MN State High School Clay Target League Announces Trap Teams For 2013 Spring Season

Minneapolis/Saint Paul - The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League (MSHSCTL) announced that 114 high school teams representing 195 schools and 3,400 student athletes are participating in the 2013 spring season. Led by the support of their schools and hundreds of volunteer coaches, thousands of student athletes will be trapshooting weekly in April and May at shooting ranges throughout Minnesota.

"This is the fifth consecutive year that the league has doubled in teams, schools and athlete numbers," said Jim Sable, Executive Director of the MSHSCTL. "In 2012, there were 57 teams and 1,500 student athletes participating. With this kind of growth, trapshooting continues to be Minnesota's fastest growing high school sport."

MSHSCTL's program attracts student athletes to participate in shooting sports while creating a "virtual" competition among high schools throughout Minnesota. Shooting practices and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school's location. A true team scoring system is used in three shooting performance categories - top score, top 50% performer's average score and overall team average score. The numbers of athletes on a team are used to define the conferences that teams compete within. Scores are submitted and compared with other school's performances to determine the earned points for a team and then posted on the League's website. The season culminates with the State Tournament at Alexandria Shooting Park in Alexandria, Minnesota on June 7-9, 2013 where individual and team champions will be determined and recognized.

On December 6 , 2012, the Minnesota State High School League approved a presenting partner state tournament with the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League for June 2014. "Trapshooting will be recognized as a sport like all other high school sports," Sable said, "thus making Minnesota the first state high school athletic association in America to host a sanctioned high school trapshooting state tournament."

The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and the independent provider of shooting sports as an extra curricular coed activity to high schools for students in grades six through 12 who have earned their Firearms Safety Certification. The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League has three priorities - safety, fun and marksmanship - in that order.

For more information about the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League, visit
www.mnclaytarget.com.

Heart O’ Lakes All-Conference Boys Basketball Team

All-Conference

Barnesville – Michael Strand, Kyler Martz, Austin Martz

Breckenridge – Jordan Christensen, Nate Lorenz

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton – Zack Nelson

Frazee – Matt Tangen

Hawley – Devon Pekas, Ben Ellefson, Jacob Crompton, Jordan Harms

Pelican Rapids – Tucker Forsgren, Ryan Bruggeman

Perham – Jordan Hein, Tyler Glines, Eli Beachy

 

Honorable Mention

Barnesville – Ben Sauve

Breckenridge – Parker Busse

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton – Taylor Beyer, Isiah Greene

Frazee – Cory Wokasch

Hawley – Dalton Leaf

Pelican Rapids – Travis Haugen, Devin Schell

Perham – Josh Nordick, Hunter Salathe

Conference MVP

Devon Pekas - Hawley

MSUM Football to Host Lineman Camp

MOORHEAD, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead football will hold a boys offensive and defensive line camp on June 19, 2013 at the MSUM campus.

 

The camp is open to athletes entering grades nine through 12. It will focus on offensive and defensive line fundamentals and teaching from the MSUM football coaching staff and coaches from the Division I, Division II, Division II and NAIA levels.

 

The camp will begin with check-in at 7 a.m. at Alex Nemzek Hall in Moorhead, Minn. The warm-up begins at 8:30 a.m. with instruction beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day. Cost is $50 per camper.

 

Lunch will be provided by the MSUM staff.

 

For more information, contact Joe Lardinois at (218) 477-2892 or at joe.lardinois@mnstate.edu. A registration brochure can be found at http://www.msumdragons.com/documents/2013/3/25/Football_Camp_Brochure_2013.pdf?id=1175

NDSU'S Lillejord claims Athlete of the Year Award

ELMHURST, Ill. – North Dakota State multi-event All-American Andy Lillejord was named The Summit League’s 2013 Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, the league office announced Friday.

The junior from Jamestown, N.D., recorded a seventh-place finish in the heptathlon at the NCAA Championships with 5,793 points on March 8-9. He was named a USTFCCCA first-team All-American for his performance, which broke his own school record by 132 points that stood for a mere 12 days.

Lillejord’s finish marked the highest in league history in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He was also named the 2013 Summit League Field Championship MVP after defending his heptathlon title with a league and DakotaDome record of 5,661 points. Lillejord posted second-place finishes at the Summit League Indoor Championships in the pole vault (16-09.25) and long jump (23-08.75).

