The Minnesota Wild have announced the hiring of Bill Guerin to serve as the team’s next general manager and fourth GM overall.  Guerin replaces the fired Paul Fenton who was relieved of his duties earlier this summer after just over a year on the job.  Guerin was a finalist for the job the last time it was available, but ultimately lost out to Fenton.  Guerin has spent the last nine years with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization serving three years in player development and the last five as the assistant general manager.  Guerin is a U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer who won two Stanley Cups as a player with the Penguins and played 18 NHL seasons. 

Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas announced the team has signed forward Kelan Martin to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Martin played for the Timberwolves entry in the 2019 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.9 minutes over seven games. He recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in a win vs. Cleveland on July 5. In the quarterfinals win over Dallas on July 13, Martin scored a game-high 23 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-9 from long distance. He tallied a game-high 19 points in the title game vs. Memphis on July 15.

The 6-7 forward played for MHP Reisen Ludwigsburg in Germany last season, averaging 13.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 27 games. Martin played four seasons at Butler University, averaging 15.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 136 games. In his senior season in 2017-18, he averaged 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds and was named First Team All-Big East. He scored 27 points in Butler’s 2018 NCAA Tournament opening-round win over Arkansas and had 29 points in the second-round loss to Purdue. He finished his career as the Bulldogs’ third all-time leading scorer with 2,047 points.

The NBA allows teams to sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man regular-season roster. Players signed to a two-way contract can accrue no more than 45 days of service with their respective NBA club during the regular season and will spend the remainder of their time with the team’s NBA G League affiliate. 

Minnesota Wild Assistant General Manager Tom Kurvers today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has re-signed defenseman Hunter Warner to a one-year, two-way contract ($700,000/$80,000) for the 2019-20 season.

Warner, 23, recorded seven points (1-6=7), 97 penalty minutes (PIM) and a plus-7 rating in 73 games with the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season. He ranked second on the team in PIM and fourth in plus/minus rating. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound native of Eden Prairie, Minn., added four points (1-3=4) and a plus-5 rating in 11 Calder Cup contests to rank T-1st amongst team defensemen in scoring and second in plus/minus rating during the playoffs. Warner has collected 18 points (3-15=18) and 181 PIM in 165 career AHL games with Iowa.

Minnesota originally signed Warner to a three-year, entry-level contract on Sept. 23, 2014.

Kaare Vedvik joins the Vikings via trade with the Baltimore Ravens for an undisclosed draft selection. Vedvik spent the 2018 season on the Ravens Non-Football Injury (NFI) list after joining the team as a rookie free agent on May 4, 2018. Vedvik appeared in 38 career games at Marshall, seeing action as both a kicker and punter while earning first-team All-Conference USA as a senior in 2017. Born in Stavanger, Norway, Vedvik attended high school in McPherson, Kansas as an exchange student for his junior year before returning to Norway for his senior year.

The Vikings have waived long snapper Kevin McDermott to make room for the new kicker/punter.

Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas announced the team has signed rookie guard Jaylen Nowell, who was selected by the Wolves with the 43rd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Nowell, 19, was named the 2018-19 Pac-12 Player of the Year by the coaches after averaging 16.2 points, on 50.2% from the field, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists over his sophomore season at the University of Washington. An All-Pac-12 First Team selection by the coaches and media this past season, the 6-4 guard became the fastest player in Washington history to reach 1,000 career points. Nowell raised his three-point shooting percentage to 44.0%, up from 35.1% in his freshman campaign. The Seattle native was one of 10 finalists for the Jerry West Award, recognizing the nation’s top shooting guard.

Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold announced Tuesday he has fired general manager Paul Fenton after just one season on the job.  Leipold spoke to the media after the decision and explained his thinking...

Head football coach Steve Heimann tabbed the leader of his defense as he announced the hiring of Jason Glasco to be the next defensive coordinator. Glasco arrives with over eight years of collegiate coaching experience.  

