Gopher Sports—Weekend Preview

We are getting a bit of a late start to our weekend preview as several Gophers teams have had action both Thursday and earlier on Friday. But, it’s another very busy weekend ahead including the return of the Gopher volleyball team from a two week COVID pause, NCAA Tournament action for indoor track and field, and the first regatta of the year for the Minnesota rowing team.

Here is a list of the Gophers weekend schedule and how you can watch all the action via your tv, computer or phone.

Friday March 12th

Indoor Track and Field NCAA Championships—Day 2, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Nine Gophers advanced to the NCAA Championships in Indoor Track and Field. The action got underway on Thursday with three Gophers earning All-American honors. Kaleb Siekmeier finished in 7th place in the men’s weight throw with a throw of 22.10 meters, a new career best and the third furthest throw in program history to earn 1st Team All-American honors! On the women’s side Allison Gerads finished in 10th place in the pentathlon and Tess Keyzers finished in 13th place in the weight throw to both earn 2nd team All-American honors.

Earlier Friday Alec Basten added to the All-American honors by finishing in 7th place in the Men’s 5,000 meters and adding another 1st Team All-American to the Gopher men’s roster!

The rest of Friday’s schedule for the Gophers in action is:

7:45 p.m. - Women’s 60-Meter Semifinals: Amira Young

8:05 p.m. - Women’s 5,000 Meters: Bethany Hasz

8:25 p.m. - Women’s 200-Meter Semifinal: Amira Young

The meet can be watched streamed live on WatchESPN.

Men’s Tennis @ Nebraska 5PM

#48 Minnesota takes on Nebraska in a Big Ten match. It can be viewed here via Nebraska’s athletic website.

Volleyball Vs Illinois—Maturi Pavilion, 6PM

The Gopher volleyball team is back on the court after an unscheduled two week break due to COVID issues first in the Michigan program that resulted in that series against the Wolverines being postponed/cancelled, and then last weekend in Minnesota’s program that led to the postponement/cancellation of a series at Ohio State.

The Gophers will look to take on an Illinois team that has struggled to an 2-8 record this season—not a bad thing for a team trying to shake off the rust, and with the potential to be missing players. This will be a key warmup series for the Gophers who move on next week to a split home and home against the #1 team in the country in Wisconsin.

The match will start at 6PM. It will be streamed live on BTN+, and will air locally in the state of Minnesota on Fox 9 +.

Baseball vs Illinois-US Bank Stadium 7 PM

The Gophers kick off a four-game series with Illinois at US Bank Stadium Friday night. Minnesota opened their season last weekend at US Bank going 1-3 with a split with Rutgers and a pair of losses to Indiana. Illinois went 1-3 against Ohio State last weekend.

The projected starting pitchers for the Gophers in their series are:

Friday RHP Sam Ireland

Saturday G1 RHP J.P. Massey

Saturday G2 LHP Tom Skorzo

Sunday LHP Jack Liffrig

First pitch Friday night is at 7PM and will stream live on BTN+.

Saturday March 13th

Rowing @ Cardinal Invite, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 9AM

The Gopher rowing team is the final Minnesota team to kick off their season when they begin competition at the Cardinal Invite hosted by Louisville in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on Saturday. The regatta kicks off at 9 AM Saturday and live results can be found HERE.

Gopher Diving—NCAA Zone D Championships, Lexington, Kentucky 9:30 AM

The Gopher men will be back in the diving pool Saturday trying to advance through the NCAA Zone D qualifications to the full NCAA Championships in two weeks in Greensboro, North Carolina. Three Gophers have already qualified for the full NCAA Championships in the last two days including Gopher women’s Sarah Bacon on both the 1 and 3 meter spring board events and Megan Phillip on the 1 meter springboard. The Gopher men has one advance in Jake Butler on the 3 meter spring board. Butler will be back in the pool Saturday along with Duncan Lester to try and clinch a spot in the 1 meter springboard championships.

Indoor Track and Field NCAA Championships—Day 3, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Saturday’s schedule for the Gophers competing at the NCAA Championships is:

3 p.m. - Men’s 3,000 Meters: Alec Basten

6:10 p.m. - Women’s 60-Meter Final: Amira Young

6:50 p.m. - Women’s 200-Meter Final: Amira Young

7:20 p.m. - Women’s 4x400-Meter Relay: Jayla Campbell, Janielle Josephs, Val Larson, Abigail Schaaffe

The meet can be watched streamed live on WatchESPN.

