Former Gophers gymnast and associate head coach Jenny Hansen will lead the women's gymnastics program as interim head coach, athletic director Norwood Teague announced this week.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to lead this program as it is one that I have great passion for as both an alumna and member of the coaching staff," Hansen said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to a season of continued success."

The Gophers were co-Big Ten champions in the regular season for the second consecutive year in 2014 and placed third in both the conference and Minneapolis regional meets.

Hansen has served on the coaching staff since 2007 under former coaches Meg and Jim Stephenson and was named the 2013 National Assistant Coach of the Year and the North Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013. She competed with the Gophers from 2000-2003.

Former coach Meg Stephenson resigned in August amid federal and university investigations on claims of sexual harassment and retaliation within the program.

JASON GONZALEZ

U golfer ties for sixth

Freshman Celia Kuenster of the Gophers shot an even-par 72 in the final round of the Windy City Collegiate Classic in Wilmette, Ill., to tie for sixth place overall with a 11-over 217 total.

Minnesota finished 10th as a team with a 40-over 904. Southern Cal won the team title with a 12-over 876.

Awards for Gophers

Gophers sophomore defenseman Lee Stecklein was named the WCHA defensive player of the week in women's hockey. After spending a year with the U.S. women's Olympic team, Stecklein returned with four assists and a plus-four rating in the opening weekend in victories over Penn State and No. 6 Boston University.

• Minnesota swimming and diving teams picked up a pair of Big Ten honors. Kierra Smith was the league's women's swimmer of the week after finishing in first place in three events — the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes and 400 medley relay — in the Gophers' 191-101 win over Arizona State.

Manny Pollard was the men's Big Ten diver of the week. The Gophers' junior placed first in the 1-meter and 3-meter events in a 181-117 victory over Arizona State.

JASON GONZALEZ

Etc.

• Mounds Park Academy graduate Mason Ferlic, a junior at Michigan, earned his second Big Ten athlete of the week honor of the season in men's cross-country. He was the individual medalist — by more than nine seconds — at the Notre Dame Invitational over the weekend in South Bend, Ind.

• Freshman Sierra Langlie of Augustana was named the NSIC women's golfer of the week after shooting a 11-over 155 last weekend to take a seven-shot lead halfway through the conference championships at The Classic at Madden's in Brainerd, Minn. Langlie, of Andover, had round of 77 and 78 to help the five-time defending NSIC champions take an 18-stroke lead; the final two rounds will be held in late April at Dacotah Ridge in Morton, Minn.

• Grant Griffin of Augsburg and Elizabeth Robinson of Concordia-Moorhead were the MIAC athletes of the week in soccer. Griffin had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over the Cobbers and the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Viterbo. Robinson had three of her team's four goals in 2-1 wins over the Auggies and, in overtime, over St. Mary's. … The conference's cross-country runners of the week were Grant Wintheister of St. Olaf and Ruth Steinke of Carleton. Both took first in the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational.