University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Baseball Hosts 24th Annual Dairy Queen Classic
2/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
 Minnesota will host the 24th Annual Dairy Queen Classic on Feb. 29-Mar. 2 as it welcomes TCU, No. 18 Tulane and No. 29 Pepperdine to town. The Golden Gophers will face TCU on Friday, Feb. 29 at 6:35 p.m., Tulane on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 6:35 p.m. and Pepperdine on Sunday, Mar. 2 at 3:05 p.m. All three games can be seen live on the Gold Zone, and can be heard on gophersports.com. Sunday’s game against Pepperdine can also be heard on KLBB (1220 AM). The first game of the tournament will feature Tulane and Pepperdine on Friday, Feb. 29 at 12:15 p.m. Saturday’s first game will be TCU against Pepperdine at 12 p.m. The first game on Sunday will feature Tulane and TCU at 11 a.m. Minnesota enters the week with a 0-3 record after dropping a three-game series to No. 2 Ole Miss. TCU brings a 2-2 record into the tournament after a midweek win over Dallas Baptist. Tulane is 5-0 after defeating No. 25 Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 27. Pepperdine enters the tournament at 3-1 after winning a midweek game against UC Riverside. Last year, Minnesota went 2-2 in the Dairy Queen Classic, as it split doubleheaders with both Arkansas. Ole Miss won the tournament with a 2-1 record. Last year’s tournament, also featured three teams with The Citadel unable to make it due to weather issues.
 Pepperdine will make its second appearance in the Dairy Queen Classic. The Waves won the 2005 Dairy Queen Classic in a field that included Minnesota, New Orleans and South Carolina. Tulane will be the first Conference USA team to appear in the Dairy Queen Classic, while TCU will be the first out of the Mountain West.
Minnesota won the Dairy Queen Classic in 1989, 1991, 1994 and 2004. Twenty-two different top-10 teams have played in the Dairy Queen Classic throughout the history of the tournament. Forty top-25 teams have participated in the event over the years. The Golden Gophers have also welcomed Team Cuba (1985) and Team Panama (1986) to the event. Minnesota is 30-44-1 over the course of the event. Sam Steidl (2004), Jason Kennedy (2002), Mark Merila (1994), Brent Gates (1991) and Jeff Monson (1989) have each been named Most Outstanding Players for Minnesota throughout the history of the tournament.The Golden Gophers have won at least one game in this competitive tournament in 11 consecutive years (since 1997).
Jeremy Chlan and Matt Nohelty enter the week with seven and five-game hitting streaks respectively. Nate Hanson also enters the week having reached base in six of his first 12 plate appearances, and is batting .400.
Minnesota senior centerfielder Matt Nohelty had two stolen bases last weekend to move his total to 44 in his career. Nohelty is just five stolen bases from moving into the Golden Gophers’ Top 10 career list.
 Pepperdine will make its second appearance in the Dairy Queen Classic. The Waves won the 2005 Dairy Queen Classic in a field that included Minnesota, New Orleans and South Carolina. Tulane will be the first Conference USA team to appear in the Dairy Queen Classic, while TCU will be the first out of the Mountain West.
Minnesota won the Dairy Queen Classic in 1989, 1991, 1994 and 2004. Twenty-two different top-10 teams have played in the Dairy Queen Classic throughout the history of the tournament. Forty top-25 teams have participated in the event over the years. The Golden Gophers have also welcomed Team Cuba (1985) and Team Panama (1986) to the event. Minnesota is 30-44-1 over the course of the event. Sam Steidl (2004), Jason Kennedy (2002), Mark Merila (1994), Brent Gates (1991) and Jeff Monson (1989) have each been named Most Outstanding Players for Minnesota throughout the history of the tournament.The Golden Gophers have won at least one game in this competitive tournament in 11 consecutive years (since 1997).
Jeremy Chlan and Matt Nohelty enter the week with seven and five-game hitting streaks respectively. Nate Hanson also enters the week having reached base in six of his first 12 plate appearances, and is batting .400.
Minnesota senior centerfielder Matt Nohelty had two stolen bases last weekend to move his total to 44 in his career. Nohelty is just five stolen bases from moving into the Golden Gophers’ Top 10 career list.
Players Mentioned
Weber Neels | 1st Team All-B1G
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Driven to the Diamond: Weber Neels
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Highlights: Gophers 13, Michigan 1
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Highlights: Gophers 5, Penn State 3
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