMER TO DEFEAT AUBURN AND ADVANCE TO THE NCAA SUPER REGIONALS FOR THE FIRST TIME [CHRIS MITCHELL].

SKI-U-MA H Issue

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Norwood Teague SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS Chris Werle EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR FOR CREATIVE SERVICES Jeff Keiser EDITOR / WRITER Jake Ricker

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rick Moore, Justine Buerkle, Kevin Kurtt, Madeline Greene, Jake Ford CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Chris Lagasse CONTRIBUTORS Paul Rovnak, Michelle Traen, Anissa Lightner, George Adzick, Quincy Lewis DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Eric Miller CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Christopher Mitchell, Courtney Anderson, Jerry Lee, Brace Hemmelgarn, Craig Lassig, Walt Middleton Advertising: 612.626.2300 GOPHERSPORTS.com Ski-U-Mah is written and designed by University of Minnesota Athletics and is provided as a courtesy to our fans and may be used for personal and editorial purposes only. Any commercial use of this information is prohibited without the consent of University of Minnesota Athletics. for questions about the editorial content in this issue of Ski-U-Mah, please email keiser@umn.edu.

{ JUSTIN HOLL’S GAME-WINNING GOAL IN THE THIRD PERIOD AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA TO PUSH THE GOPHERS INTO THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. PHOTO BY ERIC MILLER. }

BEHIND THE SCENES The Making of The Ski-U-Mah Cover The brainchild of Gopher Director of Photography Eric Miller, the photo shoot took place on June 6. With the stadium turf being replaced in TCF Bank Stadium, Miller was thinking of other creative ways to find the right image for this issue’s cover. Miller grabbed a trampoline that his daughters’ use at his home, rented a pickup truck and brought to the lawn outside of Williams Arena the day before the Andy King, Mitch Leidner and Eric Miller after a successful photo shoot. shoot. Miller had thought of this premise years ago, but originally planned it for a gymnastics poster. After enlisting the help of another local photographer, Andy King, Miller determined the photo could happen...Leidner leaping over the TCF Bank Stadium scoreboard. After setting up lights and a 75-minute shoot that included waiting for clouds to pass, more than 500 frames of test images and numerous jumps on the trampoline on an 84 degree day by a very helpful Leidner, we got the shot. “Mitch was great. He really couldn’t have been more cooperative,” Miller said. “Sometimes you can have the perfect subject, the perfect conditions but the shot doesn’t come out how you planned. I think this turned out well.”

KEY DATES AHEAD August 1 August 15 August 28 August 29-30 October 3 October 4 October 9

Fall Football practice opens Soccer season opener vs. North Dakota at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (7 p.m.) Football season opener vs. Eastern Illinois (6 p.m.) Volleyball Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Sports Pavilion (Gophers face Notre Dame and Louisville) Women’s Hockey season opener vs. Penn State at Ridder Arena Men’s Hockey exhibition opener vs. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology 2014 ‘M’ Club Hall of Fame class induction ( 6 p.m., DQ Club Room at TCF Bank Stadium) J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 7

f you’re looking for a sign that Marlene Stollings is “one of us”—someone who genuinely gets the Gopher State and its various quirks and nuances, just ask her to share at where she now resides and what university she coaches.

She’ll likely say Minne-SO-ta with a nice long “O,” to the point where you wonder how many times she’s seen the movie “Fargo”, and if she’s from “up Brainerd way.” If that doesn’t make her an honorary Minnesotan, well… then the zeal with which she’s approaching her new job (as the 11th head coach of the Gopher women’s basketball team) certainly should. An Ohio native and former Buckeye player, Stollings is thrilled to be coaching at the University of Minnesota, and she’s preparing to unleash her uptempo, score-fast-and-score-often brand of basketball on Big Ten opponents.

Treasures in the Cupboard Stollings comes to the U after two successful seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she compiled a record of 33-29. In 2013-14, the Rams went 2210 and earned a spot in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Their 22 wins were the third most in school history. Prior to that, she began her head coaching career with a stint at Winthrop, she led the team to an 18-13 mark—just its second winning record in 26 years. Along the way the Eagles notched 40 team and individual school records, and Stollings was named the 2012 Big South Conference Coach of the Year. She’s made a name as a coach who can turn a program around—and quickly—and ‘U’ Director of Athletics Norwood Teague suggested that she “worked miracles” at Winthrop and VCU. She won’t be called upon to work miracles at Minnesota. Stollings is inheriting a team that last year finished 22-13 and won six of its last eight Big Ten games to place itself in NCAA Tournament contention. That bubble didn’t burst until Selection Sunday. “In my first two head coaching positions, I was brought in to take over programs that were really down, to put it nicely,” Stollings said. “As you can see from my history, I’m not real patient in the rebuilding process. “The exciting part about coming in here is that there are some pieces in place; the cupboard is not completely bare. Obviously, with Rachel (Banham) and Amanda (Zahui B.), those are two strong pieces. We’re super excited about adding Shae Kelley to the 8 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

e h T g Hittin T R Uing CRO unn an offensive s g n ri b s g ce Stollin hy impatien ch Marlene lt a a o e c h d a a e d h n a New thic, less work e re ti a t, e s ram. d min ketball prog s a b ’s n e m to the wo ore by Rick Mo

mix here… You’re looking at three young ladies who can play pro basketball and could potentially be AllAmericans.”

Offensive in a good way Some coaches preach defense. You know, take the other team out of its rhythm, make its best players earn their shots, defend for the whole shot clock. Et cetera. Ad nauseam. If you follow Big Ten basketball, especially the men’s game, you know all about scores in the 50s and 60s. Stollings could light it up as a player and she’s developed a different philosophy. It’s all about offense. “I’ve just found that to be an exciting part of the game,” she said. “I think that, number one, the kids like playing in that fast-paced, offensive-minded system, and number two, it’s exciting and fun for the fans to watch. To me, it’s a win-win from that aspect. So we will highly value the offensive end of the floor and be relentless and ferocious in trying to put the ball in the basket before we leave that end of the floor.” And don’t be surprised if the ball doesn’t always make it to the low post or, for that matter, anywhere near the paint. “We will highly value the three-point shot,” Stollings said. “We recruit to the three-point shot. If you have the ability to put it in, we’ll give you the green light. … “In the women’s game it’s just one of the most exciting shots. The men have the dunk and we don’t necessarily have that, so the three-point ball really adds a dimension to the game that makes it exciting.” Her score-first mentality has already paid dividends. Last year, VCU’s offense (nicknamed “the 1 0 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

There’s an “I” in Division I Stollings has always dreamed big, whether about fans packing her high school gym or what her future career might be. Her dream of coaching dates back to seventh grade, when she was first being recruited. (The rules were different back then.) “That made such an impression on me that from middle school on, I knew that when I was finished playing I wanted to be one of those people. And I knew that wanted to coach Division I at the highest level. I didn’t want to be [at a] high school, I didn’t want to be D-II, D-III. No disrespect to any of those levels, but I knew that I wanted to be at the Division I level leading a program, and be like those coaches who were making such an impression on my life.” FURY!”) set school records with 235 three-point field goals and a 75.8-points-per-game average. The Rams scored 90 points or better five times and registered a school-record 112 points – twice. And how does defense fit into all of that? Does good offense beget good defense? “From a player’s perspective, I think that you get a lot more excited to sit down and defend at a high level if you just scored,” she offered. “Whether you scored individually or whether your team just scored, I think you feed off of that on the defensive end of the floor. I realize that’s the opposite of what

you hear a lot of people say, but we don’t like to be like everybody else. … I fully believe that you play at a much higher level defensively when you’re putting the ball in the basket.” The pace may slow down in the Big Ten, and there will be nights when the shots aren’t falling and when that focus on oﬀense may lead to a loss, she conceded, “but we’re willing to accept that in lieu of all the excitement and fun and the number of wins that we feel like we’re going to get on the flip side.”

The non-negotiables in being a Gopher While there isn’t the need to perform a miracle here for a program that’s already competitive, Stollings knows it’s another step to become an elite Big Ten program. And she’s not one to shy away from heavy lifting. “I think [my staﬀ and I] would be considered tireless workers,” she said. “There’s only one way to get it done and that’s to go find the talent to make it happen, inspire those folks, and get them to believe in the vision.” She says she recruits to a set of “non-negotiable” traits that, on the court, include toughness, work ethic, basketball IQ, and the ability to score. “And then we look oﬀ the court. Are they a good person? Would they be a good fit for our program? Can they help us succeed? Will they fit in here academically?” Once they’re here, she looks forward to filling their minds with what she’s learned. “I love to teach, and I think that I’m big on explaining the ‘why,’ whether we’re putting in a play or showing them something defensively, and I think that’s how females process information. Once they know ‘why,’ they usually get it.” She’s also excited about finding talent locally.

“From a recruiting standpoint, the state of Minnesota is loaded in girls basketball; it’s a rich basketball state at the amateur level,” she said. “(I) always admired and highly respected the coaching that goes on here at the youth level and the skill development that takes place, and the basketball IQ in the state. “One of the attractions for me in taking this job was to say, ‘Hey we’re closing down the borders and we’re going to keep [the talent in] this town here.’ We’ve got to get those kids here in the Maroon and Gold and allow them to be proud of what they represent in their home state. A lot of those young ladies grow up with the dream of playing at the U, and we want to keep that dream alive.”

You can take the girl out of Buckeye country… Stollings grew up in the village of Beaver, Ohio, home to 444 citizens and one stoplight. She was only an hour and a half away from Columbus and attended Ohio State games in various sports. The women’s basketball team was highly successful in that era, and traﬃc would be backed up behind the exits to get to the arena, she said. Meanwhile, she was developing her own competitive edge. “I started shooting a basketball when I was five years old. I can remember like it was yesterday,” she said. “I could remember back at a very early age just having an innate desire to succeed.” Basketball was huge in Ohio; she remembers the high school gym being filled for boys basketball games. And she dreamed as a youngster of packing the gym for her own games. “I had that dream and vision going into middle school,” she said. When she got to high school they were opening half of the four rows of bleachers on one side of the court for girls’ games. Later that year it was the entire side. By the beginning of her sophomore year they opened the bleachers on both sides of the gym, and by end of that year the band was playing, too. In her junior year, the fire marshal was at the games and it was standing room only—just like the boys game of her youth. The team became the best show in town—and the talk of the state—as Stollings pursued the alltime basketball scoring record in Ohio, boys or girls. “I was averaging 40 points a game and people were coming to see that. College coaches, some of them, had to talk their way in the door,” she laughed. Media interest grew accordingly, first from the twice-weekly Waverly News Watchman to papers in Columbus and Dayton and Cleveland, then from TV stations, and eventually even ESPN. “You have all these people flocking to this small town and it was just an unbelievable story, looking back on it now.” Stollings chased down that record. She finished her high school career as a two-time Division III

> Stollings comes to the U after two successful seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she compiled a record of 33-29. In 2013-14, the Rams went 22-10 and earned a spot in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Their 22 wins were the third most in school history.

High School Player of the Year after tallying 3,514 points. LeBron James finished with 2,657 points. Stollings went on to play collegiately at both Ohio State and Ohio University, where she earned degrees in business administration (marketing) and sport industry. After playing professionally overseas, she began here coaching career in 2000-01 at Jacksonville.

