MN Lynx News

Minnesota Lynx Sign Darxia Morris 

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the signing of guard Darxia Morris. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Morris, 25, averaged 1.5 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in four games with the Los Angeles Sparks last season. Morris also played with Artego Bydgoszcz (Poland BLK) in the 2014-15 season, averaging 13.8 points and 1.2 assists in 25 games. Prior to signing with the Sparks, Morris averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 21 games with Azzurra Orvieto (Italy) in the 2013 season. In her undergraduate career at UCLA, the 5-8 guard averaged 12.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 33 games as a senior.

The first chance fans have to see the 2015 Lynx team is at the Target Center on Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m. when it faces the New York Liberty in preseason play. Tickets for the game are available by visiting lynxbasketball.com/lynxtix or by calling the Lynx at 612-673-8400.

The Lynx will tip off the 2015 regular season at home against Tulsa on Friday, June 5 at 7 p.m. Full-season and half-season memberships are available by visiting www.lynxbasketball.com/lynxtix or by calling 612-673-8400.

Lynx Acquire Rights of Asjha Jones from Connecticut

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has acquired exclusive negotiating rights to Asjha Jones from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Minnesota’s 2016 2^nd round draft pick. 

Jones, a 6-3 forward, has played 11 seasons in the WNBA, the last nine with Connecticut. She spent two years in Washington after being selected by the Mystics in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 2002 WNBA Draft, and was subsequently traded to the Sun on Mar. 25, 2004 in a three-team deal that also included Phoenix. Jones did not play during the 2013 WNBA season due to lingering injuries and missed the 2014 season after suffering a rupture of her left Achilles tendon.

A two-time WNBA All-Star (2007, 2009), Jones set a then-franchise single-season record for scoring average in 2008 (17.0 ppg) while grabbing 6.1 rpg and hitting a career-best 48.4% en route to being named to the All-WNBA Second Team. In 337 career games, Jones is averaging 11.4 ppg (45.1%), 5.0 rpg and 1.7 apg, while adding 9.6 ppg and 4.4 rpg in 39 postseason appearances.

Jones earned gold medals with Team USA at both the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also named MVP of the FIBA EuroLeague Final Eight in 2012 while playing for Spanish club Rivas Ecópolis. Most recently, Jones finished the 2014-15 winter campaign with Elitzur Ramla (Israel), where she tallied 12.1 ppg (47.4%), 5.3 rpg and 2.2 apg in 18 games. She has also played professionally in Russia, Italy, China, Turkey and Slovakia.

The Lynx will kick off their 2015 season at home against Tulsa on Friday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. Full-season and half-season memberships are available by visiting www.lynxbasketball.com/lynxtix or by calling 612-673-8400.

UMC Men’s Basketball to Host Camps in Early June

CROOKSTON, Minn.-  The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball program will host day camps from June 1-4 and June 8-11 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The camps will help to develop skills through drill work, contests and games, while each camper will receive a t-shirt ant camp ball and will get instruction from members of the UMC men’s and women’s coaching staffs.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to work with the youth in our community,” said UMC Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Weisse. “We are looking forward to having a first rate, top notch camp. We will give our campers the opportunity to meet new friends, learn the game of basketball, and have a lot of fun doing it. I will be at camp every day, as well as my assistants, Kamille Wahlin will be working with us, as well as a player or two. We are excited to get started.

The first camp will run from June 1-4 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. and will be for boys and girls ages 6-11. The second camp will run June 8-11 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. for boys and girls ages 12-14. The last day of both camps will culminate with a pizza party for the campers.

The camp will cost $40 per camper. Those interested in participating can send the registration form and payment to UMC Basketball - 142 Sports Center - 2900 University Ave. - Crookston, MN 56716. If you have any questions contact UMC Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Bryan Beamish at 218-281-8431 or bbeamish@umn.edu.

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

AP HS Baseball rankings

The Associated Press poll for Minnesota baseball, provided by Let's Play Baseball newspaper.

