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Q&A: Lakeville LB Tristyn Hanson Receiving Recruiting Interest from Gophers, Ivy Leaguers
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/376568?referrer_id=388419
Tristyn Hanson, a 6-2 junior linebacker from Lakeville (MN) North, is one of the state's top defenders in the Class of 2015. Hanson recently attended the Golden Gopher Junior Day and helped lead a Panther defense that had five shutouts this past year.
Gopher Hole recently caught up Hanson to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What Junior Days have you had a chance to attend so far?
Tristyn Hanson: I actually have only gone to the Gophers one so far. I got some invitations to some other ones that are coming up in April. I think that I am going to go to the UND one. I was thinking about going to the Yale one on April 19th.
Gopher Hole: What was the University of Minnesota Junior Day like?
Tristyn Hanson: It was really cool. We got to talk with the coaches and we got to tour the facilities. We got to see a lot of the stuff that is specific for only the football players, so that was pretty cool. The coaches were really nice to talk to, too.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing from right now?
Tristyn Hanson: The Gophers, obviously. Most of the Ivy League ones like Yale and Princeton have contacted me. Mostly Yale, though. They are the one that has been pursuing me a little bit more than the other schools. I have gotten a few messages from Princeton. I got a letter from Harvard. I have gotten interest from a couple of smaller schools like UND, St Thomas, the D2 and D3 schools, too. Schools like Lehigh, Middlebury, Bucknell, Lafayette, USD and the University of New Mexico.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to any college football camps last summer?
Tristyn Hanson: No, I actually didn't go to any.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what camps you might attend this summer?
Tristyn Hanson: I am not going to go to too many. I am pretty sure that I am going to go to a Gopher one and the NDSU one and that covers most of the D2 schools as well. It kind of depends on which schools show a little bit more interest going through this spring. Whichever ones start talking to me a little bit more and pursuing me, then I will think about going to their camp.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been working on to try to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Tristyn Hanson: I have been working on a lot of my speed. Just trying to get faster, getting stronger and adding some weight, too. I have put on just about ten pounds from where I was at.
Gopher Hole: What are you up to right now?
Tristyn Hanson: I am at about 207, 208-ish.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you had a great season this past year, making to the class 6A semifinals. You lose a lot of good seniors, though. What are the expectations for this upcoming year?
Tristyn Hanson: I would say getting to the same spot. I think that we can go as far as we want to. I honestly think the our defense will be even better than last year, so I have very high expectations for the upcoming year, for sure.
Gopher Hole: You had a great defense last year with five shutouts. I know that you lose Greg Menard, who signed with NDSU. You have a lot of players like you and Jesse Cardenas and Jordan Cardenas coming back. Do you feel like that the defense will be a strength again this year?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes. Most of our defense last year was juniors and last year a lot of people questioned the defense and how good it was going to be losing all those people like Alex Wood and Mitch Johnson the year before and we came back and we were one of the best defenses in the state and I think that getting that experience last year is going to help us so much this upcoming year.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are one of the captains this year and you are going to be asked to be more of a leader this year. Is that something that you are looking forward to?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, I am really looking forward to that. I am really glad that I get to lead this team. I think that I can help out a lot.
Gopher Hole: That has to make you feel pretty proud to be elected, because the captains are selected by the teammates. Does that make you even more proud of that honor?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, that is cool. I like the process that we use. I think that is the ultimate choice. It should be the players' choice like that because that is the people that they are going to be affected by the most. It means a lot.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to have a chance to play at a Division I level?
Tristyn Hanson: That would be amazing. That is the ultimate goal. That is what every player looks forward to. That would be awesome.
Gopher Hole: Did you have a chance to go to many college games this past year?
Tristyn Hanson: No, not really. I didn't go to that much this past year.
Gopher Hole: Is that something you are looking forward to this year in getting your name out there and getting to see some more things?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, for sure. I am definitely going to be going to the Gopher games, probably every home game there and with the other Junior Days, whichever ones I go to there. I'll get to see their Spring Game and practices as well. That will be cool.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe to have a chance to play for the home state school?
Tristyn Hanson: That would be unbelievable. I love the Minnesota football program. It is so cool and I like the location of it. It is closer to home and I like that idea. I have always been a fan of the Gophers. That would be amazing.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, if you are hearing from Ivy League schools, you must be a really good student. What is your GPA?
Tristyn Hanson: It is a 3.87 right now.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about a possible college major?