… but she’ll still long to be back in the Big Ten Here’s another reason why Stollings is a natural fit for Minnesota. She loves the Big Ten, and she gets

mushroomed weekly, almost to the point of summoning the fire marshal. She’s reminded that the Gophers became the biggest story in town, and there was a run on No. 13 and No. 4 jerseys. “You said it—absolutely magical. They would wow the crowd. People would come to watch the show,” she said. “Obviously Lindsay was a special player, as was McCarville, but there are more of those out there. The key is that we find them and we convince them to become Gophers. That was just an incredible time in the history of the program.” “We want to generate excitement again about coming here,” she added. “I think that exists naturally; what we want to do is give it a shot of adrena-

“I think [my staff and I] would be considered tireless workers. There’s only one way to get it done and that’s to go find the talent to make it happen, inspire those folks, and get them to believe in the vision.” the atmosphere of the Barn and the mindset of its fans. “It’s tough to play here because the fans are into every play, and you don’t get that everywhere you go,” she said. “You get a lot of wine-and-cheese crowds even though there might be 4,000 or 5,000 people there. Coming here as a player (she played at Williams Arena in 1993 and ’95), we knew that it was going to be loud; the fans were going to be into it.” In her oﬃce, she points to an oversized photo of the Barn, circa 2004, when Lindsay Whalen, Janel McCarville, and Co. were entertaining crowds that

line, if you will, and generate a large number of fans returning to the Barn and making that atmosphere one that just stands out in their mind once they come here.” Stollings even has a vision for the young girls who might be in attendance—to conjure up dreams like she had in Beaver, Ohio. She wants them to “see themselves on that stage one day, performing in that environment, and not even think about wanting to go anywhere else. It’s got to be prestigious again to come here.” Rick Moore is a writer and editor in University Relations and a long-time follower of Gopher Athletics. Contact him at moore112@umn.edu. J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1 1

BACK ON TOP The 2013-14 Golden Gopher men’s golf team had the program’s most successful season in recent years. Minnesota won the Big Ten Championships and three other tournaments before going on to play at the NCAA Raleigh Regional. The Gophers’ parade of victories started at the Barnabas Health Intercollegiate in the fall. It was their first win since 2006-07. They also won the Del Walker Classic and Rutherford Intercollegiate before the Big Ten Championships. Freshman Jose Mendez medaled at the Duck Invitational and Rutherford Intercollegiate, becoming the Gophers’ first individual tournament winner since 2007-08. Jon Trasamar’s 45-foot putt on the 18th hole of the Big Ten Championships clinched the Gophers first conference title since 2007.

Jose Mendez tied for medalist honors at the Big Ten Championships and earned All-America honorable mention accolades.

1 2 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

The conference title, won by four strokes over Illinois, was the Gophers’ first since 2007 and first under thirdyear head coach John Carlson. Mendez tied for first, becoming Minnesota’s first Big Ten medalist since 2003. He and senior Jon Trasamar made the All-Championships Team. Carlson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, and Mendez Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Mendez

also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team. Minnesota made its first team appearance at the NCAA Regional since 2009. The Gophers finished ninth at the Raleigh Regional and Mendez tied for ninth individually on the way to PING All-Region honors. Mendez was also one of five players named to the Golf Coaches Association of America All-Freshman Team.

2013-14 SEASON BY THE NUMBERS 4 3 5 71.97 18 65 .731 29

Tournament wins Tournament wins by Jose Mendez Top-3 team finishes in the Gophers’ first five spring tournaments Mendez’s team-low stroke average, the third-best in a season in program history Individual top-10 finishes by Minnesota golfers, including seven by Mendez The Gophers’ lowest round of the season, played by Mendez at the Rutherford Intercollegiate (par 71) The Gophers’ head-to-head winning percentage, including a 19-3 mark against Big Ten opponents Individual top-20 finishes by Gophers, including 10 by Mendez and six each by Trasamar and Alex Gaugert

AN EPIC SEASON After eclipsing the 30-win mark in each of head coach Jessica Allister’s four seasons at Minnesota, the 2014 Gopher softball team had its best season in program history.

Sara Moulton rewrote the Gopher pitching record books during her career that culminated with a Second Team All-America honor.

Kaitlyn Richardson was named an All-American for the second straight season after leading the team in batting average (.418) and RBI (51).

Freshman Sara Groenewegen posted a 14-3 record and was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.

Finishing with a 44-12 record, the Golden Gophers went on to win their second Big Ten Tournament title, host an NCAA regional tournament for the second time, and advance to their firstever NCAA Super Regional. Upon finishing the regular season with a 38-9 record that included a 166 ledger in Big Ten play, Minnesota stunned Purdue in the conference quarterfinal round using a grand slam by Bree Blanchette to turn a sixth-inning deficit into a 6-3 win. After dom-

inating Ohio State en route to a 9-0 semifinal win, the Gophers came from behind to dispatch top-seeded Michigan in the championship, 3-2, walking oﬀ with a Sam Macken RBI single. Hosting an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2002, Minnesota defeated Green Bay and North Dakota State to advance to the championship game against No. 21/22-ranked Auburn. After the Tigers forced a decisive second game, the Gophers fell behind by three runs, but stormed back

for an 8-6 victory to reach the super regional round. A three-run home run by Macken in the sixth inning proved to be the diﬀerence. Kaitlyn Richardson and Sara Moulton were both named NFCA Second Team All-Americans after being joined by Sara Groenewegen, Tyler Walker, and Erica Meyer as AllGreat Lakes Region honorees. Groenewegen also earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year accolades.

2014 SEASON BY THE NUMBERS .786 9 22

The Gophers’ winning percentage with a 44-12 record, the program’s highest in the NCAA era (since 1982)

Highest national ranking for the 2014 Gophers, the school’s best rank since 1997; the team had its highest finish ever in both major polls, ending tied for No. 14 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll.

487

Strikeouts by Minnesota pitchers, the third-most among NCAA Division I teams in 2014 and the most in school history

.501

Team slugging percentage, a program best; Kaitlyn Richardson (.752) and Tyler Walker (.747) had the best two slugging percentage marks in program history

Wins over top-25 ranked opponents Shutout wins, the most by a Gopher softball team and third-most among NCAA Division I teams in 2014

Minnesota home runs, a team record J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1 3

14 / SKI-U-MAH / APRIL 2014 PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

M I T C H The Gopher sophomore has earned the starting quarterback position with patience and perserverance. BY JUSTINE BUERKLE

ug of war is one of the simplest forms of pure physical competition. No complicated rules or strategies. Just pull the rope far enough and you win. For a moment during winter workouts, the Golden Gopher football team could forget about complex playbooks and just compete, man to man.

It was winter following the 2012 season, which Mitch Leidner spent redshirting as a true freshman. Leidner took hold of the rope and summoned the strength he had built during years of weight training. The young quarterback proceeded to beat each of Minnesota’s linebackers in a match. His winning streak ended when the coaches had future NFL defensive line draftee Ra’Shede Hageman face him, but Leidner held his own in a close match. “Then Coach Kill calls us out and says, ‘We need all the linebackers up on the line,’” Leidner said. “Where’s our new Mike backer? Leidner, get out there! Forty-yard bear crawl, sprint back, 40-yard bear crawl, sprint back, 40-yard bear crawl, sprint back.’ I was like, ‘What did I get myself into?’” Fortunately for the Gophers, Leidner’s “position change” was fleeting. He stayed under center, and is now the only quarterback on the roster with experience in a collegiate game. At age 20, he holds the reins for this Gophers team. Being a college football player, especially a quarterback, obviously requires more than raw strength. But Leidner’s performance in offseason tug of war— he nearly swept the linebackers again this winter, by the way—offers a glimpse of the determination with which he approaches everything he does. “It’s been a while since I’ve relaxed.” Gophers quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski said of Leidner: “He’s always had a great motor. That’s what you noticed from day one.” Ask coaches, friends or family about Leidner, and his work ethic will probably be the first thing they mention. His mother, Carrie, summed it up this way: “He is self-made.” “You never had to tell Mitchell to get to the weight room,” Leidner’s father, Jeff, said. “Never had to tell him to get up and run. He always had it done before I even was up.” Leidner’s teammate and younger brother, Matt,

who appreciates the extra push Mitch gives him in workouts, said: “He doesn’t quit. He’s never satisfied with anything.” You get the picture. Leidner will do whatever it takes to maximize his potential and the potential of the team. Extra hours in the weight room, extra hours in the film room and extra hours on the practice fields fill in a lot of the gaps in his schedule.

“My whole life I’ve had to compete for a spot. That’s what I’m going to continue to do because it works for me.” Leidner has sacrificed much of his recreation time in order to succeed. A talented water skier, he has largely given up that pastime. He got his first slalom ski in third grade, and started barefoot water skiing a few years later, but does not want to risk injury now that he’s playing big-time football. And he just doesn’t have as much time anymore to go up to the cabin, especially now that he is the No. 1 quarterback. Last year, Leidner went into the season as a backup to Philip Nelson, who enrolled at Minnesota at the same time and ended up playing as a true freshman while Leidner redshirted. Leidner finally got on the field in the 2013 season opener against UNLV. “I was really nervous, but I wanted to make a mark at the same time,” he said. “Luckily I was able to get a couple quarterback runs in there and make something happen. It was really exciting and a good feeling.” He scored his first career touchdown that game. In his first start after Nelson was injured, Leidner

scored four touchdowns against San Jose State. Both quarterbacks continued to see game action throughout the season. Then Nelson transferred in the winter, leaving Leidner as the most experienced member of the Gophers’ quarterback corps. The opportunity he dreamed of had arrived. “I just had to work my way up the ladder.” Those who had seen him throw a football or watched him pitch in baseball knew he had a strong arm, but when he first started playing football Leidner was not even allowed to carry the ball. Being bigger than most kids in his age group, he was limited to playing on the line. When he finally became a quarterback, he began at third-string on the seventh grade B team. Hard work in the offseason paid off and he started for the A team in eighth grade. From there, he played on Lakeville South’s ninth- and 10th-grade A teams, even getting a few snaps with the varsity as a sophomore. Finally, as an upperclassman, the starting quarterback job was his. Leidner had used the obstacles he met early in his football career as motivation to improve rather than excuses to mope. “It was actually quite fun,” Jeff Leidner said of watching his son’s progress. “I don’t know of anybody that’s probably worked harder to get to where he’s at. He set his goals, and he did whatever it took to get there as far as working out.” “It’s pretty crazy how everything happened.” Leidner’s first love was basketball, and he could still throw down a 360-degree dunk now if he wanted to. He also played baseball, winning a third-grade home run derby, throwing heat on the pitching mound and playing on an undefeated in-house team. He dropped baseball after junior high and focused on his other two sports. As he grew, Leidner started to take football more seriously. He always knew he could throw, and the muscle he put on in high school weight training made his arm even stronger. “People were telling me I have a future playing quarterback,” he said. “So then I stopped worrying about basketball as much.” Still, Leidner’s football future remained uncertain J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1 5

“Tundra Tebow” “He never really had a bad throw to me,” Leidner’s high school teammate and long-time friend Matt Heller said. Another teammate and close friend, Nevin Andreas, said the Cougars nicknamed Leidner the 1 6 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

North, so it was everything I got,” he said. “They were playing me the entire game both ways. I started cramping up a little bit in my calves. It was a grind being out there the whole time, but I liked it a lot.” Once he arrived in Dinkytown, Leidner could leave the defensive side of the ball to his teammates. The challenge of adjusting to Minnesota’s run-heavy oﬀense was quite enough for Leidner to handle. Fans probably would not have compared him to Tim Tebow in the early going. “I remember getting here my first winter and running sprints next to (oﬀensive lineman) Tommy Olson and he was right next to me,” Leidner said. “I was like, ‘Holy cow. I need to get faster.’ Not saying anything against Tommy, because he’s a super athletic kid. But that’s just a mindset I had for myself and I knew I needed to get faster if I ever wanted to play here.” Arriving early for 2012 spring practice and redshirting that fall gave Leidner time to learn the offense and improve his body to fit the playbook. The coaches will likely run him less this fall to protect him, but he will be ready to use his legs when needed.

