The fastest game on two feet is played at the U. The men’s Lacrosse team was formed in 1993 and is offered at the club level. Last year the team had an overall record of 17-3, with a 7-1 record in the Upper Midwest League. The team won its league playoffs and went to the National Tournament, (held in Blaine, Minn.) where they won one game and lost two.

The Lacrosse team, however, will not be fielding the same team as last year. The Gophers will be in need of extra offense after losing Eugene Zevelev, 2005’s Upper Midwest Lacrosse League Offensive Player of the Year. But the Gophers will have the 2005 UMLL Defensive Player of the Year, Al Kestler, on the field again this season.

In a recent interview with Adam Simone, third year player and co-captain, I asked him to describe the game. Simone responded, “Intense.” I wondered how intense it could get with a small ball, an odd looking stick and a pair of nets.

When Adam was asked about the craziest injuries someone’s ever incurred while playing lacrosse, he responded, “On a D-1 team, someone actually died playing Lacrosse.” Simone added, “He got hit with the ball right in the heart and it was like the split second when his heart was beating.”

Most likely, Simone was referring to the death of George Boiardi of Cornell University who died in 2004. Boiardi was hit with a ball in the chest while trying to block a shot. In addition to the death of Boiardi, two other college students have died while playing Lacrosse. A high school player also died.. The deaths prior to Boiardi’s were caused by similar shots to the chest, which caused cardiac arrest through a syndrome known as Commotio Cordis. Fortunately, members of the Lacrosse team at the U have not encountered such tragedy.

While tragic, it’s not surprising considering protection worn during the game only includes a helmet, arm pads and a set of shoulder pads. The shoulder pads are not like ones worn in football; they are about one-third the size. With Lacrosse shots reaching up to 100 mph, it’s fortunate more casualties haven’t occurred.

After hearing about fights that happen and how physical the game was, I asked Simone about the nature of the game. Simone said, “While you’re playing you hate the other team, but afterwards it’s kind of like a brotherhood.” Simone added, “Whoever won or lost doesn’t matter, it’s just about the sport.”

These were sobering thoughts from a person who plays an extremely physical game.

The season

The Lacrosse team has two seasons, fall and spring. The fall season is for players to keep their skills up, while the spring season features league play and matches against non-conference opponents. The team will begin its spring season Feb. 24 against Northeastern on the road. But the Gophers first home action won’t take place until April 15, when they will battle their toughest opponent in the UMLL, Minnesota Duluth, on the Upper A fields located on the St. Paul campus.

Masked men and women face off against each other with weapons in a university club.

No need to call in the riot police. This is the University of Minnesota fencing club and the weapons are the epee, foil and sabre.

Although not well known to many at the U, fencing has had a presence on campus since the 1880s; the official University Fencing Club came into existence in 1904.

This year’s fencing club boasts 20 members with a range of skill levels. The club serves as a resource for members of the University who are interested in fencing and the club is always looking for new members.

Adam Rusinak, third year member and vice president, says of the club, “It’s something different and we’re definitely laid back. If you just want to try it out you can do that, but if you want to go on to bigger and better things, you can do that through us too.”

Practices in Cooke Hall host a wide variety of fencing participants. Practically everyone in the club was a first-timer when they joined, Rusinak said. But with the Midwest Championships on March 25 at Notre Dame approaching, competitive fencers are busy preparing for the upcoming bouts. The club promotes competitive fencing, but also welcomes those interested in fencing just for the fun of the sport.

“We do travel to other colleges to compete, so naturally there are going to be people who attend every practice and go hard.” Rusinak said. “But others come in every so often simply because it’s such a good time.”

The Technique

Fencing bouts, as they are called, take place on a long, narrow strip that is approximately 46 feet long and 6.5 feet wide. The fencers take position at the “on guard” lines, which are the equal distance of 6.5 feet from the exact center of the strip. Scores in fencing are recorded as “touches.”

To keep score, fencers hook up to a scoring machine. When a fencer hits the opponent, the scoring machine emits a beep and lights up on the side of the fencer who was hit. The number of touches to gain victory can vary from bout to bout.

Engaging New Members

To witness the intensity of a fencing bout, the public is invited to catch the annual spring tournament at the University. This year’s event will take place on April 22-23 at the Bierman Field Athletic Complex.

But if the urge to feel the rush of fencing can’t wait until April, perhaps it is time to join the fencing club.

“I like to think everybody kind of likes fencing deep inside,” Rusinak said. “I mean as a little kid, who didn’t want to play Three Musketeers or pirates?”

