Notebook: Grogan celebrates with Gopher skaters
Although she couldn’t play, being on ice after national title game was special
Next stop for Alyssa Grogan: The White House?
Yes, at least for a day.
After winning the NCAA Division I championship last month, the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team has been making a tour of various celebrations. It’s customary for the president to invite National Championship teams to the White House, and Grogan said in an email to Sun Thisweek Newspapers that the Gophers are hoping to make the trip this summer.
The Gophers defeated Wisconsin 4-2 in the national championship game in Duluth. Although Grogan wasn’t on the ice during the game – a severe concussion suffered during practice in November 2010 ended the goalie’s playing career – she was allowed to suit up and sit on the bench. After the game, she joined the Gophers’ celebration.
“As a Minnesota kid it meant a ton to win a national title as a Gopher,” said Grogan, an Eagan native. “Given what I’ve been through with my injury it meant the world to me to see how much the team valued me being there with them and that made the moment all that much sweeter.”
The injury set back Grogan’s academic schedule, but she’s on track to graduate in spring 2013. She’s studying business marketing and education with a public relations emphasis and also is pursuing a management minor.
Grogan also said she will be working at several hockey camps this summer and is finalizing plans for her own goalie camp in Eagan.
Athena Awards
Apple Valley’s Kelsey Harms, Eagan’s Alanna Stangl, Eastview’s Erica Anders and Rosemount’s Laura Dennis were among those honored at the 18th annual St. Paul Area Athena Awards banquet Wednesday in Oakdale.
The Athena Award is presented to a school’s top senior female athlete.
Harms is a four-time letter-winner in volleyball and a three-time all-conference athlete in track and field. She qualified for state in the pole vault last spring. She will attend Gustavus Adolphus College.
Anders has earned 13 letters in three sports – swimming, gymnastics and track. She has been a state meet participant in diving, a five-time honorable mention all-state performer in gymnastics and a school record holder in track.
Stangl, who will attend the University of Minnesota, has a combined 13 letters in cross country, hockey and track. She has run in the state cross country meet four times and played in the state hockey tournament three times. She also has been all-state in track.
Dennis has four letters each in cross country and track, as well as two in basketball. She is a two-time state qualifier in cross country and also has been all-state in track. Dennis will attend the University of Minnesota – Duluth.
Eagle gymnastics coach
Carla Stock recently was named head gymnastics coach at Apple Valley High School.
Stock was head coach at Prior Lake for 11 years and spent six seasons in Eagan as assistant coach and head coach.
She is a guidance counselor at Valley Middle School in Apple Valley. Previously, she was a peer leader in the School District 196 Q-Comp program and taught physical education at Rosemount High School and Valley Middle School.
Apple Valley athletic director Pete Buesgens said the previous gymnastics coach, Ashley Horton, resigned after last season to pursue an advanced degree in education.
