Jack Roach has been named interim coach of the women`s tennis team, the University announced Monday.

Roach will take over for the departed Martin Novak, who left the Gophers last month to take the same position at Maryland.

A search for a permanent coach is underway.

Roach is no stranger to Minnesota. He was the women’s head coach from 1983-87. Roach’s teams compiled an overall record of 60-45, and finished in fourth place in the Big Ten all four seasons.

Recently, Roach has been serving as a tennis pro at Interlachen Country Club.

Men’s Cross Country

The Gophers men’s cross country team is ranked first in the Midwest Region of the United States Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll released Monday.

Illinois, which came ninth, was the only other Big Ten school ranked.

The Gophers are also ranked 20th nationally in the Mondo Men’s poll. Wisconsin (No. 6), Indiana (No. 16) and Michigan (No. 19) were all ranked above Minnesota. Colorado, of the Big 12, ranked first.

Spikers drop to 17th

Minnesota’s volleyball team is ranked 17th in this week’s USA Today/AVCA Division I Poll, released Monday. The Gophers (6-2) dropped three spots from last week’s ranking of 14th.

Minnesota will face two nationally ranked teams this week: No. 24 Northern Iowa in Rochester, Minn., on Wednesday, and No. 20 Santa Clara on Friday in the opening game of the Diet Coke Classic at the Sports Pavilion.

Student ticket sales go up

Sales of Minnesota student season tickets for football in 2001 have surpassed the 8,000 mark for the first time since 1986. Thus far, over 8,400 tickets have been purchased, the highest total since 8,650 were bought in 1986.

Tickets are available for the Big Ten home-opener against Purdue on Sept. 29th. Call the Minnesota Ticket Office at (612) 624-8080.