UCLA able to pull ahead of Minnesota rowers in California

The Minnesota rowing team was edged by UCLA on Sunday in the final day of competition at the Lake Natoma Invitational in California.
Despite finishing ahead of UCLA in two out of three events on Sunday, the Gophers finished behind the Bruins, who won a Group 2 tiebreaker after both teams finished the day with 13 points.
The deciding factor was UCLA’s win in the First Varsity Eight race, which the No. 19 Bruins won with a time of 6:33.90 — less than three seconds ahead of the No. 20 Gophers.
Minnesota did pick up six points in the standings after its boat won the First Varsity Four race in 7:31.06. The Bruins finished second more than 11 seconds later.
The Gophers clocked a second-place time of 6:53.08 in the Second Varsity Eight behind Tennessee. UCLA finished third in the event.
On Saturday, Minnesota’s First Varsity Four boat picked up the team’s only win — clocking a time of 7:27.25 to best Stanford and Sacramento State in its heat.
California won the Group 1 title after tallying 16 points against Stanford and Wisconsin. The Bears picked up wins in the First Varsity Eight and First Varsity Four.
“From the coaches' perspective, it was great,” Bears coach Dave O’Neill said of the meet in a release. “Not just because our team was successful, but there was fair racing, everything runs on time, we get accurate times.”

BU loses top dogs

Boston University might have won the NCAA championship this year, but the Terriers have now lost two of the top players in college hockey.
On Friday, the school announced that both Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy and Hobey Hat Trick finalist Colin Wilson had signed NHL contracts.
Gilroy, a senior defenseman and a two-time All-American, signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers worth $3.5 million over two years.
The 24 year old is not eligible to play for the Rangers during the playoffs but can be assigned to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford, Conn.
Gilroy, who began his college career as a walk-on, is only the second Boston University player to win the Hobey Baker Award behind his new teammate Chris Drury, who won the award in 1998.
Wilson, a sophomore forward, signed a three-year deal with the Nashville Predators — the team that selected him seventh overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
He was also named to the U.S. National Team for the upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championship in Switzerland.
How Wilson performs at the World Championship in Switzerland will affect if he debuts in Nashville or the organization’s AHL affiliate in Milwaukee, according to Predators general manager David Poile.
“Colin Wilson is going to play in the National Hockey League, but we don’t want him to play just one game. We want a career out of Colin Wilson,” Poile said at a press conference.
Wilson led the nation with 38 assists this season while his 55 points were second only to the 59 posted by Quinnipiac’s Bryan Leitch.

Gophers named to U.S. team

Former Gophers Kyle Okposo and Keith Ballard were also named to the U.S. National Team
for the upcoming World Championships along with five other players with Western Collegiate Hockey Association ties.
“This is a skilled group of players who will represent the United States well,” Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, said. “It is a nice mix of veterans and newcomers to international competition that our National Team Advisory Group is looking forward to watching.”
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson will coach the U.S. team.