Lillejord finished the season ranked second in the league in the long jump (24-03.75), third in the pole vault (16-09.25), sixth in the 60m dash (6.96), and seventh in the 60m hurdles (8.36).

 

Pine To Prairie All-Conference Girls Basketball Selections

2012-13 Pine to Prairie Girls Basketball

All-Conference

Heidi Eggen - Ada-Borup (11)

Megan Kolness - Ada-Borup (12)

Monica Vega - Ada-Borup (11)

Sean Benson – Bagley (12)

Jaysha Pemberton – Bagley (11)

Kari Skersick – Bagley (11)                

Mallory Manecke – Fosston (12)

Kami Viken – Fosston (12)                 

Megan Anderson - Lake Park –Audubon (12)

Bailee Bartunek - Lake Park-Audubon (11)

Shelby Kappes - Norman County East (12)

Brooke Brommenschenkel -Norman County West (11)

Lexi Nelson - Norman County West (9)

Ciara Austinson - Ulen-Hitterdal (12)

Tori Voss – Waubun (12)

Shelby Kaster - Win-E-Mac (11)

Madison McKeever - Win-E-Mac (9)

Korbyn Ross - Win-E-Mac (11)                     

 

Honorable Mention

Shaina Stevenson -Ada-Borup (11)

Bailey Fultz – Bagley (11)

Katie Engelstad - Fertile-Beltrami (12)

Cortney Strom – Fosston (11)

Lauren Wilson – Fosston (12)

Breann Hogie - Lake Park-Audubon (11)        

Kayla Lundon – Mahnomen (12)

Tamara Porter – Mahnomen (12)

Ashley Schoenborn – Mahnomen (11)

Haley Henrickson - Ulen-Hitterdal (10)            

Taylor Winter- Waubun (12)

Justine Yost- Waubun (12)

                                                           

Most Valuable Players

Megan Kolness – Ada-Borup

           

Coach of the Year

Dave Smart  -  Ada-Borup

Pine to Prairie All-Conference Boys Basketball Selections

2012-13 Pine to Prairie Boys Basketball

 

All-Conference

Blake Fetting - Ada-Borup (11)  

Joel Merkens - Ada-Borup (12)

Lance Ruebke - Ada-Borup (11)

Marcus Malterud - Bagley (12)

Elijah Swenson - Climax-Fisher (12)

Mitchell Mosher - Fertile-Beltrami (11)

Charlie Duckstad - Fertile-Beltrami (11)

Seth Carlin – Fosston (12)

Darin Viken – Fosston (10)

Jake Pavek – Mahnomen (12)

Zach Stene - Norman County East (11)

Logan Hellerud - Norman County West (12)

Neil Henrickson - Ulen-Hitterdal (12)

Landon Schultz - Ulen-Hitterdal (12)

Cody Price – Waubun (12)

Jake Walker - Win-E-Mac (11)

Marshall McKeever - Win-E-Mac (12)           

 

Honorable Mention

JD Kappes - Ada-Borup (11)

Christian Lundberg - Fertile-Beltrami (12)

Jason Schoenborn – Mahnomen (12)

Zach Sather – Fosston (12)

Demarcus Brown -Win-E-Mac (11)

Zac Tradewell - Win-E-Mac (10)

                                                           

Co-Most Valuable Players

 

Neil Henrickson - Ulen-Hitterdal

Jake Pavek - Mahnomen

 

Co-Coaches of the Year

 

Trevor Stewart – Ada-Borup

John Clark Jr. -  Mahnomen

Four UMC Student-Athletes Named to NSIC Winter All-Academic Team

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota, Crookston had four student-athletes named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Winter All-Academic team as announced Thursday afternoon by the conference office. The UMC women’s basketball team had two student-athletes honored as Kenzie Church (So., F, Fairmount, N.D.) and Ashley Martell (So., G, Somerset, Wis.) received the honor. Men’s basketball seniors Broderick Schmidt (F, Marion, S.D.) and Almir Krdzalic (G, Sioux Falls, S.D.) also received the distinguished award.

