UND Men’s Hockey 2017-18 schedule

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota men’s hockey coach Brad Berry unveiled the program’s 2017-18 schedule on Wednesday.

The 36-game regular season slate features four non-conference series against former Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) rivals: road matchups at Alaska Anchorage (Oct. 6-7) and Wisconsin (Nov. 3-4), a home series against Minnesota (Oct. 20-21), and a home-and-home set with Bemidji State (Jan. 12-13).

The Minnesota series will mark the Golden Gophers’ first visit to Grand Forks since Jan. 2012, when both were still members of the WCHA.

North Dakota’s other non-conference dates also include home series against St. Lawrence (Oct. 13-14) and Union (Nov. 24-25). It will be Union’s first-ever visit to Grand Forks.

The Fighting Hawks will open National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) play at Colorado College on Oct. 27-28 and will host its first NCHC series Nov. 10-11 against Miami.

Host sites for the 2018 NCAA Regionals will be announced by the NCAA on April 18. The Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., will host the 2018 NCAA Frozen Four.

UND went 21-16-3 overall in 2016-17 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th straight season, the second-longest streak in NCAA Division I men’s hockey history behind only Michigan’s 22 from 1991 to 2012.

2017-18 UND Men’s Hockey Schedule:

Date            Opponent                                   Time (CT)

Sept. 30       Manitoba (exh)                             7:07 pm

Oct. 6           at Alaska Anchorage                                TBA

Oct. 7           at Alaska Anchorage                                TBA

Oct. 13        St. Lawrence                                 7:37 pm

Oct. 14        St. Lawrence                                 7:07 pm

Oct. 20        Minnesota                                     7:37 pm

Oct. 21        Minnesota                                     7:07 pm

Oct. 27          at Colorado College*                                 TBA

Oct. 28          at Colorado College*                                 TBA

Nov. 3           at Wisconsin                                           TBA

Nov. 4           at Wisconsin                                           TBA

Nov. 10       Miami*                                          7:37 pm

Nov. 11       Miami*                                          7:07 pm

Nov. 17         at Denver*                                              TBA

Nov. 18         at Denver*                                              TBA

Nov. 24       Union                                             7:37 pm

Nov. 25       Union                                             7:07 pm

Dec. 1          Western Michigan*                       7:37 pm

Dec. 2          Western Michigan*                       7:07 pm

Dec. 8           at St. Cloud State*                                   TBA

Dec. 9           at St. Cloud State*                                   TBA

Dec. 30        U.S. Under-18 Team (exh)           7:07 pm

Jan. 5          Omaha*                                        7:37 pm

Jan. 6          Omaha*                                        7:07 pm

Jan. 12          at Bemidji State                                       TBA

Jan. 13        Bemidji State                                7:07 pm

Jan. 19          at Minnesota Duluth*                               TBA

Jan. 20          at Minnesota Duluth*                               TBA

Jan. 26        Denver*                                        7:37 pm

Jan. 27        Denver*                                        7:07 pm

Feb. 9          Colorado College*                        7:37 pm

Feb. 10        Colorado College*                        7:07 pm

Feb. 16         at Omaha*                                              TBA

Feb. 17         at Omaha*                                              TBA

Feb. 23         at Miami*                                                TBA

Feb. 24         at Miami*                                                TBA

Mar. 2          St. Cloud State*                            7:37 pm

Mar. 3          St. Cloud State*                            7:07 pm

Mar. 9-11      NCHC Quarterfinals (TBD)                       TBD

Mar. 16-17    NCHC Frozen Faceoff (Minneapolis)          TBD

Mar. 23-25    NCAA Regionals (TBD)                            TBD

Apr. 5-7        NCAA Frozen Faceoff (St. Paul)                TBD

* - indicates NCHC game

Home games in bold; all times Central

Schedule subject to change

Timberwolves New Logo for 2017-18 Season Unveiled

Minneapolis-St. Paul – The Timberwolves unveiled a new team logo tonight at halftime of their final home game of the season against Oklahoma City. The new logo will be implemented beginning with the 2017-18 season. The unveil is the latest in a series of announcements that demonstrate the new era of Timberwolves basketball and the new direction the franchise is taking. The logo can be downloaded by visiting http://timberwolvesmediacenter.com.
 