Class AAA – May 7, 2015

1. MOUNDS VIEW

2. Chaska

3. Lakeville North

4. Maple Grove

5. Cretin-Derham Hall

6. Chanhassen

7. Mahtomedi

8. Eden Prairie

9. St. Michael-Albertville

10. Anoka

11. Minnetonka

12. Totino-Grace

13. Wayzata

14. St. Francis

15. Bloomington Jefferson

16. Northfield

17. Hutchinson

18. Bemidji

19. Stillwater Area

20. Sauk Rapids-Rice

Also receiving votes: Brainerd, North St. Paul, Waconia, Mankato West, East Ridge, Rogers, Shakopee, Champlin Park, Eastview, Apple Valley, Coon Rapids, Rochester John Marshall, Chisago Lakes, Red Wing, Alexandria, Monticello, Edina

Class AA – May 7, 2015

1. ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL

2. Rochester Lourdes

3. Fairmont

4. Minnehaha Academy

5. Marshall

6. Delano

7. Albany

8. Glencoe/Silver Lake

9. Holy Angels

10. Perham

11. Holy Family Catholic

12. Blake

13. Rocori

14. Little Falls

15. Kasson-Mantorville

16. Aitkin

17. Winona Cotter

18. Minnewaska Area

19. Byron

20. DeLaSalle

Also receiving votes: New Ulm, Maple Lake, Detroit Lakes, Hawley, Albert Lea, La Crescent, Proctor, Providence Academy, Duluth Marshall, Belle Plaine, Pequot Lakes, Ottertail Central, Cannon Falls, Litchfield, St. Croix Lutheran, Esko, St. Charles

Class A – May 7, 2015

1. NEW LIFE ACADEMY

2. BOLD

3. Windom Area

4. Springfield

5. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s

6. Hayfield

7. New Ulm Cathedral

8. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton

9. Chatfield

10. Medford

11. Ely

12. Mankato Loyola

13. Lac qui Parle Valley

14. Upsala/Swanville Area

15. ML-GHEC-Truman

16. Lewiston-Altura

17. Heritage Christian

18. Kenyon-Wanamingo

19. Nevis

20. Blackduck

Also receiving votes: New York Mills, South Ridge, Mesabi East, Wabasha/Kellogg, Randolph, Browerville, Bertha-Hewitt-Verndale, Southland, Norman County, Minneota, Badger-Greenbush-Middle River

R&J Broadcasting Twins Fun Bus Trip

R&J Broadcasting, Inc. is having a Fun Bus Trip to Target Field to see the Minnesota Twins vs the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, June 20^th. The Game begins at 1:10pm. The first bus pick up will be at Ultima Bank parking lot in Fosston, leaving at 6am. The second bus pick up will be in front of the KRJM studio in Mahnomen, leaving at approximately 6:45am. The bus will return to the same locations after the game.

Subway in Fosston will provide the lunch on the bus and passengers are welcome to bring their own snacks and beverages too.

The cost for the Fun Bus Trip is $48, which includes the ticket to the game, lunch on the bus, and bus transportation to Target Field.  Sign up today by calling KKCQ Radio in Fosston at (218) 435-1919 or toll free (855) 436-5572. Make checks payable to KKCQ.

Registration Now Open For U of M “Boys Of Fall Elite Camp” In August

The University of Minnesota football program is hosting its second annual Boys of Fall Elite Camp in August. The three-day event will run from Aug. 7-9, 2015, and will coincide with the Gophers' pre-season training camp.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 7 and the camp will end at 2 p.m. on Aug. 9. In addition to getting to know the team and staff on a personal level, attendees will also have unfiltered access to the day-to-day operations of Minnesota’s program.

Campers will receive an in-depth look at Coach Kill's offensive, defensive and special team's philosophy and will be able to attend all team, position and special teams meetings with student-athletes and coaches. Attendees will also attend practice each day and will partake in the team's training table. Each person who attends will also receive gifts, athletic gear and will be eligible for raffle prizes.

The camp, which will be limited to 25 total participants, costs $2,000 to attend. Registration is now open on CoachKillFBCamps.com.

Boys of Fall Elite CampStart Date: 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 7, 2015
End Date: 2 p.m. on Aug. 9, 2015
Cost: $2,000 ($500 non-refundable deposit due at registration)
Total Participants: 25

MN Lynx Announce 2015 FOX Sports North Telecast Schedule

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced its local televised schedule for the upcoming 2015 WNBA season. This season FOX Sports North will televise nine Lynx games locally. 

