JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?T#wMi+#F08 J]-'4t;cVlWIq?Zd"dOm  hPIJtw^y03g\ʡUHzuk{48ʤ`U"qvzU^Qё#\Ǎ= (PFLgB $Gڍ@I#&n'C=(w;8t@?ҥ^h+gI646b)G\·[|f$DRG/L ?xOC2+AZLy2xs}wxK8`"P壐Ǧ1ET;t=303Oٌ?ֹO Kyfv4 HGo_Ii7XKc'[XV#-r1zUPn45Y#c`kK9}~zU!bùsӬmQnT~*-5Dn'[09&(Ղ]pűEV¥:Xu]8lc؝U.x2&w)͜?fZ_ ˒W/ D?vGS@GPHGM%*ƪ94@TA8Is λ^I b+VPB.nƜo˘8畧$9PJV(mCNAJVͷ8iE5)Pi(ʀp8CH^I8O±sdaw\W8޽:Ѹ#*|Q 3KXd21YUW4/9:: 6t#3q&67:ukQ,k4l@5phxtm0iICM䑣Gx0@8p(/{)u6DDVFQ|ns$⸙A,4WwIv;9_SVq'G ̊n@ք6OG$gwBCŠcTq-VIS9x$ ǥB層is2}-ƛq$v'Г޷k[y IlQԴ`qԪ-se a,cUդ0[.y]R7NNx.λGvSKB9BE*N98V>愩]gC%)R 3jjS J>R~/2: `KҹMWUʘIu{t(AV䅕Xc޹&%y4hԀ ~**RH }8Wiػ^5ZMOsϾTr:Wx:_xv,`+ZJI=2eIG˾>}Wz]3Į 8t]q\}k&2"yM5%iSLKRp;y44aBewDԯQs-dIW5Kv"P7}k׵$(NcM%}E@O$܎ p\K2ZIXWw㋥*9v@15$jDNIXsz 2J>gg7>s#'/!z˻CdJ|5y ŋ0&<팊\E8Uj:oap%miV^FKqg*`Ĝ倰d \ny!v\aP&±k1=FiTr:%f#r-w~8>z.#k+lZVoU>^e'kH2I[MgQY\pqs\ޟi631NP|R 1msE-$cp!48_z5 Z50<йVg'"q<`394" usta⼲&Af=JVbQS5G.295!humpzχbXA+-ME ~pW=?]IZŏ?5&D/@Ke8$Q[`i,?֊eXycUIZ) Ֆ XڒGg:CpZ}`Dm0+6h_VNy9f@7ŷ[`d^E-ݾC*nʻBNs0]/LIJ DϮ=+|O BçJ[JF,,R$dК^['"Y#bpH89,4x6A%ʟtXtp`X0:=>顬-KA F>~53D*{YLQnPzG\d4&=$+:Vƙ2<5 $Vp:ApKژeh|P0yYxzbmvy01$U:e3@cL\Mu*+*q'Ұķ0<%d㉁ 1n:Qwu9uk85j7FG"H+Ȯ{s0Ȍ,*I!BxPN3+Zbᩬ43j`9 s;WA XZkpZ@ )B68-,K;D=Q\u-=nXʢNV&h.@64&sG֭0E0O"ܹaUj54V:KOzu:]3EEpxm!$saA8?]>V *$VGۮ ;A%7.n#` Hne `.pqpNGJH5%1\6IP8#V@n0rjV.]Di$bn?AU7 yxm^ƾa T߆R7=(GxRD]#p$V:87\}5_Y{X^)<烚ɚ,7_FYG|d eŨDOkNrdʚQ(9[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, 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 p