Sophomore defenseman Ben Marshall of Mahtomedi accepted a scholarship offer from the U last week. Gophers coaches made the offer in August; but he waited a while to verbally accept it, said his father, Scott, in an -email sent today.

“His feet and hands are his greatest assets,” Zephyrs coach Jeff Poeschl said. “He needs to grow.”

Marshall is 5-10 about 155, 160 pounds. He played on a 17-and-under U.S. team which competed in Slovakia in August.

“He was one of our top D [on the varsity] as a ninth-grader,” Poeschl said. “He takes charge. It’s fun to have a skilled player who can control the game and see the ice.”

Marshall was taken 13th overall in the 2008 USHL Futures Draft by Omaha.

SIGNING PERIOD STARTS WEDNESDAY

The Gophers can start signing players for the 2009-10 season on Wednesday, but don’t expect an announcement that day or even this week. Coach Don Lucia usually waits until everyone in a recruiting class signs, then issues a release through the Gophers men’s hockey sports information director. That’s Jim Strick.

As mentioned before, look for the Gophers to sign six players, two in high school, four playing in the USHL.

U NOTES

The first Blue Line Club meeting of the season will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Jax Cafe in Northeast Minneapolis. Cost is $20 for Blue Line Club members, $25 for non-members. There will be three other Blue Line buffet luncheons later in the season.

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