To be eligible for this honor, the student-athlete must be a member of the varsity traveling team and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Furthermore, the athlete must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at her/his institution (true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at that institution.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

UND players earn All-WCHA honors

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota senior forwards Danny Kristo and Corban Knight have been named to the 2012-13 All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Team announced today by the league office. Kristo was named to the first team while Knight earned second-team honors. It was the first All-WCHA honor for both players.

Additionally, freshman forward Rocco Grimaldi was named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team, while 11 UND student-athletes earned All-WCHA Academic Team honors.

Kristo led the team in scoring during league play, collecting 17 goals and 20 assists in 28 games. In 34 games overall this season, the Eden Prairie, Minn., native is tied with Knight for the team scoring lead with 45 points, including a career-high 21 goals. He ranks third nationally in goals per game (0.62) and fourth in goals. A two-time WCHA Offensive Player of the Week, Kristo leads the nation with 31 points since Dec. 8 and ranks second with 16 goals during that time. Kristo leads all active NCAA Division I men’s hockey players with 154 career points and ranks second with 63 career goals.

Knight collected 12 goals and 23 assists in 28 WCHA games this season and has a career-high 45 points in 35 overall games this season. The High River, Alberta, native, ranks third nationally in assists and seventh in scoring. He has collected at least one point in 29 different games, more than any other player in the WCHA, and leads the nation with a school-record 525 faceoff wins. Earlier this season, Knight put together a 19-game point streak that was UND’s longest in 25 years, and he also became UND’s first player since Zach Parise (2002-04) to record two seasons of 30-plus assists.

Grimaldi tied for third in the WCHA rookie scoring race with 26 points in 28 games, collecting 10 goals and 16 assists. In 34 games this season, Grimaldi ranks third on the team in points (31) and goals (13). A native of Rossmoor, Calif., Grimaldi is averaging 0.91 points per game, tying him for fourth in the WCHA and ninth nationally.

UND’s 11 selections to the All-WCHA Academic team included four-time selection Tate Maris (Sr., Denver, Colo.), three-time selection Andrew MacWilliam (Sr., Calgary, Alberta), and two-time honorees Derek Rodwell (Jr., Taber, Alberta) and Dillon Simpson (Jr., Edmonton, Alberta). Connor Gaarder (So., Edina, Minn.), Rocco Grimaldi (Fr., Rossmoor, Calif.), Mark MacMillan (So., Penticton, British Columbia), Mitch MacMillan (Jr., Penticton, British Columbia), Nick Mattson (So., Chanhassen, Minn.), Brendan O’Donnell (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Dan Senkbeil (So., Fremont, Calif.) each earned their first selections.

UND has now placed 97 student-athletes on the All-WCHA Academic Team during head coach Dave Hakstol’s nine-year tenure, including a school-record 16 in 2010-11.

UND goalie Gothberg gloves another weekly WCHA award

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota freshman goaltender Zane Gothberg has been named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) co-Defensive Player of the Week after making 72 saves in UND’s series split at No. 10 Minnesota State last weekend.

In North Dakota’s 4-3 win over the Mavericks on Friday, Gothberg made a career-high 37 saves and was named the game’s first star. One night later, the Thief River Falls, Minn., native turned aside 35 of 37 shots and was the third star in a 2-1 overtime loss. His 72 saves on the weekend were the most by a UND goalie in a 2-game series this season.

It is the third weekly WCHA award in five weeks for Gothberg, who also earned WCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Feb. 12 and was the league’s rookie of the week on Feb. 5. He shared this week’s award with Colorado College senior goalie Joe Howe.

Since Feb. 1, Gothberg is 4-1-2 and leads all WCHA goaltenders with a .937 save percentage. Gothberg led the WCHA in winning percentage during league play (.708) and finished fourth in save percentage. In 15 total starts this season, he is 7-4-3 with a 2.52 goals against average and .918 save percentage.

Denver sophomore forward Ty Loney and Minnesota Duluth senior forward Mike Seidel shared WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors, while UMD freshman forward Austin Farley was named WCHA Rookie of the Week.

UND (19-10-7), the No. 3 seed in the WCHA playoffs, will host Michigan Tech in a best-of-three, first-round series this weekend in Grand Forks.

Two Golden Gophers named to All-Big Ten Teams

Senior forward Trevor Mbakwe was named Third Team All-Big Ten by coaches and Second Team All-Big Ten by the media, and sophomore guard Andre Hollins was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by coaches and Third Team All-Big Ten by the media, the conference announced today.

