After seven events, the Gophers were in first place in the Big Ten women's swimming and diving meet on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota, the three-time defending meet champion, had 232.5 points. Michigan was in second place with 196.5.

The Gophers overtook the Wolverines with a 1-2 finish in 1-meter diving, the final event scored on Day 2. Yu Zhou, a sophomore from Beijing, took first place (365.00) and senior Katy Etterman second (333.80).

Senior Rebecca Weiland tied for second in the 50-yard freestyle (22.13 seconds) and swam the first leg of the third-place 200 freestyle relay (1:29.32).

Junior Samantha Harding took fourth in the 500 freestyle while senior Tori Simenec and junior Kierra Smith were fourth (1:58.20) and fifth (1:58.62), respectively, in the 200 individual medley.

U women at Bemidji St.

The Gophers women's hockey team ends its regular-season schedule with games Friday and Saturday at Bemidji State. Each game starts at 2 p.m.

No. 2-ranked Minnesota (27-4-2, 20-2-4- WCHA), which clinched the conference title last weekend with a sweep of Minnesota Duluth, is 0-1-1 against the Beavers (18-13-1, 13-12-1-1). The teams tied 2-2 on Oct. 31 at Ridder Arena, with Bemidji State winning the shootout, and the Beavers won the second game 1-0.

The Gophers will host eight-place Minnesota State Mankato Feb. 27-28 and, if necessary, March 1, in a best-of-three conference quarterfinal playoff series.

Etc.

• The Gophers baseball team, after getting swept in three games by No. 3 Houston last weekend, will play at Texas in a four-game series opening at 6 p.m. Friday. The Longhorns (3-2) played in the College World Series last season and are ranked No. 10 by Baseball America.

• After losing its last game 4-0 to Central Florida, the No. 15 Gophers women's softball team (8-1) will play five games in the Diamond Devil Invitational this weekend in Tempe, Ariz. It will open the tournament with two games on Friday, playing New Mexico State at 10 a.m. and Boise State at 2:30 p.m.