University of Minnesota Coaches Meet Fans in Perham for Gopher Road Trip

Fans had the chance to win gopher-themed raffle prizes, goof around with Goldy, and rub elbows with some the university's head coaches

PERHAM, Minn. — Minnesota athletics hit the road again Thursday for the second leg of the 2018 gopher road trip. U-of-M coaches journeyed to several towns throughout the state of Minnesota to promote their programs. Today’s stop took them to Perham.

Fans had the chance to win gopher-themed raffle prizes, goof around with Goldy, and rub elbows with some the university’s head coaches. Each took turns at the podium talking about past seasons, new recruits, and the future of their respective programs.

But what makes the road trip so special for each coach is getting to interact with and thank the fans for their support each season.

“This place is awesome, the university is great, but it’s the fans that make it so special,” men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino said. “To be able to come up to a town like this, three and half hours away, I’ve met some people that are like ‘we go to every game’ and they drive every game. That’s what makes the state of Minnesota so special for all the sports and all the fans.”

“They love their gophers,” football coach P.J. Fleck added. “I think we have one of the most loyal fan bases I’ve ever seen. We haven’t won a championship in fifty-one years and people continue to sell out this gopher road trip. I mean there’s people everywhere just pouring their hearts out to the maroon and gold and it’s really special.”

The gophers’ final stop on the road trip was in Alexandria.