JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?M_Y>&#Nswrҧ??emj:h$"i*gsV݌r9h?h?2l- o'?t9v~/.a<0^t#>O2sEwr֧$z/!?ƏH_ XB+'9h?h AkO=?O9<̽3FsDOH_ XBĚ(ֱ/f^sDw~rԺ?t}WN[,*9$}c\2 'Wd0OM}_kQB#P/m7]7®z2=ERi~W(i~W*G#PCNlAiOܑzQaͧۖ$Ĥ }+2-u.gi\yK˰㷭obm7b @%¹k4Acro9?UOmoP=G5XVWLj|)ok,l'xWyQOO'?-u Ey.!*tt_1?¯ U I ]c^)(.WrMبSv9Uv?? !2"—?Aԭ/-3q֮AsJww7!OZ-,`[gc\H۠~f'w,cTfXv٭O0Em78hU\uwm*9/RV*/Z\=U3Ԭ3T1Vs96]5?Uv?? G U4[`+B@F|7$p9_jZJT o`єQ/2lLf{DQyclxZ=TM.yy,ԏ;gݹǗP?5 j渾k#6KWGӐSUIu1*,s|gКh/V &Kn{Sq½6 aҤ M:῰pv/9 {ƺk0kwbJPu*Ƒo+۷5:*YϴkZ~x܆ka+x8cXF%5&X-5dpƁ#-i讵Sig-03Tc<1JCЯ/G$>9^_*(?+ 4^9'cX,;Cq}8sϠ=s3^AK7BS\E܀N׾lKs6˿|a_GK5"\^ i}=|?,}+fo掼iE|OmW~4+1X眂k?+ 5?¯UUЯ/G$>9^_*(C?+ WuEyjH}+;c"*< fmu%+ h(Sco2huzwm*! BTC⫺8_H|sBUx?!Я/UtK_ z/akIa,␒ ;סg{ U*mp6(c^D"49{=M Ljf#KY sA7S>-ؽ&v0߃7U5/[Je`-~? x2ñ3T6ވ(R\wg}C_]˜/q+⯇cFy?*6GMF5kJ sA:MքѲoA#]2e_"N=)7+@V7qݴa5玡~G A?We}@7-x4ߑ5_AQ}@7-x4ߑ5_AQ}@G㿈W<5%wK)2x>_6pq@կeuiʿٶKڀ9[??nh?P#kھjʀ8o[??nh?P#kھjʀ8o[?M~!oҬwǃnyֽjʹ|J ѫ@ J\? oEK(#''t }}L?jn|1A`q5Ykd6Mr\! ϥzGf {rk'MW٬|N}OjE*[tV ml5"/S.X_OUtTSJ99;OUIB~sIB~I& tՍIl즎G{T ,''>e<' E.>wa$=2ºoK{[ UkXh\)nQBԾ=Gá? t/k?.o/]]' _*K{[ WGEy]~MGrBtNPĪPƺ;? ؍FD Wt5 m.1#dsz]U G?^T]' _*:(OUIB~?.o/YfuO͕աM-˔ 2F _[i:Ŏ,R;ݐ7.0`ĊBy 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 Wayzata, 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 All-Big Ten selection. The next year Ben was a pre-season honorable mention All-American. In addition to being a first team All-American last year, Ben was named the team s Paul Giel award winner, which honors the player who exhibits total unselfishness and most concern about the University of Minnesota. <br>One of the pre-season teams that Ben made was the Playboy All-American team. He turned them down.  My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life, explained Ben.  Turning down Playboy was hard because lineman don t get many honors. But I didn t want to give a mixed message. If you are a Christian, you should lead by example. <br>Ben leads by example in other areas. He doesn t smoke, chew or do drugs.  You can find that stuff, Ben says.  I ve just never wanted to try it. Ben carries a 3.2 GPA. He is never late to class. In fact, one of his traits is that he is always early. Ben has missed zero tests.<br> I don t miss things, says Ben.  You have to pay attention to time management. I have a day planner type of calendar. Besides, I really like my classes, especially math and my major. Ben will graduate in Civil Engineering and, after whatever happens in pro football, wants to manage construction projects. <br>Karon did not lift weights at Martin Luther King High School in Detroit.  Because, says Karon,  I was always in sports. I played three sports and I was naturally strong.