GREAT FALLS - Shortstop Dan Olinger of the Great Falls Stallions has signed an NCAA Division I national letter of intent to accept a baseball scholarship from the University of Minnesota.

Besides playing American Legion baseball with the Stallions, Olinger is also a football and hockey star and a recent graduate of C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls.

He had scholarship offers in all three sports and chose to join the Gophers after considering, among others, North Dakota State, St. Cloud (Minn.) State and Minnesota State-Mankato.

Olinger leads the Stallions in most offensive categories this season.

Rob Fornasiere, assistant head coach at Minnesota, traveled to Great Falls to watch Olinger play recently and announced the signing via e-mail.

Another Montana player, Chauncy Handran of Scobey, was a solid starting pitcher at Minnesota this spring.