University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Basketball Signs Two Student-Athletes to Letters of Intent
11/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program signed two student-athletes to national letters of intent today. Blake Hoffarber and Al Nolen will be eligible to begin play for the Golden Gophers in the 2007-08 season.
Hoffarber is a 6-4, 195-pound guard from Hopkins High School. He has been the leading scorer for the Royals on their last two Class AAAA state champion teams in 2005 and 2006 while earning all-tournament honors by the Associated Press. The Pioneer Press named him first team all-state as a junior and the Star Tribune awarded Hoffarber first team All-Metro honors last season. Hoffarber was ranked among the top 100 high school seniors by Street & Smith’s and CBS Sportsline.com. He was the third-rated guard at the Reebok ABCD Camp and the 13th-rated player overall. He earned all-tournament first team honors at the Reebok Big Time Tournament. Hoffarber averaged 18.0 points per game for Hopkins last season.
“Blake has all the ingredients you want in a college basketball player,” head coach Dan Monson said. “He’s a great student, a great person and a great player. He brings a lot of intangibles we need in this program. He’s a winner.”
Nolen is a 6-1, 175-pound guard Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School. Nolen averaged 16 points and eight assists per game as a junior last season. Nolen becomes the third Patrick Henry player on the Gopher roster joining Brandon Smith and Lawrence McKenzie. As a sophomore, Nolen averaged 10.7 ppg while leading the Patriots to a 23-6 mark. Nolen and Hoffarber were teammates on the Minnesota Magic Elite AAU team that captured the 2005 Kingwood Classic 16-and-under title.
“Al is an elite commodity, in that, he is a true point guard who can push the ball and is a great athlete,” Monson said. “He can get other people shots and can run an offense efficiently. He’s very good in transition and can be a very good defender.”
Blake Hoffarber
6-4, 195
Minnetonka, Minnesota (Hopkins High School)
• Street & Smith’s Top 100 – Class of 2007
• CBS SportsLine.com Top 100 – Class of 2007
• Reebok BigTime All-Tourney First Team – Las Vegas, NV 2006
• Reebok ABCD Camp #3 Rated Guard Overall Class 2007 - Teaneck, NJ July 2006
• Reebok ABCD Camp 13th Rated Overall of Camp Attendees - Teaneck, NJ July 2006
• Reebok ABCD Camp #1 3 Pt. Shooting Percentage – 59% - Teaneck, NJ July 2006
• NBA Players Association Camp Attendee by Invitation - June 2005, 2006
• ESPY Award Winner for “Best Play” – 2005; First High School Athlete to win an ESPY Award
• Leading Scorer for the MN Class AAAA State Champion 2005 & 2006
• Hopkins High School Most Valuable Player Award Recipient 2005 & 2006
• Hopkins High School Varsity Letter Winner 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006
• First Annual Mr. Magic Award 2006
• Reebok ABCD Camp Top 25 – Class of 2007 - Teaneck, NJ July 2005
• Reebok Camp Next Attendee by Invitation - Teaneck, NJ, May 2004
• Pioneer Press All-State First Team 2006
• Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro First Team 2006
• Associated Press All State Second Team 2006, Honorable Mention 2005
• Associated Press State Tournament – All-Tournament Team 2005, 2006
• Minnesota Basketball Breakdown All-State Second Team 2006
• Classic Lake Conference All-Conference Team 2005 & 2006
• High School GPA - 3.88, National Honor Society 2006
Al Nolen
6-1, 175
Minneapolis, Minnesota (Patrick Henry High School)
• Committed to Minnesota summer before junior year
• Averaged 16 points and eight assists as a junior
• Averaged 10.7 points and led his team to a 23-5 mark his sophomore season.
• Third Henry player to join the Gophers in the past two years joining Brandon Smith and Lawrence McKenzie
• First member of Minnesota's Class of 2007
• Great passing ability and very good at attacking the floor
• Solid court vision and a quick first step
• Excellent strength for a player his age
• Nolen and Hoffarber were teammates on the Minnesota Magic Elite AAU Team
• Magic won the 2005 Kingwood Classic 16-and-under title