Women’s Gymnastics @ Illinois, 1PM

The #7 ranked Gopher women’s gymnastics team will continue to stay hot as they compete in their final regular season meet at Illinois on Saturday at 1PM. Lexy Ramler will look to win her fourth consecutive Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award after taking home her third with her fourth straight all-around win last weekend against Nebraska. Freshman Mya Hooten is coming off of the first perfect 10 of her career on the floor as well. The meet will stream live on BTN+.

Softball vs Michigan State—Leesburg, Florida 3:15/5:45 PM

The Gophers will play a doubleheader against Michigan State on the softball diamond on Saturday. Minnesota returned to Florida earlier this week and went 3-0 against Rutgers on Thursday and Friday to move to 6-3 on the season. Amber Fiser picked up a pair of wins with Autum Pease getting a win and a save.

Both games against the Spartans will stream on BTN+.

Baseball vs Illinois, US Bank Stadium 5/8PM

The Gopher baseball team plays games two and three on the weekend against the Illini in a Saturday doubleheader. All the action can be streamed on BTN+.

Volleyball vs Illinois, Maturi Pavilion 5PM

Game two between the Gophers and the Illini on the volleyball court will start at 5PM and stream on BTN+ and air locally in Minnesota on Fox9+.

Sunday March 14th

Rowing @ Cardinal Invite, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 9AM

Day two for the Gopher rowing team at the Cardinal Invite begins at 9 AM Sunday and live results can be found HERE.

Women’s Tennis @ Indiana 10:30 AM

The Gopher women will look to pick up their first road win on the season at Indiana on Sunday. Minnesota fell 4-3 to Purdue on Friday morning. The match will stream via Indiana’s website HERE.

Softball vs Michigan State, Leesburg, Florida 10:30 AM

Game three between the Gophers and Spartans is a Sunday morning affair. It will stream on BTN+.

Men’s Tennis @ Iowa, Noon

The Gopher men will move on from Lincoln to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes on Sunday at Noon. The match will stream on Iowa’s website HERE.

Men’s Gymnastics @ Michigan, Noon

The Gopher men’s gymnastics team heads to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines on Sunday. The Gophers got a big boost last weekend with the return of Shane Wiskus to action after spending the beginning of the season with the US national Team. He helped the Gophers ot their first win on the season over Penn State last weekend and was named the College Gymnast of the Week in the process.

The meet begins at Noon and will stream on BTN+.

Soccer @ Iowa, Noon

The Gopher women’s soccer team also heads to Iowa City for a game against the Hawkeyes on Sunday at noon. Minnesota is currently in fourth place in the Big Ten. The match will stream live on BTN+.

Men’s Hockey—Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal vs Michigan State, 2 PM

The Gopher men’s Hockey team will face Michigan State in a Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal at 2 PM on Saturday. The Gophers are the #2 seed in the tournament. A full preview of the tournament will be available on the blog soon. The game will air on BTN.

Baseball vs Illinois—US Bank Stadium 6PM

The Gophers and Illini close out a four game set at US Bank Stadium with a 6 PM first pitch on BTN+.

Monday March 15th:

The weekend is not over on Sunday as at least two Gophers teams have events on Monday, and hopefully three.

Women’s Golf—Briar’s Creek Invitational

The Women’s Golf Team heads to Charleston, South Carolina for the three-day Briar’s Creek Invitational hosted by the College of Charleston. Live stats can be found HERE.

Women’s Cross Country—NCAA Championships, Stillwater, Oklahoma

The Gopher women’s Cross Country team will compete in the NCAA Championships hosted by Oklahoma State on Monday. The women’s 6 K race starts at 11:50 AM and will air live on ESPNU. Minnesota is expected to be led by Big Ten Champion Bethany Hasz.

Men’s Hockey—Big Ten Tournament Semifinal 7:30 PM

Assuming the Gophers can get past the Spartans on Sunday they would play either Ohio State or Michigan in a semifinal Monday night. That game would air live on BTN.