The Gophers men's basketball team will play host to Virginia Tech in the 13th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Nov. 30 at Williams Arena. The schools will be meeting for the first time. Other matchups include Wisconsin at North Carolina and Duke at Ohio State.

Extension for UMD coach Scott Sandelin, who coached the Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team to its first national title last month, agreed to a five-year contract extension. Sandelin was extended through 2016-17 with a base salary of $235,000, a raise of $65,000.

• The Gophers announced two USHL players -- forward Sam Warning of Cedar Rapids and defenseman Blake Thompson of Waterloo -- have signed letters of intent. Warning is from suburban St. Louis and Thompson from Eden Prairie.

• Wisconsin announced the signings of two Minnesotans, forward Joe LaBate of Holy Angels and defenseman Pat Daly of Benilde-St. Margaret's.

• Dubuque took Gophers forward Max Gardiner in the fifth round of the USHL draft on Monday. John Gardiner, his father, said he expects Max to return to the Gophers.

Etc. • Alex Pafko, a two-time team MVP in women's soccer at St. Cloud State, is transferring to the Gophers this fall for her senior season. Pafko, of Blaine, had 10 goals and two assists last season and is third all-time in career points (59) and goals (22) at SCSU.

• The Gophers soccer team has received an NCAA public recognition award for its multiyear Academic Progress Report covering teams from 2006 to 2009. Only 36 teams -- the top 10 percent in APR -- receive the award.