Minnesota Scene: U's Aquatic Center to be named after ex-coach Freeman

The University of Minnesota Aquatic Center will be renamed in honor of the late Jean Freeman, a Gophers swimming and diving coach for more than 30 years, on Dec. 6. Freeman swam for the Gophers from 1968-72 and was the women's head swimming and diving coach from 1973-2004 until she retired.

Her teams won two Big Ten titles, in 1999 and 2000. Freeman coached two NCAA champions and 175 All-America athletes. She was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year four times, in 1984, '86, '96 and '99.

"The Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center will be a tribute to an outstanding alumna, coach, role model and a forever-loyal Gopher," said Terry Ganley, Minnesota's senior associate head women's and men's swimming coach.

Forward Dani Cameranesi and goalie Amanda Leveille of the Gophers were named the WCHA's offensive and co-defensive players of the week after Minnesota swept then-No. 1 Wisconsin 4-1 and 2-1 in overtime on the road.

Cameranesi, a sophomore from Plymouth, had a hat trick in the first game and assisted on the game-winner in the second. Leveille, a junior from Kingston, Ontario, stopped 63 of 65 shots in the series, including a career-high 40 in the overtime game.

The Gophers men's hockey team will unveil its 2014 Big Ten regular-season championship banner before the 8 p.m. home opener against Bemidji State at Mariucci Arena.

There will also be a special ceremony during the second game on Saturday night. Junior Mike Reilly will be recognized for being named a first team All-America defenseman last season.

Five Minnesota wrestlers, all seniors, are ranked in the top five at their weight. Dylan Ness is ranked No. 1 at 157 pounds and Logan Storley at 174. Scott Schiller is second at 197, Chris Dardanes third at 133, and his twin brother, Nick, fourth at 141.

• Brooke Zeiger of the Gophers was named the Big Ten's freshman of the week in women's swimming. Zeiger, of Cumberland, R.I., won the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and the 200 individual medley in Minnesota's dual meet victory over the Badgers. Her 200 backstroke time of 1:58.92 was an NCAA provisional qualifying time.

• Concordia (St. Paul) junior setter Kasey Williams was named the AVCA Division II national player of the week. She helped the Golden Bears go 3-0. Williams had 48 assists in a four-set victory over Winona State, 51 against then-No. 20 Augustana, and 45 against then-No. 12 Wayne State. In those matches, she averaged 14.4 assists and 2.6 digs per set as the Golden Bears hit .349.

• Michigan's Mason Ferlic, a junior from Mounds Park Academy, is the Big Ten's athlete of the week in men's cross-country. He won the 8K addidas Invitational in Madison, Wis., in 23:59, a pace just under 4:50 per mile. Nineteen of the top 30 teams in the country were there.