Former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward begins his first season as Florida A&M’s men’s basketball head coach, bringing leadership, experience, and family legacy back to FAMU.
Charles Hallman
Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
Posted inAnother View
Sports media veteran stays true to Black journalism
As sports journalism shifts toward clicks and commentary, First and Pen stands out as an independent Black-owned platform committed to thoughtful reporting and cultural storytelling.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Soph guard finds Gopher fans “something special’
Minnesota women’s basketball highlights include Tori McKinney’s strong sophomore season, Rachel Banham’s return to professional play, Sylvia Fowles’ coaching move, and a remembrance of Yevette Haskins.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Marquette asst WBB coach focused on helping his boss succeed
Deont’a McChester is an assistant coach for Marquette women’s basketball, bringing years of coaching experience, leadership, and a player centered approach to the Golden Eagles program.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Representing Black excellence
Laura Dinkins is beginning her first head coaching role at Northern Arizona, returning to her alma mater after 15 years of Division I coaching experience in women’s basketball.
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Vikings’ Ham nominated for Man of the Year
Why I still refuse to watch the NFL examines a long standing personal protest against the league while recognizing the leadership, integrity, and community impact of Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Investing in young men’s lives
Jason Kemp has stepped into his first head coaching role at Minnesota State Moorhead, bringing nearly 20 years of experience, a player first philosophy, and a commitment to leadership and representation in college basketball.
Posted inSports
Rare Black hockey forward started young
Hamline freshman Nina Thorson is making history and scoring goals in her first collegiate hockey season.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Veteran TSU coach expects a fast game
Texas Southern returns to The Barn for the first time since 1995 as part of a demanding road heavy non conference schedule. Veteran coach Johnny Jones brings a fast and competitive squad that includes preseason all SWAC guard Zaire Hayes and leading scorers Troy Haywood and Drayce Roberts. Jones says the early tests at Gonzaga, Texas A and M, Vanderbilt and others serve as a measuring stick as the Tigers prepare for Minnesota.
Posted inOdds and Ends
This ‘Diva’ can coach
Alabama A and M is the only HBCU on the Gopher women’s basketball schedule this season, and they are bringing a proven winner to The Barn. Head Coach Dawn E. Thornton, a Jackson State alum and accomplished recruiter, led the Bulldogs to a 21 and 11 record and a WNIT berth in her first season. Picked second in the SWAC, Alabama A and M features preseason SWAC Player of the Year Kalia Walker and a core of double digit scorers, giving local fans a rare chance to see a strong HBCU program and a Black woman head coach on the Williams Arena sidelines.
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No respect for HBCUs among local media
Minnesota will host two HBCU opponents this month, but local mainstream media are unlikely to give the games meaningful coverage. HBCU advocates say this pattern fits decades of inequitable sports reporting, making Black owned media outlets like the MSR critical for visibility, respect, and fair representation.
Posted inAnother View
Black athletes too often dehumanized, commodified
At United Theological Seminary in St. Paul, first time author and newly tenured professor Dr. Gary F. Green introduced his book “Playing the Game” with a panel that included Minnesota Vikings fullback CJ Ham, scholar Dr. Lakisha R. Lockhart Rusch and United student Tamice Spencer Helms. Together they explored how terms like “beast” and coded commentary about “natural talent” versus “intelligence” shape the way Black athletes are seen, valued and limited, and how Green’s work offers a powerful challenge to those narratives.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Families and coaching draw transfers to Tommies
After college journeys that took them around the country, Minnesota standouts Savannah McGowan and Jada Hood returned home to join St. Thomas. The two starters have quickly built chemistry, crediting Coach Ruth Sinn for believing in them since high school and celebrating the chance to play in front of family again. With strong academic plans and dreams of pro careers, both players are embracing this new chapter.
Posted inSports
The pain and insult of rewritten history
Maya Washington has spent years fighting inaccurate portrayals of her father, Gene Washington, and the pioneering Black athletes of Michigan State. Now she is calling for stronger NIL protections for legacy athletes whose names and images sit in archives with little oversight. Washington warns that if institutions can mishandle the legacy of a Hall of Famer, younger athletes could face even bigger risks in the new NIL landscape.
Posted inCoaching while Black
St. Thomas boasts college hockey’s only Black assistant coach
St. Thomas assistant coach Leon Hayward reflects on his 20-year coaching journey and his status as the only Black assistant coach in college hockey, helping lead the Tommies through a successful DI transition.
Posted inOdds and Ends
New Tommies digs crowns DI status
St. Thomas opens its first Division I season with the debut of Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, a new 253,000-square-foot complex for basketball and hockey that also promises community access and renewed focus on diversity in athletics.
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Lynx’s Collier says the WNBA has ‘the worst leadership in the world’
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier blasted WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for what she called dismissive leadership, prompting league-wide debate and player support. Engelbert disputed Collier’s account. With the CBA deadline near, questions about leadership, player treatment, and accountability are front and center.
Posted inSports
Growing diversity in volleyball an encouraging sight
The Big Life Series took more than 150 Big Ten student athletes and staff plus HBCU participants to Selma, Tuskegee, and Montgomery to learn Black history and build community. Minnesota and Rutgers players say the experience and growing on court diversity are reshaping volleyball culture.
Posted inOdds and Ends
What’s worth spending a weekend away from sports?
The 23rd Twin Cities Black Film Festival runs Oct. 10–12, with screenings at the Capri Theatre and Hotel Indigo. Founder Natalie Morrow spotlights a packed slate of Black filmmakers and says this year doubles as a crucial fundraiser to power the festival’s future.
Posted inAnother View, Sports
Cost of early training may limit volleyball diversity
Kansas City’s visit to St. Thomas put Summit League volleyball diversity in focus. With five Black players, the Roos far outpaced most conference teams—while athletes like Kailee Deffebaugh and Ryanne Wattree emphasized why cost, access, and technical training still limit broader participation.