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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Four Gophers Named to Preseason All-Big Ten Team
9/20/2024 1:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
'U' picked to finish second in the league
ROSEMONT, Ill. - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team was picked to finish second in the 2024-25 Big Ten Conference preseason poll, while four members of the Golden Gophers were selected to Preseason All-B1G teams it was announced Friday. The seven head coaches from the league voted on the honors. Jimmy Snuggerud was a unanimous selection and joined on the All-B1G First Team by Sam Rinzel, while Matthew Wood and Mike Koster were honored on the All-B1G Second Team.
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For the second-straight year, Snuggerud was unanimously named to the preseason first team, and he looks to build upon another 20-goal campaign. He joined Thomas Vanek as the only two Gophers since 2000 to have consecutive 20-goal seasons to begin their careers. Now entering his junior year, the Chaska, Minn., product led the Maroon and Gold with 21 goals a season ago, ranking 16th in the country, with six going down as game winners. Snuggerud posted the first four-point effort of his tenure during a home win over Colorado College, thanks to his second collegiate hat trick, as part of a six-point weekend.
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After earning All-B1G Second Team honors following an impressive rookie campaign last year, Rinzel makes the jump to the first team heading into the 2024-25 season. The Chanhassen, Minn., native led the Gophers with 26 assists from the blue line, which ranked second among all NCAA freshmen defensemen, and totaled 28 points. He finished the year with seven multi-point performances and posted 12 points during a season-long, five-game point streak. Rinzel helped drive Minnesota's success as the team owned a 15-1-2 record in games when he scored a point.
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Wood is ready to make an impact in the Big Ten, joining the Gophers after playing two seasons with UConn in Hockey East where he led the Huskies in scoring each year, totaling 62 points in 70 career appearances. A product of Nanaimo, British Columbia, he tallied seven multi-point efforts a year ago, including his first collegiate hat trick during a win over Northeastern. Wood found his scoring touch late in each season as he closed 2023-24 on a five-game point streak, while recording 19 points over his final 15 games as a freshman in 2022-23, where he was a unanimous selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
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Koster, a Preseason All-B1G Second Team selection for the second-consecutive season, is a veteran presence along the blue line. Returning for his fifth season wearing the Maroon and Gold, the Chaska, Minn., native has appeared in 140 games during his career. He closed 2023-24 with 14 points on two goals and 12 assists, including the first game-winning goal of his career with a power-play tally against Robert Morris. He registered two multi-point outings, coming versus Notre Dame and Colorado College, and excelled on home ice where he put up 11 of his 14 total points.
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Season tickets and single-game tickets for all men's hockey home games remain on sale and can be purchased at www.GopherSports.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-U-GOPHER. The Gophers take the ice for the first time during the 2024-25 campaign Oct. 5 with an exhibition contest at St. Cloud State.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, FIRST TEAM
+ unanimous selection
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PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, SECOND TEAM
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PRESEASON POLL
1. Michigan State
2. Minnesota
3. Michigan
4. Wisconsin
5. Notre Dame
6. Penn State
7. Ohio State
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For the second-straight year, Snuggerud was unanimously named to the preseason first team, and he looks to build upon another 20-goal campaign. He joined Thomas Vanek as the only two Gophers since 2000 to have consecutive 20-goal seasons to begin their careers. Now entering his junior year, the Chaska, Minn., product led the Maroon and Gold with 21 goals a season ago, ranking 16th in the country, with six going down as game winners. Snuggerud posted the first four-point effort of his tenure during a home win over Colorado College, thanks to his second collegiate hat trick, as part of a six-point weekend.
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After earning All-B1G Second Team honors following an impressive rookie campaign last year, Rinzel makes the jump to the first team heading into the 2024-25 season. The Chanhassen, Minn., native led the Gophers with 26 assists from the blue line, which ranked second among all NCAA freshmen defensemen, and totaled 28 points. He finished the year with seven multi-point performances and posted 12 points during a season-long, five-game point streak. Rinzel helped drive Minnesota's success as the team owned a 15-1-2 record in games when he scored a point.
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Wood is ready to make an impact in the Big Ten, joining the Gophers after playing two seasons with UConn in Hockey East where he led the Huskies in scoring each year, totaling 62 points in 70 career appearances. A product of Nanaimo, British Columbia, he tallied seven multi-point efforts a year ago, including his first collegiate hat trick during a win over Northeastern. Wood found his scoring touch late in each season as he closed 2023-24 on a five-game point streak, while recording 19 points over his final 15 games as a freshman in 2022-23, where he was a unanimous selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
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Koster, a Preseason All-B1G Second Team selection for the second-consecutive season, is a veteran presence along the blue line. Returning for his fifth season wearing the Maroon and Gold, the Chaska, Minn., native has appeared in 140 games during his career. He closed 2023-24 with 14 points on two goals and 12 assists, including the first game-winning goal of his career with a power-play tally against Robert Morris. He registered two multi-point outings, coming versus Notre Dame and Colorado College, and excelled on home ice where he put up 11 of his 14 total points.
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Season tickets and single-game tickets for all men's hockey home games remain on sale and can be purchased at www.GopherSports.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-U-GOPHER. The Gophers take the ice for the first time during the 2024-25 campaign Oct. 5 with an exhibition contest at St. Cloud State.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, FIRST TEAM
| NAME | SCHOOL | YR | POSITION | HOMETOWN |
| Karsen Dorwart | Michigan State | Jr. | Forward | Sherwood, Ore. |
| Isaac Howard | Michigan State | Jr. | Forward | Hudson, Wis. |
| Jimmy Snuggerud + | Minnesota | Jr. | Forward | Chaska, Minn. |
| Sam Rinzel | Minnesota | So. | Defenseman | Chanhassen, Minn. |
| Ben Dexheimer | Wisconsin | Jr. | Defenseman | Edina, Minn. |
| Trey Augustine + | Michigan State | So. | Goaltender | South Lyon, Mich. |
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PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, SECOND TEAM
| NAME | SCHOOL | YR | POSITION | HOMETOWN |
| T.J. Hughes | Michigan | Jr. | Forward | Hamilton, Ont. |
| Matthew Wood | Minnesota | Jr. | Forward | Nanaimo, B.C. |
| Aiden Fink | Penn State | So. | Forward | Calgary, Alberta |
| Jacob Truscott | Michigan | Gr. | Defenseman | Port Huron, Mich. |
| Mike Koster | Minnesota | Gr. | Defenseman | Chaska, Minn. |
| Tommy Scarfone | Wisconsin | Sr. | Goaltender | Montreal, Quebec |
PRESEASON POLL
1. Michigan State
2. Minnesota
3. Michigan
4. Wisconsin
5. Notre Dame
6. Penn State
7. Ohio State
Highlights: Gophers 2, Ohio State 6
Friday, February 06
Cinematic Recap: Minnesota Sweeps Wisconsin
Wednesday, February 04
Brodie Ziemer Goal
Sunday, February 01
Highlights: Gophers 8, Wisconsin 4
Saturday, January 31