Former Gopher wrestler Pat Smith wins gold medal at Pan Am Games

Pat Smith, a former Gophers wrestler from Chaska, won his fourth Pan Am Games gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in Lima, Peru.

Competing in the 77-kilogram (170-pound) weight class, Smith defeated Wuileixis Rivas of Venezuela 3-2 in the final. Smith will represent the U.S. at the world championships next month in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

• In women's swimming, Isabelle Stadden of Blaine won the silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke. She finished in 2 minutes, 8.39 seconds, .09 of a second behind U.S. teammate Alex Walsh.

Rachel Blount

The $5.1 million renovation for Maturi Pavilion will be completed by the start of the 2019 volleyball season, Gophers Athletics announced Wednesday.

The upgraded space on the lower level will provide athletes direct access from the court to strength training, athletic medicine, a nutrition station and hydrotherapy pools.

The upper level will include coaches' rooms as well as a club room for fans that will add 48 premium seats. The Pavilion also will have air conditioning this season.

• Sisters Megan and Emma Welch of Brackett's Crossing Country Club shot a 3-under 69 for the first-round lead in the MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Elk River Golf Club. Megan Welch won the tournament with a different partner a year ago. Stephanie and Leah Herzog, another pair of sisters, were two shots back.

• The Gophers football team has opened an additional training camp practice, at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at TCF Bank Stadium, to the public. The West Plaza gates will open at 7:30 p.m.

• Minnesota State Mankato was selected by the league football coaches as the overall and South Division preseason favorite in the NSIC for 2019. Minnesota Duluth was the unanimous choice to win the North Division.

• The Lynx signed 6-3 forward Jillian Alleyne to a second seven-day contract.

• St. Thomas' men's team is ranked No. 12 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll; the Tommies are No. 19 in the USC women's soccer poll.

• Excelsior beat Fargo 17-11 in its first game of the American Legion Central Plains baseball regional at Sioux Falls (S.D.) Stadium. Outfielder Michael Sturek of Excelsior was 2-for-5 with a homer and five RBI and third baseman Matthew Mortensen was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Edina also won its opener, edging host Sioux Falls 9-8 on two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Andrew Enck singled to drive in Jack Murphy, who had doubled, with the winning run.