Shhh…I have a secret: The U’s dance team is good. Really good. Four consecutive National Titles good. Despite being a dancing dynasty, the majority of students at the U are clueless about what the dance team has accomplished. While asking students around campus what they knew about their Gopher Dance Team, I was greeted with countless blank stares, puzzled looks and mystified glances. “I didn’t even know we had a dance team,” says Brenda Saxton, a junior nursing student.

“The Wake” decided it was time to unveil the best kept secret on campus. So we let Tara Peckskamp, co-captain and four-time national champion, reveal what it is like to be a member of the top, college dance team in the country.

The Wake: Why is the U’s dance team so dominant? Basically, what sets the U apart from other schools?

Tara Peckskamp: I think it is a combination of both work ethic and talent. Our first and second year was definitely our talent. Overall, what our team brings that other teams don’t bring is the emotion behind the routine. You can see a clean routine and you can see skills. Everyone can do the same skills. Everyone can turn, they can jump, they can perform a dance, but not necessarily portray what is coming through the words. That would be more of the artistic form of dance. Some people consider dance as an art and some consider it a sport, but it is kind of a combination of both. We combine the athleticism with the art and we portray that on the stage and that is what sets us apart.

The Wake: What is it like to win four consecutive national championships?

Tara Peckskamp: It is the biggest sense of accomplishment and I don’t think I ever felt that in anything I had ever done before coming here. The first year you don’t really know what you are doing. You are along for the ride and you’re just going to another dance competition. The years after, you really see what goes behind it and what goes into it and what it actually is. Winning a national title is so cool and it’s a big deal and at first you don’t really realize it.

The Wake: Do you think the dance team received enough coverage and publicity for winning four national championships?

Tara Peckskamp: I don’t want to say that we are just the dance team, but that is how a lot of people look at us. I guess I don’t expect to be like the football team or the basketball team because we don’t bring in revenue. It would be nice because we do work so hard, just as hard as the football, basketball or hockey team and sometimes it seems like we are the only ones who know, but sometimes that is all you really need. As long as you know your own sense of accomplishment and the things you have accomplished over the years and how hard you worked for it.

The Wake: What is one misperception people have about dance?

Tara Peckskamp: I think people think it is really easy and it’s not. They think it doesn’t take athletic ability and it is something simple. It is supposed to be pretty, but the whole point of training while you’re younger, like ballet, is to make it look easy. You’re not supposed to make it look like you’re struggling. It is supposed to be elegant and beautiful, not rough and tough.

The Wake: Did you feel any extra pressure this year being co-captain of a team that had won three consecutive National Championships?

Tara Peckskamp: Yea, oh definitely. I felt the pressure in the sense that I wanted it for myself so bad that I had to do it. We had to lead them in the right way. I wanted to do the things that would be right since everything was so new. I didn’t know if the way we were going about it was going to be the right way or if Casey Horton and I were leading the team in the right direction and motivating them enough to get done what we needed to get done. I felt as if we didn’t win, it would kind of be on our shoulders.

The Wake: When the U’s dance team goes to the Dance Team National Championships in Orlando, Fla. are you guys seen as the studs of the competition?

Tara Peckskamp: Yea, kind of. You can feel the aura around our team. I don’t think we are cocky by any means and I think that we are very humble considering how we could be winning four national titles. It is pretty cool. I am not going to lie.

As technological advances allow for revolving stadium-ceilings and rubber-induced field surfaces, one campus venue has maintained its mystical sense without such changes.

With its 79-year-old rafters and one-of-a-kind raised floor, Williams Arena has become an emporium of rich memories for countless fans, players, employees and visitors of all kinds.

“I think it has that barn look to it,” says Chuck Mencel, Gophers basketball guard from 1951-55. “It’s a very visually appealing place and has been a popular place for Minnesota families to come to.”
Constructed in 1927, and first used in 1928, “The Barn,” as Williams Arena is commonly known was first titled, the University of Minnesota Field House. In these times, the facility was used for basketball, off-season winter football practices, tennis and indoor track.

In 1950, the wide-framed building was split in two distinct playing areas, one for hockey and one for basketball. During this time, the famed Gophers gym changed its name to the well-known title it bears today. Since then, Williams Arena has become known as one of the nation’s premiere basketball arenas.

The first game played at the Barn came in the midst of some rough years for the Gophers. Minnesota transferred its team from Cooke Hall (which still exists today, used for kinesiology and sports studies) to play Ohio State at their new gym on Feb. 4, 1928. The Gophers lost the game in double-overtime and finished its season 4-12 and ninth in the Big Ten.

In the 1930s, coach Dave McMillan led his team to its first Big Ten title at Williams. The team took out Wisconsin and Northwestern to finish its season 14-6 (10-2 conference).

The year 1946 marked the arrival of a young Myer “Whitey” Skoog, the man many basketball historians would suggest originated the jump shot.

