University of Minnesota Athletics
M.A.G.I.C. Video
Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community (M.A.G.I.C.) is a volunteer program, supported in part by Abbott, specifically aimed to provide student-athletes with engaging and meaningful community service opportunities. The M.A.G.I.C. program provides opportunities for student-athletes to develop personal, professional, and leadership skills through outreach and serving the community.
In late February, members of Gopher Football and Rowing volunteered at the YWCA Race Against Racism inside the Minneapolis Sports Center at YWCA Midtown. YWCA is a trusted social justice organization with a 130+ year history of advocacy for women and children. Through equity-centered programs and advocacy focused on racial justice, education and wellness, they create leaders, spark positive change, and improve the health of our community for all. Making a Difference. That's the Difference. Our Gopher Student Athletes helped to entertain the participants by playing games, drawing pictures and cheering on racers during their time at the event, helping to clean up at the end of the day.
In early February, Gopher Sports hosted Be The Match to add members to their registry and help find potential donors for patients with blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and other life threatening diseases. Be The Match is a community of donors, volunteers, health care professionals and researchers who deliver cures by helping patients get the life-saving marrow transplant they need. Our Gopher Student Athletes showed up, adding over 160 potential donors to their registry, in hopes of finding somebody who can be a match! Thank you to our Gopher Student Athletes and Be The Match for helping make a difference in our community!
In mid January, the Gopher Women's Basketball team partnered with Loaves & Fishes in Minneapolis to provide free hot and healthy meals to the community. Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. They serve urban, suburban and rural communities through a variety of meal programs supported by creative food sourcing and food rescue efforts. Their meal program began in 1982, with one dining site each in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They now serve over 130 outlets in 15 counties. During the evening, our Gopher Athletes assembled to-go dinners and helped give them out over 250 boxed dinners.
In mid February, Madeline Wethington and Grace Zumwinkle of the Gopher Women's Hockey team partnered with Loaves & Fishes in Minneapolis to provide free hot and healthy meals to the community. Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. They serve urban, suburban and rural communities through a variety of meal programs supported by creative food sourcing and food rescue efforts. Their meal program began in 1982, with one dining site each in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They now serve over 130 outlets in 15 counties. During the evening, Grace and Madeline assembled these to-go dinners and helped give them out to those who came, packaging and distributing over 200 boxed dinners. They volunteer with this organization every month and look forward to continue doing so in the future!
In early January, the Gopher Gymnastics team hosted an 'Always Dreaming Cancer Awareness' meet, where fans donated toys for Braxton's Toy Closet. Braxton is a big gymnastics fan and has been battling Leukemia since 2019, but is now striving to brighten other children and families days through her organization, TB1Fund. TB1Fund's mission is to brighten days for patients and families at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. Their primary goal is to help patients focus on recovery by providing items and experiences that not only distract and engage them, but also encourage recovery, be it mental, physical or emotional. All donations were delivered by our Gopher Gymnasts to the kids at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital on campus.
In late November, the Gopher Football team hosted its annual Row The Boat Turkey Drive at the University of Minnesota Athletes Village. Each year head coach PJ Fleck and members of the team pass food and supplies out to local community members in need. Since P.J. Fleck and his staff arrived in 2017, they have used “Row the Boat” to make a difference in the lives of countless people in the Twin Cities. Fleck said Minnesota’s Row the Boat culture has always been built upon serving and giving, while preparing players for the future. Gopher Athletic’s partners Cub and Bimbo Bakeries, generously donated more than 250 Turkeys and holiday sides including stuffing, gravy, cranberries, dinner rolls and a cake for this year's event.
In November, the Gopher Baseball team partnered with the Highland Friendship club and former Minnesota twin, Joe Mauer at the annual Lanes for Friendship event. Highland Friendship Club (HFC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that its members have ample chances to build personal relationships, explore new interests, and form lasting friendships with people of all abilities. The mission of Highland Friendship Club is to serve individuals with disabilities from teens through adulthood by providing a range of opportunities to develop lifelong skills, friendships and connections within their community. The Gopher baseball team spent the afternoon bowling and hanging out with members of the Highland Friendship club.
This past December, the Gopher Gymnastics team hosted a clinic with the Special Olympics of Minnesota. This event allowed members of the community to practice their gymnastics skills in a fun and exciting environment, with the Gopher gymnasts actively encouraging and guiding their technique! Members of the gymnastics team led participants through six stations: vault, bars, beam, floor, dance and trampoline. The Minnesota team, in partnership with Special Olympics, has been hosting the skills clinic annually for the past 12 years!
In mid December, the Gopher Football Team volunteered at the KS95 For Kids Radiothon inside the Mall of America in Bloomington. The KS95 For Kids Radiothon is an annual fundraiser benefiting the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and the Gillette Children's Hospital. To date, KS95 for Kids has raised over 18 millions dollars for various causes and when you donate to the KS95 For Kids Radiothon, you’re making it possible for kids around the globe and in our own backyard to overcome childhood cancer, traumatic injuries and other health challenges. The Gopher Football team's help of answering phones and accepting donations was a large part of the success for this year's event!
