JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?$sTfyglw. j޹źҵ8+O YWi2[G&YN sJ&J(lbd6$jߋ4`ٺYi>- 9@w9|u b=YhJH{nulպ3J;N4Qmi=b A gIKb45]5*h-ذs1_Fm]4Qd+3+2@խbX⹚lC"+㚿olɊ֊K}2qQՏdDDE`w' AȹbPM1¨ި<8'K}m{W/*3Ϙy {Zeu D׷ .y$,yRV19Oq3iCSH'ڔqhl-rM?I,##6@ 1,$ZSYe[υܤ‘f=OTMBT$DC=P"Ŀig/H+c0H{WM1OOd;4S:8*TJ'==뭵$yɸ3FArn,B;զ\v;SW,_E^36%(NV*VҮGnjڹΒZ856/u@LqMzߗ$v73wbrKkzg>%,20LQwhK wrֺ.q\-7NGf/;cZщB&e&FϮ; *}OZE#Nh6sϵK"FQ5O#Efbp^= {W&^=|:t҃ZS؝SKrL]Űp{3XҠmfW@l<ޭ-3+~sӞKS2m09{7)N-)hӅ~j}2xz{k5Jaakn i+5$a|SUglTT/EU9QD(ER\훕K-:(+= '{ߋa{ j;c?Ҿz'5=Pn?^P+ssSGMѢL-&-BeRkZγ3|̐g3ҲU&d z퍪On8҄&9]GlhרabQשdce&R6'}/LjUAqz֥-G/CXX;\ֻ}ېP s2ŏ Ġ@V3(GZZWjwSU' IHY|V= j_xjMHDѸʸ*-݄ZF?g8'-ê 5/RˤkpA$c#z8MNCFֱvqO7(Z.nDdlS.ObqZLGnJK+B3[(Iu8*baSS-v9nz=K=SY5X`=iU6-)k@NNZfl5|Dk@Xr lg.+rs2Ⴏ,{TbcԲ@ێNz֟%ċ ̒j jyHgt"9@ 9hZBG$wB?ΰ;S]$XpydK9{uv,*k*ZX-WuuYks;2ō⍱OE&72Mjs]&h ȧ&SRo[ʀbڍͽ\WM݊ v+;KԡkݕY4m ;ZHVT`Fx;`rz"̍te(JČ =j6BzV1 fYbehW*sg`CqsW៧5V-34o cgb:\E]A/*1ɯb$I}KW.4si?=rVL֛JZAe H2)oDixhr\ہ)<lLr=Ww*yzԳ& 4jfxTޟ(u8jGF\9$ ~j[l~5nh!{#q)Qk2kմ[CEvv pX(+_TѴ1D9_sEsigX65iE D{$dJlz[zyh]\RySH0QG4VٖiAs\7%q]k#A, s^)L0^$Tum&*3$:k*n%JnK(y$:~5oͨf*5"ʣ" 1IםQY ɮV:0܂96+>e=1Te9b?ֵRfuZ譴11O@+Y|#è vdc`nH.qucƊ9ɔ]9l`8^cWv2K6^F<Lt{H| XẠd z{PHlcME(C8sE788|X:RwE]RHGIQvv۞A)iSijc:*NG\zئa(*38> :SRʞV^#~ulr*Jk(#;xlmdH؂eQPޮQ{VQ=N$<4V`OZ@Knqz6N n0 &Xƒ8B7DmGS/P^%s]/<;nlյb-u^GG `?i8#g|Ζ7CxN}IMI V@2#׊Cٮ5ĞBidy5FF:4I%fR4jngvRq4T0ñ}kBVӨs]ޠ|=gF=Sq06Zi?:oqCpEGo"KS@=wvȗK12JIg1Ty۹ڥZZ=ι9afGXKWy&9EOiڌ+![QYmFQROC ^M{,c:ҹOjy> 5gŔ7i%Y:"Ie6!$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 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,