Joe Harasymiak, who was hired by the Gophers as a defensive assistant coach in December, was named FCS Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association for his work at Maine in 2018.

Harasymiak, 32, led the Black Bears to a 10-4 record, the Colonial Athletic Association championship and an appearance in the FCS semifinals, the deepest playoff run in school history.

His role with the Gophers under defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has not been announced.

Randy Johnson

'79 champs to reunite

The 40th anniversary of the Gophers' 1979 NCAA men's hockey title will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 26, when Minnesota plays Wisconsin at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

That team, coached by the late Herb Brooks, had three 70-point scorers in Steve Christoff, Don Micheletti and Neal Broten while captain Bill Baker had 54 points as a defenseman.

Nine members of the team joined Brooks at the 1980 Olympics.

Etc.

• Gophers senior forward Jordan Murphy was one of 25 players named to midseason list of candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the top player in Division I men's basketball. He is averaging 14.5 points and a Big Ten-best 12 rebounds per game.

• The Grand Meadow girls' basketball team defeated Lyle/Pacelli 60-34 at Lyle on Tuesday, ending the Athletics' 97-game winning streak in the Southeast Conference dating to February of 2013. Grand Meadow (13-0) is ranked No. 4 in Class 1A. Lyle/Pacelli (11-4) is the defending Class 1A state champion.

Staff and News services