JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)=================================================={" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?VY!&fnj$hx%IRq> 2xj_\.\HHP1R3դBÀՂ1.q.Uf9P o ˉ P e<- `r8l f3ǭO(6@$`gE "H` &GqܸnGSu CGs$R@x[qT%x[#*O9k~eBN*D"cE(y濧 ys3ILL#+{ ͒=СfF*ߗ8Ozlw0~f,c]GTշ̓3zofYHhqڼp%ēFI;{*dGPyrjKq ]hE,,S,<v*`3qo +E A@0zހoT9$jǔ zLBfN9N(Z2F\*7]i !9階H:k۾R5CGͼV{ze(nN`W?Lמjƭx-' U@NF8>oGaR:#\>um*_ x7#]Q9y5ًcaIyLY۞xR #$*# t:Gi Yv,Ȣ1 *63 n< Ah>'B>C%ʬ!'qPx̰>}PxԾ&Fh\1-o,qǾh~1ؔpZƳDZ-(Y@H9g4c z?ݹQ"'7jvwWl8 +x.;.v$P`1>61=ZTBGPdIKў8#VXt-YX#o0p=, `>}tJ@8{VVG#eJG׊|nU:2,V 4w E*-z3hnh@jK2m`GQ@{ |Sq <&2zG#ywVڲO4VLbhT#ۚw{+c"mMK 7zq4wvl$p=}OWBk jʐ?\_iwUWIf1>"K>ьqZ%v`^ۥ՜̻J׈[6\[1ɉʃ;r~˂WfvXqB7JN=([ȕJ/&>HS–PA촲j@ kW!ibѵ(-*2'P_e{CP !=3Ҫk%Ak%Ȋ*U1S|F.MkG/mΠq$}H#:uZe#,9(m&Xg)&K0u9ja/K$9A^K{(ASCEI9 񝍽͝a2Wj2두m $F!6=¨i*BFHez&7$gw\vFaMd&cK`Ub-Nc'Eޜu+=5y_z] J8*qc^!cj䆞e hk"IXc(ia[p^ ZuGG^?y7cIY zu}y. nJē# 8G^x8WG\\rvkվ#k+H@Kwb}\(s3Ef==Qz0@G85Ls[RU9CzPLLd uݖZTBMsҽ'cWBɆ_]bڥZZ=ι9afGXKWy&9EOiڌ+![QYmFQROC ^M{,c:ҹOjy> 5gŔ7i%Y:"Ie6!$eA9EtJj#*xI&GwhIMWOʿ1nT{9&JVՙQMS' 84g֚T1zVw{))CJ=?*dz=Q%sSmt#y| U9 gV&hC!2:UC#tSo PZ:re[XN@!-đ ['^L!qz3g8ܾNJtُ'cސ:VginKK慊ܦoiv ie]PH|++OF֮k:ո<:=*$g&J|F>zXf Hܣ!ܬA wrzoKbQX|z=6u9V5o[,OۛWHWC斗s1{y6#hTsRtQ\5kbIvQj= TF1;Y~"pׯ<h,2QKHt5Ş#NFMQs'*q}9h>ǶiCSEi2Oz@fT-YUdnO{[X%|!Eԩ1__f>mkeNqYO~E-ު:gasUE:rg7 xq䲞Rev$`z)G Vessful. <br>Ben was 6-4 and only 220 pounds at Wayzata High School in Minnesota. He had a 400 parallel squat and ran a 5.4 forty. He was a USA Today Honorable Mention All-America and an All-State selection. Ben also lettered in tennis and was an honor roll student. However, the University of Minnesota was his only big-time college offer. Says Ben,  I was optimistic, but I knew I had to work hard to become bigger, faster and stronger. <br>By the 2000 season, Ben had achieved a 385 Bench, a 390 Hang Clean, a 330 Power Clean, a 525 Parallel Squat, a 5.0 forty and a 32.5 Vertical Jump. He can dunk a basketball now at 280 pounds. Coach Hartman says,  Ben numbers aren t as great as some others but what sets him apart is his athleticism and flexibility. So he is a great athlete who has gotten continually stronger and better. <br>Ben was a 1999 All-American and a pre-season 2000 All-American. He has also been selected as a 2000 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award Candidate. Ben states,  While growing up in ayzata, playing for the University of Minnesota was always a dream for me. After my freshman year, I wasn t sure what to expect for the rest of my college career because of coaching changes. But, Coach Mason came in and changed the attitudes and expectations of Gopher football. I am very proud that I was part of transforming this program back into a winner. <br>Ben believes that hard work has gotten him where he is.  I ve used goal setting, says Ben.  Goals help you to stay focused. On a big day in the weight room or on the football field, I visualize being successful. I visualize beating the weight. I do the same in football by visualizing great execution. <br>The most inspirational person in Ben s life has been his father.  He has always been there for me, says Ben.  My father has been a good example. Ben s father was a former Minnesota Viking offensive lineman. He taught Ben well. Ben is the first offensive lineman to be named All-American since Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell in 1962. <br>Ben red-shirted his first year and was a Scholar-Athlete winner. He started as a freshman in 1997 in all 12 games and was an