David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Medved Expects ‘Large Number’ of Returnees to Gophers

Posted on March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 by David Shama

Niko Medved has nine players on his roster that appear to have eligibility for the 2026-2027 season. The men’s college basketball transfer portal opens for 15 days beginning on April 7 so the Golden Gophers coach will know a lot more by the end of next month, but he told Sports Headliners he believes a “large number of them (players)” will return.

Starters Isaac Asuma (guard), Bobby Durkin (forward) and Grayson Grove (center) have remaining eligibility. Center Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, who was a starter until a foot injury sidelined him in February and sixth man Kai Shinholster (guard) have future eligibility, too.

Projected starters earlier this season Chansey Willis (guard) and Robert Vaihola (center) are candidates to receive medical redshirts. Others on the roster with apparent future eligibility are Max Lorenson (guard) and Chance Stephens (guard).

Medved added that while in this transfer happy era of college basketball there are no guarantees he “feels good” about the process as the window nears for the 2026 portal. He made that comment after Nehemiah Turner (center) transferred but prior to the more recent transfer out of the program by B.J. Omot (forward).

Medved said none of the players who were sidelined with injuries, including Crocker-Johnson, will participate in the College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas starting April 1. The Gophers are part of an eight-team field with their opening quarterfinal game in the single elimination tourney scheduled against Baylor of the Big 12.

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

The Gophers haven’t played a game since their Big Ten Tournament loss to Rutgers on March 11. In the days since Minnesota players had about a week off. The rest period was one of the reasons Medved and his players opted for the Crown tournament. The Gophers have been playing with a six-man rotation that Medved said will continue in the tourney.

The players were also attracted to the tournament because of potential NIL money. The two winners in the semifinals (April 4) are guaranteed a pool of $50,000. The winning team in the April 5 championship games divides up $300,000 while the loser receives $100,000.

Medved said it’s “cool” that his players have an opportunity to earn money in the postseason. He also likes that the tournament is all in one location, expenses are covered by the tourney and there is an association with FOX Sports, which is a Big Ten partner.

Now in its second year after being founded by FOX Sports and AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), the 2026 field consists of Minnesota and Rutgers from the Big Ten, Baylor, Colorado and West Virginia from the Big 12, Creighton from the Big East, Stanford from the ACC and Oklahoma from the SEC.

The Gophers and Baylor have never played against each other. Their game April 1 will be televised starting at 9:30 p.m. CDT.

Hired about a year ago, Medved and his staff scrambled to put a roster together and then faced a discouraging number of injuries that thinned out the talent even more. There was plenty of adversity, including the experience of a losing season (8-12 in the Big Ten and 15-17 overall). Medved and the players took a positive approach to the adversity, and the season included three upsets at Williams Arena over top 25 teams.

“The players deserve a ton of credit for staying with it,” Medved said. “Every time we got knocked down…they just bounced right back. You know it’s really cool. They set a great standard for…the way we want our culture and our program to look like moving forward.”

Worth Noting

Illinois freshman All-American guard Keaton Wagler was an under the radar talent for awhile when in high school in the Kansas City area. When Medved was head coach at Colorado State he said the Rams were recruiting Wagler hard. Medved thought he had a good chance to get him to Colorado State, but he eventually attracted more attention from colleges including Illinois. “…I thought he would be really good,” Medved said. “I don’t know that anyone, even Illinois included, thought he would be this good, this early. Kudos to him.’’

The women Gophers, under third year coach Dawn Plitzuweit, are setting a foundation for increased box office attendance and fan following. The Gophers are headed to the Sacramento Regional and a Sweet 16 game Friday night against UCLA. They earned their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2005 with a dramatic home win Sunday on a last second shot by Amaya Battle in the fourth quarter.

The Gophers might not have won the 65 -63 game without the raucous support of the fans. Playing first and second round NCAA Tournament games at Williams Arena, the Gophers had announced attendances of 10,355 and 10,763 (arena capacity 14,625). Those were easily the largest home crowds of the season and brought the average for 18 home games to 4,792.

Last year home attendance averaged 3,819. This season and last the Gophers sold in the range of 2,300 to 2,600 public season tickets so there is a lot of potential for growth. With some key returnees and top 40 recruits, the Gophers figure to be winners again next season. Plitzuweit has won everywhere she has coached, including her four previous head jobs.

Gophers football historians noted the recent passing of Minneapolis native Tom Brown who was the dominant player on Minnesota’s 1960 national championship team. A two-way lineman, he was known as a “rolling boulder” on offense and “rock of Gibraltar” on defense. The All-American finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1960, something no lineman had ever accomplished.

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Hope Vikes QB Room Won’t Resemble a MASH Unit in 2026

Posted on March 22, 2026March 22, 2026 by David Shama

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has been steadfast in his commitment to having a deep and competitive quarterback room for the 2026 season. It looks like he’s accomplished that with the offseason additions of Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz to compete with J.J. McCarthy.

The trio, though, looks a bit like a potential MASH unit. (That’s a mobile army surgical hospital for those that don’t know).