Six of the nine telecasts will feature Target Center dates, beginning with the Thursday, June 11 game against Seattle. 

Included in the six home games, FOX Sports North will broadcast Minnesota’s game against Phoenix on Saturday, June 27 for a rematch of the 2014 Western Conference Finals. FOX Sports North will also broadcast the July 12 game against San Antonio. 

This season marks the fifth consecutive season that Marney Gellner will serve as the television play-by-play announcer and the seventh year Lea B. Olsen will serve as the Lynx television color analyst for FOX Sports North.

FOX Sports North is in its 17^th year of telecasting Lynx games. In addition to the nine games on local television, the Lynx will also be featured on ESPN2 for three games this season. Full-season memberships, which include tickets to all 17 home games and priority playoff seating, are still available by visiting www.lynxbasketball.com/lynxtix or by calling 612-673-8400.

Redhawks Laber Announces Retirement from Baseball

FARGO, N.D. – The man with the most pitching victories in Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks history is hanging up his spikes, Fargo native Jake Laber has announced his retirement from professional baseball.

Laber, 28, ends his RedHawks career with a 46-36 record with a 4.00 ERA in 112 games (102 starts). In addition to topping the RedHawks career victory list, he is also the franchise leader in games started, innings pitched (648.1) and strikeouts (407).

Laber set the wins record on the final game of the 2014 season, when he pitched 8.0 innings of shutout baseball against the Sioux Falls Canaries at Newman Outdoor Field. The Labor Day game, dubbed “Laber Day,” capped a career that saw him top the ten win mark three times in five full seasons with Fargo-Moorhead.

Laber first joined the RedHawks in 2008 after finishing his college career at North Dakota State University. After seven game, he was traded to the River City Rascals of the Frontier League, where he finished the season and pitched a full year in 2009. He was reacquired in an off-season trade in 2010 and became one of the top starter in the Northern League. Laber was 11-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 21 games (19 starts) as he helped lead Fargo-Moorhead to the second of back-to-back championships.

“We are very thankful for the five-plus quality seasons Jake gave us both as a pitcher and as a person,” said RedHawks Manager Doug Simunic. “Jake became a front-line pitcher not only due to talent but to his relentless work ethic. He was an ironman for us who took the ball every fifth day and gave everything he had. He was and is a great example for young players looking to make their way in the game.”

Minnesota Lynx Re-Sign Maya Moore

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has re-signed forward Maya Moore to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Moore, a four-year veteran originally selected by the Lynx with the 1^st overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, started all 34 contests for Minnesota last season, running her consecutive-games-played streak to 136. Moore averaged a career-high and franchise-record 23.9 points per game, including a career-best 8.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists while playing 34.7 minutes per game.

"We are thrilled that Maya will continue her career with the Minnesota Lynx," said Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith. "Maya has proven herself to be one of the best players in the WNBA after earning last season’s WNBA MVP honor and helping our franchise win two championships in her young career. Her continued success and leadership will be great for our franchise moving forward."

During her four years with the Lynx, Minnesota made three consecutive WNBA Finals appearances, earning two WNBA Championships (2011 and 2013) and four straight Western Conference Finals. Since Moore was drafted in 2011, the Lynx have collected 25+ wins for four consecutive years, becoming the first team in WNBA history to do so. The 105 victories in that span ties Los Angeles (2000-2003) for the league's most ever in a four-year span.

“I'm so excited to continue to compete for championships with the Lynx organization,” said Moore. “It’s been a privilege to work with some of the best teammates, coaches, staff, and ownership these past four years and I'm looking forward to many more."

Named the 2014 WNBA MVP, Moore opened the 2014 season by scoring 135 points over her first four outings, marking the most prolific four-game scoring stretch in WNBA history. She played in all 34 games and paced the league in scoring (23.9 ppg) with the third-highest average in WNBA history and went on to finish the regular season with a league-record 12 games of 30-plus points, topping the previous mark of 10 set by Diana Taurasi in 2008.

The 2011 Rookie of the Year has appeared in 136 career games (all starts) with the Lynx, averaging 18.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. She's appeared in 29 games during the playoffs over the last four seasons, averaging 17.4 points in 32.0 minutes per contest.

