Ellenson to represent Team USA in Pan American Junior Championships

Feb 20, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Alex Rogers (14) beats Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Wally Ellenson (3) to a loose ball at the Schottenstein Center. Ohio State won the game 71-45. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Sophomore Wally Ellenson is making quite a name for himself as a rising sophomore at the University of Minnesota. A three-star hoops recruit in high school and a state champion high jumper in Wisconsin, Ellenson, 19, will represent Team USA in the 2013 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships set to be held in Columbia in two weeks.

As a freshman, Ellenson finished in eighth place at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the high jump in addition to earning First Team All-American Honors as well as All-Academic Honors. But in Columbia, he will be facing the best-of-the-best track and field athletes at his age.

"“I’m very excited. I’m so excited that I can represent Team USA down at the Pan-Am games and I can’t wait for that experience and how that really is. It’s really just to better myself down there. I obviously want to be the best under-19 in the world. That is definitely the goal, but just raising the bar again so I can get ready for senior competition next year.” — Ellenson to WEAU"

Ellenson is also expected to be a big contributor to Richard Pitino’s Gopher basketball team this winter. As a freshman, he broke his hand before the start of the season and played sporadically after returning from injury. Under Pitino’s fast-paced, high-possession style offense, expect Ellenson to rack up more playing time than his freshman year.

In Other News…

An absolute must-read from the Star Tribune about Jerry Kill’s battle with epilepsy entering his third season as head coach of the Gophers.

FIU transfer Malik Smith will be an impact player for Richard Pitino’s Gophers, according to Rant Sports, and could propel the Gophers to possess one of the Big Ten’s best backcourts with Andre Hollins leading the charge.

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