David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gopher Men’s Hoops Not Starting Series with Tommies

Posted on June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by David Shama

In surprising news this morning, the University of Minnesota announced the Golden Gophers will play the University of St. Thomas in basketball games this year. The men’s teams will meet at Williams Arena on November 6 while the women’s teams are scheduled at the “Barn” on December 1.

There have been past conversations about the state’s two Division I men’s programs meeting on the court. St. Thomas coach John Tauer and Minnesota coach Niko Medved spoke to Sports Headliners about a potential game last year.

“We’ve said for four years, and we continue to say, we’d love to play the Gophers either in a …game at their place or start a home and home series,” Tauer told Sports Headliners in 2025. ” We’d love to play them in a regular season game and our (future) schedule is wide open.”

Last year Medved didn’t dismiss the idea of a game but noted there are many factors that go into determining the nonconference schedule. These can include timing on the calendar, prior commitments with other teams, logistics, finances and resume building for an NCAA Tournament invite.

Niko Medved, Gophers hoops coach, photo by David Shama — Niko Medved

Medved was interested a year ago in meeting the Tommies in an exhibition game opening up the new St. Thomas arena. St. Thomas didn’t want the first ever game in the multi-use Lee and Penny Anderson Arena to be an exhibition and had a commitment to play Army in its opener. The UST women’s team also played the Cadets in a historic doubleheader.

Now things have changed. Medved told Sports Headliners this morning he reached out to St. Thomas about scheduling the November 6 game that falls on a Friday night. He liked the date in how it lines up with his nonconference schedule, and he likes the idea of the two local Division I programs playing a game. He knew of fan interest because he was asked about a potential game almost immediately after he became Minnesota’s head coach in March of 2025.

“We’re excited to have St. Thomas on campus for a game this year,” Medved said in a statement. “Having two Division I programs right here in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is great for the sport, and I know it’s something fans are really looking forward to seeing. Our schedules were able to align this year, so it seemed like a perfect time to create a fun environment here at the ‘Barn.’ ”

Not surprisingly as a Power Four conference school, the Gophers will be the home team for both games and keep most of the revenue for the matchups that could produce the largest attendances for Minnesota’s nonconference men’s and women’s games in 2026-2027.

The Gophers play in the prestigious Big Ten while the Tommies are in the mid-major Summit League. The Gophers will be favored in both games and upsets in either matchup will be a grand opportunity for the Tommies to flaunt their reputation. “We’re going to have to play at our best,” Medved told Sports Headliners.

Since entering Division I competition in 2021-2022, the Tommies have become a force in the Summit League. They nearly earned their way into an NCAA Tournament invite earlier this year. In coaching circles among power conference schools, it’s believed that few programs want to schedule the upstart Tommies led by Tauer, a superb coach.

The NCAA selection committee splits Division I teams into four quadrants to evaluate their schedules and value in determining an invitation to the NCAA Tournament. In that context Medved’s game against the Tommies poses risk.

“It doesn’t do a ton for us as far as putting together your resume for the NCAA Tournament,” he told Sports Headliners. “It’s going to be a Quad 3 game (mid-tier foe). The hardest games to play sometimes are these Quad 3 opponents that are good enough to beat you. And you lose to one and that can really damage your resume, meaning it doesn’t do much for you. That’s the tricky part. …”

Fans should revel in this year’s game for its uniqueness. “I am not going to play them every year,” he told Sports Headliners. “That doesn’t make sense for us to do that.”

So, there will be no series involving the two schools. Just the possibility of a future matchup down the road. “I am not saying we’ll never play them again,” Medved said.

In November the Gophers and Tommies will play for the first time in men’s basketball since 1934. The Gophers are 6-1 in the all-time series.

The December game will be the first for the women’s basketball Gophers and Tommies. “…There is tremendous support for women’s basketball across the state, and we look forward to a terrific atmosphere on game day,” coach Dawn Plitzuweit said in a statement.

In Plitzuweit’s third season as Gophers coach, her 2025-26 team made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in two decades. The Gophers could be a top 25 team next season. They return All-Big Ten selections Mara Braun, Tori McKinney and Grace Grocholski. Plus, they have added valued transfers and incoming freshmen.

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U AD Talking Niko Medved & Dawn Plitzuweit Contracts

Posted on June 5, 2026June 5, 2026 by David Shama

Don’t be surprised if adjustments are made soon to the contracts of Golden Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved and women’s coach Dawn Plitzuweit. The two reportedly have annual current deals paying them $3 million and $900,000 respectively.

“…We are having those (contract) conversations with both coaches,” University of Minnesota athletics director Mark Coyle told Sports Headliners on Thursday. Contract changes must be approved by President Rebecca Cunningham and the Board of Regents.

Medved became the Gophers head coach in March of 2025. He inherited a program needing a rebuild but exceeded expectations of a 16^th place finish in the 18-team Big Ten. The Gophers, 8-12 in Big Ten games and 15-18 overall, were surprisingly competitive including wins over three nationally ranked teams.

The Gopher women were 13-5 in Big Ten games, achieving 13 wins in league play for only the third time in their history. The 24-9 overall Gophers were voted No. 15 (Associated Press) and 18 (coaches) in the polls, their best finish since 2004-2005. In Plitzuweit’s third season she led Minnesota to a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and had two wins. That was the program’s highest seed since 2005.

