University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Sports: News & Notes
8/5/2026 5:53:00 AM | Athletics
Catch up on all the latest news from Gopher Athletics from the past week.
GopherSports.com: Coach Cook, Stella Swenson and Mckenna Wucherer previewed the season on BTN as part of Big Ten Volleyball Media Day on Monday.
@GopherVB: Gopher Digital was on hand for the start of Volleyball training camp last week.
GopherSports.com: Sophomore Carly Gilk was named preseason All-Big Ten while Volleyball was picked to finish fifth in the league.
GopherSports.com: The Big Ten unveiled its 2026 Volleyball television schedule.
GopherSports.com: Football will host open practices this Friday at Athletes Village and on August 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
GopherSports.com: Coach Fleck, Drake Lindsey, Maverick Baranowski and Anthony Smith appeared on BTN as part of Big Ten Football Media Days.
More Media Day Coverage:
- YouTube.com: Coach Fleck sat down with the Cover 3 Podcast and CBS Sports while in Chicago.
- YouTube.com: Quarterback Drake Lindsey also appeared on the Cover 3 Podcast.
- @MikeGrimm3: Darius Taylor and Darrell Thompson were guests on Mike Grimm's Go Gopher Podcast.
- GopherSports.com: A special Gopher Football Weekly was recorded at Media Days.
GopherSports.com: Soccer's Caroline Birdsell, Taylor Heimerl and Sarah Martin were named Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch.
GopherSports.com: Longtime assistant Zach Sanders has been named head Wrestling coach at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
@PatMcAfeeShow: Brock Lesnar announced his retirement from the WWE on the Pat McAfee Show yesterday (with a few Gopher highlights included).
MNPGA.com: Isabella McCauley captured her second straight Minnesota Women's State Open, while sister Reese placed second.
GopherSports.com: Jack Crousore, Jack Wetzel, and Chun-Ta Wu were named Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars from the Golf Coaches Association of America.
@GopherMGolf: Joe Honsa placed first at the Northwest Amateur by nine strokes.
GopherSports.com: Track & Field's Able Mills, Precious Opinion and Jayden Green are in Eugene, Ore., for this week's U20 World Championships.
GopherSports.com: Five Gophers - Hannah Clark, Gracie Graham, Chloe Primerano, Sarah Paul and Adrianna Milani - are in British Columbia participating in Hockey Canada selection camps.
Meet the Newcomers
- Soccer: Matigann Vixayvong
- Men's Basketball: Winters Grady
- Women's Basketball: Natalie Kussow
- Women's Basketball: Leah Harmon
GopherSports.com: Game times were announced for Women's Basketball's Thanksgiving trip to the Cancun Challenge.
@GopherVBall: Volleyball unveiled its new practice court in Maturi Pavilion.
@GopherWGym: Gymnastics was honored at a Minnesota Twins game last week.
Gopher Shorts:
- @GopherVBall: Media Day Behind the Scenes
- @GopherVBall: Point U BBQ
- @GopherFootball: Gophers Hit Buca di Beppo
- @GopherMBB: Lob City
- @GopherWBB: If You Could Be Any Household Item?
- @GopherFootball: So Excited for Football
- @GopherFootball: Go Up & Get It
- @GopherHockey: Jackson Nevers Family Legacy
- @GopherHockey: Past Gopher Inspiration?
@HoustonDash: Former Gopher Khyah Harper made her debut with the NWSL's Houston Dash after being acquired last week.
@GopherFootball: Check out Gopher Digital's 2026 Football camp trailer.
WCCOTV.com: Former Gopher Blake Cashman met the media after he began his third training camp with the Vikings on Saturday.
MILB.com: After his call up to Triple A, Connor Wietgrefe has gone 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA in six starts with Indianapolis, an affiliate of the Pirates.
Fox9.com: Fox 9's Jim Rich caught up with Coach Larson as Hockey hosted its alumni golf tournament yesterday.
NHL.com: Veteran Nate Schmidt reflected on his first season with the Utah Mammoth.
KSTP.com: KSTP chatted with Volleyball alum Sarah Wilhite Parsons who will be part of the inaugural LOVB Minnesota roster.