Don Knauer, a resident of Eden Prairie and U of M alum, shared some memories of Skoog and the 1948-49 Gophers.

“Whitey Skoog invented the jump shot,” says Knauer, recalling the All-American he watched in his collegiate years.

“It was the first time I had seen it used,” adds Knauer, who as a member of Phi Sigma Kappa – a fraternity still in existence on 18th Avenue Southeast “We (Gophers fans) always felt it was quite the treat to take a walk over to The Barn.”

Soon after the days of Whitey Skoog, came Chuck Mencel.

“I remember playing Iowa for the Big Ten championship in ’55,” says Mencel. “20,000-plus people packed the Barn that day.”

Mencel was speaking of Feb. 29, when the largest crowd in Gophers basketball history (20,176) watched his Gophers play Iowa for the Big Ten championship. The former All-American Gophers guard spoke fondly of that day, recalling how fans crowded themselves into the Barn’s hallways.

“The public support was amazing,” says Mencel of the excitement the city had surrounding the team. “At that time, it was the largest attendance of any basketball game in the country.”

Mencel spoke passionately of the uproar of Gophers fever that day, saying the famed game led some of the local Minneapolis theatres to shut down their daily operations so they could offer ticket-less Gophers fans a chance to watch the game on their big screens.

Williams could seat 18,025 at the time, but the excitement of a Big Ten championship, Minnesota’s 15-5 record and its interstate rivalry with Iowa, led to masses of Maroon and Gold maniacs. Unfortunately, for the team and its throngs of fans, Minnesota lost the game 72-70 and would finish the season in second place.

Moving into the 60s, “Sweet Lou” Hudson would grace the Williams hardwood. Arguably the best Gopher ever, Hudson did not win any championships, but did average 20.4 points per game in his three years before embarking on a 13-year NBA career that included six All-Star performances.

Years after Hudson made his departure, another player, who is often considered Minnesota’s best ever, Kevin McHale, entered Williams Arena’s confines (1977-80).

McHale, who was a Minnesota-grown boy from the northern town of Hibbing, is definitely the most remembered. The Boston Celtics’ great helped his NBA team to three championships and eventually earned a spot in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

A few years after McHale’s days as a Gopher concluded the Clem Haskins era began. The coach of Minnesota basketball for thirteen years, Haskins is remembered for two things; the team’s Final Four appearance in 1997, the other, sadly, is an academic scandal.

“I was then hired by Clem as a student manager,” says Michael Dale, a Williams Arena facility manager of six years.

Dale, who was prepared to leave his hometown of Rochester to come work for Haskins, never would get the chance to work with him due to the aforementioned scandal.

“My only personal memory with Clem was my senior year in high school,” says Dale, “he took two hours of his time to sit and talk with me.”

Reverting a few years back in Clem’s coaching regime, there was a young man named Kevin Lynch (Gophers guard 1988-91) who lit up the maple floor of the Maroon.

“Oh man, this place was rocking the time we beat Illinois,” says Lynch, recollecting a favorite memory.

Lynch was referring to his Gophers 91-74 upheaval of the 4th-ranked Illini Jan. 6, 1990, another of a myriad of great memories this treasured arena has witnessed.

Now a radio commentator of Gophers basketball, Lynch and his partner Dave Lee, happily spoke of a place they’ve both spent several years in.

“Just look at the rafters, the atmosphere,” says Lynch, following the duo’s Jan. 29 broadcast of Minnesota’s 61-42 defeat of Indiana. “It’s just a great place to be at.”

“There’s been many great years here, a great place with a wonderful atmosphere for basketball,” says Lee. “It still [after nearly 80 years] possesses the character and charm that are lacking in the new multi-functional arenas on other campuses.”

Lee—a local radio personality of 16 years—and Lynch have been WCCO 830’s radio broadcasting tandem for the past five years. Dick Bremer, a television commentator, has done Gophers basketball games since 1986. Serving as the Gophers television voice, Bremer recalls the opportunity he had of capturing up-close-and-personal memories of the much adored ’96-97 Gophers.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Big Ten championship season,” says Bremer. “I remember the dogged determination of Bobby Jackson; he was one of the players who separated Minnesota from the rest of the conference.”

Jackson, now a nine-year veteran of the NBA, played point guard for this special Gophers squad. A junior college transfer from Salisbury, N.C., in his second year at Minnesota, thrilled many hometown fans with his mind-boggling passes and his rim-rocking dunks.

“I remember coming up here to watch the men play and watching Bobby Jackson,” says Jamie Broback, a native of Apple Valley and forward for the Gopher women’s basketball team. “I think Bobby was one of my favorite athletes to watch, then seeing Lindsey Whalen, she was my favorite female player to watch.”

