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Ex-Cooper star Vaughn decides to stay in Las Vegas, picks UNLV

February 12, 2014 at 1:27PM

Vaughn (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Rashad Vaughn will extend his stay in Las Vegas.

The five-star high school basketball recruit originally from Twin Cities announced he will attend the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Tuesday night on national television.

Wearing a bow tie and black vest with Las Vegas palm trees in the background, the shooting guard thanked all of the schools that recruited him before making his selection nearly three months after most top recruits.

UNLV beat out Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. The Rebels joined the recruiting process later than most. They gained interest after Vaughn left Cooper High School last fall for Las Vegas and Findlay Prep.

The Gophers were among Vaughn's finalists, but did not make his top five.

Vaughn is rated ESPN's 18th best recruit in the Class of 2014.

JASON GONZALEZ

Tribute to Mayasich

The University of Minnesota will honor John Mayasich as part of the state's Olympic celebration during Friday's Big Ten hockey game against Michigan at Mariucci Arena.

Mayasich will drop a puck during a ceremony before the 8 p.m. game. He was a three-time All-America player and is still the Gophers' all-time leading scorer with 298 points in 111 career games.

The native of Eveleth, Minn., is the only Gopher to have his jersey (No. 8) retired.

His eight national team appearances, which included winning a silver medal in the 1956 Olympics and a gold in the 1960 Olympics, are the most in U.S. history. Mayasich was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.

U women on course

The Gophers women's golf team tied the program's 54-hole record with a 5-over 869 in the Central Florida Classic in Orlando, Fla.

Minnesota tied for fifth in the 19-team field after back-to-back rounds of 287s.

"I'm excited about the direction we are heading as a program," third-year head coach Michele Redman said. "This is a great start to our spring season."

Carmen Laguna and Emie Peronnin tied for 18th as individuals with closing rounds of 75 and 69 to finish with 216s.

Collecting awards

• Gophers junior Dylan Ness, of Bloomington, was named the Big Ten wrestler of the week.

He pinned previously unbeaten Dylan Alton at 157 pounds in Minnesota's 18-17 upset of No. 1 Penn State.

• Amanda Zahui B., a Gophers center from Stockholm, was named the Big Ten freshman of the week in women's basketball.

She had 23 points and 11 rebounds for her 11th double-double in a victory against Illinois on Sunday.

Etc.

• Brazilian midfielder Juliano Vicentini was signed by Minnesota United FC. Vicentini, 32, has played for several teams in Italy and Brazil.

Mayasich now 80, one of the most prolific amateur hockey players in Minnesota during his playing days in the 1940’s and 50’s. He has retired to Eveleth, his hometown of hockey fame. Mayasich stopped next to a photo of his UM hockey coach, the legendary John Marriucci, on display at Eveleth’s Hockey Hall of Fame. (MARLIN LEVISON/STARTRIBUNE(mlevison@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)