“Golden Gun” for his passing prowess. In contrast, Leidner has earned the nicknames “Tundra Tebow” and “Moose” from fans of his bruising running style. He did not run as much in high school as he did for the Gophers last season, but he was always a physical player. The best proof? When Leidner wasn’t taking snaps his senior year, he was taking shots at the other team’s quarterback as a defensive end. With a depleted roster, Lakeville South needed Leidner to play regularly on defense for the first time since junior high. “My very last game was against (Lakeville)

“He’s always acted mature.” As kids, younger brothers Matt and Jake behaved better than Mitch. The oldest child frequently found trouble, whether it was spray painting a neighbor’s deck or picking a neighbor’s tomatoes and throwing them at the house. But as he got older and more involved in sports, he started to mature. “Because of his size and his athleticism he was always put in the spot to be a leader,” Jeﬀ Leidner said. “The role just kind of fit, and he had to take it on.” At Lakeville South, Andreas was impressed with Leidner’s ability to show teammates the correct way to do things. Leidner was a vocal leader in high school. He was quieter in the early days of his Gopher career, but not afraid of confrontation if he felt someone was taking cheap shots in practice. During

PHOTOS: ERIC MILLER (TOP AND RIGHT), BRACE HEMMELGARN (MIDDLE)

heading into his senior year of high school. He wanted to play for the Gophers, but Nelson had already verbally committed, and Leidner did not know if the team would take another quarterback that year. He had looked at Iowa and received a scholarship offer from Northern Iowa. But the allure of playing at Minnesota led him to entertain the possibility of being recruited at a different position. “I came to camp one day as a tight end and got my butt worked,” he said. But Zebrowski could see Leidner’s toughness during those drills. What he and head coach Jerry Kill saw a few days later made an even bigger impression. In a 7-on-7 passing tournament, Leidner completed 20 of 21 throws to lead Lakeville South to a championship win—over Nelson’s Mankato West team, no less. Leidner feels that performance was the most important thing in his recruiting process. Playing with no pressure because he told himself the Gophers’ quarterback quota was filled, he did well enough to prove his own assumption wrong. Minnesota soon offered him a scholarship. It wasn’t hard to convince Leidner to represent his home state’s largest university. “It’s really important to me because I love the state of Minnesota more than any place on earth,” he said. Leidner continued playing high school basketball through his junior year. It was difficult to turn down playing one last year with his buddies, but he decided not to play his senior season once he knew he was going to enroll early at the U.

the winter after the 2013 season, teammate and roommate Jonah Pirsig noticed Leidner become more vocal and put in even more work than in the past. “He knows and everybody knows that he is going to be the leader of this team,” Pirsig said. “With everybody behind him, that role has just become more profound and more defined for him.” Leidner considers himself “a pretty natural leader,” and says his style is a mix between vocal leadership and leading by example. He is not afraid to push others but also wants everyone to have fun playing together. To strengthen his leadership, Kill has recommended books for Leidner to read. He has also connected Leidner with Jordan Lynch and Chandler Harnish, successful quarterbacks he coached at Northern Illinois. Zebrowski sees the competitiveness and mental and physical toughness in Leidner that he saw in past quarterbacks he coached. He praised Leidner for his eﬀort in practice, weight lifting and academics. “He’s one of those first guys on and last guys oﬀ the field,” he said. “I think kids look up to him for his work ethic.” The two Leidners, Pirsig, Maxx Williams and Jack Lynn lived together last season, and Mitch often played the role of dad, making sure everyone fulfilled housekeeping duties. He has played one year and still has three years of eligibility left, yet “it feels like he’s been here a long time,” Zebrowski said. “And that’s a good thing. He’s always acted mature. We all probably look at him as an older kid than he is.”

has served as a mentor to the younger quarterbacks, but their relationship is a two-way street. They also help push him to work even harder. Even if other people say Leidner is “the guy” now, he does not let himself see it that way. “My whole life I’ve had to compete for a spot,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to continue to do because it works for me. At the same time, it’s nice having a little bit of breathing room and knowing that I am a little bit older and more experienced. Just having the confidence, so much more confidence than I had last year, is going to be able to help me out a lot.” For as hard as he competes in football, Leidner is much more laid back oﬀ the field. He will crack jokes and relax with his friends. A true Minnesota outdoorsman, he enjoys fishing and hunting when he can find time to get away. Usually, he feels like he should be doing something to help him improve his game. Does he have time for more film? Should he go throw a few more passes? Leidner has always been hard on himself, especially when it comes to football, and his family tried to help settle him down and have fun.

Leidner has learned to tone out his surroundings more during games. He also tried to carry over the carefree attitude that helped him in the 7-on-7 game: “Play relaxed. Don’t be nervous. Don’t have to worry about anything. Just play your game.” At the same time, it’s hard to ignore all the pressure and attention that comes with being a starting quarterback and team leader. Carrie Leidner said her son prefers to “sit in the background and watch other people get that attention.” As the quarterback, Leidner will need to get used to the spotlight, especially if the Gophers are successful. He may not actively seek attention, but he naturally attracts it by the way he does things—not just because of his various skills, but because of how hard he works to improve them. Leidner’s string of victories in tug of war—a feat of athleticism and sheer will—display the essence of his approach to football. That combination of talent and relentless eﬀort is why Kill and his staﬀ trust Leidner to pull the Gophers in the right direction. Justine Buerkle is an athletic communications assistant at the University of Minnesota. She can be reached at buer0034@umn.edu.

“I always feel like I need to be doing something.” “I think every single game, he had a few highlights that were like, ‘How did he do that?’” Heller said of Leidner’s high school career. “He wants to be special,” Zebrowski said. “His work ethic and desire for him is he wants to be great. The big thing for him is, above all else, he wants to win. He doesn’t care about 40 passes or 10 passes, or 20 rushes or two rushes. Whatever it takes to get the team to win.” Spectacular plays could be part of “whatever it takes,” but leadership and working together with teammates may prove to be more important. Leidner

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1 7

PHOTOS: CRAIG LASSIG

L TO R: REGENT DAVID LARSON, REGENT RICK BEESON, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH JERRY KILL

L TO R: DR. DAVID LUCAS, ALLIE REINKE, MACKENZIE MISEL, DONNELL KIRKWOOD, DEBORAH OLSON

BETSY AND PAUL MITCHELL

L TO R: DEB AND MARK KRAVIK, BECKY AND RUSS BIERBAUM

Golden Evening A PR I L 11, 2014 | DQ CLU B R OOM

1 8 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

L TO R: GREGG MISKIEL, JAKE & LEAH PARSELY

L TO R: KRIS AND ROBB JOHNSON, HEAD WOMEN’S HOCKEY COACH BRAD FROST

L TO R: JEN KAPLAN, LARA PAGE, BRI BAUER

BRUCE AND SHAUNA HOFFARBER

L TO R: BETH MARACOTTA AND DOUG MULDER

L TO R: NATE SCHULTZ, RANDY AND BARB SCHIESTL

thank you to our dono and onso

L TO R: SHELBY AND DARREN ZEMPEL, KRISTI AND ERIC LARSON

JEFF AND LISA MELLAS L TO R: RACHEL BANHAM, LYNETTE SJOQUIST, CORBU STATHES, SARI NOGA

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 1 9

IF YOU COME HERE, YOU’LL NEVER LEAVE Since arriving in Minnesota more than 50 years ago, Lou Nanne (and his family) has left a lasting impact on his adopted home.

–– by Jake Ricker

2 0 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

innesotans have a reputation for fierce loyalty to their home state and their fellow Minnesotans. This holds especially true when those from the “State of Hockey” reflect on the hundreds of extraordinary homegrown hockey players bred by the state’s obsession with the sport.

No discussion about the history of Minnesota hockey – not just the University of Minnesota but Minnesota hockey as a whole – is complete without Lou Nanne. Whether it’s in reference to his standout career as a Golden Gopher, his two-decades-plus as a player, coach, general manager and president of the Minnesota North Stars or his long-time presence in the broadcast booth at the Minnesota State High School Boys’ Hockey Tournament, Lou has an undeniable presence across the state and the sport. His accomplishments are extraordinary. The complete acceptance with which he has been adopted into Minnesota folklore, positioning him among the patriarchs of hockey in the state, is equally incredible. He’s the most Minnesotan person not born in Minnesota since Paul Bunyan, and he casts a shadow nearly as large.

The Hockey-Playing Dentist Lou, now 73, has really only lived in two places his entire life – the Twin Cities and his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. His foundation comes from Sault Ste. Marie. It’s where he first laced up skates and learned the game that would define him in so many ways. It’s where he lived when, at age 13, his rights became the property of the Chicago Blackhawks. A year later, it’s where he met his future wife, Francine Potvin (now Francine Nanne for more than 50 years) after her family moved to the same area of “the Soo”

in 1955. “I took her to the high school dance when I was 14 and she was 12,” said Lou. “That’s how long we’ve known each other,” added Francine. Lou’s ascent to legendary status among Minnesotans almost didn’t happen. If Lou had his way

coming out of high school, he probably wouldn’t have come to the United States at all. He wanted to go to the University of Toronto and play for St. Michael’s of the Junior A League. The Blackhawks said no to that idea, telling Lou he would have to play for St. Catherine’s and that he could attend McMaster University in nearby Hamilton, Ontario. For Lou, that was not an option. “They didn’t have a dental school so I said ‘no, I won’t do that,’” said Lou. Dental school was a must for young Nanne, a bit ironic considering his passion for hockey, a sport well-known for producing more toothless smiles than any other. “My uncle was a dentist. My brother is a dentist. My two nieces are dentists. Our son was a dentist,” said Lou. “My uncle had a good life back home and he wanted me to be his partner.” When Lou refused the Blackhawks request to play at St. Catherine’s, the organization told him he wouldn’t be playing anywhere else in Canada. Lou had to start looking at his options in the United States. He heard from a number of schools but, oddly, it was a visit from Bob May, the head coach at rival North Dakota, that eventually led him to Minnesota. “I told [May] I wouldn’t go to North Dakota because they didn’t have a dental school,” said Lou. A few weeks later, May ran into Minnesota head coach John Mariucci in downtown Minneapolis. “He told Mariucci about me. Mariucci called me and asked me

“Everything that I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish really has a foundation from the University of Minnesota.”

PHOTO: CRAIG LASSIG

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 2 1

PHOTO: COURTNEY ANDERSON

Building Something Special The enduring relationship Lou Nanne shares with the University of Minnesota developed during his time as a Gopher student-athlete in the early 1960s. A half-century later, his belief in the powerful impact his alma mater has on his adopted home state has grown even stronger. “When you look at it, there’s only one institution that can affect everybody in the whole state. There’s only one place – that’s the University of Minnesota,” said Nanne. “Everybody in the state, in one way or the other, is connected to the University. That’s why it’s so important. This is the engine of the state.” Nanne has more than just passion for the U. He also has an immense amount of knowledge about athletics and a well-earned reputation for being a savvy businessman. Considering all of this, it only seemed natural that Directors of Athletics Norwood Teague contacted Nanne right away when he began planning a fundraising campaign to build new development and support facilities for Gopher Athletics. “President Kaler and Norwood Teague came to me and said, ‘We want you to be involved in the fundraising.’ I said, ‘Sure, I’d be happy to be on the committee.’” Simply having Nanne on the committee wasn’t their objective, however. “They said, ‘No, no you have to lead’ and they just wouldn’t accept no [as an answer].” That persistence paid off, as Nanne agreed to chair the committee tasked with raising $190 million to realize the vision sketched out in Teague’s facilities plan, one that includes not only practice facilities to develop athletic skills, but also a new, state-of-the-art academic center and a modern nutrition and wellness center for all 750 Gopher studentathletes. “What the fans don’t see is how really dedicated all the athletes are at the University of Minnesota. You just see the product out on the field but you don’t see the time and effort they have to put in to play the game,” said Nanne. “You don’t see the kind of commitment they have to education and athletics and what it takes for them to perform at the highest level … we need facilities where these people can work, study, train, eat and really prepare themselves.” Nanne certainly understands the need for these facilities, but he doesn’t believe this need is new. In his opinion, what makes it possible to accomplish this now is the level of commitment and support the University has for the campaign. “I’ve been here for 54 years ... I’ve seen an appreciation for the athletic department but I haven’t really seen the focus needed to continue to improve the athletic department,” said Nanne. “Now we have that commitment and focus here with President Kaler and Athletics Director Norwood Teague. They know that we need to get better. They know how we can get better. We’ve got to find the means to make certain we’re able to accomplish this and I think we can do that.”

THOUGH THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CHANCES TO LEAVE MINNESOTA DURING THEIR 54 YEARS AS RESIDENTS, FRANCINE AND LOU NANNE NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE THEIR ADOPTED HOME.

to come and visit, which I did. They had a great dental school here. So I came, I really liked what I saw and I made the commitment to come.” Though Minnesota’s respected dental school played a key role in getting Lou on campus, by his second semester, the quality of the dental school no longer mattered. “In my biology class I dissected a frog. When I pulled the pins out, it jumped out of the plate and I said ‘I’ve had it.’” Lou marched across campus and took an interest test. “It said I had the highest sales interest this woman had ever seen on the test so I called my parents and said, ‘I’m going into business’ and I switched to the business school.” Looking back, Lou doesn’t regret the decision. “I would have been a horrible dentist.”