MAYA MOORE NOTABLE AWARDS

• 2014 WNBA MVP
• 2011, 2013 WNBA Champion
• 2013 WNBA Finals MVP
• 2013, 2014 First Team All-WNBA
• 2011, 2013, 2014 WNBA All-Star
• 2014 FIBA World Championship MVP
• 2014 FIBA World Championship Gold Medal
• 2012 Olympic Gold Medal
• 2011 WNBA Rookie of the Year
• #1 Overall Pick 2011 WNBA Draft

The Lynx will kick off their 17th season in the WNBA at home on Friday, June 5 against the Tulsa Shock at 7 p.m. A limited number of lower level full-season memberships are also currently available by visiting Lynxbasketball.com or by calling 612-673-8400.

Gophers Add Ahmad Gilbert to Signing Class

Head coach Richard Pitino announced Tuesday the signing of Ahmad Gilbert (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution HS), with the 6’6”, 190-pound wing set to join the Minnesota men’s basketball team this summer.

“We are very excited about the addition of Ahmad Gilbert,” said Pitino. “We set out to add some size on the perimeter and Ahmad brings that. He has the ability to guard multiple positions as well as shoot the 3.”

Gilbert, named an All-Southeastern Pennsylvania first team selection by the Philadelphia Inquirer, helped lead the Generals earlier this year to their third state championship in his four-year career. This season, Gilbert averaged 17.6 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game. Gilbert also picked up Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class A Player of the Year honors in 2014 and 2015.

“Ahmad has won everywhere he has been; his future is very bright,” added Pitino.

Gilbert becomes the sixth member of the 2015 recruiting class, joining fellow rising freshmen Kevin Dorsey, Jarvis Johnson, Dupree McBrayer and Jonathan Nwanwko along with Illinois State transfer Reggie Lync

UMC's McClure Named All-NSIC Second Team

BURNSVILLE, Minn.-  The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) announced that Matt McClure (Sr., Grand Rapids, Minn./Natural Resources) was named 2014-15 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Men’s Golf All-Conference Second Team. McClure earned three All-NSIC honors during his career as he was an All-NSIC First Team selection as a junior and an All-NSIC Second Team pick as a freshman.

McClure led the team with a 76.8 scoring average, which was five-over-par for the season. He notched two top 10 finishes on the season, including placing second at the UMC/Minot State Aliante Invite. McClure placed seventh at the UNK Fall Invite in September. McClure finished tied for 17th at the NSIC/US Bank Men’s Golf Championship. McClure’s low round of the season was 70.

Ross Miller of Minnesota State University, Mankato was named the NSIC Men’s Golfer of the Year after leading the conference with a 73.1 average. Minnesota State coach Bryant Black earned NSIC Men’s Coach of the Year in his first season leading the Mavericks.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website 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 a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
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First Team     Yr.     School     Hometown     High School
Tyler Jensvold     Sr.     Augustana     Granite Falls, Minn.     Yellow Medicine
Andrew Benson     Sr.     Bemidji State     Eden Prairie, Minn.     Minnetonka
Ross Miller     Sr.     Minnesota State     Maple Grove, Minn.       Osseo
Kowan O’Keefe     Sr..     Minot State     Creston, B.C.            Salmon Arm Secondary
Tyler Koivisto     Sr.     St. Cloud State     Cokato, Minn.     Dassel-Cokato
Mitch Holm     Jr.     Winona State     Prior Lake, Minn.     Prior Lake
               

Second Team     Yr.     School     Hometown     High School
Parker Klitzke     Fr.     Augustana     Sioux Falls, S.D.     Lincoln
Adam Petterson      Sr.      Concordia-St. Paul     Lakeville, Minn.     Lakeville North
Matt McClure     Sr.     Minnesota Crookston     Grand Rapids, Minn.     Grand Rapids
Gonzalo Martinez     Fr.     Minnesota State     Mexico City, Mexico     International Academy (Va.)
Kelton Schmitz     Fr.     Minnesota State     New Ulm, Minn.     New Ulm
Jon Lindquist     Fr.     Winona State     Bloomington, Minn.     Thomas Jefferson