The Big Ten Network will televise 27 Gophers hockey games this season, including the Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field and the Big Ten tournament in Detroit, the network announced Monday.

ESPN networks will carry six games and Fox Sports regional networks will televise 29 games.

The coverage will kick off with the Gophers hosting Bemidji State Oct. 24 on BTN. ESPN's first broadcast will feature the Gophers and Notre Dame on Nov. 9. Fox Sports North and FSN Plus will carry 11 of Minnesota's games, BTN will broadcast 11, and ESPN four.

This season's Hockey City Classic will return to Chicago on Feb. 7 and feature Michigan against Michigan State. Last year's event was held at TCF Bank Stadium in front of 45,021 fans. The Gophers beat Ohio State 1-0.

JASON GONZALEZ

Gophers women No. 1 in preseason poll

The Gophers women's hockey team is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. College Hockey Online preseason poll.

Minnesota, which lost 5-4 to Clarkson in the NCAA title game last season, received 12 of 15 first-place votes and 146 points. No. 2 Wisconsin had 117. Boston College, Harvard and Cornell round up the top five.

U's Mendez is runner-up

Gophers sophomore golfer Jose Mendez tied for second place at the Windon Memorial Classic in Skokie, Ill., with a 4-under-par score of 206, one stroke behind medalist Colton Staggs of Tulsa. Minnesota placed 13th as a team.

Mendez has finished in the top 10 in his past seven collegiate tournaments.

Etc.

• The Iowa twosome of Jenny Graeser and Katie Gustafson qualified for the inaugural U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship with a round of par-72 at Stone Ridge Golf Club in Stillwater. The team of Olivia Herrick — 2013's Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year — and Samantha Sommers shot 73 and will be first alternate for the tournament in May.

• Gophers volleyball player Sarah Wilhite, a sophomore outside hitter, earned Big Ten player of the week honors after her weekend tournament-MVP performance in Toledo, Ohio. Sophomore middle blocker Paige Tapp was defensive player of the week.