Happy 99th Birthday to Mark Sertich, the oldest hockey player in the world! Since he couldn't skate with friends for the celebration, they surprised him outside of his house this afternoon!
Well it’s a bit of a late announcement but-pen to paper it’s official-I’m the new Sports Director at WDIO!
3.5 years ago I started in production here, and now I’m excited to stay for this new adventure! HUGE thank you to everyone who helped me get here!!!
⬅️(2018)➡️(2021)
What an emotional victory for Grand Rapids.
Head coach Grant Clafton said their buddy Adam Johnson, who passed away in October, helped them tonight; the former Bulldog on his home rink.
Who inspired the Asumas and Cherry Tigers to strive for a state title? The Mountain Iron-Buhl girls basketball team.
"We're going to get down there one day, we're going to win it. Be just like them."
"We made an incredible run. We grew as a team immensely and I couldn’t be more proud of the girls."
@UMDWomensBBall
junior guard Taya Hakamaki shares some thoughts after a historic run into the NCAA DII championship game.
UMD finishes runners-up falling to Ashland 78-67.
Hermantown/Duluth golfer Taylor Sundbom finished 13th today in a successful bid to join the PGA Tour!
10th-30th place finishers earn conditional membership. He was one of just 9 amateurs vying for a membership.
From one of my first outings to last night! Cheers to four years at WDIO!
It’s been a wild ride from production, to news and sports, and now to my current role as sports director! Seems like I stumbled into that “with you for life” thing without even knowing it! 🤷♀️
SO excited to be hosting
@wdiowirt
’s Grandma’s Marathon coverage with THE
@karagoucher
!
This will be an action packed super fun race full of really experienced analysts so tune in starting at 7am on WDIO or !
After a roller coaster of a day in sports, this put a smile on my face. Cambridge-Isanti head coach Mike McDonald (
@BluejacketHoops
) and his son Rhett McDonald (
@CoachRMcDonald
) took time to personally thank players during handshakes after the Section 7AAAA title match.
Duluth Denfeld boy's hockey (
@Denfeld_Hockey
) is moving to Class AA for the growth of West Duluth hockey & to bolster a Northland presence in Section 7AA.
For those who don't like the idea?
We'll head coach Dale Jago says: haters are going to hate.
Zam Plante shares just how special it is to play on the same state tournament stage where his Grandpa Bruce Plante led Hermantown to three state titles.
@HAHA_Hockey
"With two strikes, I was just trying to put a good swing on something somewhere close to the plate. I didn't think it would get out, but it did."
- Kyle Henke on his Section 7AAA title winning Grand Slam.
@GRactivities
@RapidsBaseball
THE play + a Coach Kinnunen dousing. 🔽
Today I caught up with Mike Randolph who shared the reasons St. Thomas Academy gave him for not renewing his contract after 3 seasons as their boys head hockey coach.
Happy
#NationalGirlsAndWomenInSports
Day! I’m happy to be here and surrounded in this business by so many more respected women! Let’s keep ‘em coming! 💪
Sports Directors unite in honor of
@MHalverson6
’s last day! Matt and
@Neil_Vierzba85
were here when I first started so it’s fitting that we got to close down with a football finale!
"It's a little bit of pressure because I've got to carry on that name but it means a lot."
In his first season on the varsity squad Zam Plante leads the state in goals with 23 and points with 40.
@HAHA_Hockey
"Wanted to come out here, get Duluth’s name out there and show up for them.”
OL Brent Laing, WR Armani Carmickle & TE Zach Ojile represented
@UMD_Football
at Minnesota Pro Day in Minneapolis showcasing their skills in front of NFL scouts, coaches and GMs.
Thanks so much to Jesse Robinson and
@CSSsaints
for inviting me to MC the Saints Sports Awards! This show holds a special place in my heart since it’s one I helped put together as a CSS senior in 2018. Grateful for the chance to see it all come full circle! Congrats everyone!💛💙
“I never imagined us losing.”
SO FUN chatting with the National Championship bound Bulldogs after their big Final Four win!
In 10 days
@UMDWomensBBall
will be dancing for a title in Dallas!
After the game Hermantown's Beau Janzig shared how tonight's win was not only for them, but for the 2021 seniors who didn't get a shot at state last year due to Covid protocols.
@HAHA_Hockey
National Signing Day:
Cherry's Isaac Asuma officially signed his NLI to play for
@GopherMBB
.
@isaac_asuma
Izy Fairchild & Hannah Graves of
@PHMirage
signed to play for Bemidji State women's hockey.
@DuluthMarshall
saw 5 collegiate signees.
Hermantown boys hockey head coach Pat Andrews has confirmed varsity members forward Zam Plante, goalie Cole Thorsvik, and forward Cameron Pietrusa will be in tomorrow’s lineup. The rest will be JV players, many with varsity minutes under their belts.
