Guard Carlie Wagner of the Gophers was named the Big Ten's freshman of the week in women's basketball. She averaged 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in victories over Illinois and Michigan State. She shot 48.5 percent from the field, and was 8-for-19 on three pointers. She had career highs of 25 points and five three-pointers against the Spartans.

Reeve on Olympic staff

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve will return as an assistant coach for the U.S. women's basketball team through the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, USA Basketball announced. Reeve was on head coach Geno Auriemma's staff for the 2014 FIBA World Championship. The U.S. team went 6-0 in that tournament and Auriemma's other two assistants there — DePaul coach Doug Bruno and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley — also will remain on his staff.

The three coaches will work with Auriemma at various USA national team training camps this year and the next in preparation for the Olympic Games from Aug. 5-21, 2016.

Reeve said she was thrilled to continue working with the U.S. women's national team.

Etc.

• Jim Rantz, who retired in 2012 after a long career as Twins director of minor league operations, has been elected to a three-year term as president of the Association of Professional Ballplayers of America. The APBPA is a charity that has provided assistance to more than 3,600 former ballplayers.

• Gophers sophomore Sara Groenewegen was named the Big Ten pitcher of the week and Danielle Parlich the co-freshman of the week after their team went 5-0 in the Sportco Kick Off Classic in Las Vegas. Groenewegen won three of those games. She had a 0.88 ERA and struck out 26 batters in 16 innings. She gave up only eight hits and walked one in victories over No. 11 Washington, Louisville and UNLV. Parlich, a second baseman, hit .583 in the tournament and had two double, one triple, eight RBI and scored six runs.

• The Gophers' Lindsay Mable, a junior from Aurora, Colo., was named the Big Ten women's gymnast of the week. She won the all-around (39.575) and placed first on the beam (9.925), in vault (9.900) and in floor exercise (9.875) in a dual meet with No. 15 Illinois. Mable won the all-around in her sixth consecutive meet and set a season-high on the beam.

• The Gophers women's golf team is tied for 13th with a 6-over 291 after two round of the University of Central Florida Challenge in Orlando. Freshman Celia Kuenster is the low Gopher, tied for 20th with a 2-under 142.

• The top five teams in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine national hockey polls are the same this week: 1. Minnesota State Mankato, 2. North Dakota, 3. Boston University, 4. Omaha and 5. Michigan Tech. Minnesota Duluth moves up one spot to No. 6 in both. The Gophers are among other teams receiving votes in both polls.

• Hennepin Avenue will be the route for the Medtronic TC 1 Mile on May 14. The annual race, which draws more than 3,000 runners, was held on the Nicollet Mall for the past decade.

• Tickets for the first round of the WCHA women's hockey playoffs, priced at $5 and $10, will go on sale Tuesday. The Gophers will host a best-of-three series at Ridder Area, starting Feb. 27. Minnesota will host either St. Cloud State or Minnesota State Mankato.

• Minnesota State Mankato's Brad McClure was named the WCHA freshman of the week. The forward had three assists in the Mavericks' 5-2, 4-0 sweep of Alaska Anchorage.