“Sweet Lou” and the Other No. 2 On the ice, Lou was a prodigy. Mariucci immediately recognized his talent. “He asked me to wear No. 2 because he had [worn] No. 2 at the University of Minnesota.” Mariucci, who had played defenseman just as

Lou did, not only guided him as a player. He helped him in any way he could. “I told him I wanted to get married the summer of my junior year but my wife was going to need a job in the United States, so I needed someone to sponsor her,” Lou recalled. “He sponsored [her]. He used to tell her before every game ‘Now, you know if Louie doesn’t play good, you’re going home.’” “He did,” confirmed Francine. “He really did.” Fortunately for the newlyweds, Lou often delivered, enabled by Mariucci to accomplish all that he did on the ice for the Golden Gophers. Despite his reputation for being a staunch, defensive-minded coach, Mariucci gave his young star freedom to push the puck forward and use his oﬀensive talents. “John wanted me to carry the puck. He knew I could carry the puck,” said Lou. “Late in the game, if it was the last minute and we were down a goal, he’d put me out at forward. In my case, he felt comfortable with it.” That freedom with the puck helped Lou lead the Western Collegiate Hockey Association

NANNE’S MINNESOTA TIMELINE Lou enrolls at the University of Minnesota with plans to study

Lou does color commentary for the Minnesota State High School Boys'

1960 dentistry and play hockey for legendary coach John Mariucci. 1964 Hockey Tournament for the first time, a role he continues to today.

1963 Lou becomes the only defenseman to ever lead the WCHA in scoring, earning WCHA MVP and All-America honors.

2 2 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

As a naturalized American citizen, Lou captains the

1968 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team in Grenoble, France.

1967 After forgoing the NHL after college because of a contract dispute with Chicago, Lou's rights are available in the NHL expansion draft and he signs with the Minnesota North Stars.

(WCHA) in scoring in the 1962-63 season. To this day, Lou is the only defenseman to ever win the WCHA scoring title. That accomplishment led to a parade of accolades, including First Team All-WCHA, WCHA Most Valuable Player and American Hockey Coaches Association West All-America honors. The relationship between Mariucci and Lou lasted for the rest of Mariucci’s life. Following his incredible senior season, Lou opted not to immediately pursue his career with the Blackhawks. The organization wanted Lou to report to camp before signing his contract, but Lou insisted that he wouldn’t go to the camp without a signed agreement. While he was sitting out, Mariucci oﬀered him an assistant coaching job guiding the freshman team at the U – even moving the team’s practice time to accommodate Lou’s day job. After abstaining from the NHL for five years, Lou was acquired by the Minnesota North Stars during the expansion draft in 1967. Mariucci was named assistant to the general manager that year and worked with the team throughout Lou’s 11-year playing career. When Lou became the team’s coach in 1978, Mariucci continued to work for the team under his protégé, remaining with Lou until his death in 1987. “He was like my second father,” Lou remembered.

All in the Family While Mariucci was like family to Lou, his actual family has firmly entrenched itself in Minnesota hockey. One of his son’s, Marty Nanne, played for the Gophers from 1985 through 1988. Current Gopher Vinni Lettieri is his grandson. His other grandsons – Tyler and Louie Nanne – both had outstanding prep careers at Edina High School in suburban Minneapolis and have gone on to play Division I hockey. “I look forward to all the games that I can be at, that’s for sure,” said Francine. “There’s nothing like seeing your own blood out there … it’s just very exciting.” There are elements of déjà vu when the Nannes watch the younger generation play, though both concede that the younger ones may be more talented than their grandfather. Lou points out the Vinni has a better wrist shot than he did and that Tyler may be better on the rush from the blue line. He even admits to having the occasional flashback from the stands. “When Marty was playing, you felt [it] because he had the Edina colors [on] and they were the North Stars’ colors,” said Lou before he joked, “I often wondered at the time, because Walter Bush used to live in Edina and he was president [of the North Stars], if we got those colors because he was living in Edina.” Though the faces on the ice change, the Nanne name has

Under Lou's leadership as general manger, the North Stars

1981 reach the first Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history.

NANNE GREW CLOSE TO GOPHER HEAD COACH JOHN MARIUCCI, WHO HE REFERRED TO AS A SECOND FATHER.

remained in Minnesota hockey for all these years. Hockey is the Nanne family identity and that’s not something they would ever change. “Sports have been very good to us,” said Francine. “We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for professional and college hockey.” Hockey, Minnesota and Nanne – three words that are permanently bonded together and impossible to completely separate. Though the family has produced two waves of native Minnesotans, it’s the elder Nanne, from Ontario, who is so completely intertwined in the culture of the state. He’s not only grown to be a Minnesotan in his 55 years here, his name is practi-

cally synonymous with the term. “When I got here, John took me around and I remember him saying one thing to me. He said ‘If you come here, you’ll never leave.’ And he was right.”

Jake Ricker is an associate athletic communications director and editor of Ski-U-Mah at the University of Minnesota. He can be reached at rick0127@umn.edu

Lou and Francine's son, Marty, makes his first

1986 appearance for the Gopher men's hockey team.

Lou and Francine's grandson, Vinni Lettieri, makes his

2013 first appearance for the Gopher men's hockey team.

1978 During his 11th season with the North Stars, Lou is asked to become the club's head coach and GM. Due to league rules, 1990 Lou, now the North Stars' President, retires to pursue other business interests, ending a 20-plus year career with the franchise. Lou has to quit playing to take the new role. Just days after playing his final game, Lou is behind the bench as head coach.

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 2 3

PARK RAPIDS BLUEBERRY PINES GOLF COURSE MAY 20

WILLMAR AMERICAN LEGION #167 MAY 20

PRESENTED BY COLERAINE EAGLE RIDGE GOLF COURSE MAY 21

2 4 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

HIBBING MESABA COUNTRY CLUB MAY 21

S T. C L O U D L E S T. G E R M A I N S U I T E H O T E L MAY 21

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 2 5

REDWOOD FALLS REDWOOD AREA COMMUNITY CENTER JUNE 3

OWATONNA O WAT O N N A C O U N T R Y CLUB JUNE 4

NEW ULM HOLIDAY INN JUNE 3

RED WING TREASURE ISLAND RESORT & CASINO JUNE 4

2 6 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

Powerhouse teams, stellar athletes and game-winning plays are the stuff of legends â&#x20AC;&#x201D; told for years to come. Capture the action with cutting-edge images from Lifetouch Sports Photography. Learn more at lifetouch.com/sports. Lifetouch Photography is proud to be the official sports photographer for the National Sports Center, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest amateur sports facility.

GOLDEN GOPHER FUND DONORS The Golden Gopher Fund would like to thank and recognize the following donors. These individuals, families, and organizations made gifts to Minnesota Athletics totaling $5,000 or more between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014. Their generous support provides opportunities in the classroom and in competition for our 750 student-athletes to become the leaders of tomorrow! 3M Company A. H. Bennett Company Michael J. Adams Aitkin Iron Works, Inc. Richard Akerman and Peggy Cayemberg-Akerman Bernard P. and Cindy L. Aldrich Aljon Precision Sheet Metal and Stamping Erik and Susan Allen Alliance Bank Craig and Mary Alshouse Howard R. Alton III Ameriprise Financial Inc Ames Construction Patricia M. and James N. Andersen, Sr. David P. and Lori J. Anderson John S. Anderson Mary Ann Anderson Anheuser-Busch Companies APi Group, Inc. Gregory and Janice Aplin Patrick W. Archbold Architectural Alliance Craig R. Arends Allen and Carmen Arvig Associated Bank Dr. Scott D. and Susan D. Augustine Molly Augustine Dale and Ruth Bachman Michael and Kathleen Bailey Bradley Earl Bakken and Mary Bakken Constance L Bakken Dr. James H. Barthel and Dr. Victoria M. Elmer Bradley & Jacqueline Baumgard Kevin Beaubien The Beckmann Family Peter T. Beniares Benjamin J. & Dana L. Birk Elizabeth M. Bennett Margaret & Chris Benson Lois K. and James R. Berens Jeffrey and Nancy Berg Berger Transfer and Storage John and Lorelei Bergman Robert S. and Pamela M. Berkwitz Roger and Carolyn Bettin Russell C. and Rebecca J. Bierbaum Big Sky Cattle LLC Michael A. and Jacqueline S. Bilski Richard J. Bjorklund Black Diamond Granules Inc. BMO Harris Bank Kevin L. Bohren G. Bart Bontems Pam Borton Boston Scientiﬁc Beverly Boyle Bremer Bank Jerry Broeckert Robert J. and Karen S. Broich Andrew Brown John R. & Kristin Bruellman Andrew F. and Gail L. Bunge Michael and Stephanie Burley Dr. Louis B. and Maureen M. Bushard Dana W. and Laura M. Buska Julianne Bye C. H. Robinson James and Erma Cabak Sally A. and Francis A. Callahan

2 8 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

Jon and Susan Campbell Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc. Margaret Sughrue Carlson Mark A. Carlson Virginia D. and Robert W. Carlson, Jr. Thomas E. Caron Ann Carr Justin Carroll James C. Carter Dr. Gerald and Cavanaugh Central Bank Gus and Ann Chafoulias Grant & Dr. Joan Christianson CHS Inc. Mark D. Churchill Keith H. Clark, Jr. Cliff Viessman Inc. Gerald S. Cloutier Cobb, Strecker, Dunphy & Zimmermann The Coca-Cola Co. Cheri Durda Cohen and Miles J. Cohen Randy Cole H. Richard & Faith Coleman Colle and McVoy, Inc. Doug and Lorrie Collison Comcast Spotlight Concord, Inc. Michael and Lea Connealy Marcia K. and John R. Copeland Susan M. Corbin and Karen A. Lueck Randy and Carol Cote Robert and Jennifer Coughlin Jeff Cowan Irma and M. Kendrick Cragun, Jr. Stephen A. and Gail J. Craine Robert F. Crosby Mike Crowell Crystal Farms Cummins NPower, LLC Charles and Kathy Cunningham Robert & Lynne Cunningham Edward A. and Karayn R. Cunnington Custom Drywall, Inc. D & R Star Data Recognition Corporation David & Dan Tomsche M. Mitchell and Laurie A. Davis Mark Davis Martin and Anne Davis Davisco Foods International, Inc. Franco De Felice Dedicated Logistics, Inc. Kirk Detlefsen Dr. Charles and Jackie Dietz Bill & Terry Dircks DLR Group Architects & Engineers Kay Dobbs Doherty Employment Group Thomas Dohm Patrick Dombrovski Doran Companies Michael E. & Kathleen A. Dougherty Dougherty Financial Group LLC Dugout Club Zach Duket Jay Dybdahl E. A. Sween Co. Eagle Ridge Golf Course Gopher Fundraiser Jennifer B. Egertson

EI Microcircuits David L. Ekstrand and Dr. Mary K. St. John Emerson Process Management Tom Emmel Mark F. & Carol M.H. Engebretson Harry A. and Rita M. Engelbrecht Engineering America, Inc. John Estes Factory Motor Parts Co. Kevin G. Fahey Lyle C. and Jane A. Fahning Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Farnham III Fast Break Club Federated Mutual Insurance Company Harvey A. Feldman Roy R. and JoAnn B. Ferber Jon H. & Karen A. Fisk Michael Flaherty Dr. Brent L. and Lauren M. Florine Patrick T. & Marcia M. Fortunato Fox Sports Net North Dennis Frandsen Frattalone Companies, Inc. Dale L. and Becky Fredell Eugene U. and Mary F. Frey Friends of Minnesota Women's Track Fred and Marie Friswold Bernard W. and Norma B. Gaffron GaMra Composites Inc. Richard and Darlene Garmaker Steve Gau Charles H. and Joyce M. Gauck Chad D. and Dr. Jennifer S. Gednalske Joe Gehlen Jean G. and John E. Geisler Genz-Ryan Plumbing & Heating Company Geritom Medical Pharmacy Thomas C. Giel David J. and Clo Mary Girk Archie Givens, Jr. Michael and Linda Givens Chip & Janet Glaser Gold Country, Inc. Golddiggers Women's Volleyball Booster Club Golden Gopher Blue Line Club Cindi and Harold Goldﬁne Gopher Sports Properties Thomas H. Graves II Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett Great Clips, Inc. Harrison & Marissa Grodnick Michael K. Grube Dan & Joan Gunderson Valerie J. Gunderson Gustafson Gluek PLLC Kathleen M. and James E. Haglund Mike Haglund Timothy and Laurie Hahn Hallmark Building Supplies Inc. Benjamin T. Hamilton Jack and Jenny Hannahan Thomas L. Hanson Thomas L. and Mary G. Harding Richard K. and Kelly A. Harris Harris Mechanical Ted H. Harrison Kevin I. and Polly Dix S. Hart John F. Hartmann Glenn W. Hasse, Jr.

