University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball - Student Managers
Behind the scenes, the engine that powers Golden Gopher baseball is one that is as vibrant, and as deep, as the alumni pool of the storied program. As time has shown it's not just the student athletes who compose the greatness of Gopher Baseball, but the faces behind the excellence who help enrich the facade of an accomplished and storied tradition.
Since 1977 the faces behind the scenes, the Golden Gopher Baseball student managers, have risen as some of the most influential and important members of the program. After an injury cut short his playing career, former head coach John Anderson began his career as a student manager for Gopher Baseball in the spring of 1976. During the incredible run to the College World Series in Omaha by the 1977 team, Anderson was named Gopher Baseball's Most Valuable Player by his peers, a team that included future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. At that time Anderson was the only non-player to garner the award in program history.
"Back in those days being a student manager was like being another coach," says Anderson. "I can remember staying up past 4:00 a.m. making sure the laundry got done, then it was on to making sure the field was taken care of, practice was setup, guys' stuff was taken care of and somewhere between all of that you had to find a time to go to class. There were a lot of responsibilities back in those days that needed to get done and the only people to do them were the student managers. We didn't have a full time support staff back in the '70s. Those were all the jobs of the student managers and they needed to get done or we couldn't function as a program."
Anderson's legacy has carried over and spawned an incredible cast of immensely talented young men and women who have not only helped define the Golden Gopher Baseball program, but those who have gone onto establish their own lasting effects. Read On2025-26 Gopher Baseball - Student Staff
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Dayton Baird Head Student Manager Junior 4th Season Ripon, Wis. |
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David Flasher Bullpen Catcher Grad Student 1st Season Prior Lake, Minn. |
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Brett McGraw Bullpen Catcher Senior 3rd Season Broomfield, Colo. |
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Max Loeck Student Manager Senior 3rd Season DeForest, Wis. |
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Tommy Keating Student Manager Senior 3rd Season Madison, Wis. |
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Ben Van Lysal Student Manager Junior 2nd season Burlington, Wis. |
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Allie Prochnow Student Manager Junior 2nd Season Kenosha, Wis. |
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Sydney Schultz Student Manager Junior 2nd Season Verona, Wis. |
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Nick Everson Bullpen Catcher Junior 1st Season St. Paul, Minn. |
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Jack Schad Student Manager Sophomore 2nd Season Champlin, Minn. |
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Luke Gunderman Student Manager Sophomore 2nd Season Lino Lakes, Minn. |
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Jacob Hosfield Student Manager Freshman 1st Season Lino Lakes, Minn. |
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Maria Kelly Student Manager Freshman 1st Season Milwaukee, Wis. |
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Justin Waterman Student Manager Freshman 1st Season Cottage Grove, Minn. |
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Head Student Manager History
1927 - Robert Spencer1929 - Coates Bull
1930 - Fred Martin
1932 - Ken Hough
1933 - John Mosher
1936 - Don Kaslow
1942 - Allen Samuelson
1947 - Warren Lindquist
1948 - Edgar Herzog
1950 - Chester Harvey
1952 - Ronald Wallgren
1953 - Rob Patrin
1955 - Paul Lohmann
1957 - Paul Gaustad
1958 - John Norton
1961 - Bruce Mitchels
1962 - Alan Zinter
1963 - Randall Bach
1964 - Charles Haas
1965 - Kent Evans
1966 - Kent Evans
1967 - Gary James
1968 - Gary James
1969 - Pete Hepokoski
1971 - Larry Zavadil
1972 - Larry Zavadil
1977 - John Anderson
1986 - Rob Walsh
1987 - Dave Kunz
1988 - Dave Kunz
1989 - Dave Kunz
1990 - Kevin Beck
1994 - Joe Wallraf
1995 - Joe Wallraf
2008 - Kevin Criter
2009 - Dan Pavlue
2010 - Dan Pavlue
2011 - Parker Kruckenberg
2012 - Mike Demanyiuk
2013 - Mike Demanyiuk
2014 - Dylan Cyr
2015 - Austin Burandt
2016 - Kan Ikeda
2017 - Ryan Goll
2018 - Ryan Goll
2019 - Thomas Knauss
2020 - Thomas Knauss
2021 - Trey Carlson
2022 - Trey Carlson
2023 - Nolan Summerfield
2024 - Solomon Wurm
2025 - Dayton Baird
2026 - Dayton Baird
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Gopher Managers in MLB
Preston Higbe (2014) - Seattle MarinersKan Ikeda (2016) - Detroit Tigers
Sam Niedorf (2017) - Texas Rangers
Nick Kropidlowski (2018) - Baltimore Orioles
Ryan Goll (2019) - Baltimore Orioles
Thomas Knauss (2020) - Philadelphia Phillies
Zach Zoloto (2022) - Detroit Tigers
Marie Milanowski (2024) - Milwaukee Brewers
Kai Franke (2025) - The Athletics
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