YWCA Race Against Racism
In late February, members of Gopher Football and Rowing volunteered at the YWCA Race Against Racism inside the Minneapolis Sports Center at YWCA Midtown. YWCA is a trusted social justice organization with a 130+ year history of advocacy for women and children. Through equity-centered programs and advocacy focused on racial justice, education and wellness, they create leaders, spark positive change, and improve the health of our community for all. Making a Difference. That's the Difference. Our Gopher Student Athletes helped to entertain the participants by playing games, drawing pictures and cheering on racers during their time at the event, helping to clean up at the end of the day.
Gophers Host Be The Match
In early February, Gopher Sports hosted Be The Match to add members to their registry and help find potential donors for patients with blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and other life threatening diseases. Be The Match is a community of donors, volunteers, health care professionals and researchers who deliver cures by helping patients get the life-saving marrow transplant they need. Our Gopher Student Athletes showed up, adding over 160 potential donors to their registry, in hopes of finding somebody who can be a match! Thank you to our Gopher Student Athletes and Be The Match for helping make a difference in our community!
Women's Basketball Visits Loaves and Fishes
In mid January, the Gopher Women's Basketball team partnered with Loaves & Fishes in Minneapolis to provide free hot and healthy meals to the community. Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. They serve urban, suburban and rural communities through a variety of meal programs supported by creative food sourcing and food rescue efforts. Their meal program began in 1982, with one dining site each in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They now serve over 130 outlets in 15 counties. During the evening, our Gopher Athletes assembled to-go dinners and helped give them out over 250 boxed dinners.
Women's Hockey Visits Loaves and Fishes
In mid February, Madeline Wethington and Grace Zumwinkle of the Gopher Women's Hockey team partnered with Loaves & Fishes in Minneapolis to provide free hot and healthy meals to the community. Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. They serve urban, suburban and rural communities through a variety of meal programs supported by creative food sourcing and food rescue efforts. Their meal program began in 1982, with one dining site each in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They now serve over 130 outlets in 15 counties. During the evening, Grace and Madeline assembled these to-go dinners and helped give them out to those who came, packaging and distributing over 200 boxed dinners. They volunteer with this organization every month and look forward to continue doing so in the future!
Gymnastics Cancer Awareness Meet
In early January, the Gopher Gymnastics team hosted an 'Always Dreaming Cancer Awareness' meet, where fans donated toys for Braxton's Toy Closet. Braxton is a big gymnastics fan and has been battling Leukemia since 2019, but is now striving to brighten other children and families days through her organization, TB1Fund. TB1Fund's mission is to brighten days for patients and families at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. Their primary goal is to help patients focus on recovery by providing items and experiences that not only distract and engage them, but also encourage recovery, be it mental, physical or emotional. All donations were delivered by our Gopher Gymnasts to the kids at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital on campus.
Football's Row The Boat Turkey Drive
In late November, the Gopher Football team hosted its annual Row The Boat Turkey Drive at the University of Minnesota Athletes Village. Each year head coach PJ Fleck and members of the team pass food and supplies out to local community members in need. Since P.J. Fleck and his staff arrived in 2017, they have used “Row the Boat” to make a difference in the lives of countless people in the Twin Cities. Fleck said Minnesota’s Row the Boat culture has always been built upon serving and giving, while preparing players for the future. Gopher Athletic’s partners Cub and Bimbo Bakeries, generously donated more than 250 Turkeys and holiday sides including stuffing, gravy, cranberries, dinner rolls and a cake for this year's event.
Baseball Bowling at Lanes for Friendship
In November, the Gopher Baseball team partnered with the Highland Friendship club and former Minnesota twin, Joe Mauer at the annual Lanes for Friendship event. Highland Friendship Club (HFC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that its members have ample chances to build personal relationships, explore new interests, and form lasting friendships with people of all abilities. The mission of Highland Friendship Club is to serve individuals with disabilities from teens through adulthood by providing a range of opportunities to develop lifelong skills, friendships and connections within their community. The Gopher baseball team spent the afternoon bowling and hanging out with members of the Highland Friendship club.
Gymnastics' Special Olympics Meet
This past December, the Gopher Gymnastics team hosted a clinic with the Special Olympics of Minnesota. This event allowed members of the community to practice their gymnastics skills in a fun and exciting environment, with the Gopher gymnasts actively encouraging and guiding their technique! Members of the gymnastics team led participants through six stations: vault, bars, beam, floor, dance and trampoline. The Minnesota team, in partnership with Special Olympics, has been hosting the skills clinic annually for the past 12 years!
Football at the KS95 For Kids Radiothon
In mid December, the Gopher Football Team volunteered at the KS95 For Kids Radiothon inside the Mall of America in Bloomington. The KS95 For Kids Radiothon is an annual fundraiser benefiting the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and the Gillette Children's Hospital. To date, KS95 for Kids has raised over 18 millions dollars for various causes and when you donate to the KS95 For Kids Radiothon, you’re making it possible for kids around the globe and in our own backyard to overcome childhood cancer, traumatic injuries and other health challenges. The Gopher Football team's help of answering phones and accepting donations was a large part of the success for this year's event!