William Haukoos Larry Heen Mark and Jacqueline Hegman Richard E. and Susan A. Heichert Kyle and Eileen Heitkamp Lowell and Cay Shea Hellervik Doug Heltne Brent and Rachelle Herbel Jayne and Al Hilde, Jr. Dr. Gregg G. and Diana L. Hipple Robert J. Hiti Ken Hjelm and Andrea Hricko Hjelm Douglas W. Hoefer Norman H. Hoffman Lynn K. Holleran Deborah L. Hopp & Christopher Dahl Timothy P. and Jennifer A. Horan Bradley A. Hoyt Ed Huber David R. and Shirley A. Hubers The Andrew Hunter Family Stanley and Sharon Hup The Hurley Family Hutchinson Dental Center Industrial Equities LLP Integrated Beneﬁts Group International Dairy Queen Inc. Ion Corporation J. J. Taylor Distributing Company J. L. Buchanan Inc. Jacobs Trading Co. Thomas D. and Jan M. Jacobson Richard L. Jantz Tom Jasper Jax Cafe JE Dunn Construction North Central Julie Jensen Lance Jeppson Chris H. & Sarah J. Jewett G. Martin Johnson Gary D. Johnson Mark & Laura Johnson Michael A. Johnson Johnson Brothers Liquor Company Gary D. & Christine N. Jones Randolph L. and Bonnie J. Jones Robert J. Jones and Lynn Hassan-Jones Jerry & Sharon Jordahl The Joseph Durda Foundation Christopher J. and Delphine C. Kahler Frederick E. and Susan J. Kaiser Eric W. and Karen F. Kaler Kane Transport Edward Karon Ivars and Gloria Kauls Kelly & Berens, P.A. Jerry and Rebecca Kill Janice Kispert Alexandra and Robert C. Klas, Sr. Donald F. and Mary Lou Klassy The KNW Group LLC Paul and Michelle Koch Linda and Robert Kollasch Dr. Michael and Heidi Koopmeiners William P. Kozlak Mark and Deborah Kravik Steven J. Kristo William P. Kroll KS95

Bruce A. Lambrecht and Jeanne M. Braun Duane D. and Diane H. Lambrecht John K. Lamoreaux, Jr. Stephen S. and Nancy A. Lane Dr. William R. Laney and LaDonna M. Laney Drs. James T. and Penny I. Langland Nancy & Ronald Langness LaPointe Utilities Inc. The Honorable David M. and Janis L. Larson Wayne Larson Michael J. and Dr. Barbara F. J. Lauesen Ronald S. and Diane E. Leafblad Dr. Edgar H. Lechner Ryan J. Lefebvre Matt Lemos Thomas and Diane Lentz Patrick Leopold Stephen and Roxanne Lerum Ross and Bridget E. Levin Herb and Ann Lewis LG Electronics B. John Lindahl and Sarah Brooks Lindahl John E. and Nancy E. Lindahl Richard & Jaci Lindstrom Daniel and Peggy Lister Marilyn and Jeffrey Litman Scott and Paula Litman Donovan C. and Glorianne M. Loeslie Richard Luis and Juanita Bolland Luis John O. & Elizabeth Lyngstad Patricia A. Lyon Harvey and Carol Ann Mackay MacQueen Equipment, Inc. Wendell & Julia Maddox Catherine Mahowald Brian and Susan Mark Duane A. Markus Jeff Mars Mary Inc. Mauritz A & Alice D Mortenson Matthew A. & Heidi L. Mazzucchi Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. McCarthy Chris McCasland Jacqueline G. McCauley Richard C. McCullough Dr. Michael G. and Tanya J. McDermott Philip J. McElroy Emily J. McNamara Robert and Annette McNamara Dr. J. Brittan and Anne Marie M. Rogers Bill and Kay McReavy Meagher & Geer, P.L.L.P. Jeffrey P. and Lisa E. Mellas James C. and Robin B. Melville Charley and Ann Mencel Merchant & Gould, PC Metro Equity Management Midtown Foods Mills Fleet Farm Minikahda Club Minneapolis Portfolio Management Group (MPMG) Minnesota Twins Marilyn Mitchell Paul D. and Betsy Ross Mitchell Greg and Michelle Mitsch Tom and Karen Moe David and Linda Brekke Mona Monsanto Company Charles W. and Elizabeth C. Mooty Ronald M. and Joanne Moquist Dr. Siobahn M. Morgan Robert L. and Karen M. Morgan Thomas & Kathleen Morris Mosaic Holdings Inc. Rick D. and Kristine A. Moulton

Keith Mueller Robert and Barbara Mulder Pamela Nagorske Louis V. and Francine Nanne Patrick J. Whitcomb and Patty A. Napier Michael A. and Janis J. Nash Charlie Nelson Gregory P. Nelson James & Lorna Nelson Kenny Nelson Scott Nelson Nelson Family Farm Richard and Janet Neville Stuart Nolan Jack and Gretchen Norqual Leslie H. Novak Michael C. and Karen B. Nowakowski Jerry V. & Jane L. Noyce Nuveen Investments Brian Obert Howard V. O'Connell, Jr. Dr. Kirk M. and Alice S. Odden Timothy J. and Sandra J. Oliver Bruce and Concordia Olson Deborah R. Olson Ed Olson Oppidan Investment Company S. Bartley and Harriet V. K. Osborn Anthony Oswall Karen Patton PCL Construction Services Inc. James E. Peck and Dr. Martha K. Parker Lisa Peilen Glen and Alisha Perkins Nancy and Richard Perrine Peter and Diane Donnino Dale E. and Jeri L. Peterson Tricia Peterson Phillips Beverage Company Peter F. Pierce Ernest C. and Caryl K. Pierson Piper Jaffray Companies Andrew E. Plesko James O. and Donna M. Pohlad Pohlad Companies Steve Poppen Brian Posey Power Play Club Precision Lens Thomas L. Press and Stella J. Camara-Press Press-Sure Printing, Inc. PrinsBank Pro Staff Personnel Services Gene Rabel & Kadine Olson-Rabel Keith Rachey Noel and Angelina Rahn William B. and Donna K. Ramsay Brett W. Rasmussen RBC Wealth Management James B. and Julie A. Rechtiene Bradford Reid V. Philip & Rachel A. Reim James and Janet Richard Andy Rieck Daniel Riley W. Patrick and Jeanne K. Riley River Valley Truck Rental & Leasing Ronald R. Roalstad Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP Steve and Darcy Roessler Judge James D. Rogers Roland Marketing Inc Gary A. Rooney Donald and Rita Rosen RTP Company

Frank Russomano Ryan Contracting Company Dr. Steven J. Sanderson T. Denny Sanford Philip D. and Deborah K. Saunders James and Sharon Sawyer Charles J. Schaefer Jean Schlemmer The Nick Schoen Family Dr. Stephen W. Schondelmeyer Alvan L. and Jane Schrader Rae Carter and Lowell Schwab Kent T. and Jane H. Schwickert Schwickert Holding Co Daniel J. & Kristin M. Seeler Select Sales Inc. SFM Mark and Jennifer Sheffert Shellback Financial, LLC Christopher Shoff David Shoff Debra A. Sit and Peter H. Berge Carol Skanse SKB Inc. Brian and Megan Slipka Jeffrey C & Helene Zuber Slocum John Smaby Dr. J. Patrick and Linda M. Smith Thomas M. Smith and Carol Ann ShudlickSmith Dr. Patricia A. Sobczyk Jon W. Springer and Andrea D. Mowery Dr. Gordon D. and Debra L. Spronk State Farm Insurance Robert A. Stein Michael P. & Jennifer L. Stotesbery Ralph and Grace Strangis Daniel D. Stratton and Rebecca Crooks Stratton Jim and Jill Suk Eric Swanlund Gary and Deanna Tangwall Tapemark Company Allan C. and Phyllis M. Tappe Target Norwood Teague Bruce N. Telander Gary W. Temte Joseph A Tennyson Terry Stade Farms, Inc. Charles Thayer The Orthopedic Center of St Louis Think Mutual Bank Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Mike Thyken Kristi Ties Erik and Rima Torgerson Towers Watson Wells Fargo Insurance Inc Leslie C. and John G. Turner Twin City Hardware Co. Twin Town Trading U of M Baseline Club/Tennis Boosters U S Bancorp U.S. Energy Services Inc. James Van Houten Fredericus van Kuijk Bruce and Diane Vandersall Mark E. and Michele T. Vandersall Jill Vecoli Viacom Outdoor Viking Materials, Inc. Rebecca Wacker Dennis and Joyce Wahr Bill and Judy Walter Walter G. Anderson Inc.

Lyle G. and Theresa Bell Ward Washburn McReavy Funeral Chapels Brandon Wayne WCCO Joe Weber Mike Welle Jeremy Weller Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Minnesota, Inc. Wells Fargo Wealth Management Michael C. Wendel Patrick & Pilar Wenning Westman Investments LLP Carrie White Doug & Sam Wilder Daniel A. and Anne Wilson Gary L. and Susan K. Wilson Mark & Heidi Wingerd David Wise James Wohlford Michael B. and Lisa J. Wright Mike and Judy Wright Xcel Energy Denny Zacho Lynn, Ron, Rory, and Drew Zamansky Larry A. and Diane M. Zavadil Simon N. and Karen M. Zeller Ziegler Inc. Charles Zimmerman and Pat Miles Zimmerman

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 2 9

chasing DREAMS B il l a nd Te r r y Dirc ks a ssi s t G op her At hlet ics in o ne v er y v isual way, but m uc h of t he i r im p ac t h a p p e n s a w a y f rom t he e y es o f the aver age fan. ack in 1949, 17-year-old Minneapolis Roosevelt High School direction and understanding the ethics of the company and the drive of the comcatcher Bill Dircks was drafted by the New York Giants. Admitpany and where we’re going,” the company would fail. “It’s everybody together tedly standing no taller than five-and-a-half feet and weighing in that does it.” at 130 pounds “dripping wet,” professional baseball seemed like an The long-standing relationship the Dircks and all those who contribute to unlikely career path for the young man but the Giants saw his poBerger Transfer have with Gopher Athletics started when Bill caught up with tential. The son of a meat-cutter, Bill grew up above a grocery store in south Minsomeone he had met many years earlier during his high school baseball days, neapolis and didn’t have the means to pursue his athletic dreams. Paul Giel. Giel, a legendary figure in Gopher history, took over the men’s ath“I was a baseball player but I had to give that up because my family didn’t letics department in 1971. have enough money to pay for my education,” said Bill. “I just wanted my edu“When he got to be athletic director, we had Paul at some of our company cation worse than I wanted to play baseball … I didn’t think I was going to be a functions and I started to give more to the University and work closely with the real good Major League prospect.” University,” said Bill. “He said that [Head Football Coach] Joe Salem wanted to Rather than jumping into the Giants’ farm system, Bill opted to attend the have [an equipment] truck like Iowa. He set up a luncheon with Joe and I and, nearby University of Minnesota, where he primarily studied finance and acultimately, we decided that Berger was going to supply a van to the school to counting. move football equipment to and from football games. That’s where the relation“I grew up listening to Gopher sports and I made the decision early on in ship started to grow.” my life, probably nine or ten years old, that I wanted to come to the University Not only has the relationship grown, so has the equipment truck, which has to get my education.” stretched from the original 32-foot trailer to one nearly twice that size, now 53 At the same time, his uncle (with help from Bill’s fafeet long. ther) was acquiring controlling interest in a local moving While things like the equipment truck are easier to “I thought a kid out of high company, Berger Transfer. By 1951, Bill’s uncle owned spot, if you’ve attended a sporting event at an on-campus 100 percent of the company. Four years later, after his school should have the oppor- venue at the University of Minnesota, you’ve probably uncle suﬀered a second heart attack in three years (his tunity to follow a dream if he been very close to something Bill and Terry Dircks help uncle lived to be 80), Bill took over as President of the build, renovate or enhance. Their contributions include wants to. So that drove me to work company, a position he held for nearly 60 years. at Mariucci Arena, TCF Bank Stadium, Williams Meanwhile, about 200 miles northwest of Minneapo- participate in the scholarship Arena and Siebert Field, among others. lis, Terry Illg grew up in tiny Frazee, Minn. “Through the [Golden Gopher] Fund, I’d get calls on funds – to help the students “I was raised on a farm in a rural area. I went to a onea regular basis to see if I could participate in some proroom country school with eight grades,” she said, laugh- get a scholarship to continue gram,” said Bill. “And I always participated in whatever ing as she recalled those simple surroundings. After we could participate in, and we still do that today.” on with their dream.” graduating high school, Terry left her home town to atThey’ve also contributed to many scholarship funds tend cosmetology school in St. Cloud, eventually making her way to the Twin to support Gopher student-athletes. It’s that scholarship support that really Cities. strikes to the heart of the Dircks’ philanthropic goals at the University. It wouldn’t be until the mid-1970s that Bill and Terry would find themselves “Athletics should be the means to a greater end,” Terry said. “I think it’s fun in the same place at the same time. After being introduced by mutual friends, for [the student-athletes] if they win, but I don’t think those are important things Bill and Terry married in 1977. in life. I think getting that education and getting their degree and focusing on In the 37 years since, the two have donated generously to the U of M. They that is much more important.” look at their ability to support the school as something of an honor. For Bill, as someone who gave up the sport he loved to attend college, schol“You have a privilege of giving back,” said Terry. “You should feel it’s a privarship support is a meaningful way to provide young men and women with a ilege that you’re able to [give back].” chance he never received. A big reason the Dircks’ have been aﬀorded that privilege is the success of “When I went to school, you didn’t have the opportunity to have a scholarBill’s business. Though Bill is now in the process of retiring – “I’m trying,” as he ship,” said Bill. “I thought a kid out of high school should have the opportunity said – and ceding control of the business to his son, he reflected on the success to follow a dream if he wants to. So that drove me to participate in the scholarof the business. Spoken like a true ballplayer, Bill gives a lot of credit to those ship funds – to help the students get a scholarship to continue on with their with whom he works. The philosophy is analogous to the success of any athletics dream.” program. “Hopefully, they are wise enough and smart enough to get an education that “The success of Berger isn’t really my success. It’s the success of the people will benefit them after their sports participation has ended.” around me,” said Bill. “Without getting that cohesive team all going in the same