"We are very happy to have Coach Glasco join our staff as the newest defensive coordinator," explained Heimann.  "Coach Glasco is highly respected within the coaching community and brings championship level experience to our defense.  We are all very impressed with the rapport he has with his former players and his desire to mentor and grow young men.  He will be a great asset to our program and the Presentation College campus as a whole."

Coach Glasco comes to Presentation after spending the last seven years at Dakota Wesleyan University. He spent his first two seasons as a graduate assistant before being named an assistant coach. He was also the recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator – in which he coached the No. 3 nationally ranked punt return unit back in 2016. Notably, Coach Glasco has coached 21 All-GPAC linebackers, two All-American linebackers, and an All-American punter.

Before working at DWU, Coach Glasco spent a season as an assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls.  While with the Cougars, he worked with the team's defensive backs. 

Collegiately, Coach Glasco joined the coaching ranks after a successful playing career at Sioux Falls.  Coach Glasco was a three-year starter at safety for the Cougars and was a two-time All-GPAC Honorable Mention pick and earned All-GPAC First-Team and All-America Honorable Mention honors.  Glasco, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science in 2007, played for the Cougars from 2003 to 2006 and was a part of the 2006 national championship team.

"I would first like to thank the administrative team and Vice President of Student Affairs Bob Schuchardt, as well as head coach Steve Heimann for giving me this opportunity," stated Glasco. "I am extremely excited for the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator here at Presentation College and being a part of the Saint family and the Aberdeen community. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to influence the lives of young men in a positive way – both on and off the football field. I cannot wait to get started and meet all of the great people here at Presentation College and the community."

Glasco grew up in Sioux Falls, S.D., and attended Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School.  He received his master's degree in educational policy and administration from Dakota Wesleyan in 2012.

Presentation head men’s basketball coach Jeremy Reigel has announced he has resigned his position at PC and has accepted the head men’s basketball job at Rockford University.  Rockford University is a Division II school located in Rockford Illinois with a student population of about 1,300 students.  Reigel had been at PC for nine seasons.  He leaves the Saints, the winngest coach in program history, was named NSAA coach of the year for the 2018-19 season and won the most game in a single season in school history with 21 last season. 

The NSU men have done it again. The NCAA has released the Men’s Basketball Attendance Records following the 2018-19 season, with the Wolves leading NCAA Division II in attendance for the 12^th consecutive year and 13^th overall. An average of 3,680 fans poured into Wachs Arena to watch the Northern State men, with 51,526 total fans over the course of the season.

"The rich tradition of basketball at Northern State is second to none,” noted NSU Director of Athletics Josh Moon. “The women’s announcement a few weeks ago, and the men’s today continues to build on this tradition. For NSU to also lead all Colleges/Universities in the Dakota's in attendance shows the passion of this community for Wolves basketball. The back-to-back NSIC Conference Champion men will only build off this in the future, as a new era of Northern State basketball opens this fall under Saul Phillips.”

The Wolves sat high above the competition, bringing in over 1,350 fans per game more than Dixie State. Northern was the only program at the Division II level to record over 40,000 fans. The Wolves 72-70 win over Minnesota Duluth on February 15 was the fourth highest attended game in 2019 with 5,318 Wolves faithful.

In addition, NSU led the NSIC by over 1,400 fans per game, ahead of fourth ranked Augustana with 2,231. The NSIC came in second behind the MIAA, averaging 1,050 fans per game due in large part to the numbers produced by Northern State.

Over the course of the last 12 seasons, 647,435 fans have watched the Wolves from Wachs Arena, averaging nearly 3,500 fans per contest. Those fans have seen numerous Wolves wins, multiple conference championships, and historic moments.

Saul Phillips, head men’s basketball coach at Northern State University, announced today the hiring of Jared Swanson as the team’s top assistant coach. Swanson is no stranger to the Phillips system as a member of his staffs at both North Dakota State and Ohio. 

