Monthly Archives: August 2011

Canadian juniors; Frederick; Huntsville; Amsoil ice

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The hottest of college hockey topics the past few weeks concerns the tug-of-war for players between Division I schools and Canadian Major Junior teams.

Craig Custance of the Sporting News led recent dialogue with a story here.

Chris Peters of the U.S. of Hockey blog weighs in here.

Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey touches on many subjects in a post here.

Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press talks about the WCHA’s role as Division I hockey looks to the future. That story is here.

Through all of the recent changes, Alabama-Huntsville is still looking for a conference home. The Huntsville Times recently published an open letter to the Alabama-Huntsville president about making a move to save the program. The letter is here.

Ice is being installed at Amsoil Arena this week leading to captains practices beginning Friday for the Minnesota Duluth men. The Northland’s NewsCenter shot some video of the new ice Tuesday in a Tom Hansen report here.

Gino Gasparini has received an extension as a hockey adviser at St. Cloud State. The St. Cloud Times has a story here.

Hockey season nears; Jamnick joins Bulldogs

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How close is the college hockey season? Very close. Amsoil Arena was to have ice installed by noon Tuesday and the Minnesota Duluth men are to begin captain’s practices Friday. Wasn’t the Division I title game just a few days ago?

The UMD athletic web site is reporting that Hibbing native Aaron Jamnick, a Providence College center the past two years, has transferred to UMD. He’ll be eligible in 2012-13. He had two goals and one assist in 31 games last season, and in 68 career games with the Friars had eight goals and seven assists for 15 points.

Jamnick was a 2009 All-Iron Range Conference pick and All-State honorable mention. As a senior in 2008-09 he had 31 goals — including eight short-handed — and added 24 assists as Hibbing reached the Section 7A title game. He had 67 goals and 87 assists in three years with the Hibbing varsity.

As the conferences turn

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Todd Milewski of U.S. College Hockey Online takes a look at what Division I men’s conferences look like for 2013-14, as of today. That story is here.

David Drew of the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette cautions Western Michigan not to join the WCHA in a column here.

Bowling Green is a Central Collegiate Hockey Association school still weighing its invitation to join the WCHA. Here are stories from the Toledo (Ohio) Blade here and the Bowling Green (Ohio) Sentinel here.

Goucher 13th in World Championships 10,000 meters

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Former Duluthian Kara Goucher of Portland, Ore., placed 13th in a field of 18 in Saturday’s 10,000-meter women’s race on the opening day of the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, Korea.

Kenyans swept the top four spots led by Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot, 27, who won in 30 minutes. 48.98 seconds. Second was Sally Kipyego, 25, a former Texas Tech runner and the sister of 2011 Grandma’s Marathon winner Christopher Kiyego, in 30:50.04.

Leading the American women were Shalane Flanagan, 30, of Portland, seventh in 31:25.57 and Jennifer Rhines, 37, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., ninth in 31:47.59.

Goucher, 33, finished in 32:29.58. She was diagnosed last month with a stress reaction of the hip, but was given the OK by doctors to compete. She plans to race in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the women’s marathon Jan. 14 in Houston, with the hopes of qualifying for the 2012 Summer Games in London.

The 10,000 meter results are here.

Earlier Saturday, Kenyans swept the top three spots in the women’s marathon with Edna Kiplagat in 2:28:43, Prisah Jeptoo in 2:29:00 and Sharon Cherop in 2:29:14. Tera Moody, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was the top American in the field of 54, placing 17th in 2:32:04.

Marathon results are here.

Matt Kero: Run in peace

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Nearly 800 family members and friends paid final respects to recent Duluth Central High School graduate Matt Kero on Thursday at St. Scholastica’s Mitchell Auditorium in Duluth. Kero, 18, a star runner and hockey player, passed away Monday at home in his sleep. An autopsy wasn’t able to shed any light on the cause of death. He was to be a St. Scholastica freshman this fall.

Kero was remembered as a fearless competitor and true friend. A story in Friday’s News Tribune is here.

