Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald highlights five Minnesota student athletes who made their mark this spring, from a Razorbacks sophomore placing second at the NCAA Track and Field Championship to standout performances at the state and city conference levels.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Fitzgerald got his flowers
MSR sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald reflects on accepting a Southside Hall of Fame award on behalf of Charles Hallman and witnessing Larry Fitzgerald Sr. receive his flowers in person, just weeks before Fitzgerald’s passing at age 71.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
50th Annual Winfield Awards
The 50th Annual Winfield Awards honored 20 student athletes from 10 St. Paul high schools on June 1 at the Intercontinental St. Paul-Riverfront Hotel, with Baseball Hall of Famer David Winfield serving as keynote speaker.
Posted inNews
Lynx home opener
The Minnesota Lynx dropped their 91-90 home opener to the Atlanta Dream on May 9 at Target Center, as guards Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride lead a 3-2 squad averaging big numbers early in the 2026 WNBA season.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Blacklight on Sports: EJ Shelby Brings a New Vision to Anoka High School Football
On this episode of Blacklight on Sports, hosts Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sit down with EJ Shelby, the newly named head football coach at Anoka High School, on his long road to a head coaching job and what it means to lead as a Black man in education.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
50th Annual Winfield Awards to Be Held
The 50th Annual Winfield Awards will honor 20 St. Paul student-athletes of color on Sunday, May 31, at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel, with Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Paul Central alum Dave Winfield as keynote speaker.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Erick Goodlow on Golf, Legacy, and Leaving Corporate After 30 Years at Medtronic
On this episode of Blacklight on Sports, host Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sits down with Erick Goodlow, co-founder of Fairway Foundation and architectural firm Formula, whose two lives span 25 years of youth golf access and building the only fully Black-owned architecture firm in the Midwest.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Blacklight on Sports: Johnny Allen Jr. and the JK Movement
this episode of Blacklight on Sports, host Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sits down with Johnny Allen Jr., founder of the JK Movement, a St. Paul youth development organization rooted in the Rondo community that has served young people for 15 years.
Posted inMSR Business
Expanding Access: First-Time Homebuyers & Community Finance
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald hosts a powerful MSR Business episode featuring Frandsen Bank’s Lance Elliott, PPL’s Carter CasaDeCalvo, and Andria Petty to discuss how local partnerships are supporting first-generation and first-time homebuyers.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Sports, Justice, and Speaking Truth to Power Featuring Nekima Levy Armstrong
This week on Blacklight On Sports, civil rights leader Nekima Levy Armstrong joins the conversation on athletes, activism, race, and what justice looks like on and off the field.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Brianna Edwards on Trusting the Process: From Athlete to Coach
Brianna Edwards joins Blacklight On Sports to talk about her journey from pro athlete to head coach and consultant—building athletes into leaders for life.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Willie Burton on the power of purpose after pro ball
Minnesota basketball legend Willie Burton joins Blacklight On Sports to share how his journey from NBA courts to classrooms has become a mission rooted in purpose, mentorship, and real-world impact.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
From the court to the culture: Anthony Tucker brings elite mindset to Minnesota basketball
In the latest episode of Blacklight On Sports, hosts Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomed Anthony Tucker, founder of Hoop Habits, to discuss the evolution of Minnesota basketball, athlete development, and the mindset needed to thrive beyond the stats. Tucker, a standout at Minnetonka High School and the University of Iowa, brings more […]
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Breaking Barriers: Donald “Donnie” Brooks on Leading Macalester College Athletics
In this powerful episode of Blacklight On Sports, hosts Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald, Ed.D., sit down with Donald “Donnie” Brooks, the Director of Athletics at Macalester College. With a career rooted in leadership and passion for sports, Brooks shares his journey from growing up in Houston, Texas, to becoming a transformative figure […]
Posted inSports
Fab Five Photos: WNBA photo highlights
This week’s “Fab Five Photos” features two WNBA players from the metro area.
Posted inPodcasts
‘Blacklight on Sports’ feat. Charles Chip Taylor
Watch as Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald talk to Chip Taylor.
Posted inSports
Prep columnist McDonald honored
Last month, MSR Prep columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald was honored for his decades-long work in covering local high school sports.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Sports
McDonald receives Outstanding Media Service Award
Dr. Mitch Palmer McDonald is the first Black media member honored by the MSHSL.
