Timberwolves to Host Draft Party

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Timberwolves will host a draft party for fans to celebrate and watch the NBA draft coverage on Thursday, June 23. The event is being sponsored by DraftKings and Bud Light.

 

In addition to watching the live draft coverage on the arena scoreboard, the evening will include a scheduled appearance from Scott Layden, General Manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and a Q&A session with Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen. There will also be special appearances and photo opportunities with Crunch, Timberwolves Dancers and Action Pack, and a garage sale of team items benefiting the Timberwolves Community Fund.

 

Season ticket members will have access to a free throw shooting contest to support the Timberwolves Community Fund, with each successful free throw earning an entry to win an autographed Karl-Anthony Towns jersey. Members will also enjoy an EA Sports gaming station with all the latest EA Sports’ games, a photo booth and a silent auction benefiting the Timberwolves Fastbreak Foundation.

 

Members will have access to the arena floor with food and beverage provided. The general public will be in the lower bowl where concessions will be available. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. in the box office lobby and draft coverage will begin at 6 p.m., with the first pick taking place around 6:30 p.m. Tickets are free and fans can RSVP at timberwolves.com/draftparty.

NDSU MBB to Play at Preseason Top-10 Xavier

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State men’s basketball team will play a non-conference game at Xavier University on Nov. 30 this season, it was announced Thursday.

The Musketeers are expected to be ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams in the preseason polls. Xavier finished 28-6 overall last season with a No. 9 final ranking in the Associated Press poll.

The 2016-17 season will be the fifth consecutive year that the Bison will take on a preseason top 10 team. NDSU played at Indiana in 2012, at Ohio State in 2013, at Texas in 2014 and at Iowa State in 2015.

The Bison have recorded four consecutive 20-win seasons and four straight appearances in the championship game of the Summit League Tournament. With 93 victories over the past four seasons, NDSU will carry the most successful stretch in program history into the new Sanford Health Athletic Complex and Scheels Center on campus.

MSHSL boys’ and girls’ golf tournaments Info

The boys’ and girls’ golf programs of the Minnesota State High School League’s member schools gather for their state tournaments on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15. The Class 3A tournament is held at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids and the Class 2A tournament is played at the Ridges of Sand Creek in Jordan. The Class A tournament is at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. Here is a look at the tournament:

The schedule

·     Girls begin play at 7:30 a.m. at each site on Day 1

·     Boys begin play at noon at each site on Day 1

·     Pairings and tee-times for Day 2 to be determined following first-round play.


What to watch

·         Detroit Lakes senior Kate Smith is expected to attract large galleries throughout the two-day event. She is attempting to become Minnesota’s first-ever five-time individual champion. She tees off on No. 1 at Ridges of Sand Creek at 8:15 a.m., on Tuesday. Minnehaha Academy’s Katie Detlefsen won four individual Class 2A crowns from 2004-07.

·     Heritage Christian Academy junior Kiera Smith is the defending Class A champion.

·     New Prague senior Taylor Ledwein is the defending champion in Class 3A.

·     Did you know? A New Prague golfer has won the girls’ Class 3A championship the past three seasons?

 -    Red Wing, the Class 2A girls’ champion in 2015, is in the Class 3A field this season where Edina is the defending champion.

·     A school from the Lake Conference has won the past three Class 3A boys’ team titles. Eden Prairie won in 2013, followed by Edina in 2014 and Wayzata last season. Wayzata didn’t qualify for a title defense this spring. Minnetonka and Edina are playing in the team competition this season.

·     Lakeville South senior Trey Sheehan is the highest-placing returning player from last season’s Class 3A tournament. He finished in a tie for fifth.

·     Reece Sanders, a junior at The Blake School, returns to defend his Class 2A championship. In 2015, he recorded a four-stroke victory over Providence Academy’s Paul Stankey, who will tee off in the last group on Day 1.

·     United South Central (Wells) senior Ryan Pederson, and Mounds Park Academy sophomore Brock Bliese could duel again for the Class A championship. They shared the Class A crown last season, both shooting a 146. Bliese had the title all to himself in 2014.

·     Mounds Park Academy, the defending Class A boys’ champion, has four scoring players back from last season.

2016 Pine to Prairie Baseball All-Conference Team

Drew Larsen, Fertile-Beltrami, 9

Dalton Agnes, Fosston,11

Hunter Kroening, Fosston, 10

Jesse Sather, Fosston, 11                               

Mitchell Hall, Lake Park – Audubon, 11

Michael Vohnoutka, Lake Park – Audubon, 11

Justin Bellefeuille, Mahnomen-Waubun, 12

Kody Lefebvre, Mahnomen-Waubun , 12

Brian Schoenborn, Mahnomen-Waubun, 11

Zepher Resnick, NCE-UH, 12

Jonah Sather, NCE-UH, 12   

Lucas Lindell, Norman County, 12

Michael Kolness, Norman County, 12

Dustin Olson, Norman County, 12

Austin Robb, Norman County, 12

Alec Kiecker, Win-E-Mac, 11

                                   

