North Carolina State forward Kayla Jones (25), whom the Lynx drafted in the second round Monday, signed with the team Wednesday. (Frank Franklin II, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Lynx signed five players, including their two draft picks, on Wednesday ahead of the opening of training camp on Sunday. Kayla Jones, the 22nd overall pick, and Hannah Sjerven, the 28th pick, agreed to terms.

Free agent rookies Chloe Bibby, CeCe Hooks and Moon Ursin were added. Bibby, a 6-2 forward from Maryland, was All-Big Ten second team this season. Hooks, a 5-11 guard, is the all-time leading scorer in the MAC after five seasons at Ohio University. And Ursin, a 5-6 guard, played four seasons at Baylor before finishing her college career at Tulane.

U softball wins in 8th

Sydney Strelow's homer in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Gophers a 9-8 victory over South Dakota State edged the host Gophers 8-7 in nonconference softball.

Minnesota (19-15-1), which trailed most of the game, tied the score at 8-all in the sixth when Natalie DenHartog tripled and scored on Sara Kinch's sacrifice bunt.

Rozelyn Carrillo hit a grand slam, Cheyanne Masterson a two-run homer and Kelsey Lenox a solo shot for the Jackrabbits (26-10).

U award candidates

The Gophers announced there nominees for the Big Ten Medal of Honor, which is awarded annually to the top female and male student-athletes at each conference institution.

The female nominees, in alphabetical order, are Bethany Hasz (women's cross-country and track), Lexy Ramler (gymnastics) and Stephanie Samedy (volleyball). The male nominees are Blaise Andries (football), Alec Basten (men's cross-country and outdoor track) and Gable Steveson (wrestling).

Etc.

• Augustana's Mary Pardo was named the NFCA Louisville Slugger player of the week. Pardo, a senior from Andover, hit seven homers, had 15 RBI and had a 1.579 slugging percentage as the Vikings (26-7), ranked No. 13 in Division II softball, went 6-0 last week.

• Junior starter Owen Boerema of Northwestern was named to the D3.baseball.com's team of the week. He beat Crown 5-0 on a two-hitter and struck out a school record 21 — one shy of the NCAA Division III all-time mark.

• St. Thomas grad student Graham Laubscher was named co-national pitcher of the week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America. He pitched 8⅓ innings and struck out 15 as the Tommies beat North Dakota State 6-0 last Saturday. He had a perfect game for 5⅔ innings.