3 0 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

PHOTO: JERRY LEE

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 3 1

PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

3 2 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

UP FOR A

CHALLENGE b y

K e v i n

K u r t t

There are eight scholarships available to prospective NCAA Division I women’s tennis players at the University of Minnesota – all full rides. Current Golden Gopher sophomore Jessika Mozia wasn’t a recipient of one of those eight coming out of high school. A native of Littleton, Colo., Mozia was a two-time state high school singles champion at Colorado Academy in Denver and a four-star tennis recruit. She compiled a dominant 86-5 record during her prep career and was a four-time team MVP. Scholarship oﬀers came her way, but Mozia came to Minnesota as a walk-on. Why? “Minnesota was the first school that I visited,” Mozia said. “I loved the team. It felt like a family. When I took more oﬃcial visits, I kept comparing them to Minnesota and nothing really compared. I just felt really comfortable and loved it there. I wanted a school that would challenge me academically and athletically.” A challenge is what Mozia got. Walk-ons in collegiate women’s tennis are more often than not depth players. They’re practice players. Injury fill-ins. Mozia turned out to be none of the above. “As a walk-on, you’re pretty much at the bottom of the lineup to start,” Gopher head coach Chuck Merzbacher said. “But Jessika worked her way up, every day getting better. Every day she was beating someone that was apparently ahead of her. She just kept going and going. She didn’t let up.” “Being a walk-on, I was very nervous at first,” Mozia said. “I felt very challenged physically, mentally and emotionally. As a walk-on, I felt like an underdog. It made me

realize who I am as a person and who I am as a tennis player. I didn’t feel any pressure. I just relaxed, stepped up to the plate and played my game. And that worked for me.” Indeed it did. Thanks to a spate of injuries to several of Minnesota’s scholarship players, Mozia was inserted into the lineup in her freshman season, playing primarily at the No. 4 singles spot in addition to significant doubles action. Mozia, the walk-on, went on to become the Golden Gophers’ winningest player her rookie season, compiling a 22-18 overall singles record and an 11-10 doubles mark. “Jessika kind of saved the team her freshman year,” Merzbacher said. “We had so many injuries. We really needed her. It was a perfect storm for her to get a chance to play and really get some success. Her improvement – how quick it was, how much it was – had such an impact on the team.” “I just trusted in my ability based on what I had done in the fall,” Mozia said. “The coaches were very supportive. Even though I was a walk-on, they treated me the same as everyone else on the team. That also gave me a lot of confidence and allowed me to trust myself when I was on the court.” Following the Big Ten season, the coaching staﬀ rewarded Mozia’s eﬀorts on the court with one of the eight

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 3 3

“As a walk-on, I felt like an underdog. It made me realize who I am as a person and who I am as a tennis player. I didn’t feel any pressure. I just relaxed, stepped up to the plate and played my game. And that worked for me.”

PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

coveted scholarships. “Walk-ons really have an uphill battle,” Merzbacher said. “For them to earn a scholarship, it’s tough. They really have to earn their way. I give Jessika so much credit. To start at the bottom and become a scholarship player by the end of the season, it’s a huge success story.” The story doesn’t end there, of course. As a scholarship player, Mozia posted a 23-17 overall singles record and a 19-21 doubles mark. But there’s so much more to her than just tennis.

going to play the violin, I would have to play through my high school graduation. I told her I would, and I did.” Jessika Mozia is a writer. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing and has had two poems and a short story published in various collections. “I love creative writing,” Mozia said. “When teachers assign book reports, those are fine, but I love abstract assignments. I feel so much better writing about personal experiences or what’s on my mind.”

Jessika Mozia is a scholar. A pre-med and psychology major, she has plans to attend medical school after wrapping up her undergraduate career. “I want to go to medical school and pursue my dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon,” Mozia said. “Right now, I’m torn between that and maybe going another route and becoming a counselor for psychology.

Jessika Mozia is a volunteer. She has coached wheelchair tennis and volunteered with Special Olympics and Star Search, a national inner-city tennis program. “I love to give back to the community,” Mozia said. “I’m a giving person. I don’t like people thinking if you give something, then you have to get something back in return. The return is seeing the faces of the children when you’re helping them out.”

Jessika Mozia is a musician. An accomplished violinist, she earned violin honors in high school and annually performed four recitals. “I came home from kindergarten one day and told my mom I wanted to play the violin,” Mozia said. “My mom said, ‘No, your brother played piano; stick with the piano.’ But I was so persistent. She said that if I was

She’s a pre-med major, an accomplished musician, a creative writer, a passionate volunteer and PHOTO: CHRIS MITCHELL

3 4 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

way that she’s always up for a challenge, whether it’s playing the violin, writing poetry or studying to become a surgeon. But, for her, she always comes back to tennis. “Tennis challenges you physically and mentally,” Mozia said. “Every time you step onto the court, it’s what can you do out there. I see what challenges I can overcome, what goals I can complete.” Perhaps the most impressive goal she completed was her ascension from walk-on to scholarship player, all within one season. That’s the work of a player who loves a good challenge, but one who also loves the game. “If I’m having a bad day, I just go play tennis. It takes my mind oﬀ of so many things. I love it, so why not go play?”

Kevin Kurtt is a freelance writer for Gopher Athletics and editor of Let’s Play Hockey Magazine.

PHOTOS: CHRIS MITCHELL

a Big Ten tennis player. Color Merzbacher impressed. “She’s a kid that has everything put together. She’s just so well-rounded. It doesn’t surprise me that she does well in everything that she does. When she gets to the tennis court, it’s just one of the things that she does really well. But she’s so balanced that it leads to her success in all areas.” “I don’t want people to look at me and say, ‘Oh, that’s Jessika the tennis player,’” Mozia said. “I want others to know diﬀerent aspects of me. I do play the violin, I do write. At the same time, I feel like tennis has really shaped me as who I am. It made me learn that I love helping others. It’s made me learn a lot about myself.” Mozia has certainly learned along the

BACK FOR MORE

Gopher great Chuck Merzbacher recently completed his second season as the head women’s tennis coach at the U of M. The three-time All-Big Ten performer and two-time NCAA qualifier comments on his career and returning to campus after a very successful stint as head coach Ohio State. Q: Why return to Minnesota when you had a good thing going at Ohio State? A: I adopted Minnesota when I came here as a player. I just loved the people that I met. When I left Minnesota and graduated and moved on, I had such a strong affection for the U. Every time I talk to people about the U, I tell them that place hangs the moon for me. As I got the opportunity to come back, I thought, ‘I got to start with the Maroon and Gold, now I can actually end with the Maroon and Gold. What else would be better?’ It just seemed like a really good fit at that time in my career. Q: What makes this a good job in the women’s college tennis world? There’s a lot of history that’s been built. The Baseline Tennis Center evolved from the Baseline Club which is a huge booster club for the men. They probably saved the sport in a lot of ways here. So there’s me being a part of that history on the men’s side. Being on women’s side myself – I have a daughter that plays – I sure would like to leave my mark. I’m right next to the men’s program but I get to do something on the women’s side and hopefully elevate it to a national level. It’s a good job in that you’re selling an amazing university that has an amazing tennis center right on campus. We have to sometimes battle the weather, but with a facility like Baseline, you’ve got a tennis court at 72 degrees year round. We’ve got a great place to be and train. Once we get people here just to see what we have, it’s kind of an easy sell. The Twin Cities is a great tennis area. There are a lot of good players here, from the leagues to juniors to everything else. There’s a lot of good tennis up here for the climate and the population. Q: Talk about your experience during your time as a player at Minnesota. A: We won two Big Ten titles, which was great. My junior year we

were top 10 in the nation with a 27-4 record. Jerry Noyce was the NCAA Coach of the Year. It was a fantastic era of tennis. All the guys on the team really wanted to try to play tennis. It was an amazing time. We had huge crowds watching our matches down at 98th Street Racquet Club, including 2,000 for one of our Michigan matches. Gopher Tennis was really the foundation of my adult life with all the great people that I met and all the success that we had. It was pretty neat to be a part of it, and it never left me. Q: What did you learn from your time on the pro circuit? A: I always felt that I wanted to coach, but I figured that the better I did as a pro, probably the more my players would listen to me. I played Andre Agassi, Tomas Muster, MaliVai Washington – a lot of guys that were way better than me. But I got a chance to play them in either singles or doubles. I wish I had some more success. I qualified in to the 1989 Australian Open. So I had enough of a pro career to where I felt like I learned a lot about the game and about the commitment it took to make it. I’m glad I did; I wish I could have stayed out there a little bit longer. I think I probably could have done a little bit better in doubles. I know that because I played at the U, my game was good enough to at least go up against some of those guys. It was a great experience. I still draw upon the things I learned out there. Q: What’s the biggest difference between coaching men’s and women’s tennis? A: The sports are just very different. The ball is flatter than the guys. The serve is not as important as with the guys. I’ve learned to adapt and realize what it takes to win on the women’s side. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve added some stuff that I feel all tennis players need to have. With the scholarships, the recruiting is way different. On the men’s side, the walk-ons play a lot more than on the women’s side because they’re slicing their scholarships up. J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 3 5

STANDING

TALL I

Sophomore goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs has faced a variety of unpredictable moments in the net and in life. by Madeline Greene

magine standing alone in a goal for nearly an entire game before seeing a shot. Suddenly, the game relies on that one person and the ability to stand tall in a pressure-filled situation. Through the eyes of a soccer goalkeeper, these unpredictable moments and the pressure of a game coming down to a matter of moments is common. Tarah Hobbs is no stranger to reacting quickly to the unpredictable, whether it’s life-changing events or standing alone in the goal. Equipped with an unwavering love for the game and a determination to carry on her father’s legacy, two things that are interwoven in her mind, she has overcome challenges and propelled herself into a position to realize her childhood dream.

Building the Dream Hobbs and her twin sister, Haley, have been playing soccer for more than a decade. From a young age as the two grew up in Hugo, Minn., they would lace up their cleats and hit the field, motivated by their father. Roy Hobbs loved soccer. He wanted nothing more than for his two daughters to share that passion. “When I could barely walk, my dad carried me around the house with a soccer ball,”

3 6 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

Hobbs said. “I always knew I wanted to be a soccer player when I was little because he loved the game so much. He was really hard on me growing up when it came to the game and I feel like that’s why I’m so hard on myself now because he would always push me to be my best.” Hobbs started playing soccer when she was six years old but she did not start as a goalkeeper. In youth soccer, most players try diﬀerent positions as they search their spot on a team. Hobbs’ sister Haley originally stepped into the goal but didn’t enjoy waiting for the action to come her way. As her sister exited, Tarah jumped in to try it out. She has been in goal ever since. Roy Hobbs wasn’t alone in wanting his young daughters to succeed. Their parents shared dreams for the twins, which included wanting to see them at the University of Minnesota. That love for the Gophers and the hometown crowd became a part of their lives at a young age.