“I’m extremely excited to add Jared to my staff,” said Phillips. “His experience level and familiarity with how I coach makes him a perfect fit. His extensive ties with Minnesota and the Dakotas will benefit us greatly from a recruiting standpoint.”

In ten years at the Division I level, Swanson has mentored/developed 21 All-Conference award-winning student-athletes, including five all-first team honorees, three freshman of the year, and one conference player of the year.

“My family and I are extremely excited to be returning to the Midwest and for this opportunity to become a part of Northern State University,” noted Swanson. “The tradition of the basketball program is second to none, and I cannot wait to get started working with our student-athletes. I believe in the vision that Coach Phillips has in maintaining the high standards set here, both on and off the court.”

Swanson most recently spent that last five seasons at Ohio University as an Assistant Coach (2017-19), and prior to that as the Director of Men’s Basketball Operations (2014-17).  In 2015-16, the Bobcats produced the second biggest turnaround in program history, going 23-12 overall with a trip to the CBI semifinals.

Prior to his time at OU, Swanson spent one season at San Jose State and two seasons at North Dakota State as the Director of Men’s Basketball Operations. The Bison went 41-24 in his two seasons, earning a berth into the College Basketball Invitational each year.

Swanson began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Boise State University. The Broncos went 22-13 overall and advanced to the semifinal round of the CBI. From 2008-10, Swanson spent time as an assistant coach at Heritage High School in Vancouver, Washington and as the head coach at Payson High School in Payson, Arizona.  Before starting his coaching career, Swanson played four seasons of professional basketball in Australia, garnering two League-MVP awards, while leading the league in scoring two years.

He is a 2003 graduate of Concordia College with a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education, and 2011 graduate of Idaho State University with a master’s degree in Physical Education in Athletic Administration. Swanson played collegiately at Fergus Falls Community College where he was an all-state and all-region selection, as well as the 2000 Fergus Falls Student-Athlete of the Year. Swanson moved on to the University of North Dakota and then to Concordia College. He closed out his college career as a MIAC first team selection for the Cobbers.

Jared and his wife, Jessica, have two sons, Jett and Nash, and one daughter, Luna.

South Dakota Athletic Director David Herbster has announced a five-year contract with head football coach Bob Nielson. The announcement follows another milestone year for Nielson, who surpassed 200 collegiate victories last season.
 
"Bob is a proven leader who has laid a solid foundation for our program as we build a championship culture," said Herbster. "I look forward to watching his teams push forward throughout these facility enhancements and beyond."
 
When Nielson took the Coyotes to the postseason in 2017, it marked the fifth consecutive program that has reached the playoffs within four years of Nielson taking the helm. South Dakota won its FCS playoff debut and reached the final 16. The team is 16-19 in three seasons under Nielson after combining for 12 wins in the four seasons prior.
 
"I'm excited to be a part of the future of Coyote football," said Nielson. "The University of South Dakota is a great place. It is making a strong commitment to Division I football, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to lead our team to the next level."
 
Nielson is a three-time national coach of the year recipient, a two-time national champion head coach, and was Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year in 2016. The 2019 campaign will be his 27^th as a head coach. He needed fewer than 300 games to reach 200 wins and stands with a 202-99-1 career record.
 
Nielson grew up in Marion, Iowa, and received his bachelor's degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where he began his coaching career. He was a head coach at Ripon (1989-90), Wartburg (1991-95), UW-Eau Claire (1996-98), Minnesota Duluth (1999-2003, 2008-12), and Western Illinois (2013-15) before arriving in Vermillion. He won Division II national championships with Minnesota Duluth in 2008 and 2010 with undefeated records of 15-0.
 
Nielson and his wife, Terri, have two daughters, Amanda Taylor and Kasey King, and a son, Kyle. He holds a master's degree from UNI. Nielson is a member of the Minnesota Duluth and Linn-Mar High School Athletic Hall of Fames.

