The Gophers volleyball team was ranked No. 3 in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s poll released Tuesday. Stanford and Nebraska were Nos. 1 and 2.

Six Gophers starters return from last year’s 27-4 Big Ten title team. The Gophers open their season Aug. 30-31 in Chapel Hill, N.C., at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

You can see the entire poll here.

Whitecaps sign forward

The Whitecaps continue to assemble their roster for the 2019-20 National Women’s Hockey League season, signing former Bemidji State standout Stephanie Anderson. Anderson, a forward from North St. Paul, spent the past two seasons playing for Chinese teams in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, which folded in April.

RANDY JOHNSON

Etc.

• John Silviano hit a grand slam in the first inning of the St. Paul Saints’ 10-2 rout of the visiting Winnipeg Goldeyes. Winning pitcher Ryan Zimmerman pitched seven innings, giving up two runs and five hits in front of a franchise-record announced crowd of 10,631.

• Kianna Jones, an incoming Gophers freshman from Surrey, British Columbia, pitched two scoreless innings for a save as Canada beat Mexico 4-0 in the U19 Women’s Softball World Cup in Irvine, Calif. She also was 2-for-3 as a hitter and scored a run for Canada (4-0).

• Former Gopher Matt Rachey was named an assistant coach on the men’s golf team.

• Brian Power was named the St. Olaf men’s track and field coach. He has led the Hanover (Ind.) College men’s and women’s programs the past eight seasons.