Mbakwe was selected to the second team by both coaches and media as a junior in 2010-11. This season, the St. Paul native led the Big Ten in rebounding for the second time, averaging 8.7 rebounds, including a league-leading 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. In conference play, he led all players with 9.8 rebounds per contest.

Mbakwe also ranked third in field goal percentage (.566) and blocks per game (1.5). He earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on March 4 for his performances against Indiana (21 points and 12 rebounds) and Penn State (13 points and 13 rebounds).

He currently ranks 10th all-time on Minnesota’s career rebounding average list with an average of 9.6. He is one of only four Gophers to lead the conference in rebounding in a season.

Hollins was 10th on the Big Ten scoring list this season, averaging 13.9 points per game. The Memphis native and starting point guard was one of the top three-point threats in the conference. He ranked sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.401) and seventh in average three-pointers per game (2.2).

Hollins shot 80-percent from the free throw line, good for seventh in the conference. He also averaged 3.5 assists per game. Like Mbakwe, Hollins received recognition as Big Ten Player of the Week once this season (Nov. 6), honoring his 41-point game against Memphis and game-winning free throws against Stanford in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Hollins was also named Minnesota’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Michigan’s Trey Burke was voted Player of the Year by both coaches and the media. Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr., Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas and Indiana teammates Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller join Burke on the coaches’ list. The media chose four of the same players, with Ohio State’s Aaron Craft in place of Hardaway on their list.

First-team selection Oladipo was also selected as Defensive Player of the Year. Gary Harris of Michigan State was tabbed as Freshman of the Year. Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan was named Coach of the Year.

The Gophers will open Big Ten Tournament play against Illinois on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. CT at the United Center in Chicago. The winner of that game will face top-seeded Indiana on Friday at 11:00 a.m.

UMC Softball: 2013 Season Preview

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota, Crookston softball team will open up its first season under new head coach Ed Deugan March 15 with a doubleheader against Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.

Deugan was hired to be the head coach in August. He has been a head coach at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C. from 2008-11, Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga., from 2001-04 and Westminster College in 2000. In addition, he has been an assistant at the NCAA Division I level at both Colgate University and Tennessee State University. Deugan will be assisted this season by UMC career strikeout leader Steph Thomas, who served as an assistant last season under Mitch Bakken and will continue to serve in that role in 2013.

The Golden Eagles’ schedule will open up with Cedarville, which will commence a barnstorming bus trip that will take UMC through 11 states in 10 days. After playing the Yellowjackets March 15, the Golden Eagles will head to Barbourville, Ky. March 17 for a doubleheader versus Union College. Their trek will continue to Brevard, N.C. March 18 to take on the Brevard College Tornados. March 19, UMC will head to Young Harris, Ga., to take on Young Harris College. The road trip will continue March 20 against Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, N.C. The final games of the spring break trip will take place in West Point, Ga. March 22 versus Point University.

The Golden Eagles’ NSIC slate will begin at home March 26 against Bemidji State University. UMC will also host Augustana College (April 6), Wayne State College (April 7), University of Minnesota Duluth (April 16), Northern State University (April 20), Minnesota State University, Mankato (April 21), Winona State University (April 27) and Upper Iowa University (April 28).

Coach Deugan inherited a very experienced lineup that includes the return of eight starters at the plate from the 2012 season. In the circle, the Golden Eagles return two pitchers who logged more than 87 innings a season ago.

Paige Schaust (Jr., OF/P, Delano, Minn.), an NSIC Player to Watch, is the leading returner at the plate as she hit .348 with 11 runs scored and 16 runs batted in a season ago. In addition, Courtney Bridge (So., SS, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) returns at the plate after hitting .319 including six doubles. Also returning are Stacey Marcum (Sr., P, Merrill, Wis.), Sara Wiedmaier (Sr., 1B, Marengo, Ill.), Shelby Hollinger (So., IF/OF, Neudorf, Saskatchewan), Sammy Berglin (Jr., Alexandria, Minn.), Josee Plante (So., Manitou, Manitoba) and Hilary Brown (Sr., OF, Mosinee, Wis.), all who started more than 25 games last year.

