PWHL Minnesota acquires former Kazmaier winner Sophie Jaques in league’s first trade

Minnesota sent Abby Cook and Susanna Tapani to Boston for the rookie defender and former Ohio State standout.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 12, 2024 at 1:55AM
Sophie Jaques played for Canada in the Rivalry Series against the United States in November in Los Angeles. (Ashley Landis)

PWHL Minnesota acquired defender Sophie Jaques from Boston on Sunday in exchange for defender Abby Cook and forward Susanna Tapani in the first trade in league history.

Last year, Jaques became only the second defender to win Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top women’s hockey player in the nation. The Toronto native had 24 goals and 24 assists in 40 games for Ohio State, the national-runner up in 2023 after winning the NCAA championship in 2022.

Jaques, 23, was drafted in the second round, 10th overall, by Boston and played seven games with the team, with no points and a minus-4 rating.

Cook, 25, had one goal in nine games after signing with Minnesota as a free agent. She played four years at Boston University. Tapani, 20, was fifth on the team in scoring with five points (two goals, three assists) and is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist with Finland.

U wrestling rolls

The 11th-ranked Gophers wrestling team earned bonus points in seven of its eight match victories Sunday in routing Purdue 36-6.

The Gophers (10-2, 5-2 Big Ten) won their fifth conference meet in a row after losing their first two. Over their winning streak, the Gophers have outscored their opponents 153-36. They have beaten Purdue (4-8, 1-5) 13 of the past 14 meetings.

The Gophers recorded five technical falls Sunday, including three in a row from Isaiah Salazar at 184 pounds, Garrett Joles at 197 and Bennett Tabor at heavyweight. Vance VomBaur (141) and Drew Roberts (149) also won by technical fall.

The Gophers play host to Wisconsin on Friday night in their regular-season finale, a dual that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Etc.

• Delani Sullivan stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Taylor Krapf in the eighth inning to lift te No. 25 Kentucky softball team to a 3-2 victory over the Gophers in their final game of the SDSU Season Kickoff in San Diego. Nani Valencia hit a two-run double in the fourth inning for the Gophers, who went 3-2 in their season-opening weekend.

• Hawley senior Brevin Stoa scored 61 points on Saturday in an 107-99 overtime loss to Central Cass (N.D.) in the Red River Roundup at Moorhead. Stoa’s total is the high for a boys player in Minnesota this season. Central Cass’ Cole Holzer scored 59 in the game.

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