There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the school year and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players.
This week: Sophomore softball player Jae Cosgriff.
The 2026 Minnesota softball season couldn’t have come fast enough for sophomore outfielder Jae Cosgriff (Livermore, CA.).
“I say it was too long. We couldn’t wait to play and get out on the field,” said Cosgriff after a game during the Gopher Indoor Classic (Feb. 20-22) at the Vikings’ downtown stadium.
Cosgriff, who played in 49 games and started 45 as a freshman in 2025, is eager to build upon her first collegiate season. With senior Breezy Burnett out for the season due to injury, Cosgriff is the only Black player on the Gophers’ roster this season. She was recently featured in a Black History Month spotlight on the school’s social media, as was Burnett earlier in the month.
“It seems to be going very well compared to last season, my freshman season,” said Cosgriff, a biological sciences major. “I know how to handle my schedule and manage my time better.”
She had the chance to visit home during winter break, a time she described as emotional.
“I was able to get home and practice with my dad,” Cosgriff recalled. “It got very emotional a lot of the time because he’s always been there for me and has been my coach since I started playing softball.”
Back on campus, her personal goal is to play just as much, or even more, than last year. “Just help our team be successful. Just have fun,” Cosgriff emphasized.
The Gophers played in Arizona last weekend with stops in both Phoenix and Tucson. Cosgriff went 1-for-2 last Saturday in a 7-0 loss to Long Beach State, and she scored a run in a 4-1 victory over Howard on Feb. 27. Minnesota played Howard twice (Feb. 27 and Mar. 1), marking the only HBCU on the Gophers’ 2026 schedule.
Big Ten play starts March 6 at Indiana.
“We definitely want to make the Big Ten Tournament this year,” Cosgriff said. “That’s one of our goals, to make the Big Ten and have a .500 or above winning season.”
Gopher 100 update
Redshirt junior Anthonett Nabwe (Brooklyn Park) continues to rack up individual honors. After a recent weight throw last month, Nabwe earned her ninth Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week award.
Last weekend in Indianapolis, Nabwe finished 2nd in the weight throw and 5th in the shot put at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.
A two-time reigning Big Ten champion, Nabwe currently holds three of the top-10 all-time throws in Gopher history. She is now preparing for the 2026 outdoor season, which begins March 20 at the USF Alumni Invitational in Tampa, Fla.