Men’s basketball: Gophers add high-level scorer in transfer portal

posted in: All news | 0

The Gophers men’s basketball program kept up its busy April in the NCAA transfer portal on Sunday.

Northern Colorado guard Langston Reynolds committed to Minnesota, becoming the fifth incoming player for new coach Niko Medved. The Denver native and to-be-senior has one year of eligibility remaining for the 2025-26 season.

“Let’s work,” Reynolds posted on social media.

Reynolds also visited Texas A&M after entering the portal in late March, but it’s unclear what other programs were pursuing him.

At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Reynolds’ best attribute appears to be his scoring ability. He averaged 16.0 points on 59% from the field —which ranked 20th in the country — as well as 67% from the line and 41% from 3-point range last season. He also put up 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 turnovers per game.

Reynolds has been a strong, athletic finisher near the rim, but only averaged 1.6 3-point attempts last season.

Reynolds showed huge development across his three years and, and last season, helped lead Northern Colorado to the Big Sky Conference co-regular season championship.

“I worked myself every day,” Reynolds said about the previous offseason during an interview with Pro Insight. “Shot a basketball every day, dribbled a ball, did something, worked on my body. I had to believe in myself that I could be a really good player in this league and probably the best.”

Minnesota is now down to five open roster spots for next season.

Related Articles


Gophers wanted Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans, but North Carolina offered millions


Gophers add center via transfer portal, Robert Vaihola from San Jose State


Gophers men’s basketball adds Davidson forward via transfer portal


New elements in focus as UMN Board of Regents approve Niko Medved’s contract


Gophers seek naming-rights deal for Williams Arena as financial needs grow

Gophers grab commitment from receiver at powerhouse Utah program

posted in: All news | 0

The Gophers football program picked up a commitment from Utah prep receiver Kai Meza on Saturday night.

“Extremely blessed,” Meza wrote in his pledge post on social media.

During his junior year at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah, Meza posted 46 receptions for 944 yards and 13 touchdowns. Corner Canyon is a powerhouse, which won the 6A state championship last season and has produced quarterbacks Zach Wilson (BYU) and Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss).

Meza, who is listed at 6 feet and 175 pounds, had offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Utah, Washington State and others. He is considered a three-star recruit and the 15th best player in the state of Utah, according to 247Sports.

Meza is the seventh pledge to Minnesotas 2026 class and its second receiver beside Rico Blassingame of Tolleson, Ariz.

Related Articles


Gophers football: Promising Wayzata defensive lineman first pledge to 2027 class


Gophers star safety Koi Perich’s role on offense is more than ‘a gadget’


Gophers football: New defensive coordinator Danny Collins wants ‘HAVOC’


Charley Walters: Vikings’ backup definitely won’t be Rodgers


Gophers football nets commitment from lineman Gavin Meier over Badgers, others

Business People: Dairy Queen appoints Domino’s exec Art D’Elia as COO

posted in: All news | 0

RESTAURANTS

Art D’Elia

International Dairy Queen, a Bloomington-based owner and operator of franchised ice cream and fast-food restaurants, announced that Art D’Elia joined the company as chief operating officer, U.S. and Canada. D’Elia previously spent seven years at Domino’s Pizza, where he led the international business and served as chief marketing officer.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

CLUTCH, a Minneapolis-based advertising and consultancy agency, announced the addition of Sean Rustad as VP, Building Materials and Construction. Rustad previously was with Lee Building Products in Bowling Green, Ky., where he was vice president of Sales and Marketing. Rustad is a native of northern Minnesota.

AIRPORTS

The Metropolitan Airports Commission announced Christopher Roy as director of project delivery for Airport Development, responsible for aviation-related construction programs across the MAC airport system. Roy previously was with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, most recently as assistant director of operations. MAC owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and six general aviation airports in the Twin Cities.

ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING

Golden Valley-based engineering and consulting firm WSB announced the hiring of Josh Maus as vice president of traffic modeling and planning.

ENTERTAINMENT

Six Points Theater, a St. Paul theater company that produces works with a Jewish perspective, announced that Art Allen has been named managing director, a new position. Allen is an event producer and former escape room owner.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Stearns Bank, St. Cloud, announced the promotion of Heather Plumski to president. Plumski previously served as the bank’s EVP, chief financial and strategy officer. She succeeds Kelly Skalicky in the president’s role; Skalicky will remain the bank’s CEO. … First Independence Bank, Minneapolis, announced its inaugural Advisory Council: Tiffani Daniels, General Mills; Channon Lemon, Intent Energy; Samuel Ndely II, Minneapolis Foundation; Marcus Owens, NAWE Inc., and Brooke Roper, Hopkins School Board.

FOOD

Hormel Foods Corp., an Austin, Minn.-based provider of grocery store prepared food brands, announced that Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of The Hormel Foundation, has been re-appointed to the Hormel Foods board of directors. Ettinger retired in 2016 as president and chief executive officer of Hormel. The Hormel Foundation is an unaffiliated nonprofit.

