Ryan Dungey, the Minnesota native who is one of the most accomplished professional dirtbike riders in history, announced he is retiring at 27 from the sport.
Minnesota Scene: Dirtbike superstar Ryan Dungey decides to retire
By STaff and wire reports
Dungey, who spent his early years in Carver and then Chaska before moving to Belle Plaine as a teenager, won his third straight Supercross title this month. He has seven combined titles on the top Supercross and Motocross circuits, one of the highest totals ever.
"It's hard to believe that this day has come but after a lot of thinking and praying over the last several months, today I announce my retirement," Dungey said at a news conference in California. "This decision has not been an easy one. I've achieved more than I ever could have imagined or dreamed of and for all of this I am incredibly humbled and honored."
In an interview with the Star Tribune in February, Dungey said that he and his wife, Lindsay, want to start a family but could not because of the constant travel of his racing tours. He added that once he did retire, he and wife planned to move from Florida back to somewhere in Minnesota to re-plant roots.
matt Vensel
Vikings sign offensive lineman
The Vikings signed offensive lineman Freddie Tagaloa, a 6-8, 314-pound guard, to a three-year contract after trying out during the Vikings rookie minicamp May 5-7, a league source told the Star Tribune. Defensive lineman B.J. Dubose, a 2015 sixth-round pick, was waived to make room on the 90-man roster.
Tagaloa will start off at guard, where he finished his college career after beginning as a left tackle. He struggled to stay on the field in college, transferring to Arizona from Cal. NCAA rules forced Tagaloa to sit out the 2014 season and he returned to an injury-plagued campaign in 2015. He reportedly tore his posterior lateral ligament and medial collateral ligament in the same season.
ANDREW KRAMMER
Gophers move into first place
The Gophers swept visiting Rutgers 6-2 and 6-0 in Big Ten baseball Tuesday to move into first place in the conference by .010 percentage points over Nebraska.
Nebraska is second in the Big Ten at 14-6-1 — .690 to the Gophers' .700 winning percentage.
In the opener, freshman left fielder Jordan Kozicky hit two home runs, including one leading off the bottom of the first inning. Micah Coffey had an single to score the first run for Minnesota (32-17, 14-6 Big Ten) in the second game. He also hit a solo homer in the fifth. Toby Hanson had a two-run single, increased his RBI total to a team-high 50.
Etc.
• St. Paul Johnson defeated St. Paul Harding 7-0 in the championship match of the state badminton tournament at Burnsville High School. The state title was its third consecutive — and seventh in the past eight years.
• The St. Paul Saints defeated Fargo-Moorhead 6-3 in their final exhibition game.
• Gophers golfer Justin Doeden is tied for 27th through 36 holes of the NCAA Stanford Regional. He shot a 2-over-par 72 in the second round for a 141 total.
• Marty McGillan, a Winthrop University assistant the past four seasons, was named to the Gophers women's basketball staff. He will serve as the team's defensive coordinator.
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STaff and wire reports
Rudy Gobert was masterful in captaining the defense Wednesday night, finishing with five steals as the Wolves won in their debut game at the new Intuit Dome in L.A.