From junior college sidelines to high school gridirons, Black coaches in Minnesota are paving pathways for youth, proving that representation on the whistle changes lives on and off the field.
Sports
Local and national sports reporting and commentary by the state’s leading African American sportswriters, including award-winning columnists Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald, with a special emphasis on the local prep scene and disparities in sports administration and media coverage.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Johnson comes back to defeat St. Agnes
Down 12-0 at halftime and missing key graduated stars, the St. Paul Johnson Governors engineered a thriller, pulling off a 21-20 comeback win over St. Agnes sealed by a late two-point conversion.
Posted inSports
Girls flag football takes the field at U.S. Bank Stadium as sport grows across Minnesota
High school girls flag football teams took the turf at U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 30, marking a major milestone in a sport surging toward Olympic recognition.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Howell has outstanding coaching career at St. Paul Central
For the first time in over two decades, St. Paul Central will open its athletic season without Scott Howell on the sidelines. We look back at a historic run that defined Minutemen sports.
Posted inBlack College Sports Report
SWAC coaches sound off as HBCU football season kicks into gear
With the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in the books, HBCU football is in full swing. Dive into what SWAC head coaches are saying about preseason hype, college football chaos, and big matchups ahead.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Taylor, Smith give Gophers reasons for optimism
As the Minnesota Gophers kick off its 2026 season against Eastern Illinois, running back Darius Taylor and defensive lineman Anthony Smith step up as the heart and hustle of Dinkytown. Here is how mentorship, family motivation, and unfinished business brought them back to lead.
Posted inSports
Brianna Edwards builds legacy beyond basketball at North High
Returning to the gym where her career started, North High alumnus and former pro athlete Brianna Edwards is building a program that prioritizes the whole person, on and off the court.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Fab Five Photos
As high school football season nears, stadiums across the Twin Cities are getting ready for packed stands and big plays. Check out this week’s Fab Five photo spread spotlighting local prep powerhouses.
Posted inAnother View
Could this college athletes’ union finally stick?
Previous attempts to unionize college players for some reason or another failed without getting any meaningful traction. Over 100 women’s college basketball players last month signed union cards with the new United College Athletes Association (UCAA). The Oregon State players at the same time filed a formal petition with the state for collective bargaining. In […]
Posted inOdds and Ends
Culpepper’s early flashes give Twins a look at their future
Rookie shortstop Kaelen Culpepper is already making waves in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Sports Columnist Charles Hallman breaks down Culpepper’s big-league adjustment, praise from veterans, and what his arrival signals for the franchise.
Posted inSports
St. Thomas opens second Division I season looking to build on preseason buzz
The St. Thomas Tommies are gearing up for year two in Division I with serious momentum. As preseason honors roll in for key playmakers, Coach Glenn Caruso and his squad remain laser-focused on unity, execution, and competing for the top spot in the PFL.
Posted inAnother View
Staurowsky: Transgender athlete backlash masks bigger threats to Title IX
Sports equity expert Dr. Ellen Staurowsky says the panic over transgender athletes is a distraction from a bigger playbook: rolling back Title IX and undermining college athletes’ rights. Sports columnist Charles Hallman continues his conversation in this second installment.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Lynx’s Kosu adjusting to physical game, English, in second season
Minnesota Lynx forward Anastasiia Olairi Kosu opens up about honoring her late father’s legacy and adjusting to the WNBA’s physicality. Plus, the Timberwolves’ move to DAZN becomes the latest hit to local sports fans’ wallets.
Posted inSports
Sam Lacy Pioneer Awards honor nine trailblazers in Atlanta
The 2026 Sam Lacy Pioneer Awards honored nine Black sports and journalism trailblazers in Atlanta, including WNBA legends Renee Montgomery and Angel McCoughtry, Olympic great Edwin Moses, and Billye Aaron, widow of Hank Aaron. Sports columnist Charles Hallman was there.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
First annual Greater Twin Cities African American Basketball Hall of Fame
The first annual Greater Twin Cities African American Basketball Hall of Fame induction honored trailblazers who shaped the game. Sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald spotlights five women connected to the historic event.
Posted inSports
From Sweet Syl to Coach Syl: Fowles begins new chapter with the Fire.
Sylvia Fowles said no to coaching for years. Now the Lynx legend is on the Portland Fire bench, and two Twin Cities summer leagues just crowned champions.
Posted inSports
AEW’s Anthony Bowens on diversity, physicality and his path to wrestling
AEW star Anthony Bowens opened up about wrestling’s physical toll, the company’s commitment to diverse talent, and how quitting college baseball paved his path to the ring.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Fab Five Photos
YHIC edged Strictly 104-100 for the Twin Cities Pro Am title at DeLaSalle. Fab Five Photos captures Ware, Hooker, Brown, Patterson and Ola-Joseph in frame.
Posted inAnother View
Fear strikes again: the manufactured panic over transgender athletes
Trans athletes make up less than 0.002% of college sports, yet politicians and media figures continue to stoke fear. MSR Sports Columnist Charles Hallman breaks down the science, the WNBA noise, and the reality behind the outrage.
Posted inOdds and Ends
FAMU’s Thailan Payne gets an all-star education as WNBA HBCU intern
FAMU’s Thailan Payne worked WNBA All-Star Weekend as an HBCU intern, and even met Barack Obama.