Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who turned down an offer from West Virginia last month, will receive a one-year contract extension next week, pending Board of Regents approval.
Ciarrocca is already under contract for $720,000 this year, and the extension would guarantee him the same salary for 2020. The matter will come before the Regents' Finance and Operations Committee on Thursday.
He arrived with Gophers coach P.J. Fleck from Western Michigan in 2017 and originally received a two-year deal worth $700,000 per season.
Ciarrocca received a one-year extension and raise last year, increasing his salary to $710,000.
The Gophers offense, which included up to eight freshmen starters, averaged 28.9 points per game last season, up from 22.1 in 2017.
Joe CHRISTENSEN
Etc.
• The No. 2 Gophers women's hockey team (24-5-3-1, 14-3-1 WCHA) will play Minnesota Duluth (11-11-2, 7-7-2-2) at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Ridder Arena. The two teams have met three times this season. Minnesota beat the Bulldogs 5-2 and tied them 2-2 in Duluth in October and beat UMD 4-3 in overtime in the Minnesota Cup semifinals in early January.
• Sophomore Ben Psicihulis of the Gophers won the 600-meter run in Michigan's Power Five Invitational. His time was 1 minute, 18.53 seconds.