WCHA extends invitations; Lake Superior State, Fairbanks accept

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Here’s a link to Thursday’s WCHA release about extending an invitation to the teams remaining in the CCHA (as of 2013-14), about joining forces. The WCHA release is here.

Lake Superior State of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has already said yes to the invitation. A release from the school is here.

Alaska Fairbanks has also said yes. From the school web site here.

NCHC; WCHA; Palm; Fenway Park; PairWise; Top 16

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The National Collegiate Hockey Association has picked a spot for its headquarters — in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Colorado Springs Gazette has a story here.

The WCHA and CCHA, seeking common ground for a possible merger, met for a second time in Chicago on Tuesday. A release from the WCHA is here.

The ECHL’s Chicago Express has signed former Minnesota Duluth defenseman Trent Palm of Edina, Minn. A release from the team is here.

There may be some tweaking of the PairWise Rankings for 2011-12, according the U.S. College Hockey Online in a story here.

USCHO is also reporting that a Jan. 7 outdoor double-header at Boston’s Fenway Park will have Vermont meeting Massachusetts and New Hampshire meeting Maine. A story is here.

The College Hockey Blog has put together a Top 16 preseason poll for 20-11-12. UMD is No. 11 in a post here.

Also it is being reported that Jeff Boeser, long time University of St. Thomas assistant and head interim coach last season, has been named full time head coach at the Division III St. Paul school.

A Thursday service for runner Matt Kero

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A Mass of Christian Burial for former Duluth Denfeld athlete Matt Kero is 11 a.m. Thursday at the Mitchell Auditorium on the College of St. Scholastica campus in Duluth.

Kero died in his sleep Monday. He was 18. Following an autopsy, the medical examiner told his family that no cause of death was found, and the death would be listed as from natural causes.

Kero ran cross country and track for Denfeld (which was Duluth Central for 2010-11), and was a hockey defenseman.

The obituary which will appear in Wednesday’s News Tribune:

Matthew Thomas Kero, 18, of Duluth died unexpectedly of natural causes on Monday, August 22, 2011. He was born on February 7, 1993 in Duluth to Tom and Mary Kero.

Matt graduated from Denfeld (Central) High School in June and was attending the College of St Scholastica this fall. Matt participated in a variety of sports growing up but concentrated on cross country, hockey and track in high school where he earned 13 varsity letters and was a captain on all three teams his senior year.

He was named to the All Lake Superior Conference first team 4 years in cross country, LSC second team for hockey as a senior, and was 8 times all conference in track, winning 4 individual titles and was a member of 1 conference championship relay team.

He also qualified for 3 state cross country meets and the state track meet in 2 events. Matt was planning to compete in cross country and track at CSS. Matt was a member of St Lawrence Church and had worked the past two summers at the West Duluth Super One.

Matt was preceded in death by paternal grandfather Earl Kero and maternal grandfather Richard Klepfer . Matt is survived by his parents, Thomas and Mary Kero; sisters Katherine and Jessica all of Duluth; paternal grandmother Mary Kero of Duluth and maternal grandmother Avenelle Klepfer of Sugarland, Texas; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He also leaves behind an extended family of former teammates, coaches and friends.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Williams Lobermeier Funeral Home and will continue from 10 until the 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial Thursday in the Mitchell Auditorium on the College of St. Scholastica campus. Rev Fr. William Fider officiating. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to establish a memorial in Matt’s name. Arrangements by Williams Lobermeier Funeral Home.

A runner and good guy, Matt Kero

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Monday was a difficult day for those connected with Duluth Denfeld High School athletics. Matt Kero, just a few months following graduation, died at home in his sleep. He was 18.

Matt was a Denfeld defenseman for four seasons and a captain in 2010-11. He was also MVP of the cross country team the past three years and participated in the last three Minnesota Class AA high school meets. He was also in the 2011 Minnesota Class AA track meet at 1,600 meters and in the 1,600-meter relay.

Matt was to start cross country practice Monday as a St. Scholastica freshman.

His story is on the News Tribune web site here.