Gophers softball players Shannon Beeler and Steph Midthun were named Louisville Slugger All-Americans on Wednesday.
Beeler, a junior, was named to the first team. The shortstop finished the season with a .401 average and a school-record 74 RBIs. She also led the Big Ten in hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs.
Midthun, a junior, was named to the third team. The center fielder finished the year with a .366 average, 51 runs scored and a team-record 31 stolen bases.
— Michael Rand

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Board of Directors agreed Wednesday to expand to 10 schools from seven beginning July 1, 1999.
The University of Minnesota-Crookston, Concordia University in St. Paul and Wayne State College in northeastern Nebraska will join the conference, pending final approval of their own boards.
The other schools in the conference are Bemidji State, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota-Morris, Moorhead State, Southwest State in Marshall, Winona State and Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D.