In the circle, Schaust and Marcum were UMC’s leading innings getters last year as Schaust went 3-8 with a 4.41 earned runs average in 87.1 innings pitched. Marcum, also an NSIC Player to Watch, was 5-19 with a 7.19 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched. Brooke Vatthauer (So., P/1B, Crookston, Minn.) also saw some time at pitcher. The Crookston-product posted a 1.47 ERA with one win in 14.1 innings pitched.

In addition to a plethora of returnees, the Golden Eagles will also get help from 10 newcomers as Allison Foley (3B/OF, Lockport, Ill.), Kendra Pahl (Fr., UT, Salinas, Calif.), Jessica Ramos (C/3B, El Paso, Texas), Ciara Rivera (IF/P, Rosemount, Minn.), Kaylin Beatty (Fr., UT, Andover, Minn.), Alexis Khoshaba (Fr., Richmond, British Columbia), Ashley Manusos (Jr., OF/IF, Spring Grove, Ill.), Cateline Fafard (Jr., P, Dauphin, Manitoba), Brooke Timmins (Fr., C/1B, Magnolia, Texas) and Jordan Novacek (Fr., UT, Fargo, N.D.) all join the fray.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

NDSU athletes earn POTW honors

North Dakota State's Maritza Lopez-Portillo and Whitney Johnson were named The Summit League's Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, sharing the honors with Fort Wayne's Brittany Kachur and Miranda Kramer, for their performances Feb. 25-March 3.

Lopez-Portillo earns her first career Player of the Week award after helping the Bison defeat No. 23/24 Georgia and hitting the game-winning homer against Indiana State. The San Diego, Calif., native went a perfect 2-for-2 with two doubles, a RBI and a run in the 8-0 win over Radford. She then helped her team shutout Georgia, NDSU's first regular-season win over a nationally-ranked opponent and third overall, adding a hit and a RBI.

In NDSU's weekend finale, the junior outfielder blasted the game-winning three-run homer in the fifth inning, giving the Bison a 4-2 win over Indiana State. On the week, Lopez-Portillo tallied a .571 batting average (4-for-7), 1.286 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage. She added five RBI, three extra-base hits, two doubles, a home run and two runs scored.

Johnson garners her second Pitcher of the Week honor this season and the eighth of her career after throwing a no-hitter and a one-hit shutout, including a win over No. 23/24 Georgia. The senior recorded her second career no-hitter with an 8-0 shutout over Radford. That same day, she posted her second-straight shutout and 17th career one-hitter in a 3-0 win over Georgia, marking NDSU's first regular-season win over a nationally-ranked team and third overall.

Johnson's two shutouts marked the 27th and 28th of her career. In her only loss of the weekend, the right-handed hurler fanned 14 batters vs. Indiana State. For the weekend, Johnson went 2-1 with 24 strike outs, while yielding six hits and four earned runs for a 1.53 ERA. She kept the opposing teams to a .100 batting average.

North Dakota State is scheduled to play five games at the Long Beach State Invitational from Friday, Mar. 8, to Sunday, Mar. 10.

NDSU’s Ernst Named Summit League Pitcher of the Week ELMHURST, Ill. - North Dakota State right-hander David Ernst was named Summit League baseball Pitcher of the Week by the league office Monday, March 4. Ernst, a sophomore from Fargo, N.D., pitched his first career complete game and shutout in a 5-0 win at Tennessee-Martin. He had a career-high four strikeouts and allowed three singles and two walks in seven innings. It was Ernst's first career Pitcher of the Week award and NDSU's third straight. John Straka was selected Feb. 18 and 25. South Dakota State third baseman Andrew Melton was named Player of the Week after the Jackrabbits won 2 of 3 at Mississippi Valley State. He hit .500 with two doubles, an RBI, three walks and four runs scored. North Dakota State (4-5) is scheduled to play eight games on its annual spring break trip to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational in the Winter Haven area March 9-18.

Lynx Acquire Former Gopher McCarville

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced that the team has acquired former University of Minnesota women’s basketball star center Janel McCarville, along with a 2014 second-round draft pick from the Tulsa Shock in a three-team trade. In the deal, Minnesota sends restricted free-agent guard Candice Wiggins to Tulsa in a sign-and-trade. Tulsa also receives forward Nicole Powell from the Liberty and New York’s 2013 third-round pick, while New York receives the rights to guard Deanna Nolan and Tulsa’s 2013 third-round pick.