Broback was a senior in high school when she saw Whalen play on the Minnesota womens team’s first full season at Williams (it previously played in the Sports Pavilion). Coincidentally, this team’s inaugural year at its new venue (2002-2003) was also current coach Pam Borton’s first year at Minnesota.

“It’s definitely a great arena,” says Borton. “It’s a tough place to play for opponents because of its mystiqueness, because the fans feel like they are sitting almost on top of the court.”

Borton has been instrumental in building success for the Gopher women, lobbying and eventually accruing the help (which included much fundraising by her players) to get the team’s new locker room and team room built.

These additions, combined with much of the work Michael Dale and the facilities team have contributed greatly to the renovation, remodeling and restoration of a treasured Arena.

While the Gophers men’s basketball squad has struggled this year, the 2006 Gopher women have flourished. Either way, Williams Arena will undoubtedly continue to be a magical atmosphere for students, fans and the Twin Cities public for years to come.

This year’s Pro-Alumni baseball game was played Saturday at the Metrodome. The game, in its 15th year, has featured two Hall of Famers, a combined 26 All-Star appearances and numerous other major league players throughout its history.

Year after year, Gopher alumni at the pro level have returned to the Metrodome to face off against the current Gopher squads. Rob Fornasiere, an assistant coach with the Gophers since 1992, said it all began when head coach John Anderson and he were looking for ways to reconnect with Gopher alumni.

“There’s a long tradition of baseball here at the university,” Fornasiere said. “And we wanted to make sure to stay connected with the many great alum that have played ball with the Gophers.”

In previous years the Gopher baseball program attempted to have a fall alumni game where anyone, not just alumni in the pros, could play. This game eventually was dropped due to lack of interest.

“Guys became more interested in playing golf than playing baseball in the fall as they got older,” Fornasiere said.

After the fall event was dropped, Fornasiere and Anderson realized there were many Gophers playing in the professional ranks. They approached their marquee alumni Paul Molitor and Terry Steinbach and inquired about starting a Pro-Alumni exhibition game, which had become fairly common at universities and colleges across the country at that time.

They agreed and the first Pro-Alumni game was held before the season began in February, 1992. “The only time when we could have it was when players were in baseball shape,” Fornasiere said. “That time was right before spring training and the Metrodome has allowed us to play a game in February before it begins. It’s been a godsend to us and it’s just a great event.”

In the past, Hall of Famers Dave Winfield and Molitor have participated in the event along with three-time All-Star Steinbach and two-time All-Star pitcher Denny Neagle.

This year’s alumni team was managed by Molitor, a two-time All-American with the Gophers and Greg Olson, a 1990 All-Star who some may remember as a member of the Atlanta Braves team who were defeated by the Minnesota Twins in the 1991 World Series.

The team featured recently retired Seattle Mariners All-Star catcher Dan Wilson, who was honored at the game, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Kerry Ligtenberg, Atlanta Braves pitcher Jim Brower and Anaheim Angles infielder Robb Quinlan.

It also consisted of top minor league players Jack Hannahan and Craig Molldrem in addition to recent signees Jake Elder, Matt Fornasiere and Matt Loberg.

This year’s Pro-Alumni contest saw the Varsity defeat the Pro-Alumni by a score of 8-5.

The 2006 Gopher team comprises 20 letter winners from last years team that advanced to a record fifth straight Big Ten tournament title game and has big expectations for the coming season.

“Our expectation is to contend for the Big Ten title, the kids feel that way every year,” Fornasiere said. “We certainly expect to be there. We’ve finished first or second in the league the last 17 out of 20 years.”

The team features St. Paul native John Gaub, who is picked as the preseason Big Ten pitcher of the year and as the top Big Ten draft pick. The Gophers also bring back St. Paul native Andy Hunter, who was voted preseason All-Big Ten honoree at first base and Dan Lyons, a shortstop transfer from Iowa Central CC who is listed as the second best newcomer to the Big Ten.

The Gophers open their season at Florida State Feb. 24-26.

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team is Golden. Not because they are a hockey powerhouse searching for a second gold medal in the past three Winter Olympics, or because they defeated Canada for their first gold medal in the 2005 World Women’s Hockey Championship. They are Golden because five players representing the U.S. in Torino, Italy are past or present Golden Gophers, showing once again that the U is a hotbed for women’s hockey. Krissy Wendell, Natalie Darwitz, Courtney Kennedy, Kelly Stephens and Lyndsay Wall—all National Champions with the Maroon and Gold—now patriotically wear the Red, White and Blue in hopes of reaching the pinnacle of women’s hockey: a gold medal.

