Kiki Baker Barnes HBCUAC commissioner reflects on conference expansion, media partnerships and mentoring the next generation of Black women leaders.
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March Madness: A look at HBCU basketball’s intensity and spirit
The HBCUAC basketball championship in Tuscaloosa highlighted NAIA HBCU talent as Rust College and SUNO captured conference titles.
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The overlooked challenger of MN Twins’ segregation
Minnesota Twins spring training segregation practices ended after Kwame McDonald and civil rights activists pressured the team to abandon segregated housing in the 1960s.
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Who’s to thank for U of M’s athletic facilities?
McKinley Boston U of M athletic facilities upgrades in the 1990s modernized Minnesota athletics and elevated the Gophers’ competitiveness in the Big Ten.
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Same old elephant in the room
The NFL diversity problem remains in focus after zero Black hires among 10 coaching vacancies, prompting renewed scrutiny of the Rooney Rule and ownership practices.
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Long-overdue recognition for the Minnesota Up-Towns
The Minnesota Up-Towns were a dominant Black basketball team in the 1920s whose legacy has long been overlooked in state history.
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Como Park grad has no regrets
Ronnie Porter’s final game at Williams Arena marked a full-circle moment for the St. Paul native, who rose from walk-on to Wisconsin starter and leader.
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Former St. Thomas guard finds happiness with Huskers
Kendall Blue made the most of his homecoming, hitting a late three at Williams Arena as Nebraska remained unbeaten in a historic season.
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Northwestern associate coach ready to step up
Tangela Smith’s basketball career spans the WNBA, international play, and now a leadership role as associate head coach at Northwestern.
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Big Ten WBB winningest active coach retiring
Joe McKeown reflected on coaching, competition, and legacy during his final visit to Williams Arena as Northwestern’s longtime women’s basketball coach.
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Abe’s back, Chip resigns
Abe Woldeslassie returned to Minnesota with Denver as MIAC coaching milestones marked leadership changes across the conference.
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Gopher assistant coach has head coaching in his sights
Brothers Dennis and Armon Gates faced each other as coaches when Missouri hosted Minnesota, marking a rare family moment shaped by shared roots, hard work, and basketball ambition.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Reeve on women coaches, racial allyship and advocacy
Cheryl Reeve calls the absence of Black female head coaches in the WNBA a major concern. In a recent St. Thomas conversation, she spoke about women coaches, racial allyship, and the Lynx history of advocacy.
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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.
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‘Playing the Game’ calls out stereotyping of Black athletes
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in St. Paul will host a new book launch on Wednesday, Nov. 19, of Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green III’s first book, “Playing the Game: Embodied Brilliance beyond the Moral Limits of Race in Sport” (Fortress Press). Green is a pastoral theology and social transformation associate professor and […]
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St. Thomas men poised to excel on national stage
Tommies football Amari Powell recently put on a show for the ages. The senior QB from California in his first start of the season threw for 265 yards and three TDs, and rushed for a score himself, accounting for four of the seven touchdowns St. Thomas scored in its 55-17 victory over Valparaíso Oct. 18. […]
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Gopher hoopsters get new Black coaches
Both U of M basketball teams have coaching additions this season. Corey Green is in his first season as basketball operations director for the women’s basketball team. He formerly spent four seasons at Old Dominion in a similar position, and served on coaching staffs at Memphis (three seasons) and Detroit (two years). He got his […]