Head football coach Steve Heimann is pleased to announce William Sonnemaker as the newest member of the PC football staff. Sonnemaker will take over as the offensive line coach for the Saints football program starting this fall.

"We are very excited to have Coach Sonnemaker join our program as he brings a high level of energy and passion that was felt immediately by the entire program," stated Heimann.  "Having coached at the collegiate, high school, and professional levels, he is an exceptional coach with a very strong resume that will continue to grow the PC football program."

Most recently, Coach Sonnemaker served as the offensive line coach for the Omaha Beef of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) League, where they produced 1,365 yards rushing this past season.

Prior to coaching in the CIF, Coach Sonnemaker was the defensive coordinator for Holyoke High School in Holyoke, Colorado. He also assumed the roles of offensive and defensive line coach and offensive and run game coordinator for Gateway High School in Aurora, Colorado. Furthermore, Sonnemaker started his collegiate coaching resume at his alma mater, Midland Lutheran College (now Midland University), as the defensive line coach and box coordinator.

Collegiately, Sonnemaker was a four-year starter for Midland before playing professionally indoors for six years. Notably, Sonnemaker was a three-time CIF champion with the Sioux City Bandits and the Omaha Beef.

"I am very excited to be here and hopefully bring a new refreshing view to Presentation College and the football program," explained Sonnemaker. "I believe this place is something special and has a lot of opportunity to give student-athletes a chance to not only further their playing career after high school but more importantly their education.   I am proud to become a part of the Saints family. I would like to thank Vice President for Student Affairs, Bob Schuchardt, and head coach Steve Heimann for giving me this opportunity. Last but not least, I'd like to give a giant thank you to my family, friends, and Samantha Holechek for supporting me on this journey of being a college coach."

Sonnemaker graduated from Midland Lutheran College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He continued his education at Bellevue University where he graduated with a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership.

Coach Sonnemaker currently resides in Aberdeen.

Former Presentation College head women’s basketball coach Eric Nelson has accepted the women’s head coaching job at fellow NSAA school Dickinson State.  Nelson coached six seasons at Presentation College, compiling a record of 51-113 during that time.  Nelson told media outlets he was forced out at Presentation College when he was let go. 

South Dakota men's basketball head coach Todd Lee  is pleased to announce the final addition to the 2019-20 squad with 6-8 forward Tasos Kamateros.
 
Hailing from Athens, Greece, Kamateros joins the Coyotes after averaging 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds for A.E.O Proteas Voulas in the A Eskana League in Greece. He shot 58 percent from the field while connecting on 41 percent of his 3-point field goals attempts.  
 
He played in the 2018 FIBA European Championship for Greece, seeing action in five games and hitting 50 percent of his field goal attempts.
 
Kamateros recently spent time in training camp with the U20 national team in preparation for the U20 FIBA European Championship.
 
The addition of Kamateros brings the 2019-20 class to seven student-athletes. Junior college transfer Ty Chisom along with true freshmen Kruz Perrott-Hunt and Hunter Goodrick are immediately eligible while A.J. Plitzuweit, Kanon Koster and Brady Heiman will sit the season due to NCAA transfer rules.

One time Minnesota Wild and longtime NHL great Matt Cullen announced his retirement from the league Wednesday at the age of 42.  Cullen played 21 seasons in the NHL, originally drafted 35^th overall by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1996 NHL draft.  A Virginia Minnesota native, Cullen graduated from Moorhead high school playing hockey and accepted a scholarship to play at St. Cloud State University.  In the NHL he would play for the Ducks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins.  He won three Stanley Cups in his career including in 2006, 2016 and 2017.  He wraps up his career with 1516 games played, 266 goals scored and 731 points collected. 

