Junior outside hitter Taylor Reiss of Southwest Minnesota State was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Division II Player of the Year on Wednesday, one day after she was picked for the AVCA's first All-America team for the second time.

Reiss, a 2015 graduate of Minneota High School, led the Mustangs with 605 kills and hit .305. She also had 363 digs, 73 total blocks and 23 service aces.

Best enter bonspiel

The U.S. Olympic men's and women's curling teams are among the 33 teams set to compete this weekend in the Curl Mesabi Classic in Eveleth, the largest U.S. event on the World Curling Tour schedule.

Team John Shuster and Team Nina Roth won last month's Olympic trials in Omaha to earn places at February's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Shuster's team includes three athletes with Minnesota ties, while Roth's team has two. The Curl Mesabi Classic, which offers $30,000 in prize money, also includes women's national teams from Switzerland and Scotland, top teams from Canada and several Minnesota-based teams.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. Friday, with playoff rounds Sunday at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (finals). Spectators will be admitted free.

RACHEL BLOUNT

Seven from area honored

Six MIAC football players were named to the D3football.com's first All-West Region team. They are tight end Matt Christenson, defensive tackle Austin Jochum and safety Isaac Seering of St. Thomas; guard Dan Greenheck and safety Max Jackson of St. John's, and running back Chad Johnson of Concordia (Moorhead).

Also named to the first team was Nick Swore of Northwestern (St. Paul) of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference as a special teams player.

U women host UMD

The No. 6 Gophers women's hockey team plays Minnesota Duluth at 7 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday at Ridder Arena. Minnesota swept UMD 4-1 and 2-1 on the road in October.

Alex Woken and Cara Piazza lead the Gophers with three three game-winning goals this season, a number which ties them for fourth among Division I players.

Area golf pro leads

Jeff Sorenson, the teaching pro at Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, shot a 6-under 66 for the first round lead in a PGA Tournament Series event in Port St. Lucie, Fla.