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.
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 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.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Five high school and college athletes to watch this fall, from Woodbury to St. Paul Johnson
Five Twin Cities athletes to watch this fall, from a St. Thomas standout to a rising Minnehaha sophomore.
Posted inSports
Jalen Travis throws ceremonial first pitch for the Twins
At every Minnesota Twins home contest, the team selects individuals to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. MSR recently talked to two Black individuals in separate interviews who participated in the time-honored pre-game ceremony. Pitch 1 – Jalen Travis: from Princeton to the NFL, giving back at home From Princeton to the […]
Posted inWNBA
MSR presses Engelbert on WNBA’s lack of Black women coaches
MSR asks WNBA’s Cathy Engelbert why the league has so few Black women head coaches.
Posted inNews
Prep Scene: Six teams to remember
Twin Cities high school basketball has a rich history of dominance, culture, and unforgettable talent. MSR Sports Columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald takes a trip down memory lane to celebrate six legendary state tournament teams that left an indelible mark on Minnesota sports.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Coaching while Black
NBA Summer League isn’t just a proving ground for players on the bubble, it’s a launchpad for the next generation of Black head coaches. MSR Sports Columnist Charles Hallman caught up with Timberwolves assistant coaches Kelly McCarty and James White as they hone their craft on the sidelines.
Posted inWNBA
Obama stops by
The 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend kicked off in Chicago with an unannounced visit from 44th President Barack Obama, who took the court to honor the league’s stars and celebrate its growing cultural impact.
Posted inWNBA
W30 second half: All-Stars, analysts weigh in on stretch run
The WNBA’s second half is officially a sprint. From Natasha Howard’s defensive focus to expert insights from Cindy Brunson and Erica L. Ayala, here is how the league’s stretch run is shaping up.