“When I was little, my mom would always announce me as a Gopher,” Hobbs explained. “I would run around in my little sports outfit and she would say ‘starting for the Minnesota Gophers, Tarah Hobbs!’ It was awesome. That’s kind of where that spark came from.”

A Sudden Goodbye As life’s unpredictable events often do, an ordinary December day turned into one that the Hobbs family will never forget. After picking up his daughters from school and dropping them oﬀ at home, Roy Hobbs went out to finish his Christmas shopping. He never returned from that errand. He was killed by a drunk driver that day, less than a week before Christmas, 2008. “I think about him every day, especially when I’m playing, because I felt most connected to him when I was playing sports,” Hobbs said. “I know he would be so happy to see where my sister and I are now. I know he would absolutely love it.”

PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 3 7

The days and months following the accident were hard as the family tried to find a balance between grieving and living on in a way that honored his legacy. “It was really hard on all of us, but [Tarah] is very strong,” her twin sister said. “I can see it when she plays. I just know that my dad would be so proud of her. She works hard and deserves everything that she has. I just wish my dad was here so he could see it all. She’s worked so hard for him, because that’s what he

Minnesota assistant coach and former collegiate goalkeeper Deana Waintraub-Stafford agrees with Hobbs and her stance on what it takes to be successful in the position. “You have to want and desire that pressure and be able to deal with failure in a different way,” she said. “The difference between good and great goalkeepers is how they deal with that failure and potential disappointment. You have to appreciate that the pressure comes down to you. It takes a different person to want

roundings, they knew they had to find one or two quality goalkeepers to join the team. “Thankfully for us, Tarah was still available,” Waintraub-Staﬀord said. “We came in late in the game but she wanted to be a Gopher. She’s wanted to be a Gopher ever since she was a little girl. That was huge goal and aspiration of hers.” Waintraub-Staﬀord was impressed after working with Hobbs at the coaching clinic and, from then on, the Gophers were persistent in recruiting her to the

that type of pressure. A forward can take ten shots and score once and be the hero. A goalkeeper could block ten shots but let one in and be the villain.”

University of Minnesota, oﬀering Hobbs the opportunity to play for her hometown squad. After her high school team made a strong run in the state tournament her senior season, Hobbs had several oﬀers to play collegiate soccer. But there was no need for deliberation. It had always been Hobbs’ dream to play for the Gophers. She knew what she wanted. “Everything kind of played into it,” she said. “The coaches are phenomenal. I love them. They’re so passionate about our team and they focus on you as a person, not just the soccer player. I just loved it. I kind of wanted to be a hometown girl. You want people to come out and watch you play.”

Hobbs became the first Gopher to be named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013.

Maroon & Gold Embracing the Challenge Hobbs’ loss helped further focus her attention on soccer. Throughout a state championship run with White Bear Lake High School and playing with Minnesota Thunder Academy (a Twin Cities-based club team), she gained an appreciation for her unique position. “Fifteen seconds can make or break a game, so you have to be sharp all the way through, even if you haven’t seen a shot in 60 minutes,” she said. “You have to help your teammates on the field and make a big enough impact for them. If you’re ever having second thoughts about goaltending then it’s not for you. It’s a position where you have to be all-in; mentally all-in, physically all-in. Goalkeepers are a breed in themselves.” 3 8 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

During the summer before her senior year of high school, Hobbs grew anxious. She had not yet found a college. On the heels of a coaching change at the University of Minnesota, Hobbs wanted a chance to prove herself and take the next step in making her childhood dream come true. “I was getting nervous because I was going into my senior year without a college,” she said. “My high school coach got me into a clinic where [WaintraubStaﬀord] was coaching. I loved her right when I started training with her.” After the coaching clinic, everything started to fall in place for the future Gopher. While the new coaching staﬀ was trying to get acclimated to their new sur-

Living the Dream Hobbs joined the University of Minnesota women’s soccer team for preseason training in August of 2013. With a tough schedule ahead, she knew how impor-

PHOTO: CHRIS MITCHELL

would have wanted. He was really hard on her with sports, just so she could be the best that she could be. I think that’s why she’s so passionate about the game because my dad was the same way.”

PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

tant it was to fight for the starting goalkeeper’s spot while embodying what it meant to wear the Maroon & Gold. “It means everything,” Hobbs said. “You put your blood, sweat and tears into your teammates and into your coaches, and you want people around you to see that, and how hard you and your team have worked. You just want to make a good impression and do what you can for your teammates.” For the first three games of the season, Hobbs sat on the sidelines waiting for her moment. She entered her first game as a Golden Gopher on September 1, when the Gophers traveled to Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State Cyclones. It was the first road game of the season and a tough test for a young Minnesota team. Hobbs played the entire second half and recorded her first two collegiate saves. But even then, no one could predict what kind of season the freshman would have. “I never really thought that I would be good short period of time. She was able to keep us in a lot enough to be here,” she said. “So each moment and of games and help us win some pretty significant each game meant so much to me. I just didn’t want games. She instilled a huge amount of confidence in the team.” to take anything for granted.” Her first start was against the Southeastern Conference powerhouse, Louisiana State University, Rising Star where she helped her team to a 2-1 victory by making Throughout the eleven-win season, including upsets four saves on the afternoon. The same weekend, over Penn State and Michigan, Hobbs was the rock Hobbs made two saves and the Gophers came out for the Golden Gophers. A record-breaking and conference-leading 122 saves, numerous Big Ten weekly on top over Ole Miss. With two wins under her belt, Hobbs faced the honors, a trip to the NCAA Tournament, an invitabiggest challenge of the non-conference season as the tion to the Under-20 National Team Camp and the Gophers traveled to Florida to battle the Gators. A coveted Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year award were testaments to her successful tough 2-0 loss put things season. into prospective for the “The difference between “We are so fortunate to young goalkeeper. “The hardest part in getgood and great goalkeepers have a player of Tarah's caliber as our goalkeeper,” Minting over games like that is how they deal with that nesota Head Coach Stefanie was we had so much sucGolan said. “I think somecess before; we hit the highfailure and potential thing that everyone forgets est of highs and the lowest disappointment. You have due to her outstanding perof lows,” Hobbs said. “And formance this past fall is that that was a reality check for to appreciate that the Tarah was a freshman who us on what we wanted to do pressure comes down to played a critical role in our with the rest of our season. success. We still get three We had to come together as you. It takes a different more years with her on the a group and decide where person to want that type of team, which means three we wanted to go.” years of growth, and that is While Hobbs was a pressure.” incredibly important.” solid fixture for the team, On top of her athletic she cemented her role during two signature wins for the Gophers in their defeat ability, Hobbs has an incredibly large heart and a of then-No. 7 Penn State and No. 13 Michigan. With boundless love for the game, her team and her a total of four conference shutouts and a school- school. “She cares so much,” Waintraub-Stafford said. record for saves in a single match (16 against Iowa), the rising collegiate star was making a name for her- “She cares about every single one of her teammates. She cares about the program. She cares about results. self. “Athletically, she’s incredibly gifted,” Waintraub- She cares about the University. She feels very responStafford said. “She’s able to make saves that not many sible for what happens within the program and our goalkeepers can make. She has the ability to react to success. Her teammates respect her a great deal besituations in a split-second and cover the goal in a cause of that. They trust her 100 percent, and that’s

huge for a back line to be able to trust their goalkeeper. That was a big reason why we had the success that we did, the relationship between the back line and their goalkeeper.” Her teammates can feel her passion and have rallied around her as their goalkeeper. Hobbs has helped unite the team in hopes of proving themselves in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. “Tarah is one of those players that you know will do whatever it takes to win,” senior captain Katie Thyken said. “She is such a hard worker and still, after so many years of playing, she still loves the game. She makes monstrous saves that always changes the tide of the game in our favor, making the rest of us want to show her that we have her back as much as she has ours.”

Moving Forward With a standout freshman season that brought attention and glory to the young goalkeeper, there is still room to grow. Dreams of competing for a Big Ten title, advancing into the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament and playing for her country are just a few of her aspirations. “She sets a very high standard for herself, which helps the team's confidence in her grow,” Golan said. “We are excited about what the future holds for her and the team and to help Tarah reach her full potential as a goalkeeper, student and person.” While the game of soccer and life itself have tested Hobbs, she has been able to stand tall through the unpredictable moments and found a way to turn tragedy into determination. Even though her father isn’t in the stands at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, he’s never missed a game. “It’s hard that he’s not here to see it all,” Hobbs said. “But I just feel like he’s always with me.” Madeline Greene is an athletic communications assistant at the University of Minnesota. She can be reached at gree0961@umn.edu. J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 3 9

BEHIND THE SCENES ASSOCIATE COMPLIANCE DIRECTORS ANDREA SMITH & JEREMIAH CARTER

The Carter File Hired in 2013 as associate director of compliance at the U of M after six years working at the NCAA. He began his professional career as a graduate assistant football coach at Minnesota. Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota Alma Mater: Minnesota, 2002 (B.S. in History); Minnesota, 2011 (M.Ed.) Family: Wife, Ellie; Sons, Abraham and Theodore

The Smith File Hired in 2009 as associate director of compliance after a short stint in a similar role at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Prior working in collegiate athletics, Smith worked at Erstad & Riemer, P.A. as an associate attorney. Hometown: Golden Valley, Minnesota Alma Mater: Minnesota, 2003 (B.S. in Sport Management); Minnesota, 2004 (M.Ed.); St. Thomas, 2007 (juris doctor) Family: FiancĂŠ, Mike 4 0 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

Former Gopher student-athletes Andrea Smith (softball) and Jeremiah Carter (football) returned to campus to help lead the athletic department’s NCAA and Big Ten compliance efforts. Q: What are the Athletic Compliance questions you are most frequently asked by your friends and family? AS: Their first question is usually “what is that [Athletic Compliance]” and then I tell them it has to do with NCAA rules and regulations. Then the follow up is usually about who do I work with...is it coaches or student-athletes mostly? And then they want to talk about the football team. JC: The question that I usually get is; What is it exactly that you do? Q: If you had to summarize the most important goals of your job, what would they be? AS: I think we view our role in compliance in some ways as the protector of the University. While we work with and assist coaches, student-athletes and staﬀ, our main goal is to protect the integrity of the university and to help promote success in athletics while maintaining compliance within the NCAA and conference rules. JC: Serve as a resource to Intercollegiate Athletics, provide timely and accurate answers and work proactively to keep the University of Minnesota in compliance with all NCAA and Big Ten legislation. Q: What are the favorite aspects of your job and what are the things you least look forward to? JC: Favorite aspects: There is something new every day. While there are a finite number of NCAA rules, there are an infinite number of ways in which they can be applied. You would think that we get the same questions all the time, but in reality there are many nuanced ways to look at every situation. Our job is to get to the best outcome possible for the administration, coaches and players, while staying within the NCAA and Big Ten legislation. What I least look forward to...paperwork, oh, so much paperwork. AS: I like working with the coaches and staﬀ in providing guidance, especially in how to handle eligibiliy of recruits. I also like the analytical part of the job where you analyze a situation and try to find a solution. However, sometimes (or maybe more often than not), I have to provide an interpretation or answer to someone that isn't always what they want to hear.

