Seasons

SEASON: 75 | YEAR: 2023
HEAD COACH: KAREN HIMLE

Game 975 | January 26, 2023 |  Rocco Baldelli, Jayce Tingler, Cory Provus
The team finished 87-75 while winning the American League Central Division Title. They then swept Toronto before losing to Houston in post-season play. It was Baldelli’s fifth season as manager.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Dave St. Peter (physician), Rocco Baldelli, Jayce Tingler, Cory Provus (moderator)

Game 976 | February 8, 2023 |  Phil Esten, Rico Blasi, Glenn Caruso, Johnny Tauer, Joe Schmit
After jumping from Division 3 to Division 1 sports in 2022, the Tommies quickly competed for conference titles and high national rankings in all major sports. Esten was optimistic about the future as the school planned for additional first class facilities.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Rico Blasi, Phil Esten, Karen Himle, Johnny Tauer, Glenn Caruso, Joe Schmit (moderator)

Game 977 | March 2, 2023 |  Hugh McCutcheon
McCutcheon surprised the volleyball community by resigning as Gopher head coach in October 2022. He was quickly named Assistant Athletics Director/Sport Development Coach. He shared his coaching philosophies outlined in his new book, “Championship Behaviors: A Model for Competitive Excellence in Sports”.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Hugh McCutcheon, Karen Himle. Not pictured: Katherine Harms, physician.

Game 978 | March 30, 2023 |  Legalized Sports Betting – A Panel Discussion
State Representatives Brad Tabke, and Pat Garofalo  joined Vikings Lester Bagley and Twins Dave St. Peter, in a discussion of the prospect of Sports Betting in Minnesota. The measure received strong consideration in the final minutes of the legislative session, but failed to pass and will be a major topic again in 2025.

(LtoR) Back row: Lester Bagley (physician), Rep. Brad Tabke (D-Shakopee); Fron row: Dave St. Peter (physician), Andrew Adams III, Paul Charchian (moderator), Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington), Karen Himle, Dave Mona

Game 979 | April 6, 2023 |  Randy Sampson, Mark Irving, Paul Allen
Horse Racing in Minnesota was the topic. Canterbury Downs leaders discussed the health of both the race track and the status of the horse raising industry in the state and made for a lively discussion.

(LtoR) Randy Sampson, Paul Allen (moderator), Karen Himle, Mark Irving, Dave Mona

Game 980 | May 9, 2023 |  Derek Falvey, Thad Levine, Cory Provus
Following the 2016 season the Twins went outside the organization for baseball leadership. Falvey joined the team from Cleveland as President of Baseball Operations, and Levine replaced Terry Ryan as General Manager. They have been Dunkers regulars since joining the team.

(LtoR) Dave St. Peter (physician), Karen Himle, Thad Levine, Derek Falvey,  Dave Mona
(Not pictured: Cory Provus, moderator)

Game 981 | May 24, 2023 |  Bahram Akradi, Chad Flynn, Blois Olson
With Blois Olson as moderator, Life Time Fitness Founder Bahram Akradi described pickleball as the fastest-growing sport he has ever witnessed. Chad Flynn described the path he’s taken to become one of the top senior competitors in the nation.

(LtoR) Blois Olson (moderator), Bahram Akradi, Chad Flynn, Karen Himle (physician), Dave Mona

Game 982 | June 16, 2023 |  Jim Kaat, Dick Bremer
Twins television broadcaster Dick Bremer talked with Kaat about his long baseball career that finally led to his selection in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. His 25-year major league career included 14 seasons with the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. 

(LtoR) Dick Bremer (moderator), Karen Himle, JimKaat, Dave St. Peter (physician),  Dave Mona

Game 983 | July 18, 2023 |  Keegan Cook, Dawn Plitzuweit, Lea B. Olsen
Gopher Women’s Volleyball and basketball both featured new head coaches as Lea B. Olsen led a discussion that focused on both the transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness.)

