Gurriel will play later.In 15 seasons in Cuba, he is a.335 hitter

(STATS) -- The University of North Dakota rewarded 2016 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year Bubba Schweigert on Tuesday with a contract extension through the 2021 season.Schweigerts original four-year contract ran through the 2017 season, but its been superceded by a new five-year deal with a salary increase.The North Dakota native led the Fighting Hawks to a share of the Big Sky title this season, going 8-0 in conference games. They finished 9-3 overall, losing in the second round of their first-ever FCS playoff appearance.He was fourth in voting for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award as the national coach of the year.Coach Schweigert and his staff have done an amazing job in bringing back that winning tradition to UND football, athletic director Brad Faison said. We wanted to make certain we kept continuity and stability in the program moving forward. Our student-athletes, UND students, alumni and the community have embraced Bubbas vision for Fighting Hawks football. The fun and the pride are back.The Fighting Hawks finished 3-8 in the 2013 season before his arrival and the teams win total has increased by two in each subsequent season, including 5-7 in 2014 and 7-4 last year. With this years highest win total since the program moved to the Division I level prior to the 2008 season, Schweigert is 21-14 overall through three seasons.UND also will increase its salary pool for the assistant coaches. Cory Schneider Jersey . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Travis Zajac Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. http://www.devilssale.com/authentic-taylor-hall-devils-jersey/ .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Scott Stevens Devils Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Nico Hischier Devils Jersey .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. HOUSTON --?Astros?general manager Jeff Luhnow first saw Yulieski Gurriel play a decade ago in a tournament in Amsterdam.He imagined him playing in the major leagues and made that dream a reality Saturday when he signed the Cuban free agent to a five-year deal with the Astros.To be able to get him now really in the prime of his career ... is a huge deal for us, Luhnow said. Its probably the most exciting day since Ive been here except for the wild-card win against the Yankees.According to ESPNs Jim Bowden and multiple reports, the contract is worth $47.5 million.A beaming Gurriel was introduced in Houston on Saturday, seated next to Luhnow behind a table draped with the American and Cuban flags. He was handed an Astros cap and jersey and proudly put both on, slowly fastening each button on the jersey with a huge smile never leaving his face.I have no words to describe this moment, he said in Spanish through an interpreter.Gurriel was one of the most sought international free agents since leaving Cuba in February after competing in the Caribbean World Series in the Dominican Republic. The 32-year-old was declared a free agent last month.There were times Gurriel wondered if hed ever get the chance to play in the majors.I always had the hope to play in the United States, he said. But it always seemed like something very far away ... it has been my dream my whole life to be here and to play next to big league players.The Astros are in the process of obtaining a work visa for Gurriel. After thats done Luhnow said hell head to the minors to get some at-bats to prepare to face major league pitching for the first time. Houstons Triple-A club is in Fresno, California, but the Astros want Gurriel to be closer to the team, so hell likely get those swings with Double-A Corpus Christi. For now, hell head to Houstons spring training complex in Florida to prepare for his next move.Though theres no official timetable for his major leaggue debut, Luhnow is confident that it will happen this season.dddddddddddd.Absolutely, he said. One of the reasons why [we] worked so hard to get this deal done as timely as we could was I want, and Yuli wants to be part of a playoff run this year.The Astros have shaken off a terrible start to the season and entered Saturdays game 4? games behind Texas in the American League West and one game behind for the second wild-card playoff spot.Gurriel is primarily a third baseman but also has played second base and shortstop. He was an Olympian in 2004 and 2008.Luis Valbuena is currently playing third base for Houston, but also can play first base. Luhnow said theyll figure out where Gurriel will play later.In 15 seasons in Cuba, he is a.335 hitter with 250 homers and 1,018 RBIs. Last season, he hit .500 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs in just 49 games for Industriales.To me, he was the Cuban star that everybody was hoping would become available to a major league team, Luhnow said. Its a combination of pretty impressive offensive output, both power and speed and average and the ability to take walks and avoid strikeouts -- all of the things we talk about being key elements of success in the major leagues.Hes a five-tool player with 15 years of incredible success on the international stage ... pretty much the combination wed design if we were going to design a ballplayer, Luhnow said.Though Gurriel, who said he prefers to be called El Yuli, will be a rookie in the majors at 32, hell be looked upon to be a leader for a team with several young Latin stars. When Luhnow went to Florida to watch him work out, it took only a short conversation with the player to see that hed be perfectly comfortable filling that role.The makeup here is exactly what you look for in a ballplayer in your clubhouse, Luhnow said. ' ' '