University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Four Gophers Named Team Captains
11/3/2022 9:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
University of Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson has announced the 2022-23 team captains: Jamison Battle, Ta'Lon Cooper, Dawson Garcia and Taurus Samuels. The honor marks the first of their collegiate careers for Battle and Garcia and the second for Cooper and Samuels as they were named captains at Morehead State and Dartmouth.
A junior forward, Battle joined the Golden Gophers in the 2021-22 season after a two-year stint at George Washington. Named a Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2022, Battle returns as one of the Big Ten's leading scorers. He was named a Preseason All-Big Ten this year, his first preseason honor of his career. He was also named to the Julius Erving Small Forward Top 20 Watch List last month. In conference action alone last year, Battle averaged 17.1 points during Big Ten play, and ranked eighth in conference scoring. In overall play, he averaged a team-best 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds last season as a sophomore. Battle had 27 double-figure scoring games, including 11 with 20 or more points.
Cooper, a junior guard, comes to Minnesota after playing 95 career games and 52 starts for Morehead State. The Roebuck. S.C., product averaged 29 minutes, 8.1 points, 4.3 assists and shot 41 percent from the field during his Eagles career. In 2021-22, Cooper was a First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference in 2022 after he averaged 33.9 minutes, 9.1 points and 5.9 assists. His 202 assists last season ranked second all-time in program history, while his 5.9 apg ranked seventh in the NCAA. Cooper also had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.72 and led the team in steals when he averaged 3.1 per game.
Garcia, a sophomore forward from Savage, Minn., joins the Gophers after playing in 16 games for North Carolina last season where he averaged 9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Starting in 12 games for the Tar Heels, Garcia also shot 40.5 percent from the field. Prior to his time at UNC, Garcia played at Marquette in 2020-21. During his collegiate rookie season, Garcia started in all 27 games and averaged a team-best 13 points and 6.6 rebounds. Garcia scored double-digit points in 17 games with the Golden Eagles and led the Big East freshmen in scoring and rebounding overall. He was named Big East Freshman of the Week three times that year and later was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
Samuels, a senior guard, started in 23 games for Dartmouth last season. In 2021-22, Samuels ranked third on the team in scoring when he averaged 9.4 points. He also averaged 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 28.5 minutes last year. In Ivy League action alone, Samuels averaged 9.0 points and 26.5 minutes played. He also had 11 double-digit games last season, including a career-high 23 points Georgetown. Due to COVID-19, the Ivy League did not compete in the 2020-21 season. In his sophomore campaign, Samuels started in 28 of 29 games and was second on the team in assists (60) and fourth in scoring (8.4 ppg). He also ranked third on the team with 19 steals and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.54).
A junior forward, Battle joined the Golden Gophers in the 2021-22 season after a two-year stint at George Washington. Named a Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2022, Battle returns as one of the Big Ten's leading scorers. He was named a Preseason All-Big Ten this year, his first preseason honor of his career. He was also named to the Julius Erving Small Forward Top 20 Watch List last month. In conference action alone last year, Battle averaged 17.1 points during Big Ten play, and ranked eighth in conference scoring. In overall play, he averaged a team-best 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds last season as a sophomore. Battle had 27 double-figure scoring games, including 11 with 20 or more points.
Cooper, a junior guard, comes to Minnesota after playing 95 career games and 52 starts for Morehead State. The Roebuck. S.C., product averaged 29 minutes, 8.1 points, 4.3 assists and shot 41 percent from the field during his Eagles career. In 2021-22, Cooper was a First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference in 2022 after he averaged 33.9 minutes, 9.1 points and 5.9 assists. His 202 assists last season ranked second all-time in program history, while his 5.9 apg ranked seventh in the NCAA. Cooper also had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.72 and led the team in steals when he averaged 3.1 per game.
Garcia, a sophomore forward from Savage, Minn., joins the Gophers after playing in 16 games for North Carolina last season where he averaged 9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Starting in 12 games for the Tar Heels, Garcia also shot 40.5 percent from the field. Prior to his time at UNC, Garcia played at Marquette in 2020-21. During his collegiate rookie season, Garcia started in all 27 games and averaged a team-best 13 points and 6.6 rebounds. Garcia scored double-digit points in 17 games with the Golden Eagles and led the Big East freshmen in scoring and rebounding overall. He was named Big East Freshman of the Week three times that year and later was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
Samuels, a senior guard, started in 23 games for Dartmouth last season. In 2021-22, Samuels ranked third on the team in scoring when he averaged 9.4 points. He also averaged 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 28.5 minutes last year. In Ivy League action alone, Samuels averaged 9.0 points and 26.5 minutes played. He also had 11 double-digit games last season, including a career-high 23 points Georgetown. Due to COVID-19, the Ivy League did not compete in the 2020-21 season. In his sophomore campaign, Samuels started in 28 of 29 games and was second on the team in assists (60) and fourth in scoring (8.4 ppg). He also ranked third on the team with 19 steals and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.54).
Gophers Visit the State Fair
Tuesday, September 02
Gophers on Lake Minnetonka
Monday, August 04
Coach Medved Recaps Summer Workouts
Thursday, July 31
Coach Medved on BTN
Thursday, July 10