HONORS

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, a public transportation agency serving seven communities in the south metro, announced its “En Route” marketing campaign was recognized with a national award from the American Public Transportation Association. The “En Route” strategy revolved around collecting and sharing personal stories of riders, shifting the perception of transit from a logistical service to a community-building experience.

LAW

Maslon, Minneapolis, announced the addition of former federal prosecutor Samantha H. Bates to the firm’s Litigation Group. Bates joins Maslon after serving for six years as an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. … Moss & Barnett, Minneapolis, announced that attorney Shannon E. Cook has rejoined the firm, focusing on representing lenders in the multifamily secondary real estate market. … National law firm Cozen O’Connor announced the following leadership changes in its Minneapolis office: Chris Bellini promoted to co-vice chair office managing partner; Katie Gettman, co-vice chair of the corporate practice group, and Miguel Pozo appointed to the firm’s Culture and Belonging Committee.

NONPROFITS

Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, a St. Paul-based organization dedicated to promoting literacy and youth leadership development, announced the following new board members: Laura Esanbock, Securian Financial, and Samuel MacCaulley, Sambatek.

OPENINGS

National clothing outlet Nordstrom Rack announced the opening of a location at Fischer Marketplace, 14949 Florence Trail, Apple Valley.

TECHNOLOGY

The Developers Alliance, a national trade group, announced the addition of Sean Higgins to its advisory board. Higgins is chief executive officer of BetterYou, a St. Paul-based AI habit-building app focused on wellness solutions.

Related Articles


Ramsey County selects Josh Olson to lead Community and Economic Development


Tamara Kangas Erickson tapped to head Chanhassen Dinner Theatres


Business People: Andersen CEO Chris Galvin named chairman


Knight Foundation names Charlene Bradley as St. Paul director


Business People: Hennepin Healthcare CEO Jennifer DeCubellis to step down

EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews@pioneerpress.com.

Wild officially add collegiate star Zeev Buium to the mix

posted in: All news | 0

VANCOUVER, B.C. — At just 19 years old, Zeev Buium already has paraded around the ice at Xcel Energy Center hoisting trophies from the conference tournament and NCAA championship he and University of Denver teammates won a few weeks apart last season.

Starting this week, he will start a quest to someday hoist a Stanley Cup on that same ice sheet.

Early Sunday, the Minnesota Wild announced that Buium had agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract and would be joining the NHL team in time for their regular season finale on Tuesday. Originally from Southern California, Buium (pronounced “BOO-yum”) will likely make his NHL debut versus the Anaheim Ducks.

He comes to the Wild after they picked him in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft, and following a sophomore college season where he was named the most valuable player in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, the most outstanding player in the NCAA’s Manchester regional and helped Denver return to the Frozen Four.

On Friday, Buium was one of two runners-up for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey’s top player, behind Michigan State forward Isaac Howard. Buium, a prototypical puck-moving defenseman, averaged better than a point per game for the Pioneers last season.

“Zeev’s played really well. You can see how much of an impactful player he is for Denver,” Wild coach John Hynes said, citing Buium’s international hockey success as well as his work on the college rink. “To his credit, he’s been able to play in multiple World Juniors as well as NCAA tournaments and NCAA (Frozen) Four champions, so he’s got that experience.”

The addition of Buium, who will wear number 8 for the Wild, comes at an opportune time with Minnesota on the verge of clinching a playoff spot and facing manpower shortages on the blue line. They played Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win in Vancouver without veterans Jake Middleton and Jared Spurgeon, and lost defenseman Declan Chisholm for part of the game after he took a hard hit in the second period.

To make roster room for Buium, the Wild sent defenseman Cameron Crotty down to AHL Iowa after Crotty played 5 minutes versus the Canucks in his Minnesota debut.

Playoff clincher could come soon

With the Wild getting two points in Vancouver on Saturday, and St. Louis was losing in a shootout in Seattle, Minnesota is back in the drivers’ seat for a finish in the top Western Conference wild card slot. Per PlayoffStatus.com, the Wild had a 97 percent chance of making the playoffs on Sunday, and a 76 percent chance of grabbing the top wild card slot.

Calgary has two games in hand on both Minnesota and St. Louis but would need to win its three remaining games and get help to overtake either the Wild or Blues. If the Wild are able to get one point in their finale versus Anaheim on Tuesday, or if Calgary loses any of its three remaining games — in regulation or in overtime — the Wild are in the playoffs.

Winnipeg, which has clinched the top spot in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history, will host the second wild card finisher in the opening round of the playoffs. If the Wild are able to clinch the top wild card spot, they would open the playoffs at Vegas, which is tops in the Pacific Division.

The arenas in Las Vegas and in Winnipeg both have events booked for Saturday, April 19, meaning the playoffs in those buildings will likely start one night later.

Related Articles


Cornered Wild come out fighting, get two points closer to clinching


Career winding down, Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury feels the love


Wild’s once-clear playoff road charred by Flames


Isaac Howard bringing the Hobey to Hudson


With playoffs on the line, Wild bracing for intensity in Calgary