Minnesota’s softball team announced the signing of four athletes to national letters of intent for the 2005-06 school year Monday.

Colleen Conway, a two-time all-state and all-conference shortstop at Hill-Murray High School, highlights the class. She batted .410 with 15 extra-base hits as a junior last season.

Benita Sanchez and Lisa Parks will come to Minnesota from New Mexico and Arizona, respectively, while Briana Hassett attends Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minn.

The Gophers also announced that Shannon Stemper of Burnsville, Minn., has signed an offer of admission.

Men’s hockey still No. 1

Despite a weekend split with third-ranked Colorado College, Minnesota’s men’s hockey team occupied the top spot in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll for a second week in a row when the rankings were released Monday.

The Gophers received 27 of a possible 40 first-place votes. Wisconsin moved up from No. 4 to No. 2, and Colorado College stayed in the third spot.

Michigan moved up from fifth to fourth, and Boston

College, which went 0-1-1 against Boston University

and Providence during the weekend, fell from second to fifth.

WCHA teams occupy five of the top 10 spots in the poll.