Forest Lake grad Leif Nordgren named to U.S. Olympic biathlon team

Leif Nordgren of Marine on St. Croix was named to the U.S. Olympic biathlon team Saturday, making the Forest Lake High School graduate a two-time Olympian.

Nordgren, 28, has been the highest American finisher in two of the past four men's races on the International Biathlon Union Cup circuit. At the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Nordgren raced in four events. His best finish came as part of the U.S. 4x7.5-kilometer relay team, which placed 16th.

Nordgren also has competed in six world championships. He lives and trains in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The selection of Nordgren and Russell Currier completed the five-man U.S. roster that will compete next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea. All five were Olympians in 2014.

RACHEL BLOUNT

The No. 13 Gophers women's track and field team defeated No. 11 Wisconsin 88-69 on Saturday at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse. The Gophers won six events on the track and three in field events to beat the Badgers in this dual meet for the fourth year in a row.

Emerald Egwin won the 400-meter run, Rachel Schow the 60 hurdles and Titania Markland the 800 for the Gophers and also an on the winning 4x400 relay.

The Gophers women's gymnastics team won a four-team meet at Maturi Pavilion, just edging Big Ten rival Maryland 194.200 to 194.025. Northern Illinois was third (193.575) and Winona State fourth (184.750).

Freshman Lexy Ramler led Minnesota, winning the all-around and the the balance beam (9.925). Three teammates also won events. Ona Loper took first in vault (9.775), Ivy Lu on uneven bars (9.900) and Paige Williams in floor exercise (9.800).

• Bill Chaves was named North Dakota's athletic director. He has held that same position at Eastern Washington since 2007 and was twice named the national Athletic Director of the Year, in 2013 and 2016.

• The Gophers men's and women's swimming and diving teams both won 13 of 16 events to sweep Denver at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Bowen Becker in freestyle sprints, Conner McHugh in breaststroke and Tumoas Pokkinen in butterfly each won two events as the Minnesota men won 195-105. The Gophers women also had three double winners, Danielle Nack in butterfly, Chantal Nack, Danielle's sister, in freestyle and Lindsey Kozelsky in breaststroke, in beating the Pioneers 196-104.