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this new era of Timberwolves basketball than with the unveiling of our new logo, in front of our dedicated fans, on Fan Appreciation Night,” said Timberwolves CEO Ethan Casson. “This new logo embodies the emerging culture of our franchise, a solid mark that grounds us in our heritage while adding bold new hues that light an exciting path forward. This mark will bind our fans as a pack and together we will focus on growing and building something special at this turning point in Timberwolves history.”
 
The logo was created over the past 12 months as part of a collaborative effort between the Timberwolves ownership, team executives, the NBA and Mississippi-based design expert Rodney Richardson of RARE Design, whose resume includes recent identity designs for NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and various brands across the world of sports and entertainment.
 
“It was an honor to work with the Timberwolves on creating this new identity and I’m glad to finally share a piece of our work with the public,” said Richardson. “I learned so much about this great state through the process and my team worked hard to create a logo that Minnesotans could be proud of, one that reflects the hard working, progressive and innovative people of this state.”
 
The new logo is an evolution of past logos and incorporates elements of civic pride, the team and the wolf totem. The color palette keeps the heritage of using blues and greens, but has a fresh take on those hues. The colors include midnight blue, aurora green, lake blue, moonlight grey and frost white.
 
“From the motion and vibrant hues of the Northern Lights, to the depths and reflections of a midnight forest, to the rich contrasts of this great frozen city of the north, the palette is the perfect representation of modern sport colors inspired by the story of Minnesota’s landscape,” said Richardson. “It’s color with a sense of place.”
 
The logo includes a wolf head shown howling, the act of which is the glue that keeps wolf packs together. A wolf howl is used to warn outsiders to stay away, to communicate with the pack, or as a rally cry to reinforce bonds with family. The logo also includes a North Star, representing the Minnesota North and following true north as a team. A full explanation of the elements of the logo can be viewed at www.timberwolves.com/newera.
 
The logo unveil is the first in a series of announcements surrounding the new identity. New uniforms and a new court design will be unveiled later this summer. The Timberwolves will also be making appearances throughout the summer to celebrate the rebrand.
 
With new leadership on the court and in the boardroom, the franchise is poised for more significant changes in the coming months. Target Center’s renovation project, complete with new premium spaces, seating and concourse improvements, will hit the finish line in time for the beginning of the 2017-18 season. The team’s limited partnership group now includes the first Chinese minority owner in major professional sports, Lizhang (John) Jiang, in addition to New York real estate mogul Meyer Orbach. The franchise will also enter its first season with its new NBA G-League team in Des Moines.

ND High School Softball Poll

North Dakota Softball All Stars, in conjunction with the North Dakota High School softball coaches, will be producing a weekly top 10 coaches' poll for both classes in 2017. Polls will be released in the 7:00 p.m. hour each Monday during the regular season. The week one polls are as follows:

Class A North Dakota Softball All Stars Coaches' Poll:
1. West Fargo
2. Dickinson
3. Minot
4. West Fargo Sheyenne
5. Bismarck Century
6. Bismarck Legacy
7. Bismarck High
8. Valley City
9. Fargo North
10. Jamestown
Others receiving votes: Fargo Davies, Grand Forks Red River, Bishop Ryan

Class B North Dakota Softball All Stars Coaches' Poll:
1. Central Cass
2. Kindred-Richland
3. Thompson
4. Hillsboro-Central Valley
5. Stanley
6. Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark
7. Northern Cass
8. Watford City
9. Grafton
10. Wilton-Wing
Others receiving votes: Enderlin, Kenmare-Bowbells-MLS, May-Port-C-G, Hankinson-Tri State-Lidgerwood

North Dakota Softball All Stars is not affiliated with the NDHSAA or the NDHSCA.

NDSU Adds 2022 Football Game at Arizona

FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State University and the University of Arizona have signed a one-game contract to play in the 2022 football season.

The Bison and Wildcats will play Saturday, Sept. 17, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson.  It will be NDSU’s first game with Arizona and the second of three against Pac-12 opponents.

NDSU has road games scheduled with the Oregon Ducks on Sept. 5, 2020, and the Colorado Buffaloes on Aug. 31, 2024.

Arizona has been to bowl games seven of the last nine years.  The Wildcats have not played a team from the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

NDSU has a 9-3 record against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision.  The Bison have won their last six straight FBS games including last year's 23-21 victory over the 11th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.

Final national college hockey polls

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota was ranked No. 9 in the final editions of the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls. USCHO announced its final rankings earlier today while USA Today issued its final poll on March 27.

