Wild invites veteran winger Drew Stafford to training camp

The Wild will bring veteran winger Drew Stafford to training camp on a professional tryout, the team announced Wednesday.

Stafford spent the past two seasons with the New Jersey Devils after stints with the Jets, Bruins and Sabres. He spent the bulk of his career with Buffalo, racking up 145 goals and 322 points in 563 games after the Sabres drafted him 13th overall in 2004.

Last season, Stafford chipped in five goals and eight assists in 57 games with the Devils. He's coming off a one-year, $810,000 contract with New Jersey.

Born in Milwaukee, Stafford played at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault before spending three seasons at North Dakota.

Players report to camp next Thursday.

Sarah McLellan

Former Iowa State guard Lindell Wigginton signed with the Timberwolves, the team announced.

He averaged 7.4 points in five summer league games for the Raptors.

The Gophers women's basketball team released its complete nonconference schedule. It will play 11 of them — eight at home, including a program-record six straight at Williams Arena to open the season. The first opponent will be Missouri State on Nov. 5.

The Bears reached the NCAA Sweet 16 last season as did Arizona State, a team the Gophers will host Nov. 17.

Minnesota's final nonconference game will be against Lehigh, also at home, on Dec. 21.

As previously announced, the Gophers also will play in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, playing at Notre Dame on Dec. 4 in their first road game. The Irish lost in the national title game last season. Then Minnesota will play two road games in Washington, D.C., at American University on Dec. 8 and George Washington on Dec. 10.

Swimmer Natalie Sims of Edina won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals to lead the state's athletes. Summer Schmit of Stillwater also won multiple medals in swimming, with a silver and a bronze, and table tennis player Ian Seidenfeld of Lakeville earned silver medals in the individual and team competitions.

Other gold medalists included Chuck Aoki of Minneapolis (wheelchair rugby), Alexis Shifflett of Waseca (sitting volleyball) and Josh Cinnamo of Lakeville (shot put). Silver medals were won by Ben Goodrich of St. Paul (judo), and Rose Hollermann of Elysian and Josie Aslakson of Jordan (wheelchair basketball). Sean Boyle of Minneapolis (soccer 7-a-side) and Ricky Ties of Rochester (judo) earned bronze medals.

Rachel Blount

• The Whitecaps announced the signings of two players: Kalli Funk, a former Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Cloud State forward who played for the team last season, and Kelsey Cline, a former Gophers and Bloomington Jefferson defenseman/forward.

• Wisconsin's Sydney Hilley, a junior who played at Champlin Park, was named the Big Ten setter of the week. She had 78 assists — 13 per set — as the Badgers opened the season 2-0.