Minnesota’s men’s swimming and diving team hosts the Triple Duals at the University Aquatic Center, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. No. 10 Wisconsin and No. 15 Purdue will participate in the event. Friday’s competition will begin at 6 p.m., while Saturday’s events start at noon.
Todd Smolinski will look to keep the top time in the Big Ten in the 100 backstroke, while Wisconsin’s James Wike and Adam Mania look to break his time of 48.23. Smolinski currently is on top of the Big Ten in the 100 back, while Wike and Mania rank third and fourth.
Purdue’s Tamas Bessenyei holds the fastest time in the 100 and 200 breaststroke over Minnesota’s Jeff Hackler.
Justin Mortimer will look to keep the fastest time in the Big Ten in the 400 individual medley over Wike as well.
Women’s swimming
Minnesota’s women’s swimming and diving team hosts the Quad Duals this weekend at the University Aquatic Center. Friday’s competition starts at 6 p.m., while Saturday’s is scheduled for a noon start. This year, the Gophers will host three Big Ten schools: Illinois, No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 17 Purdue.
Pro-Alumni Game set
Minnesota’s baseball team has finalized the schedule for the 2003 Pro-Alumni Game on Monday, Feb. 3. Highlighting the events will be a home run contest, an autograph session with selected members from both teams and the presentation of the 2002 Big Ten Regular Season Championship rings.
Minnesota will start the festivities at 4 p.m. with batting practice until 5:20 p.m. Starting at 5 p.m., Pro-Alumni players Robb Quinlan (Anaheim Angels infielder), Mark Merila (San Diego Padres bullpen catcher), Jack Hannahan (Detroit Tigers minor league infielder) and Matt Scanlon (Minnesota Twins minor league catcher) will be available to sign autographs behind the press box at Gate F. The autograph signing will last until 5:30 p.m.
Minnesota’s seniors will be available at the same location for an autograph session from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Pro-Alumni players will take batting practice from 5:25 to 6:10 p.m.
The home run hitting contest will begin at 6:20 p.m., pitting four members representing the Pro-Alumni Team against four members representing the Varsity Team. Former Minnesota Twins catcher Terry Steinbach, Quinlan, Hannahan and WCCO on-air personality Mike Max will represent the Pro-Alumni team.
The varsity squad will be represented by 2002 Big Ten Tri-Player of the Year Luke Appert, senior outfielder Ben Pattee, junior catcher Gary Dick and KARE-TV’s sports reporter Eric Perkins. Each batter will get two rounds of six swings. The top performer from each team will advance and compete in the final round, which will feature three rounds of six swings.
At 6:45 p.m. there will be a special ceremony to recognize the members of the 2002 regular season champion Gophers team. The ceremony will start with the team presenting the 2002 Big Ten Regular Season Championship trophy to former Minnesota Associate Athletics Director Jeff Schemmel, who was the administrator in charge of overseeing baseball.
Minnesota will then present the Big Ten Player of the Year award to Appert and the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award to senior pitcher C.J. Woodrow. Following those festivities each player from the 2002 team will be presented with their Big Ten championship rings.
The Pro-Alumni introductions will get underway at 6:55 p.m. and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