The Fighting Hawks went 21-16-3 overall in 2016-17 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 15th year in a row, extending the second-longest streak in the history of NCAA Division I men’s hockey. Only Michigan, which qualified for 22 straight years from 1991 to 2012, boasts a longer streak.

North Dakota faces the loss of five players from the 2016-17 roster, including senior defenseman and captain Gage Ausmus and senior goaltender Matt Hrynkiw. Additionally, All-America defenseman Tucker Poolman (Winnipeg Jets) and forwards Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks) and Tyson Jost (Colorado Avalanche) each opted to forgo their remaining collegiate eligibility in order to sign NHL contracts.

Recently-crowned NCAA champion Denver topped both national polls, with national runner-up Minnesota Duluth ranked second and national semifinalist Harvard ranked third in both.

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll (April 10)

Rk.      School (1st-place votes)         Record           Pts.         PR

1.         Denver (50)                                      33-7-4          1000            1

2.         Minnesota Duluth                            28-7-7            950            3

3.         Harvard                                            28-6-2            900            2

4.         Massachusetts-Lowell                  27-11-3            823            4

5.         Notre Dame                                   23-12-5            758          12

6.         Boston University                         24-12-3            749            6

7.         Minnesota                                      23-12-3            692            5

8.         Penn State                                      25-12-2            610          11

9.         North Dakota                           21-16-3           562         10

10.       Western Michigan                         22-13-5            528            8

11.       Union                                             25-10-3            507            7

12.       Air Force                                        27-10-5            474          15

13.       Cornell                                             21-9-5            443            9

14.       Ohio State                                      21-12-6            369          14

15.       Providence                                     22-12-5            357          13

16.       Boston College                             21-15-4            238          16

17.       Wisconsin                                      20-15-1            157          17

18.       Vermont                                         20-13-5            137          18

19.       Michigan Tech                                23-15-7            131          19

20.       Quinnipiac                                      23-15-2              48          20

           

Others receiving votes: Omaha 18, St. Lawrence 11, Robert Morris 10, St. Cloud State 7, Northeastern 6, Canisius 5, Minnesota State 4, Bemidji State 3, Clarkson 2, Bowling Green 1.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll (March 27)

Rk.      School (1st-place votes)         Record           Pts.         PR

1.         Denver (34)                                      33-7-4            510            1

2.         Minnesota Duluth                            28-7-7            476            3

3.         Harvard                                            28-6-2            442            2

4.         Notre Dame                                   23-12-5            387            4

5.         Massachusetts-Lowell                  24-11-3            383            5

6.         Boston University                         24-12-3            333            6

7.         Minnesota                                      23-12-3            307            7

8.         Penn State                                      25-12-2            240            8

9.         North Dakota                           21-16-3           218            9

10.       Union                                             25-10-3            177          11

11.       Air Force                                        27-10-5            170          10

12.       Western Michigan                         22-13-5            161          12

13.       Cornell                                             21-9-5            112          13

14.       Ohio State                                      21-12-6              84          14

15.       Providence                                     22-12-5              77          15

Others receiving votes: St. Lawrence 2, Boston College 1.

MN Lynx Foundation & Lynx FastBreak Foundation Accepting Applications for Monthly Grants

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx Foundation and Lynx FastBreak Foundation today announced that it will be accepting applications from non-profit organizations for grants for the upcoming 2017 WNBA season. All grant applications must be postmarked by Monday, May 1. Visit http://lynx.wnba.com/lynx-in-the-community/minnesota-lynx-foundation/to download an application. Grant recipients will be selected by the end of May 2017. The winners will be honored throughout the 2017 Minnesota Lynx season.

During the 2017 Minnesota Lynx season, the Lynx Foundation and Lynx Fastbreak Foundation look to support the Minnesota community in a variety of ways. The Lynx will feature events and grants to organizations that best fulfill the missions for either the Minnesota Lynx Foundation or Lynx FastBreak Foundation.

Throughout the season, the Minnesota Lynx will give $36,000 spread between eight separate grants to organizations which focus on a specific area of charity. Four of the eight grants, totaling $20,000, will be given from the Minnesota Lynx Foundation to fund breast cancer research and support programs throughout the state of Minnesota. The remaining four grants, totaling $16,000, will be donated from the Minnesota Lynx FastBreak Foundation to support hands-on programs which positively impact Minnesota youth.

The Minnesota Lynx Foundation and the FastBreak Foundation operate as a part of the Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, a non-profit organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.