12-year NHL veteran and former University of North Dakota hockey great Greg Johnson has passed away at the age of 48.  Johnson died Monday according to the Chronicle Journal in Thunder Bay Ontario, his hometown, but no cause of death was given.  Johnson was a three time Hobey Baker award finalist and remains North Dakota’s all time leading scorer with 272 points, 74 goals and 198 assists, in 155 games with the then Fighting Sioux.  He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the 1989 NHL draft. 

Vice President for Student Affairs and Interim Athletic Director Bob Schuchardt is pleased to announce Steve Heimann as the next head coach of the PC football program. Heimann brings over 13 years of coaching experience from nearly all levels of the game. Heimann becomes the third head coach in program history for the Saints.

"We are excited that Coach Steve Heimann will be leading our football program at Presentation," explained Schuchardt. "His experience and personality will guide our football staff and student-athletes into a program that Presentation and the Aberdeen community will be proud of."

Most recently, Heimann served as the offensive coordinator for Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS – an NAIA school in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  Heimann guided the Bluejays to a 6-4 record in his first season with the team, which included a 38-21 win against No. 22 Avila University.

"I'd like to thank President Huber and Vice President for Student Affairs Bob Schuchardt for giving me the opportunity to lead the football program at Presentation College," stated Heimann. "The college's mission statement closely aligns with my personal coaching mission and I'm truly excited to get to work with a great group of young men and the coaches here. I hope to keep the momentum going and put a team on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, that resembles principles of hard work and accountability. Go Saints!"

Before taking over as the OC at Hillsboro, Heimann was an offensive analyst at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) in Conway, SC, assisting in the coaching of the wide receivers. CCU is an NCAA Division I FBS school that participates in the Sun Belt Conference.

Prior to that, he was with the Omaha Beef of the CIF (Champions Indoor Football). Heimann started as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach, before becoming the head coach. That position came on the heels of his coaching with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL, where he coached numerous former and current NFL players, including Heisman trophy winners, Troy Smith (Ohio State) and Eric Crouch (Nebraska).

Heimann also coached at Nebraska Wesleyan University (2007-2010 & 2013), Feather River College (2014) and Omaha Creighton Preparatory High school (2015).

Collegiately, Coach Heimann played defensive back for both Bethany College and The University of Nebraska-Omaha. He completed his undergraduate studies at Bellevue University, and then finished his Masters program from Bellevue as well.

Coach Heimann and his wife Rochelle, have three sons – Aiden, Alex and Cohwen.

Summit League commissioner Tom Douple has announced the University of Missouri-Kansas City otherwise known as UMKC will return to the Summit League on a full-term basis starting July 1^st 2020.  All 16 Roos’ athletic programs will compete in the conference beginning in the 2020-21 season.  UMKC was a member of the Summit League from 1994 to 2013, but have spent the past seven seasons as a member of the Western Athletic Conference or WAC. 

The South Dakota High School Activities Association has announced the 2019 state high school football championship games will be played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on the campus of South Dakota State, rather than its usual location of the DakotaDome in Vermillion.  The decision was approved by the SDHSAA board of directors earlier this week.  The games will also be played over a two day schedule rather than three.  Thursday Nov. 14^th will feature championships 9A, 9AA, 9B, and 11A and Friday will feature championships 11AA, 11B and 11AAA. 

Northern State University introduced its newest boy’s basketball head coach to the media and community at large Tuesday.  Saul Phillips will replace departing head coach Paul Sather who has accepted the head coaching job at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. 

Phillips comes to Aberdeen as a veteran Division I basketball coach, coaching at North Dakota State in Fargo for seven season and most recently, the University of Ohio from 2014 to 2019.