Tristyn Hanson: A little bit. I have always been interested in the medical fields, but that has a wide range of things. I haven't narrowed it down that much. Medicine and maybe business is something that I would go into as well. I'll see how it goes.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/376568?referrer_id=388419
Tristyn Hanson, a 6-2 junior linebacker from Lakeville (MN) North, is one of the state's top defenders in the Class of 2015. Hanson recently attended the Golden Gopher Junior Day and helped lead a Panther defense that had five shutouts this past year.
Gopher Hole recently caught up Hanson to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What Junior Days have you had a chance to attend so far?
Tristyn Hanson: I actually have only gone to the Gophers one so far. I got some invitations to some other ones that are coming up in April. I think that I am going to go to the UND one. I was thinking about going to the Yale one on April 19th.
Gopher Hole: What was the University of Minnesota Junior Day like?
Tristyn Hanson: It was really cool. We got to talk with the coaches and we got to tour the facilities. We got to see a lot of the stuff that is specific for only the football players, so that was pretty cool. The coaches were really nice to talk to, too.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing from right now?
Tristyn Hanson: The Gophers, obviously. Most of the Ivy League ones like Yale and Princeton have contacted me. Mostly Yale, though. They are the one that has been pursuing me a little bit more than the other schools. I have gotten a few messages from Princeton. I got a letter from Harvard. I have gotten interest from a couple of smaller schools like UND, St Thomas, the D2 and D3 schools, too. Schools like Lehigh, Middlebury, Bucknell, Lafayette, USD and the University of New Mexico.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to any college football camps last summer?
Tristyn Hanson: No, I actually didn't go to any.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what camps you might attend this summer?
Tristyn Hanson: I am not going to go to too many. I am pretty sure that I am going to go to a Gopher one and the NDSU one and that covers most of the D2 schools as well. It kind of depends on which schools show a little bit more interest going through this spring. Whichever ones start talking to me a little bit more and pursuing me, then I will think about going to their camp.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been working on to try to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Tristyn Hanson: I have been working on a lot of my speed. Just trying to get faster, getting stronger and adding some weight, too. I have put on just about ten pounds from where I was at.
Gopher Hole: What are you up to right now?
Tristyn Hanson: I am at about 207, 208-ish.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you had a great season this past year, making to the class 6A semifinals. You lose a lot of good seniors, though. What are the expectations for this upcoming year?
Tristyn Hanson: I would say getting to the same spot. I think that we can go as far as we want to. I honestly think the our defense will be even better than last year, so I have very high expectations for the upcoming year, for sure.
Gopher Hole: You had a great defense last year with five shutouts. I know that you lose Greg Menard, who signed with NDSU. You have a lot of players like you and Jesse Cardenas and Jordan Cardenas coming back. Do you feel like that the defense will be a strength again this year?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes. Most of our defense last year was juniors and last year a lot of people questioned the defense and how good it was going to be losing all those people like Alex Wood and Mitch Johnson the year before and we came back and we were one of the best defenses in the state and I think that getting that experience last year is going to help us so much this upcoming year.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are one of the captains this year and you are going to be asked to be more of a leader this year. Is that something that you are looking forward to?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, I am really looking forward to that. I am really glad that I get to lead this team. I think that I can help out a lot.
Gopher Hole: That has to make you feel pretty proud to be elected, because the captains are selected by the teammates. Does that make you even more proud of that honor?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, that is cool. I like the process that we use. I think that is the ultimate choice. It should be the players' choice like that because that is the people that they are going to be affected by the most. It means a lot.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to have a chance to play at a Division I level?
Tristyn Hanson: That would be amazing. That is the ultimate goal. That is what every player looks forward to. That would be awesome.
Gopher Hole: Did you have a chance to go to many college games this past year?
Tristyn Hanson: No, not really. I didn't go to that much this past year.
Gopher Hole: Is that something you are looking forward to this year in getting your name out there and getting to see some more things?
Tristyn Hanson: Yes, for sure. I am definitely going to be going to the Gopher games, probably every home game there and with the other Junior Days, whichever ones I go to there. I'll get to see their Spring Game and practices as well. That will be cool.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe to have a chance to play for the home state school?
Tristyn Hanson: That would be unbelievable. I love the Minnesota football program. It is so cool and I like the location of it. It is closer to home and I like that idea. I have always been a fan of the Gophers. That would be amazing.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, if you are hearing from Ivy League schools, you must be a really good student. What is your GPA?
Tristyn Hanson: It is a 3.87 right now.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about a possible college major?
Tristyn Hanson: A little bit. I have always been interested in the medical fields, but that has a wide range of things. I haven't narrowed it down that much. Medicine and maybe business is something that I would go into as well. I'll see how it goes.