Minnesota Twins Paul Molitor and Terry Steinbach head the list of Gophers alumni who will play in Monday’s pro alumni game at the Metrodome.
Other major leaguers that will play include Dan Wilson of the Seattle Mariners, Brent Gates of the Oakland A’s, and Denny Neagle of the Atlanta Braves. They join recent ex-Gophers in professional baseball such as Joe Westfall, Steve Huls and Shane Gunderson.
The pro alumni team is 4-0-1 against the Gophers since the game’s inception in 1992.
Proceeds from the game go to the Dick Siebert Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Tennis
After its season opener against Vanderbilt was postponed because of weather, the Gophers women’s team finally starts its dual meet season Saturday.
The Gophers, No. 39 in the Rolex Collegiate Rankings, host Iowa State at the 98th Street Racquet Club in Bloomington.
Minnesota is led by freshman sensation Nora Sauska. The Budapest, Hungary native has already assumed the No. 1 singles position for the Gophers. Sauska, ranked 46th in the nation by Rolex, went 10-1 during the fall season, winning two singles titles and one doubles title.
Sauska is just one of a slew of young players that makes the Gophers a threat to win the Big Ten title. They finished in a surprising tie for third last season. Jennifer Hayes is the only senior starter; Jenni Svehla is a junior, and Alice Rangsithienchai, Tarah Elkins and Jana Hrdinova are all sophomores.
Track and Field
The Gophers men’s team is in Cedar Falls, Iowa today for the Mercantile Bank Invitational. Athletes from Kansas, Iowa, Iowa State, Drake and host Northern Iowa will compete, forming the stiffest competition the Gophers have faced so far in the indoor season.
The Gophers women’s team is idle this week. Minnesota travels to Ames, Iowa on Feb. 8 for the Iowa State Invitational.