Obsa Ali of Gophers finishes fourth in steeplechase in NCAA meet

By news and staff reports

June 8, 2019 at 3:08AM

Senior Obsa Ali of the Gophers finished in fourth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday night at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas. Ali, the defending champion in the event, had a time of 8 minutes, 40.36 seconds.

Steven Fahy of Stanford won the race (8:38.46) despite a fall on the last hurdle. Next were Ryan Smeeton of Oklahoma State (8:39.10) and Kigen Chemadi of Middle Tennessee State (8:40.22). Chemadi passed Ali in the last few yards.

Sandelin gets extension

Minnesota Duluth men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin, who has coached the Bulldogs to three NCAA championships, including the past two, agreed to a four-year contract extension, the school announced.

The extension runs through the 2024-25 season. The Duluth News Tribune reported Sandelin will be paid a base salary of $400,000 next season.

Sandelin, 54, interviewed with the Anaheim Ducks for their head-coaching job on Monday. The base salary in his previous contract maxed out at $350,000.

With a 369-311-87 record in 19 seasons, Sandelin has the most hockey victories in UMD history.

RANDY JOHNSON

St. Mary's hires Murray

Sarah Murray, the Faribault native who coached the unified Korean women's hockey team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, was hired as head coach of the women's team at St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn.

Murray, 31, finished a four-year stint with Team Korea in the spring of 2018. She coached the girls' team at Owatonna High School last season.

RACHEL BLOUNT

Moore retires at Benilde-SM

Benilde-St. Margaret's boys' basketball coach John Moore has retired, the school announced.

The Red Knights were the Class 3A runners-up in 2007 and won the title in 2008. Moore's career record was 408-247 in 24 seasons.

JOEL RIPPEL

Etc.

• Totino-Grace senior forward Herbert Enderly was named the Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year in the state. He had 24 goals and 11 assists for the Eagles (15-2-1). Enderly signed with Indiana last fall.

• The Gophers women' soccer team released its 2019 schedule, which includes nine home games and 10 on the road. The team will open at California-Santa Barbara on Aug. 22; its home opener will be against Marquette on Sept. 5.

Nicole Schammel, the leading scorer on the Gophers women's hockey team last season with 47 points, signed with the Minnesota Whitecaps of the National Women's Hockey League.

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