LtoR) Dave Mona, Karen Himle, Dawn Plitzuweit, Keegan Cook, Mark Coyle (physician). Not pictured Lea B. Olsen (moderator)

Game 984 | July 25, 2023 |  Sam Bennett, John Harris
As a 20-year-old form Texas, Bennett won the U.S. Amateur in 2022. He was in the Twin Cities to compete in the 3M Championship. John Harris moderated.

(LtoR) John Harris (moderator), Jennifer Hines, Karen Himle, Sam Bennett, Dave Mona

Game 985 | August 1, 2023 |  Andrew Luger
With an important message to the community, Luger spoke to a near record crowd and described an effective new program to focus on gang violence in the Twin Cities. Previewing upcoming measures, he talked about plans to address automatic weapons and fentanyl usage and distribution.

(LtoR) Karen Himle, Andrew Luger, Dave Mona (physician)

Game 986 | August 17, 2023 |  Andrew Miller, Kevin O'Connell, Paul Allen
Coach Kevin O’Connell and Paul Allen joined nearly 200 Dunkers guests after practice for an informal discussion and preview of the upcoming season in a rare Dunkers offsite meeting at the Vikings TCO Practice Facility in Eagan. Vikings Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller did an informative Q&A with members.

(LtoR) Kevin O'Connell, Karen Himle, Lester Bagley (physician)

(LtoR) Paul Allen and Kevin O'Connell during program with Dunker members and guests following the Vikings joint practice with the Tennessee Titans.

Game 987 | September 7, 2023 |  Andrea Yoch, Nicole Lukic, Dani Foxhoven-Young
Fellow Dunker Andrea Yoch led a discussion about the formation and instant success of the women-led and community-owned pre-professional soccer club playing in the USL W League.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Karen Himle, Andrea Yoch, Nicole Lukic, Dani Foxhoven-Young, Lester Bagley (physician)

Game 988 | September 21, 2023 |  Jeff Ettinger, Mark Coyle, Dave Mona
The interim president of the University of Minnesota and Athletics Director Coyle talked about the role of intercollegiate sports in high education, the recent expansion of the Big Ten and future funding challenges and opportunities.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Mark Coyle, Karen Himle, Jeff Ettinger, Doue Huebsch (physician)

Game 989 | October 10, 2023 |  Bill Guerin
In August 2019, Guerin was named the fourth general manager in Wild history.  He answered a number of questions including the challenges of operating under the budget restraints of the long-term contracts of former stars Ryan Suter and Zack Parise.

(LtoR) Matt Majka (physician), Bill Guerin, Dave Mona

Game 990 | November 8, 2023 |  Ben Johnson, Mike Grimm
Johnson, who played for both Northwestern and Minnesota, was entering his third year as Gopher coach. Hit heavily by transfer portal losses, Johnson talked about the challenges of having to build his team almost from scratch for a third time. The team finished 19-15, tied for 9th place in the 14-team Big Ten.

(LtoR) Dave Mona, Karen Himle, Ben Johnson, Mike Grimm (moderator), Jamal Abu Shamala (physician)

Game 991 | November 21, 2023 |  Chris Finch, Alan Horton
In a discussion with Alan Horton, Coach Finch talked about the emergence of Anthony Edwards as an all-star caliber guard and the team’s emphasis on defense in the coming season. He became head coach in February 2021 and took the team to its best performance in 25, winning post-season series against the Phoenix Suns and defending NBA Champs Denver Nuggets.

(LtoR) Karen Himle, Ethan Casson (physician), Chris Finch, Alan Horton (moderator), Dave Mona

Game 992 | December 13, 2023 | Dave Mona and Sports Leaders
As has become a long-standing Dunkers tradition, Mona conducted a rapid-fire question and answer session with the leaders of Twin Cities sports teams. He also thanked Karen Himle for an outstanding year as Dunkers Head Coach and told members of special plans to celebrate the 1,000th meeting midway through the coming season.

Note: Mark Coyle and Wendy Blackshaw were not able to attend.

Dave St. Peter, Lester Bagley, Matt Majka, Ethan Casson, Clare Duwelius, Manny Lagos, Mark Coyle, Phil Esten, Erich Martens, Wendy Blackshaw.

Seasons