“We are very excited to announce the acquisition of Janel McCarville,” said Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith. “McCarville is a veteran center with multiple years of playoff experience, making her an ideal fit for our roster. A former #1 overall draft pick, she will fit in seamlessly with our roster and make an immediate impact this summer. Her offensive efficiency and defensive presence will be invaluable for our team as we try to reach the Finals for a third consecutive season and win another championship.”

“I’m very excited to come back to Minnesota and join the Lynx,” said McCarville. “I can’t wait to team up with Lindsay again; it’s always fun playing alongside a point guard as talented as she is. When you add Seimone, Maya, Rebekkah and the rest of the team, it’s going to be a lot of fun this summer. I’m looking forward to doing whatever I can to help bring another championship to Minnesota.”

McCarville emerged with the Liberty in 2007, being named the 2007 WNBA Most Improved Player after averaging 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds on 54.6% shooting from the floor. She continued to thrive over the next three seasons with the Liberty, averaging 11.2 points on 51.1% shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in her four years with New York. Originally selected by the Charlotte Sting with the first overall pick in the 2005 WNBA Draft, McCarville was acquired by the New York Liberty with the third overall pick in the WNBA Dispersal Draft on Jan. 8, 2007. She last played in the WNBA during the 2010 season.

The 6-2 center has played overseas during the last three seasons, spending two seasons with Familia Schio in the Italian League before joining Canik Belediyesi in the Turkish Basketball League for the 2012-13 season. She averaged 11.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game on 52.6% shooting this winter.

“We’re looking forward to having Janel in a Lynx uniform this summer,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “She’s an excellent passing big, which is a perfect fit for our system and a great complement to the high quality three-point shooters that we have on our roster. Janel is a highly efficient post player that will fit right in with our current roster, giving us yet another option on offense.”

A native of Steven’s Point, Wisconsin, McCarville teamed up with Lindsay Whalen for three seasons (2002-04) at the University of Minnesota. In her four-year collegiate career, McCarville and the Gophers never missed the NCAA Tournament, including reaching the program’s first ever Final Four appearance in 2004. A two-time Wade Trophy Finalist (2004, 2005), an award given annually to the best women’s basketball player in the nation, McCarville finished her collegiate career with a number of school records, including field goal percentage (.582), blocks (196) and double-doubles (49). In addition, she currently ranks fifth in scoring (1,835), second in rebounding (1,206), seventh in assists (310) and third in steals (273).

As a junior, McCarville was a key member of Minnesota’s 2004 Final Four team, averaging 19.4 points, 15.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 57.4% shooting during the Gopher’s five-game tournament run. She was especially brilliant in the Elite Eight, as the seventh-seeded Gophers upset top-seeded Duke, scoring 20 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists in Minnesota’s 82-75 win. As a senior the next season, McCarville led Minnesota back to the Sweet Sixteen for just the third time in school history, averaging 13.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.3 blocks during tournament play.

With McCarville, the Lynx roster now consists of three former #1 overall draft picks (Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore) and seven former top four draft picks (Monica Wright, Devereaux Peters, Amber Harris, Lindsay Whalen).

Wiggins played in five seasons with the Lynx, averaging 10.4 points and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, shooting 36.4% from three-point range. As a rookie, Wiggins was named the 2008 Sixth Woman of the Year, averaging 15.7 points in 27.5 minutes per game off the bench, the league’s then-highest scoring average ever for a player off the bench.

“We appreciate everything Candice has done for our organization in her five seasons in Minnesota,” said Griffith. “She was a key member of our bench during our Finals runs over the past two seasons, and a big part of our 2011 championship team. Candice plays with tenacious energy, and in her five seasons, we always knew she was going to leave it all on the court. We wish her nothing but the best in her future.”

The 2012 Western Conference Champion Minnesota Lynx kick off the 15th season of professional women’s basketball in Minnesota at Target Center on June 1, facing off with the Connecticut Sun at 7 p.m. Full-season tickets for the entire 17-game home schedule are on sale now for as low as $187. Tickets are available by calling the Lynx front office at 612-673-8400 or by visiting www.lynxbasketball.com.