So Close to Gold

Another U.S. gold medal was inevitable in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. They were the defending 1998 Olympic champions in Nagano, Japan; had an undefeated season record of 35-0; and were playing on their home soil. After decimating Germany, China, Finland and Sweden by a combined score of 31-1, only Canada—a team the U.S. had defeated eight consecutive times—stood in the way of back-to-back gold medals. Even Canada, the most dominant country in women’s hockey history, doubted their chances against the powerful U.S. team. “The way team U.S.A. womanhandled the Canadians in their eight game Road to the Olympics series—eight wins, no losses, 31-13 in goals—you wonder why Canada is even showing up,” said Cam Cole, a columnist for Canada’s National Post, before the U.S. played Canada in the gold medal game. Unfortunately for the U.S., Canada did more than show up—they reestablished their northern dominance with a 3-2 win over the United States.

Canadian Supremacy

The tides have changed for the 2006 Olympics. Canada has “womanhandled” the U.S. team defeating the U.S. seven out of the past eight games by a combined score of 31-6.

What to Expect

Women’s hockey is still a two-woman show with the United States and Canada dominating the competition. Since the first Women’s World Hockey Championship in 1990, both countries have finished in either first or second place every year. Sweden and Finland have made improvements, but still won’t be good enough to compete with the United States or Canada.

The Players

Krissy Wendell

Position: Forward

Hometown: Brooklyn Park, Minn.

In the past year Wendell lead the nation in goals (43), won a second consecutive NCAA championship after scoring two goals in a 4-3 victory over Harvard, became the first Gopher to win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (given to the most outstanding player in women’s intercollegiate ice hockey), scored the game winning goal in sudden death against Canada to give the United States its first IIHF Women’s World Championship, received MVP honors for leading the United States in scoring in the same tournament and was named captain of the U.S. women’s hockey team. Meanwhile, in the last year I have gained eight pounds and watched countless hours of football. I hate people like Krissy Wendell.

Did you know? Wendell batted third and played catcher for Brooklyn Center in the 1994 Little League World Series.

Natalie Darwitz

Position: Forward

Hometown: Eagan, Minn.

Darwitz assaulted the Gophers record book during her three year college career. She is Minnesota’s all-time leader in points (246), assists (144) and shots per game (6.36). She also set the NCAA record for points in a season in 2004-2005 with 114. Darwitz is both a national and world champion.

Interesting fact: We all know Darwitz as a hockey phenom, but what about the Great Darwitzio? The Star Tribune reports Darwitz can juggle knives and flaming clubs. Her advice while juggling knives is simple: If a knife flips sideways and is about to stab your hand, “drop it quick. It’ll just nick your finger.” Now that’s one woman I wouldn’t mess with.

Courtney Kennedy

Position: Defense

Hometown: Woburn, Mass.

In Kennedy’s senior season in 2000-2001 she was the WCHA Player of the Year, the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, a first-team All-WCHA selection and a finalist for the Patty Katzmaier Memorial Award. She finished her Gopher career with 112 total points (35 goals and 77 assists). She also received a silver medal in the 2002 Olympics and a gold medal in the 2005 World Championships.

Police beware: Apparently Kennedy doesn’t keep her speed-demon status limited to the ice. In an interview with NBCprofiles.com Kennedy was asked, “If the speed limit is 55, how fast do you drive?” Her response: “80.”

Kelly Stephens

Position: Defense

Hometown: Seattle, Wash.

Stephens finished her Gopher career in 2004-2005 with 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists) and a school record plus/minus rating of +170 in 148 total games. She was also the second leading scorer on the U.S. team with seven points (three goals, four assists) in the 2005 World Championships. This will be Stephens’ first appearance in the Olympics.

Did you know? Stephens loves to surf and boogie board. Her favorite surfing spot is San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Lyndsay Wall

Position: Defense

Hometown: Churchville, N.Y.

Last season Wall was the top-scoring defenseman in the country, (11 goals, 30 assists) helping the Gophers win a second consecutive national championship. As a 16 year-old, she was the youngest member of the U.S. women’s Olympic team in Salt Lake City. She had an impressive plus/minus rating of +11 in the tournament.

A Close Call: Wall’s lackluster performance at the national team tryout last year dropped her off the Olympic roster. Coach Ben Smith, knowing Wall’s potential, still gave her the chance to play her way onto the team. In her first performance on the pre-Olympic tour, Wall played stellar defense and compiled two assists in a 5-1 win over the WCHA all-star team. Her name was added to the roster shortly after.

Prediction:

The U.S. women are stacked. Cutting former team captain Cammi Granato and veteran Shelley Looney from the roster demonstrates the depth of team U.S.A.

U.S.A: Gold

Canada: Silver

Sweden: Bronze

The Gopher Wrestling team has been upsetting opponents throughout the season and during the process they have become ranked No. 1 in the nation. But before the Gophers could take down opponents on the mats, they had to win in the gym.

