Minneapolis native Cynthia “Red” Bryant has been playing tackle football for 27 years. Now, the 52-year-old grandmother is leading the Minnesota Vixen to Canton, Ohio, with a national title on the line.
Odds and Ends
Posted inOdds and Ends
Renee Brown’s WNBA legacy runs deeper than she’ll admit
Renee Brown helped build the WNBA from day one but rarely gets credit for it. At the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, sports columnist Charles Hallman caught up with her, and with founding president Val Ackerman, on the league’s 30-year legacy.
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Parker, Reeve reflect on Lynx-Sparks rivalry for the age
Ten years after the Lynx-Sparks rivalry reshaped the WNBA playoff format, Candace Parker and Cheryl Reeve looked back at Knoxville on the two Finals series that stacked their rosters with future Hall of Famers. Sports columnist Charles Hallman has their reflections.
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Lynx practice player learns from the best
Minneapolis native Joshua Brown spent his first season as a Minnesota Lynx practice player, going up against Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride, and came away a believer in the women’s game. Charles Hallman has his story.
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Back together again
MSR sports columnist Charles Hallman sits down with Janel McCarville, now in her first year as a Minnesota Lynx assistant coach alongside Lindsay Whalen, tracing a friendship and partnership that began at the University of Minnesota and has lasted nearly three decades.
Posted inLynx/WNBA
McCowan: Still in the league
Teaira McCowan was preparing for her first extended break from basketball when Cheryl Reeve called. Five minutes later she was a Minnesota Lynx, signing a one-year deal as one of the league’s most accomplished post players enters her eighth WNBA season.
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Natasha Howard returns to Minnesota for a full-circle moment
Natasha Howard has returned to Minnesota, where she won her first WNBA championship in 2017, signing as a free agent and immediately becoming one of the Lynx’s most impactful contributors alongside fellow free agent addition Nia Coffey.
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Maya Caldwell: Right where she’s supposed to be
Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Caldwell has navigated waivings, overseas stints and four WNBA clubs in five years on a journey built on faith, perseverance and a belief that she is right where she is supposed to be.
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Rachel Banham delivers for Chicago Sky in Minneapolis return
Rachel Banham returned to Minneapolis and delivered 13 points off the bench to help the Chicago Sky past the Minnesota Lynx 86-79, continuing a decade-long WNBA career built on delivering buckets when her team needs them most.
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Lynx veteran Nia Coffey is her father’s daughter
Nia Coffey, St. Paul native and nine-year WNBA veteran, is back home with the Minnesota Lynx, bringing a decade of professional experience and a commitment to pouring into younger players on a roster that is 71% new this season.
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Softball in color
MSR sports columnist Charles Hallman covers the 2026 Summit League Softball Championship at the University of Minnesota, spotlighting the Black players who stood out, including Omaha’s Bailey Sample and St. Thomas sophomores Zoe Trotter and Miley Wichman.
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WNBA season 30 tips off Friday with a revamped Lynx roster and a new TV deal
The 2026 WNBA season tips off Friday, May 8, with two new teams, a new CBA and a Minnesota Lynx roster that looks drastically different after key departures and new additions including rookie Olivia Miles.
Posted inTimberwolves/NBA
‘Slow Mo’ Anderson proves the NBA’s smartest player doesn’t have to be the fastest
Kyle Anderson Slow Mo Timberwolves profile explores how the deliberate, high-IQ veteran has built a 12-year NBA career on instincts, smart play and contributions that rarely show up on the stat sheet.
Posted inGophers/College
Record-breaker Nabwe has her sights set on the Olympics
Anthonett Nabwe Minnesota Gophers thrower has earned her fourth Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week honor this season and holds the all-time Big Ten hammer throw record as she sets her sights on the 2028 Olympics.
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First-year coaches Terry, Smith named ACE’s Best in Black College Basketball
ACE Black basketball coaching honor roll 2026 recognizes Tierra Terry and Nolan Smith as Heads of the Class alongside Howard and Prairie View A&M head coaches.
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Illinois Head Softball Coach Tyra Perry on 700 Career Wins, Big Ten Diversity and Building a Family
Tyra Perry Illinois softball coach reflects on 700 career wins, Big Ten diversity and the people who make coaching worth every moment in an MSR interview.
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HBCUs still fighting for respect in March
HBCUs made the 2026 NCAA Tournament field in historic numbers for the first time since 1994, with five programs earning wins and sparking a conversation about long-overdue recognition.
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‘Court Queens’ Gives women’s basketball its due
Court Queens by Jordan Robinson and Emma Baccellieri celebrates more than 130 years of women’s basketball history with Black women prominently featured throughout.
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Minnesota connections highlight SWAC’s March Madness run
Minnesota athletes continue to shine across the SWAC and NCAA, highlighted by Ariel Bland and Nina Thorson.
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D3 March Madness ends, but Millsaps leaves its mark
The Millsaps women’s basketball NCAA tournament run ended with an 81–73 loss to Bethel after winning the Southern Athletic Association championship.