Thunder joining new outdoor soccer league

By FROM NEWS SERVICES

Last update: November 10, 2009 - 11:24 PM

Unhappy with the United Soccer Leagues, owners of seven franchises, including Minnesota, have formed a new league for 2010.

On Monday, team owners submitted an application for sanctioning as a Division II Men's Outdoor Professional League by the United States Soccer Federation.

"After years of failed efforts to work and improve the current structure of our league, we must take control of our own destiny," Thunder owner Dean Johnson said in a statement.

The Thunder, however, have several concerns. General Manager Djorn Buchholz and coach Donny Gramenz left the cash-strapped team in the past 10 days. And team president Manny Lagos told the soccer blog insidemnsoccer.com that all Thunder players have been released from their contracts.

"We decided to honor the USL's statement that they had voided the contracts," Lagos told insidemnsoccer.com. "This allowed the players to go looking for other options."

Gophers diver wins weekly Big Ten honor

Sophomore Kelci Bryant, who won the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competition in the Gophers' dual-meet victory at Iowa, was named Big Ten diver of the week. Bryant, of Chatham, Ill., won the 1-meter event with a score of 314.85 -- 50 points better than the second-place finisher.

Kangas named WCHA top defensive player

Junior goaltender Alex Kangas, who had a career-high 45 saves in the Gophers' 5-2 victory on Saturday at Wisconsin, was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association defensive player of the week.

Kangas, of Rochester, Minn., stopped 73 of 79 shots in last weekend's series and held the Badgers scoreless on eight power play chances, stopping 17 shots. He had 28 saves in Minnesota's 4-2 loss on Friday.

Kelly among Hall of Fame nominees

Former Twins managers Tom Kelly, Billy Martin and Gene Mauch will be on the ballot when Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committees vote next month. Whitey Herzog, Danny Murtaugh, Davey Johnson, Steve O'Neill and Charlie Grimm also are on the 10-man ballot for managers and umpires. A ballot for executives and pioneers includes former owners Gene Autry (Angels), Ewing Kauffman (Royals), John Fetzer (Tigers), Jacob Ruppert (Yankees) and Sam Breadon (Cardinals) along with former players' association head Marvin Miller.

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