The success of the Gopher wrestling team is due in part to excellent training. Thus, it seemed fitting to talk to one of the strength and conditioning coaches for the Gophers team. Also, with spring break approaching, I figured I might be able to gain a few workout pointers.

When I asked Kevin Roberts, assistant coach and the strength and conditioning coordinator, about in-season workouts, he said, “It’s hard to make strength and power gains during the season … We try to maintain the gains made during spring, summer and fall.”

Roberts described off-season workouts as six to seven hours per week of strength and conditioning. This is time spent solely on staying in excellent shape aside from practicing wrestling techniques. Looking at some of the wrestlers and their results, it’s obvious that the hard work they put in throughout the off-season pays off during the season.

The Team

In terms of age, the Gopher wrestling squad is very young this year. The Gophers have only one senior, who happens to be the 2005 All-American, Matt Nagel. Minnesota also has some extremely talented athletes who will be returning next year, such as Cole Konrad, Mack Reiter and the Schlatter brothers. After great seasons this year, these athletes will help carry the Gophers next year as well.

“People thought we were a year away from a great team,” Roberts said. While the Gophers have surprised opponents and critics, the team still has goals of performing well at the Big Ten championships in March. Roberts added, “I think we’ll be a better team next year.”

With this in mind, expect another great season from the Gophers next year. As for the rest of this season, the Gophers will be on the road to take on Oklahoma State on Feb. 12. Oklahoma State finished first in the NCAA Tournament last year and has given the Gophers trouble in the past. The Cowboys have dominated the all-time series with 16 wins and eight losses against Minnesota. The Cowboys will be looking to take down Minnesota after the Gophers upset them Jan. 15 at the National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

After taking on Oklahoma State, the Gophers will travel to compete against Michigan and Michigan State. This final road trip will test the Gophers as they prepare for the Big Ten Championships held in Bloomington, Indiana and the NCAA championships in Oklahoma City, March 16.

The Super Bowl turns forty this year and what better way to celebrate, than with a halftime show featuring The Rolling Stones, a band that’s been rockin’ for over forty years. In terms of on the field action, The Wake will show trends from the past and apply them to this year’s match up between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks.

The History

To understand what will likely happen in this year’s game, it is necessary to look at the past. Historically, the NFC has had a slight edge over the AFC, winning 21 of the 39 Super Bowls. However, teams from the AFC dominated recently and won six of the last eight Super Bowls. Also, the team that won the Super Bowl has had the NFL’s league MVP ten times. With these stats in mind, it’s time to breakdown the teams.

The Teams

Pittsburgh comes into the Super Bowl having won its last 7 games. During their current winning streak, Ben Roethlisberger has scored 12 touchdowns (nine passing, three rushing) and thrown only three interceptions.

The Steelers’ defense has been amazing this season as well. They have only allowed one running back to gain 100 yards (Edgerrin James). Their defense features two Pro Bowlers, Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu. These two players disrupted offensive game-plans all season. Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense and their complex blitz packages will be able to put pressure on Matt Hasselbeck.

The Seattle Seahawks bring the NFL’s leading rusher (Shaun Alexander) who follows one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Seattle offense has five starters in the Pro Bowl this season.

The Seahawks’ defense is led by Michael Boulware and Lofa Tatupu. Tatupu is a rookie who has played like a seasoned veteran. He had four sacks, three interceptions and a team-high, 104 tackles.

The Party

Buy beverages early in the weekend because liquor stores are closed on Sundays in Minnesota. Don’t watch any of the pre-game festivities; by the end of them, you won’t feel like watching the game. But once the game begins, the Super Bowl is roughly five hours of constant entertainment.

If you’re not a football fan, put some money on the game. Yes, gamble. The reason is that whether its one dollar or one hundred, betting always makes the game more exciting. Finally, everyone can enjoy the multi-million dollar commercials that make us think, make us laugh and at times, confuse the hell out us.

The Prediction

My pick is the Seattle Seahawks. While the scenario has worked out so that Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis can finally get their Super Bowl rings in Bettis’ hometown of Detroit, the Seattle Seahawks will walk out victorious. Matt Hasselbeck has proven critics wrong this postseason. He stepped up when league MVP Shaun Alexander left the game against Washington early with a concussion. Hasselbeck has thrown for 434 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions this postseason. He also ran for a touchdown. His play coupled with their rushing attack will be enough to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Seattle’s first Super Bowl appearance.

Zach Puchtel will probably not be making headlines for the University of Minnesota’s men’s basketball team anytime soon; but that doesn’t bother him.

