Some 68 participants will convene at Malosky Stadium this Saturday (April 1) for the opening of the University of Minnesota Duluth's spring football drills. Third-year head coach Kyle \"Bubba\" Schweigert welcomes back 46 lettermen (including 16 starters) from last fall, when UMD posted an 8-4 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in four years. The defending North Central Conference co-champion Bulldogs will practice 15 times during the next four weeks, culminating with their annual Maroon-White Game on April 29.

UMD's 2006 spring practice schedule is as follows:



•April 1 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

•April 3 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 5 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 7 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 8 TBA (Coaches Clinic)

•April 10 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 12 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 14 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 17 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 19 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 21 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

•April 22 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Scrimmage)

•April 24 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

•April 26 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

•April 29 Maroon-White Game (12:00 p.m.)