Senior forward Travis Boyd was named the Big Ten's third star of the week on Tuesday after a four-point weekend against Wisconsin.

Boyd matched a career-high with three points (two goals, one assist) in the Gophers' 5-2 win on Saturday night and had an assist in Friday's 2-2 tie. He also matched his career-high goal total (nine) after the big weekend.

Michigan freshman forward Dylan Larkin was named the first star and Penn State's sophomore forward David Goodwin the second star.

• The North Star College Cup champion won't be decided by a shootout this year. The tournament announced that Saturday's championship game will follow standard NCAA tournament overtime protocol with 20-minute periods occurring until a winner is decided. The semifinal and consolation games will stick to the Big Ten's five-minute overtime/shootout routine if the game is tied after three periods.

The Gophers won last year's championship game with a 2-0 shootout victory over Minnesota Duluth that officially ended in a 4-4 tie.

JASON GONZALEZ

U softball team ranked No. 15

The Gophers softball team is No. 15 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association preseason poll. That's the highest Minnesota has even been ranked in the preseason poll — it was No. 16 in 1996.

The Gophers were 44-12 last season, won the Big Ten tournament for the first time in 15 years, and reached their first NCAA super regional.

Etc.

• The Gophers baseball team has signed seven players: infielder Eddie Estrada of Litchfield High School, pitcher Ben Humbert of International Falls, pitcher Nick Lackney of Whitefish Bay, Wis., catcher Cole McDevitt of Eastview, pitcher Ben Mezzenga of Totino-Grace, infielder Jordan Kozicky of Minneapolis Southwest, and pitcher Jake Stevenson of Waconia.

• USA Track and Field named Medtronic TC's 1 Mile and 10 Mile as the USA Track and Field Championships for men and women in 2015. The 1 Mile will be held May 14 in downtown Minneapolis, the 10 Mile will be the same weekend as the Twin Cities Marathon.

• The North American Soccer League announced its fall schedule. Minnesota United FC will open on July 4 at the Carolina RailHawks and close the regular season against San Antonio, the defending NASL champion, on Oct. 31 at home. The Loons' fall season home opener will be July 11 against Ottawa.