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 […]
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Alcorn State takes on ‘monster challenge’
They play Minnesota Nov. 8 Alcorn State assembled a “monster” non-conference schedule for its 2025-26 season that, according to their coach, will better prepare them for conference play and a tournament run later in the campaign. “I am really excited about the opportunity to come up to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Gophers,” first-year Head […]
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On-air Black sports analysts relish the authenticity
During ESPN’s Oct. 15 NBA media call, Chiney Ogwumike, Malika Andrews, and Kendrick Perkins shared why representation and authenticity matter on air and how their work resonates with young Black fans. The NBA will honor trailblazers Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and Earl Lloyd throughout the season.
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Angel Reese mistreatment is a sport lens on ‘digital misogynoir’
The WNBA ended its decades-long search after the 2024 Draft last year when at last they found their heterosexual great white hope (Caitlin Clark) with whom they could draw new fans. It also begot a convenient Black villain (Angel Reese) who helped conjure up a faux rivalry to keep fans coming — and hating. This […]
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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.
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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.
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In majors, only Twins and Reds have two Black pitchers
With only nine Black MLB pitchers this season (MLBbro.com), the Twins stand out with two: Simeon Woods Richardson and Taj Bradley. SWR struck out 11 Yankees in a 7–0 win; Bradley’s pitch mix shows big-game upside. Both players—and Rocco Baldelli—weigh in on performance, growth, and representation.