Rochester native Shjon Podeinhas been named the boys hockey coach at St. Louis Park High School.
Podein, a 1986 graduate of John Marshall, went on to play college hockey at Minnesota Duluth. He then played all or parts of 12 seasons in the NHL and helped the Colorado Avalanche win a Stanley Cup in 2001.
Podein had his No. 11 John Marshall jersey retired in 2006. He has worked for the St. Louis Park youth hockey program for several years.
He continues to hold a charity event, for his Team 25 Foundation, each June in Rochester.
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Tickets are still available for the 2011 Rochester Quarterbacks Club Sports Hall of Fame banquet.
The banquet will be on April 18 at the Mayo Civic Auditorium. This marks the 21st year of the event. The 2011 Hall of Fame class includes Dr. Charles Abboud(soccer), Bob Gray(tennis), Jim Johannson(hockey) and Gretchen Otto Pimentel(track/cross country). Roy Sutherlandwill be given the Ben Sternberg Award.
Tickets will be available through Saturday and can be purchased by calling one of the following committee individuals: Ed Rauenat 288-7044, Kerwin Englehartat 289-2793 at Paul Lehmanat 282-2226 or Dick Hexumat 254-7760.
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Two area track standouts for Augustana currently have the top times in the nation in Division II after the Vikings' outdoor season-opening meet California last Friday.
Junior Travis Beniak, a Zumbrota-Mazeppa grad, owns the country's best time in the 3,000-meter steeple chase (9:01.24). Kyle Blakeslee, a sophomore from Cannon Falls, has the fastest time in the women's 3,000 steeple chase (10:38.86). Both runners have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship.
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Andy Judkinswill return to the Rochester Honkers coaching staff this summer. Judkins was the volunteer assistant last summer and this summer he will assist manager Ryan Ruizwith the infielders and hitters.
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"It’s a great honor to be back with the Honkers organization for a second season," Judkins said. "Last year was a lot of fun with great success. We want to go out and finish what we started last year and win a Northwoods League Championship."
Judkins is currently a volunteer assistant coach at Central Arizona College, where Ryan Ruiz is the assistant coach.
"It’s great to have Judy (Judkins) back on my staff this summer," Ruiz said. "He’s an up-and-coming coach that the players respect and respond too. I expect big things from him this summer."
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Winona native Matt Bollanthas been named the Russell Athletic/WBCA Coach of the Year for Region 6 in women's basketball.
Bollant guided Green Bay (34-2) to its best season in program history. Green Bay reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and set a number of school records in the process, including wins in a season.
"It's such a great honor to be named in the same caliber as the other coaches receiving this award in their respective regions," Bollant said. "This is a team and staff award."
Bollant guided Green Bay to an 18-0 record in Horizon League play and went 3-0 against Big Ten opponents (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Penn State) before knocking off UALR and Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.
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Senior Hannah Mesickof Chatfield has been named the MVP of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball for the 2010-11 season.
It marks the second straight season Mesick has been Eau Claire's MVP. She led both the Blugolds and the WIAC in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game. Mesick, who started all 26 of Eau Claire’s games, averaged a team-high 8.4 rebounds per outing.
She finished fourth on the Blugolds’ all-time scoring list with 1,443 points. This season Mesick also earned D3hoops.com All-Central Region honors, while being named to the All-WIAC first team for the second consecutive year.