Made it to the airport from Duluth and camera equipment smoothly went through security! 🙌
Flight is delayed an hour BUT Dallas &
@UMDWomensBBall
I’m coming for ya!
First: lunch
There was a huge turnout for the first annual
@cjham28
football camp at Lincoln Park Middle School today! Watch
@wdiowirt
tonight to hear from CJ Ham about running the camp and returning home.
"My favorite part was having a front row to watching these athletes, and to get to help express what they were going through."
Duluth marathoner
@karagoucher
made her third trip to the Olympics, this time as a color commentator for
@TeamUSA
in Tokyo!
HISTORY CONTINUES:
@UMDBulldogMBB
joins the
@UMDWomensBBall
moving on to the NCAA Elite Eight winning the Central Regional Final 62-52 over Southern Nazarene.
They're just the 13th school in DII history to send both programs to the Elite Eight the same season.
At the Youth Hockey Hub year-end awards ceremony Hermantown’s A.J. Francisco was named 2023 Bantam Player of the Year and Grand Rapids’ Carter Casey was named 2023 Boys Goalie of the Year.
@HAHA_Hockey
@GRhockeyHS
Today the Denfeld softball team led a caravan of students and staff past coach Dick Swanson’s house in support of his cancer recovery. We chatted with some of the girls on what he means to them. Tune in at 6 to see the heartwarming gesture
@denfeldgirlssb
The Cardinals are back home and sad, but still with a sense of humor! They said they’re taking donations to pay back coach
@GronnerJ
for the suit he bought to coach on TV
Head Coach Curt Wiese talks UMD football’s 32-man 2023 recruiting class and how new rules will help fans see young talents sooner.
@UMD_Football
"These guys can now come in and compete in three games this fall and still preserve their redshirt season."
UMD graduate senior offensive lineman Brent Laing has accepted his invitation to the 2023 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. He'll be the first Bulldog to participate in the bowl.
@UMD_Football
“Loved our response the whole way through…overall I’m incredibly proud of our team and the players in our program….we built this thing from bottom and we’re here to stay.” -
@UMDWHockey
head coach Maura Crowell.
“We’ll be back.”
"To be able to come this far and win this program’s first NCAA tournament game much less take it all the way to the Elite Eight is honestly so special."
@UMDBulldogMBB
is Elite Eight bound! Click below for the full post-game presser with the Bulldogs.
Four years ago today! What a journey it’s been! Fun still being able to return to the ole stomping grounds for some Saints sports coverage.
@CSSsaints
can’t get rid of me yet!
What a day for the former Grand Rapids captain!
Today Jack Peart signed a three year, entry level contract with his hometown team: the Minnesota Wild.
@GRhockeyHS
"Something happened and I'm back here for a reason, and this was it." -
@emma_stauber07
@PHMirage
wins first ever state tournament in double overtime! Hear from the team about their historical season🔽.
UMD men’s hockey head coach Scott Sandelin said the team is rallying around goalie Zach Stejskal and giving him all the support they can during his battle against testicular cancer.
“And the rest is history.”
Nathan Garski describes his game-winning goal over White Bear Lake propelling Grand Rapids (
@GRhockeyHS
) to the Class AA semifinals.
Fun to see
@UMD_Football
's Armani Carmickle (
#12
) taking reps at the
@Vikings
Rookie Mini-Camp today!
Fellow Bulldog alum Zach Ojile also participated at the camp held at the TCO Performance Center.
🎥:
@KSTP
DOGS TO DALLAS! The Bulldogs dream continues as
@UMDWomensBBall
takes down Catawba 70-59 in the NCAA DII Final Four semifinals!
They're off to the title game in Dallas April 1 against Ashland or Glenville St.
.
@UMDMensHockey
will honor Adam Johnson throughout their renewed rivalry series with the Minnesota Gophers this weekend w/a video tribute & AJ stickers.
"Glorifying him and glorifying his life through our work this week, and the rest of the year."
UMD wins 2-0! They led in shots 27-16. The Bulldogs will play the Gophers in the regional finals Saturday, that winner goes to the Frozen Four in Duluth.
ICYMI: I sat down with longtime
@BluejacketBBall
head coach Joel McDonald about his Hibbing legacy, and what's next for him and his family. His son Ayden also weighed in sharing how proud he is of his dad.
Their story 🔽.
@joelrmcdonald44
@AydenMcDonald44
When the lights went out during the Section 7A girls swim meet at Mesabi East yesterday, people got creative by lighting up the pool with their phones! Check this out 🔽
Tuesday night Mercury Bischoff became Grand Rapids/Greenway girl's hockey's all-time points leader reaching 285...and she's just a junior.
@grglightning