For Puchtel, simply being part of the team as a walk-on is a dream come true. A 2001 Hopkins High School graduate, Puchtel’s route to playing Division-I basketball has been a counterintuitive one. As a high school star basketball and football player, Puchtel received multiple offers to play at the Division-I level, including offers from Wisconsin and Nebraska to play football.Puchtel, also an outstanding student at Hopkins, was then approached by Harvard. The question that Puchtel had to consider after their pitch was: athletics or academics? He chose the latter and enrolled at Harvard in the fall of 2001.

After quitting the football team after his freshman campaign for the Crimson; Puchtel realized something was missing in his life. He tried to fill the athletic void his sophomore year by joining the JV basketball team and even tried rugby, but Harvard just couldn’t offer the big-time athletics and competition that the University of Minnesota could.

The Plan and Decision

With a 6-foot 6-inch, 250-pound frame, Puchtel realized that his athletic skills and build were up to bigger athletic challenges. That was when he began to look for other athletic options.

“When exploring my options, I thought of doing a couple of different things. One thought was returning to the football team at Harvard.” Puchtel said. “Then I realized I had a good friend and ex-teammate James Ware, who played at Hopkins with me and was the director of basketball operations here in Minnesota.”

Puchtel told Ware his plan to walk on to the Gopher basketball team. The plan to transfer from Harvard after his junior year seemed nonsensical to Ware, who repeatedly tried to talk him out of it. Earning playing time on the Gopher team would not come easy, if at all. But Puchtel simply wanted an opportunity to play at the University of Minnesota; the athletic challenge he was looking for.

Soon after, Ware informed Puchtel that a walk-on spot was available to him if he really wanted it. It was time for Puchtel to make the tough decision.

“A lot of things went through my mind. First and foremost was, ‘Am I willing to give up my senior year at Harvard and leave all my friends and this comfortable situation to take this chance of coming here and playing basketball?’” said Puchtel. “I had to just sit down and talk with my parents and close friends to do a ‘weigh the risks versus the rewards’ kinda thing to see if it really was something I wanted to do.”

Puchtel eventually decided to accept Ware’s invitation to walk-on to the Gopher team.

“The opportunity to play Big Ten basketball was something that just kinda lit up in my mind as something that I really wanted to take advantage of and luckily I got that opportunity,” Puchtel said.

So Puchtel, who is technically on leave from Harvard, decided to pack up a year before graduating from one of the most prestigious colleges in the world for the unglamorous life of a walk-on college basketball player. But that decision did not come easy. And to make his decision even more baffling to many is the fact that in the two years that he will attend the University of Minnesota, he will not receive a single credit towards graduation because of his leave of absence from Harvard.

The positive for Puchtel that has come from this is the range of classes he has been able to engage himself in. Without the credits he’s taking counting towards graduation or degree requirements, Puchtel is free to pick from a wide-range of courses that peak his academic interest. Since arriving on campus, he has taken classes ranging from business to dance.

The Game He Loves

After sitting out last season with the Gophers because of NCAA transfer rules, Puchtel’s last season of athletic eligibility will expire at the end of the season and he will return to Harvard to finish his psychology degree.

This season Puchtel has played in nine of the 16 Gopher games for a mere total of 31 minutes and has netted one basket the entire season, but he understands his role on the team and relishes every opportunity he gets. “During practice, I just try to recreate the intensity of a real game.” Puchtel said. “I feel that I bring to this team a real toughness and fierce mentality.”

Teammate Spencer Tollackson feels that Puchtel’s effort is crucial to the Gophers’ success. “Zach brings intensity and great work ethic to practice every day.” Tollackson said. “He’s one of those guys that keeps everyone positive on the bench and is always getting the crowd into the game. I just love the intensity he brings to everything he does.” Puchtel’s effort during practice has no doubt helped prepare Gopher players for the big bodies and rough style play of the Big Ten conference.

No Regrets

Leaving Harvard and all that it offered for the dream of playing college basketball at the University of Minnesota was not an easy decision for Puchtel and neither was saying goodbye to all his friends. “Obviously, they weren’t too ecstatic that I was leaving; just because I love my friends and they love me,” Puchtel said, “but one of my good friends, my roommate, sat down with me the night before I left and I remember him just saying ‘don’t half-ass this, be committed or don’t go at all.’ Hearing that message from my friends inspired me to make the most of it and to make sure I did everything I could do,” Puchtel said.

So instead of graduating with his buddies last spring, Puchtel will spend six years as an undergraduate and will be 24 years old when he finally receives his Harvard psychology degree. He also expects to eventually earn a graduate degree in either business or law.

The question that many can’t help but wonder is how Puchtel could give up so much for so little in return?

But Puchtel believes he has gained much in return. Calling his time at Minnesota a “humbling experience,” the life lessons and the identity that he has regained playing basketball at the University of Minnesota have been more than worth it.

