Minnesota scene: St. Cloud State hockey team takes over No. 1 in USCHO.com poll

St. Cloud State claimed the No. 1 ranking in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll for the first time since March 19 of last season, displacing previous No. 1 Minnesota Duluth. The Huskies (11-1-0) earned 38 first-place votes after sweeping Bemidji State over the weekend, while Minnesota Duluth (9-2-1) split with Denver. The Bulldogs drew seven first-place votes.

Minnesota State Mankato and Massachusetts are third and fourth, with three and two first-place votes, respectively. Ohio State rose one spot to No. 5, swapping places with Penn State. The Gophers, ranked 19th last week, fell out of the top 20.

• Wisconsin-Milwaukee forward Megan Walstad, a freshman from Apple Valley, was named the Horizon League women's basketball Freshman of the Week. Walstad, who played at Eastview, had 18 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes in the Panthers' 78-65 victory over Columbia.

• Augustana of the NSIC will compete for the 10th year in a row at the NCAA Division II men's cross-country meet Dec. 1 in Pittsburgh, the NCAA announced. NSIC rival Sioux Falls also is in the field. The Augustana women qualified for the 16th time and will be joined by Mary, in the NCAA field for the fourth consecutive year. Minnesota State's Lily Paul qualified as an individual.

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