Coyle has a track record of rewarding coaches after success and is clearly pleased with Medved and Plitzuweit. “Those are two things (contract changes) we’d like to get done,” he said.

The Board of Regents has meetings scheduled next Thursday and Friday.

Worth Noting

News this spring that Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey favors the City Center site as a location for a new Timberwolves arena is curious to Sports Headliners sources. It could cost $40 million or so to demolish the building’s tower. The land itself is so “skinny” it raises questions about desirability as an attractive home for the NBA team and the WNBA Lynx.

It’s believed ownership of the two franchises will privately pay for the arena. The private pay model is increasing in popularity in the NBA but financially it only works if team ownership controls adjacent land and buildings for shopping, entertainment, bars, restaurants, and more.

The site selection process might eventually lead to the large Farmers Market site near downtown. The location has long been speculated as a home to an arena or stadium. About 11 years ago mayor Betsy Hodges opposed a property tax exemption for soccer team owner Bill McGuire’s proposed stadium that eventually was built in St. Paul.

Hodges reportedly now lives in Washington D.C. Her website describes her as a visionary regarding race, leadership, governance, and policy formation.

Capital Club founder Patrick Klinger has a star duo speaking at Mendakota Country Club on June 24. National Baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor and another St. Paul born luminary, former MLB umpire and storyteller Tim Tschida, will share experiences and wisdom at the breakfast program. For more information, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Jose Miranda, who tied an MLB record two years ago with 12 straight hits playing for the Twins, was released recently by the Padres organization.

Longtime Sports Headliners reader Dan Hennen emailed he and wife Lynn have now visited 19 MLB stadiums. They have a new favorite after watching the Twins and Pirates recently at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The atmosphere and environment were impressive, including a postgame light show from drones.

Hot hockey rumor this weekend: the Wild might be on the short list of places center Dylan Larkin could land. A premium center, he’s requested a trade from the Red Wings.

Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne turned 85 last Tuesday. Leave it to Beaver TV star Jerry Mathers turned 78 that day.

Steve Crowl, the former basketball player at Eastview High School and collegiate Badger, played six games this past season for the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League. In six games he averaged 1.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

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Don’t Expect Solo Act from New Vikings General Manager

Posted on June 2, 2026June 2, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings have a new general manager in 42-year-old Nolan Teasley. Don’t expect him to be an authoritarian leader.

Fans have illusions about NFL general managers as solo operators of a franchise’s personnel, including college drafts and free agent signings. The public frequently assigns too much blame or credit to the work of those who carry the general manager badge.

Yup, there are a few general managers in the league who are more like solo acts. Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones, Rams boss Les Snead and Eagles wheeler-dealer Howie Roseman come to mind.

But collaboration is more the norm in NFL front offices than kingpin. Even before tomorrow’s press conference to introduce Teasley, Vikings voices are trumpeting it will be kumbaya style at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.

Teasley, in his first assignment as a general manager after being assistant GM with the Seahawks, is expected to work arm-in-arm with head coach Kevin O’Connell and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, the franchise’s capologist.

Statements issued by the Vikings yesterday offer testimony to the vision.

Vikings owner Mark Wilf, 2025, image by David Shama — Mark Wilf

Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf said: “Putting Nolan together with Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski gives us three strong leaders with complementary skillsets.”

Owner/chair Zygi Wilf said: “We are confident this dynamic structure of Nolan, Kevin and Rob is the best outcome for the Minnesota Vikings.”

Teasley said: “I look forward to working alongside Kevin O’Connell, Rob Brzezinski, our coaching staff, personnel department and the entire organization as we build a team Vikings fans can be proud of and one that competes for championships year after year.”

Both O’Connell and Brzezinski echoed the collaboration theme, mentioning how they look forward to working with their new front office teammate who started as an intern in 2013 with the Seahawks and rose to positions of authority in the organization. In 13 seasons with the organization the team made the playoffs nine times, played in three Super Bowls and won two.

While the Vikings had an analytics background man in former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Teasley’s reputation is that of a talented personnel evaluator of college and pro talent. In Seattle he oversaw football ops while working for his boss John Schneider in various aspects of player acquisition and team building, per the Vikings.

Teasley also assisted with roster construction and integrating data and analytics within the franchise’s scouting process. He managed collaboration between the scouting staff, research and analytics departments and the coaches.

Collaboration aside, there will be parts of the operation and times when Teasley will make his own decisions and have the final word. That’s the nature of his responsibilities and for that he will ultimately be judged.

Schneider expressed his confidence in Teasley in a statement released by the Vikings. “Nolan Teasley is a direct reflection of our football process. He came in as an intern and outworked, outlearned, and outgrew every role we gave him – and now he’s a general manager in this league.

“That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of who he is as a person and how he approaches everything he does. The Vikings aren’t just getting a great football mind. They’re getting an exceptional human being – ego-free, values-driven, and one of the best communicators I’ve been around in this business. He sees the game clearly, he connects with people authentically, and he makes every room better.”

Brzezinski, BTW, was reportedly on the short list of candidates for the GM job. He has been a loyal and accomplished part of the organization since 1999 and in his present position since 2014. His strategic salary cap management approach might be the best in the NFL. He has negotiated more than $1 billion in contracts and his relationships with player agents is invaluable to the Vikings.

The Wilf ownership group is known for its loyalty to employees and willingness to spend money appropriately. This seems like an opportune time to reward Brzezinski with a thank you note and I.O.U.

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