Phillips coming in to the program is aware of its tradition and says he cannot wait to get going…

Phillips connections to the Northern Program are a surprising coincidence.  He was the outgoing graduate assistant at Wayne State, when outgoing Wolves head coach Paul Sather was the GA coming in, as an assistant, he coached against former Wolves head coach Bob Olson, and he was an assistant under former Wolves assistant and NSU alum Tim Miles. According to Phillips, only in the Dakota’s would things work out like that…

Phillips brings with him not just familiarity, but also a winning track record.  He has an overall record of 206-145, has won two Summit League tournament championships, two Summit League regular season championships and was a two time Summit League coach of the year.  Phillips also helped the Bison win a second round NCAA tournament game, upsetting #5 Oklahoma as a #12 seed in the 2014 NCAA tournament. 

Phillips said he doesn’t feel like he can change this program and doesn’t feel change is necessary because of the groundwork laid by people before him.  He hopes instead, members of the community will get to know him as a person and enjoy the energy he brings to his job day in and day out…  

The Minnesota Vikings have come to terms with tight end Kyle Rudolph on a four year contract extension.  The new deal is worth $36 million and will keep Rudolph in Minnesota through 2023.  Rudolph announced the deal on his social media account under a post titled “unfinished business.”  His year cap hit will now be at $7.625 million.  He is 29 years old. 

Aberdeen Wings 2019 NAHL entry draft selections: 

Round 1 8^th overall Jake Sibell G Isanti, Minn.

Round 1 24^th overall Jakob Breault C Acton Vale, Quebec, CAN

Round 3 65^th overall Sebestian Paquette RD Montreal, Quebec, CAN

Round 3 76^th overall Evan Goggins LW Braintree, Mass.

Round 4 102^nd overall Colton Friesen F Winnipeg, MB, CAN

Round 5 128^th overall Fletcher Anderson RW Thunder Bay, ON, CAN

Round 6 154^th overall Jason Ruszkowski F South Setucket, N.Y.

Round 7 180^th overall Noah Kiemel D Colorado Springs, Colo.

Round 8 206^th overall Tyler Leibl F San Diego, Calif.

Round 9 232^nd  overall Tyler Blanchard F San Jose, Calif.

The Brookings Blizzard has announced it will relocate to St. Cloud Minnesota.  The NAHL board of governors approved the relocation Monday.  The team will still go by the Blizzard and still compete in the NAHL’s Central Division.  The Blizzard will also retain head coach Moe Mantha who is entering his third season. 

Northern State head men’s basketball coach Paul Sather announced his resignation from the program Thursday and has been named the new head men’s coach at the University of North Dakota.  He will take over the Fighting Hawks program, replacing coach Brian Jones who stepped down after 13 seasons at UD this year.  Sather has a 162-82 record at Northern over the past nine years.  He was named the NSIC coach of the year the past two seasons and two years ago was a missed buzzer-beater away from winning a Division II National Championship.  Northern athletic director Josh Moon says a nationwide search for Sather’s replacement will begin immediately.    

Minnesota Wild General Manager Paul Fenton today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired the rights to defenseman Fedor Gordeev from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional seventh round selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The trade is conditional on Gordeev signing a contract with Minnesota prior to June 1, 2019. The seventh round selection was acquired by Minnesota from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for forward Matt Hendricks on Feb. 25, 2019.

Gordeev, 20 (1/27/99), recorded 32 points (7-25=32) and 79 penalty minutes (PIM) in 63 games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) during the 2018-19 season. The 6-foot-7, 224-pound native of Omsk, Russia, set career highs in assists and points. He notched 19 points (3-16=19) and 49 PIM in 32 games with the Flint Firebirds before being traded to the Guelph Storm in January. Gordeev collected 13 points (4-9=13), 30 PIM and a plus-21 rating in 31 contests with the Storm. He tallied three points (2-1=3) and 21 PIM in 23 playoff games to help Guelph win the OHL playoff championship. Guelph lost to Rouyn-Noranda in the Memorial Cup semifinals.

Gordeev collected 73 points (19-54=73), 232 PIM and 401 shots on goal during four seasons in the OHL with Hamilton, Flint and Guelph (2015-19). He was selected by Toronto in the fifth round (141st overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.