Honorable Mention

Wyatt Larson, Bagley, 12

Ty Rolfson, Bagley, 11

Benjamin Thoma, Bagley, 11

Isaac Habedank, NCE-UH, 10

Dustin Beliles, Norman County, 11

Brady Steffes, Fertile-Beltrami, 12

Brock Hemmesch, Fosston, 11

Brett Sundquist, Fosston, 10

Lane Ulmer, Lake Park- Audubon, 12

Jayden Heisler , Mahnomen-Waubun, 9

Peyton Syverson, Mahnomen-Waubun, 11

Hunter Chaput , Win-E-Mac, 11

                                                             

Most Valuable Player Kody Lefebvre, Mahnomen-Waubun

 Coach of the Year Craig Peterson, Norman County

2016 Pine to Prairie Girls Softball All-Conference Team

Tanya Bring, East Polk, 11

Anne Weik, East Polk, 12

Shelby Duckstad, Fertile-Beltrami, 12

Shelby Dunbar, Fertile-Beltrami,   9

Kailee Lefebvre, LP-A, 9

Sydney Bly, Mahnomen-Waubun, 8

Caitlin McArthur, Mahnomen-Waubun, 12

Makena Spaeth, Mahnomen-Waubun , 9

Elizabeth Birkemeyer , Norman County, 11

Gracie Johnson, Norman County, 12

Lexi Nelson, Norman County ,12

Jessica Gall, NCE-UH, 12

Laurel Hoseth , NCE-UH, 12

Alayna Klemetson, NCE-UH, 12

Lydia Klemetson, NCE-UH, 12

Megan Berberich, RLCC, 11

                                                                                   

Honorable Mention

Dana Dufault, Fertile-Beltrami, 11

Danielle Dufault, Fertile-Beltrami, 11

Paige Hovelson, LP-A, 12

Sierra Omvig, LP-A, 12

Carli Raaen, LP-A,12              

Brooke Miller, NCE-UH, 11

Regan Opsahl, NCE-UH, 11

Kaitlyn Haugen, Mahnomen-Waubun, 12

Vanessa Spry, Mahnomen-Waubun, 11

Veronica Spry , Mahnomen-Waubun, 11

Zoe Johnson, Norman County, 10

Maddie Smart, Norman County, 9

Taylor Bushelle, RLCC, 11

Brandi Jensen, RLCC, 12

                       

Most Valuable Player Jessica Gall, NCE-UH

Coach of the Year  Steve Radniecki, NCE-UH

UMC Promotes Krouse to Head Athletic Trainer

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston officially announced the promotion of Steven Krouse to head athletic trainer. Krouse spent the last two years as an assistant athletic trainer for the Golden Eagles. Krouse will continue to be the primary trainer for women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball teams, while overseeing the entire operation of UMC’s athletic training office.

“We are excited to be able to promote Steven to the position of head athletic trainer,” said Athletic Director Stephanie Helgeson. “During the last two years, I have been impressed with the work ethic and passion that Steven has displayed in his position. We are excited to be able to keep someone of his ability and expertise as a part of the Golden Eagle family.”

“I am thrilled to be moving into the head athletic trainer role here at the University of Minnesota Crookston,” Krouse said. “Becoming a head athletic trainer at a College or University has always been a career goal of mine and I am very grateful to Stephanie for trusting me with this great opportunity.”

Krouse has also served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Golden Eagles for women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball. He has been an important part of UMC’s efforts to streamline their strength and conditioning and athletic training efforts. By doing this the department can help to prevent injury and can help injured athletes recover more easily.

In addition to his roles in athletic training and strength and conditioning, Krouse also teaches Kinesiology and Exercise Prescription in the Exercise Science department.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Megan Rinke will continue to work with the volleyball and baseball teams. She will also continue to administer the strength and conditioning programs for those programs, as well. The Golden Eagles will look to hire another assistant athletic trainer who will serve as the head athletic trainer for football and men’s basketball.

Krouse came to UMC from the College of St. Scholastica, where he earned a Master of Science in Athletic Training in 2014. During his time at St. Scholastica, Krouse worked as an athletic trainer for the University of Minnesota Duluth women’s basketball team, as - well as the football and track and field teams at St. Scholastica and the football and volleyball teams at Northwestern High School in Maple, Wis. As a student at Saint Olaf College, Krouse assisted the athletic training staff with the track and field and baseball teams.

In addition to his collegiate experience, Krouse has served as the lead trainer for the J. Robinson Intensive Basketball Camp. In addition, he worked as an intern at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. during the summer of 2013. During this time he provided medical coverage for male and female athletes competing in the sports of soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, basketball, gymnastics, track and field, football, tennis, wrestling and volleyball. He has also provided medical coverage at the Drew Brees Passing Academy, the Wounded Warriors Softball Camp and the Special Olympics. He has also volunteered at the Minnesota State High School Cross Country Championship and Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn.

Krouse graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science in 2011 from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. The Highlands Ranch, Colo. native, was a member of the track and field and cross country teams at Saint Olaf. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainer Association-Board of Certification. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

In his free time, Krouse has become an avid marathon runner, just completing his fourth marathon. Krouse resides in Crookston, Minn. He takes over for Liam Higginson, who is now working as an athletic trainer in an industrial setting in West Virginia.