Q. Jeremiah is 6-foot-7 and Andrea is 5foot-3, and you share an office. Are there any jokes between the two of you? JC: No, this office is all business...... AS: We've had a few jokes about how he could be the enforcer in the office, but to be honest, I don't know that people would want to mess with me! Just kidding, I think it is just funny when we stand by each other. Q: What attracted you to a career in compliance? JC: When I was a senior at Minnesota I was declared ineligible for a violation of NCAA rules. It was an inadvertent violation, the University determined that I had competed while ineligible during my senior year. My penalty was going to be that I would be unable to play in the bowl game that year against Arkansas. Frank Kara in the Minnesota Compliance Office filed an appeal on my behalf and on Christmas Eve, a committee heard and granted my appeal, which allowed me to play in the final game of my career. That meant so much to me that it sparked my interest in how NCAA rules work and how they are applied. That led to my job at the NCAA which led to my return to the Minnesota Compliance Department. AS: I went to law school looking for a career in sports and a way to combine my legal interest with sports. Compliance is a good fit in that regard becuase you get to use your analytical and advocacy skills, but in the college athletic environment. I had internships in both professional sports and youth sports. While I think the same could be applicable to youth sports or the high school level, I like working in an environment where people are in-

volved in different sports and have different athletic skills. You are surrounded by so many different talents and I also think participating in athletics while in school provides so many benefits, and I enjoy being a part of that. Q: Is there a document you have ever read that is more complicated than the NCAA Rule Book? JC: Have you ever seen the Internal Revenue Code? AS: Prior to working in athletic compliance, I was a workers' compensation defense attorney. I think the NCAA rule book is a bit more complicated, but it is a close tie between that and reading medical records. Q: How do you feel about the state of athletic compliance across the NCAA? JC: It is a pretty amazing time to be working in the field of NCAA rules compliance. The NCAA and its member institutions in Division I are exploring their relationship to each other and how the work together to enforce the rules. I believe that these are some of the biggest shifts in the last 30 years and it is fun to be a part of that. AS: Athletic Compliance has definitely grown and departments have expanded. There are more opportunities for careers and athletic departments are seeing how important good compliance people are to have. Q: If you had to pick out two of your favorite memories from playing sports at the U, what would they be? JC: The 1999 win at Penn State. To beat the second-ranked team in the country at their home stadium was an indescribable feeling. Also, in my time as a player and coach at the University of Minnesota we notched a win against every Big Ten team. AS: As cheesy as it sounds, overall, I enjoyed just being a part of the team and traveling and being able to continue to play the game. Softball was such a big part of my life since childhood that I appreciated being able to continue with it at a higher level. I did have the game-winning hit against Penn State once, so that was pretty neat. Although it was really just an infield single. I'd like to say I hit a gamewinning grand slam or something like that, but that never happened.

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 4 1

PHOTO: ERIC MILLER

Q: How does being a former Gopher student-athlete impact the way that you work? JC: I think that having been a football

coach here has a bigger impact on me. So much of our day-to-day interactions are with coaches, it is important to remember how many other demands they have on their time. I know that I need to be as efficient and helpful as possible so they can go back to doing what is most important, working with student-athletes. AS: I think it helps that I know the university and I know what it is like to be a student-athlete at the University of Minnesota. I understand the challenges and hard work that goes in and I can relate to student-athletes and even coaches. It is definitely a different perspective, though, working on the staff side and seeing how much work is put into athletics that the student-athletes don't even know about it.

ALUMNI NOTES

OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES ACHIEVING GREATNESS IN LIFE AFTER GRADUATION 1960s

1990s

Larry Johnson (’61, Football, Hockey) is Senior Financial Associate, RBC Wealth Management. He resides in Edina, Minnesota.

Diane (Erstad) Achterkirch (’90, Swimming) is former 'M' Club President for University of Minnesota Athletics. Currently Senior Account Manager at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West. She resides in St. Michael, Minn.

Steve Lundeen (’68, Football) is Principal at Dream Engineering (Executive Coaching & Consulting www.dreamengineering.com). Prior career was leading HR departments primarily in retail. He resides in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

Megan Braun [’11] Taylor Vander Aarde [’06]

Steve Midboe [’77]

1970s

Rob Roe (’93, Basketball) runs his own litigation law firm in St. Paul focusing on personal injury and product liability claims; Treasurer of the Minnesota Association of Justice. He resides in Shoreview, Minnesota.

Thomas Masterson (’71, Basketball) is a retired Interventional Radiologist. He resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Linda Strand (’75, Cross Country) is Sales Representative for Tandace Company. She currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Beth (Frees) Davenport (’93, Spirit Squads) is Manager, Global Accounts, HelmsBriscoe. She resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Brian Meeker [’82]

Andrew McKessock [’03]

Brad James (’96, Golf) is High Performance Director for Golf Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). He resides in Melbourne, Queensland, Australia.

Steve Craine (’75, Football) Retired, Eaglerocks Distributor for Budweiser . He resides in Duluth, Georgia.

Katrien DeDecker (’97, Volleyball) is a Physical Education Teacher at Atlas Atheneum Gistel (High School). She resides in Oostende, Belgium.

Larry Zilverberg (’76, Wrestling) is Owner of North Central Companies and Chemsol. He resides in Medina, Minnesota.

Trevor Winter (’97, Basketball) is Clinical Sales for Intuitive Surgical. He resides in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Steve Midboe (’77, Football) is Regional Sales Manager, Slater Sales, Inc. He currently resides in Chetek, Wisconsin. Mark Slater (’77, Football) is Owner, Slater Sales, Manufacturers Rep. He resides in Norwood Young America, Minnesota. Mary Owen (’78, Softball) practices dentistry in Glen Lake, Minnesota. She resides in Minneapolis.

1980s Brian Meeker (’82, Gymnastics) is the owner of Kenwood Gymnastics Center., St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He resides in Lowry Hill, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Leigh Klasse (’83, Golf) is Capability Architect at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. She was recently named to 2014 Class for the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame. Jim Petersen (’84, Basketball) is an assistant coach for the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx and a television analyst for FOX Sports Net North during Minnesota Timberwolves broadcasts. He resides in Wayzata, Minnesota. Thomas Olmscheid (’85, Tennis) is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Electri-Cord Mfg. He resides in Lakeville, Minnesota.

4 2 / S K I - U - M A H / J U LY 2 0 1 4

Owen Elzen [’03]

Jocelyn Smith (’85, Golf) is a Computer Analyst with Centre de santé et services sociaux - Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Sherbrooke. She resides in Sherbrooke, Québec. Dee Forsberg McCullagh (’87, Golf) is a Member of the PGA of America and teaching professional at Brookview Golf Course in Golden Valley, Minnesota. She resides in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Ann Meyer Feitl (’87, Golf) is the Dean of Students (27 years as science teacher) and Golf Coach at Visitation School in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Suzanne (Roell) Grimm (’87, Swimming) is Principal at Cresa Minneapolis – Corporate Real Estate. She is also former ‘M’ Club President. She resides in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Kate Hughes (’89, Golf) is the of Founder Vision Fore Success; Certified Mental Trainer; Director Women's Golf for Bunkersparadise.com; Tournament Director Bunkers Paradise Charity Golf Tournaments. She resides in Orange County, California.

Amber Hegland (’98 Softball, Hockey) is a physical education teacher and head softball coach at Wayzata High School. Also coaches varsity hockey for the Armstrong Cooper hockey program. She resides in Shakopee, Minnesota. Danielle Giusti (’99, Track, Cross Country) is Spanish teacher at Mount Vernon High School (N.Y.). She resides in Hartsdale, New York. Chad Kraft (’99, Wrestling) is a commercial pilot for Delta Airlines. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wendy Logue (’99, Softball) is a middle school Physical Education Teacher in Garden City, New York. She resides in Babylon, New York.

2000s Ryan Domin (’02, Football) is Account Manager at Stryker Medical. He resides in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. Andrew Tank (’02, Golf) is Head Men’s Golf Coach at Iowa State University. He resides in Ames, Iowa. Owen Elzen (’03, Wrestling) is CRNA/Nurse Anesthetist at University of Minnesota Hospital. He currently resides in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Winny Brodt-Brown (’03, Hockey) is owner, OS Hockey Training. She resides in Roseville, Minnesota.

ALUMNI NOTES Junior Eugene (’03, Football) is Head Football Coach, Roosevelt High School. He currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Winny Brodt [’03]

Tyler Schmidt [’08]

Jared Lawrence (’03, Wrestling) is owner of Pinnacle Wrestling School in Shoreview, Minnesota. He resides in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

Liz (Tusler) Meyer (’10, Tennis) is a doctor of audiology. She resides in Buﬀalo Grove, Illinois.

Andrew McKessock (’03, Track, Cross Country) is Investment Analyst for Galliard Capital Management. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Kelli Berns Puhl [’09]

Rachel (Kuhn) McKessock (’04, Track, Cross Country) is Coordinator of Student Degree Programs at the University of Minnesota. She resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Michael Torchia (’10, Cross Country, Track) is a fourth year medical student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Currently resides in St. Paul, Minnesota. Megan Braun (’11, Swimming) is a Health & Physical Education Teacher for Minneapolis Public Schools. She resides in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Adam Lueck (’11, Football) is in the Financial Management Leadership Development Program at Travelers Companies, Inc. He resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Craig Molldrem (’04, Baseball) is a Financial Advisor, North Star Resource Group. He resides in Dallas, Texas. Tracy (Fleischhacker) Quigley (’05, Cross Country & Track). University of Chicago Booth School of Business MBA. Brand Manager, The Schwan Food Company - Red Baron Pizza. She recently relocated from Chicago, Illinois back to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ben Kampf (’10, Cross Country, Track) is Technical Field Representative at adidas Running. He resides in South Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Nick O'Shea (’11, Baseball) is Manufacturing Engineer at Boston Scientific. He resides in Forest Lake, Minn.

Mary Owen [’78]

Junior Eugene [’03]

Michael Paulus (’11, Gymnastics) is Financial Advisor, North Star Resource Group. He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sara Johnson [’07]

Lindsay (Somrock) Hill (’06, Golf, Swimming) is a Director with the Valuation Services consulting practice of McGladrey, a public accounting firm. She resides in Edina, Minnesota. Taylor Vander Aarde (’06, Baseball) is Merchant Analyst for Best Buy, Inc. He resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Sara Johnson (’07, Soccer) is an Account Manager at Identitystores - custom apparel and online apparel stores for schools, teams, groups, and businesses. Resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. John Shevlin (’07, Football) is a Sales Consultant with DePuy Synthes Spine, Companies of Johnson and Johnson. He resides in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Kelsey (Riggins) Olson (’08, Track and Field) is Associate Head Coach of Track and Field & Cross Country at Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa. She resides in Forest City, Iowa. Leslie Knight (’08, Basketball) has been playing professional basketball in Europe for the past six years. One year in Switzerland and the last five in Spain. Previous season in Liga Femenina with Stadium Casablanca in Zaragoza, Spain. Dawn (Solberg) Keenahan (’08, Track and Field) is an Advertising Consultant at Wave FM. She resides in Wollongong, Australia. Derek Peltier (’08, Hockey) is a Marketing Representative at Federated Insurance. He resides in Maple Grove.

Ross Cameratta (’12, Gymnastics) is Financial Advisor, North Star Resource Group. He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tyler Schmidt (’08, Swimming) is Trader at Cargill, Inc. He resides in Houston, Texas. Dagney (Willey) Adamson (’09, Women’s Hockey) is a Certified Child Life Specialist for Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Resides in Pine Island, Minnesota. Anthony Portela (’09, Swimming) is Store Team Leader, Target Corp. He resides in Burnsville, Minnesota. Ben Puhl (’09, Track) is Environmental Systems Engineer at G&K Services. He resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Kelli (Berns) Puhl (’09, Golf) is Financial Advisor and Certified Financial Planner at UBS Financial Services Inc. She resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Matt Stommes (’09, Football) is a Production Supervisor at Cargill. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

2010s Celia Hemmerich (’10, Cross Country and Track & Field) is a Physician Assistant at Hennepin County Medical Center. She resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Danielle Skrove (’12, Softball) is Program Coordinator for HopeKids and Assistant Softball Coach at Elk River High School. She currently resides in Elk River, Minnesota. Jackie Voigt (’12, Basketball) is an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of North Dakota. She currently resides in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Tori Dixon (’13, Volleyball) is an Athlete at USA Volleyball and Rabita Baku VBC. Currently resides in Anaheim, California. Josh Hall (’13, Swimming) is an Internal Sales Consultant for Allianz and is a professional swimmer for the Filipino National Team. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kaela Anderson (’14, Swimming) is currently a Minnesota Twins Intern, Ticket Sales and Service. She resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Alumni notes refer to year of graduation and sport that the individual competed in.

if you would like to have your student-athlete alumni note published in a future issue of Ski-U-Mah, please email Jake Ricker at rick0127@umn.edu.

J U LY 2 0 1 4 / S K I - U - M A H / 4 3

CALM BEFORE THE STORM THE SUN SETS OVER ELIZABETH LYLE ROBBIE STADIUM. THE GOPHERS OPEN THE 2014 SEASON ON AUGUST 15 AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA. PHOTO BY COURTNEY ANDERSON

Want to stay tuned into whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in your industry?

Then get CONNECT-ed. A leading publication specifically for the marketing community. Scan the code or visit connect.dpicrossmedia.com to subscribe to Connect Daily today.