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Didja see the D-I commitments in the paper today?
The U men are getting Al Nolen, Mpls. Henry, and Blake Hoffarber, Hopkins. Seven other men have been announced.
Cole Aldrich, Jefferson and Kansas—reputed to be the #1 recruit in the state
Eric Carlson, Shakopee and NDSU—I think he is better than that though probably not a Big Ten player, but a great great player for NDSU
Noah Dahlmann, Braham and Wofford
Zach Filzen, Northfield and Northern Arizona—son of Carleton women’s coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen
Jon Leuer, Orono and Wisconsin
Trevor Mbakwe, St. Bernard’s and Marquette—transferred from Sibley to Bernie’s
Alex Rubin, Armstrong and Illinois State
The U women did not sign anybody in-state. The “big one,” in a couple respects, is Janessa Wolff of Park Rapids, who is going to Penn State. I had thought the Gophers were recruiting the 6-5 center, and maybe they were, and given where she is going, it sure looks like she can play Big Ten ball. I can’t imagine the Gophers didn’t want her. If so, she is one of very few Minnesota girls they’ve lost in the past 5 years. Perhaps the recent problems with the program came at just the wrong time, and/or perhaps Penn State is just too attractive to turn down. I believe this to be a significant loss for the Gophers program.
The Gophers are expected to sign 6-4 Kristen Dockery of South Bend, IN, state champs, who picked the Gophers over Purdue, NC State and Iowa. In fairness to the Gophers, she is probably more highly rated now than Wolff, though Wolff is certainly nationally rated. The Gophers also have 4 commitments from the class of 2008—Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central; Jackie Voigt, Park; and Nicole and Brianna Mastey of Becker.
Others are:
Kachine Alexander, Benilde and Iowa
Jackie Hiebert, Hopkins and Ohio
Amy Kallemeyn, Edgerton and NDSU
Alyssa Karel, Cretin and Wisconsin
Macie Michelson, Marshall and SDSU
Jenny Ostrom, St. Anthony and Butler
Elle Queen, Minnetonka and Colorado State
Angel Robinson, St. Paul Central and Marquette
Heather Smith, Mahtomedi and Liberty
Tara Steinbauer, Kennedy and Wisconsin
Brianna Zabel, Northfield and Florida Gulf Coast
There will be more boys and girls getting D-1 scholarships later, but for now these are the early commitments typically focusing in on some of the best of the best.
Five other Minnesotans to watch, according to Jerry Zgoda, among the women:
Mia Johnson, Michigan State, soph.—transferred after one year at St. Louis, from Mpls. North
Melissa Miller, Northwestern, jr.--from Breck
Megan Ronhovde, Iowa State, sr.--from West Central Area HS
Jenna Smith, Illinois, fr.--from Kennedy
Krista VandeVenter, Iowa, jr.--from Osseo
I sure hate the idea of any of these women playing in the Big Ten and beating the Gophers. I am afraid Wolff at Penn State may do so more than any of the others. I don’t think this year’s senior class is that good other than Wolff, however. But the next two HS classes of 2008-09 should be on a par with the Whalen-Bolden-Podominick-Roysland classes of 2000-2003.
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marc hugunin <marc@...>
marchugunin
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