Puchtel’s ultimate goal of graduating from Harvard and entering the work force may be delayed by his time at Minnesota, but one thing that is certain is he won’t have to look back and wonder, “What if?”

And when number 32 takes the Williams Arena floor donned in maroon and gold while the pep band blares the “Minnesota Rouser,” he is living out a dream that no job could offer and having a blast doing it.

The days of Gopher Women’s basketball All-American Lindsey Whalen are long gone. After last season, there’s no more Baby Shaq manning the paint either, (a.k.a. Janel McCarville, Minnesota’s two-time All-American center). As these players have taken their talents to the WNBA, the 2005-06 Gophers have continued to thrive among the heavyweights in one of the nation’s toughest conferences.

Minnesota began its new season with a home tournament sweep at the Barn (Minnesota’s home court—Williams Arena) that included a championship victory over 15th-ranked Stanford. From there, the team traveled to the U.S. Virgin Islands and earned two more victories while winning the Paradise Jam tournament.

After its 4-0 start, the team struck disaster when a trip to the vaunted depths of “the Pit”—New Mexico’s highly feared home court—left them with a 62-44 thrashing at the paws of the 18th-ranked Lobos. Minnesota was able to shake off the defeat, however, by winning three of its next four contests to enter conference play with a 7-2 record.

The Gophers began conference play Dec. 29 with a 69-54 win over Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. Minnesota then returned to the Barn Jan. 5 and greeted rival Wisconsin by handing the Badgers a 73-67 setback. This led up to a rare non-conference battle of monumental proportions, a meeting with perennial national power, Louisiana State.

This nationally televised game, which aired on CBS Jan. 7, was a chance for the Gophers to take down the 3rd-ranked Tigers on their home court in Baton Rouge (La.). Minnesota looked primed for an upset when some late first-half momentum led them to a 23-19 lead at halftime. The Gophers defense looked especially strong, holding LSU to a season-low first half scoring total. Then in the second half Minnesota could not contain LSU’s dangerous star duo All-American senior Seimone Augustus and 6-foot-6-inch sophomore standout Sylvia Fowles. Augustus and Fowles each scored 21 points and combined for 24 rebounds as their Tigers proceeded to pounce all over the Gophers in the second half, quickly racking up 47 points in what turned out to be a 66-45 blowout.

After the loss to the Tigers, the Gophers returned to Big Ten play and won four of its following five contests, entering the weekend of Jan. 20-22 at 11-4 (5-1 Big Ten). Fourth year coach Pam Borton has done well in keeping her team atop Big Ten standings, but there’s plenty of games left to be played (11 games remaining).

Borton’s teams have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in each of the past three seasons, including Minnesota’s first Final Four appearance in 2004, but the Gophers have yet to win a Big Ten title. This year could be the year for that achievement. The team has “probably the most talent [Minnesota’s] ever had” according to Borton, but may lack the star power and consistent scoring it needs to earn its first conference title or go deep into the NCAA tournament.

The team’s next five games are very winnable contests versus unranked opponents, which means the Gophers could easily be 16-4 and rank as high as 7th when it enters a Feb. 9 contest with Michigan State. The problem is that the revenge-seeking Spartans (whom the Gophers upset Jan. 15 at home) will get the Gophers on their home floor. From there, the schedule only gets tougher as the team travels to 11th-ranked Purdue

Feb. 12 and come home to face 7th-ranked Ohio State on the 16th.

Leading the team thus far has been junior Jamie Broback (averaging 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game), but the 6-foot-3-inch forward has had her share of struggles and the team doesn’t appear to have other consistent scorers. Minnesota has offense – the team’s 70.5 points per game rank 2nd among the Big Ten – but the Gophers might be lacking the “go-to” player they may need to be a championship contender.

Gophers’ junior forward Liz Podominick (10.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and emerging sophomore Natasha Williams (8.3 ppg, 4 rpg) have done well to make up McCarville’s absence in the paint. Despite the progress of these players, McCarville’s presence has been missed in other regards. This 2005 number-one WNBA pick led Minnesota’s ‘04-’05 squad in steals, blocks and had an uncanny passing ability (119 assists in ‘05-’06) for a frontcourt player.

McCarville, like Whalen, was a star, something Borton’s ‘05-’06 team lacks. Despite that, the team can succeed as much or more as past teams have. The bench is deep and full of talent (i.e. a 55-15 outscoring of MSU’s bench Jan. 7). As postseason play approaches, senior starters Shannon Bolden, Shannon Schonrock and April Calhoun—the team’s tri-captains—will need to step up more. Either way, the team has done well thus far and looks primed for the challenges the remainder of the season will present them.