Minnesota Scene: Third hockey player switches his commitment to Gophers

Holy Family forward Garrett Pinoniemi, who will be a junior next season, has changed his college commitment from St. Cloud State to the Gophers.

Pinoniemi becomes the second player this week to switch from the Huskies to the Gophers. Blaine forward Bryce Brodzinski, who'll be a senior next season, announced via Twitter that he'll play for Minnesota.

Pinoniemi, 5-10 and 141 pounds, had 14 goals and 35 assists in 28 games as a sophomore.

Since Bob Motzko was hired as Gophers coach in late March, three players have changed their commitments to join the Gophers. The other is forward Ben Meyers, a former Delano standout who played for the USHL champion Fargo Force this season. Meyers originally gave a verbal commitment to Omaha.

Randy Johnson

Emma Spagnola of the Gophers finished second in the 400-meter hurdles in 56.51 seconds on Friday at the West Preliminary track and field meet in Sacramento, Calif., to advance to the NCAA Championships from June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.

The top 12 advance, so seven of her teammates will also make the trip. Emerald Egwin was eighth (52.42) and Titania Markland 11th (52.53) in the 400 and Agnes Esser 11th n the discus (174-9). On Thursday, Nicolle Murphy was fourth in the javelin (171-4), Kiley Sabin eighth in the shot put (53-10½), Heta Tuuri tied for ninth (5-11¾) and Ashley Ramacher for 11th in the high jump (5-8¾).

The Minnesota PGA, along with its charitable foundation PGA REACH Minnesota, has agreed in place to acquire the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am for 2019 and beyond. The Tapemark, founded in 1972 by Robert Klas Sr. and Pat Cody Sr., raises critical funds for nonprofit agencies serving Minnesota children and adults living with developmental disabilities and their families,

The Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, made up of two golf tournaments for pros and amateurs, has donated more than $7.4M to the agencies it supports.

• Becky Fletcher, an assistant women's soccer coach at Mississippi for five years, was named to the same position on the Gophers' staff.

• Brian Huber of Minnesota State Moorhead won the long jump at the NCAA Division II track and field meet on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. His winning jump was 26-2¼, a school record. He is a senior from Staples, Minn.

• Junior shortstop Lani Van Zyl of Winona State was named to the Division II Collegiate Commissioner's Association's All-America first team in softball. … Pitcher/utility player Ashley Mickschl of Augustana was named to the D-II National Fastpitch Coaches Association's All-America first team.