The York Daily Record reports former UW golfer Malinda Johnson earned her LPGA tour card after winning the York Newspaper Company Futures Classic Aug. 29.

The win, which carried a $10,500 prize, propelled Johnson to 5th on the Futures Tour money list, earning the Eau Claire, Wis. native a spot on the LPGA tour.

Johnson left Wisconsin as one of the top golfers in school history. Last year, she became the first female golfer in UW history to earn honorable mention All-America honors. A first team All-Big Ten selection last season, Johnson is one of two golfers in school history to compete in the NCAA Regional Championships four times in her career.

Johnson holds the UW record for career stroke average (76.19), season stroke average (74.33 in 2003-04), 18 holes stroke average (66), and 72 holes stroke average (296).

Crew

The Badger men’s crew team sent one boat to the finals and six boats to the petite finals at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta June 3-5.

Badger rowers Chris Anspach and Tom Webb took fifth in the finals of the coxless pairs. The varsity eights boat took sixth in the petite final, registering a 12th place finish overall.

Top-seated Harvard held on to their undefeated season to claim the national championship. Just weeks after being upset by Wisconsin on the waters of Lake Wingra, Washington grabbed silver in the men’s varsity eights.

The UW women’s lightweight varsity eight took home an IRA title after entering the regatta with a No. 2 ranking. The Wisconsin squad defeated Princeton by a margin of almost 10 seconds. A week earlier, the UW women’s open-weight team took 11th in the NCAA Championships.

Bebe Bryans takes over the coaching duties for women’s crew this season. Assistant coaches Amy Appleton, Nicole Borges, Mary Shofner and Dusty Darley round out the new staff.

Track

Wisconsin sophomore sprinter Demi Omole joined with runners David Kimmons, Ivory Williams and LeShawn Merritt to claim gold in the 4×100-meter relay at the Junior World Championships July 18. The quartet set a junior world record, clocking in at 38.66 seconds.

The UW men’s track team took an overall 10th place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas June 12.

Omole finished fifth in the 100-meter final, breaking the UW record in the event, which was previously held by Michael Bennett.

Sophomore Simon Bairu placed third in the 10,000 meters, finishing highest among the four Badger runners in the event. Hillary Edmondson highlighted the women’s performances, finishing fifth in the 1,500 meters.

Former Badger Isaiah Festa narrowly missed an Olympic berth in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the track-and-field trials in Sacramento July 16. A personal best of 8:20.66 seconds earned a fourth-place finish in the event, missing a trip to Athens by 1.2 seconds.

Basketball

The UW athletic department named Duffy Conroy Director of Basketball Operations May 25.

Conroy served as video coordinator for the Badgers during Bo Ryan’s first two seasons. Last year, he departed to coach high-school ball at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa.

“It’s great to have Duffy back on board,” Ryan said.

This August, Wisconsin senior guard Clayton Hansen led the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team in scoring en route to a record of 3-2. The team dominated its first three games and then fell to UCC Assigelo and Cremona in two close contests.

Additionally, the Dallas Mavericks acquired Badger guard Devin Harris in a trade following his selection by the Washington Wizards as the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.

Golf

Former Badger David Roesch qualified for the U.S. Open for the first time in his career. Roesch finished 31st in the annual classic, shooting 68-73-74-80 to close the tournament 15 over par.

Hockey

Current Badger icemen Jake Dowell and Robbie Earl have been selected in the 2004 NHL Draft.

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Dowell in the fifth round (140th overall) and the Toronto Maple Leafs snatched up Earl in the following round (185th overall).

Freshman defenseman Ryan Suter has not yet announced whether he will play for Wisconsin this year or sign with the Nashville Predators.

Women’s hockey coach Mark Johnson earned entry into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn. Johnson became a part of sports legend when he helped the 1980 U.S. hockey team defeat Finland and the Soviet Union to take gold at Lake Placid.

–Compiled from staff reports