Start with the 28-year-old Murray, the wagering favorite to be the No. 1 quarterback and is also seen that way by a former front office executive with NFL teams who corresponds with Sports Headliners. “I expect Murray to be the Week 1 starter and see if he can stay healthy,” he texted.

Murray has missed significant playing time during his NFL career that began as a No. 1 draft pick by the Cardinals in 2019. The diminutive 5-10, 207-pound Murray has experienced an ACL tear, ankle sprain, hamstring strains and a foot injury. He has reportedly missed more than 20 games due to injuries.

The source quoted above, speaking on condition of anonymity, texted that “with Kyler’s injury history, I think J.J. will get his chance to play.”

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings QB, image by David Shama — J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy, 23, missed all of his first Viking season in 2024 with a knee injury. Awarded with the starting spot in 2025, McCarthy managed to play in 10 games, but he was impacted by a high ankle sprain, concussion and hairline fracture in his right throwing hand.

When on the field McCarthy’s performance was inconsistent and it cast doubt on whether he should lead the Vikings in 2026. McCarthy, who the source wrote now faces an uncertain future, wasn’t injury prone in high school or at Michigan where he led the Wolverines to the 2024 national championship.

McCarthy’s replacement for five games was Wentz. His season ended with a severe shoulder injury. The Vikings re-signed him last week.

Wentz, 33, has been troubled by injuries for much of his career including an ACL tear, back fractures, ankle sprains, a concussion and most recently shoulder surgery. After all the pain he has endured during stops with six NFL teams, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had retired this offseason. “I don’t see how Wentz fits in unless Kyler or J.J. get hurt for an extended period,” the source said.

Worth Noting

The popularity of Gopher women’s basketball has long had a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see how many fans attend today’s second round NCAA tournament game at Williams Arena against Ole Miss. Attendance for Friday’s opening round win over Green Bay was announced as 10,355 at Williams Arena (capacity 14,625).

Former Golden Gophers football coach Glen Mason thought the world of Tom Moe who passed away last month at age 87. At Tom’s funeral Mason offered a eulogy with anecdotes about the former Gopher athletics director who once was his boss.

Mason recalled Tom’s first bowl game when the Gophers were in El Paso to play Oregon in 1999. Tom asked if it was okay if he attended Gopher practices. This got Mason’s attention because he was accustomed to athletic directors who often spent their bowl game hours at the swimming pool, golfing or even at the bar.

After the Gophers returned from their Sun Bowl game Tom stopped by the coach’s office. “What did you think?” Mason asked his boss in reference to the experience.

Tom proceeded to show Mason three large legal pads with handwritten notes front and back. Mason said his friend had the “most detailed notes” on every coach and player, and bowl related events. “He was there to work,” Mason told Sports Headliners.

Tom played end for the Gophers and was team MVP in 1959 He was a prominent attorney in Minneapolis with the Dorsey & Whitney law firm. He never sought the glitz of the AD job but served as interim AD starting in December of 1999 and later full-time director until 2002 because the University asked for his leadership. In February the U renamed its athletics director position the Thomas O. Moe Director of Athletics.

Tom, who was also a standout on the Gophers 1960 national championship baseball team, was a highly principled man who had the admiration of so many Minnesotans not only for his career but his dedication to family. “The best (of individuals),” Mason said.

Former Gopher pitcher Max Meyer, whose progress in the majors has been slowed by injuries, might have a breakout season with the Marlins in 2026. In three games over seven innings in spring training, he’s yet to give up a run. A hard thrower, he’s struck out 12 batters.

The storytelling will be fun on Wednesday, April 8 at Mendakota Country Club when Minnesota natives and “Miracle on Ice” players Rob McClanahan, Buzz Schneider and John Harrington speak to the breakfast group. Joe Schmit will moderate the discussion with the heroes from the 1980 gold medal winning U.S. Olympic hockey team. For more information, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Larry Higgins, a standout player on the 1961 Bemidji basketball team that lost 51-50 to Duluth Central in the state championship game, is searching for film from that game. Central was led by former Gopher Terry Kunze and the game had a controversial ending. Anyone who knows of game film (either in part or whole) should email ds@shamasportsheadliners.com.

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Potulny & Raboin Might Be Top Targets for U Hockey Job

Posted on March 20, 2026March 22, 2026 by David Shama

A trusted source tells Sports Headliners two names are at the top of the candidates list for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey head coach opening. The source said people “close to the program” tell him that Grant Potulny and Garrett Raboin are the top targets of athletics director Mark Coyle. Another source couldn’t confirm that but wasn’t surprised to hear the report.

Potulny, the former Gopher national championship player in 2002 and 2003, was an assistant coach at the U from 2008-2017 under Don Lucia. The 46-year-old was a three-time captain for the Gophers. He’s been coach of the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack since June of 2024. Prior to that he was head coach at Northern Michigan for seven seasons and was WCHA Coach of the Year in his first year. A challenging place to win, he was 128-113-17 with the Wildcats.

Raboin has Gopher roots, too. He was an assistant coach at the U for four years prior to taking over as head coach at Augustana University in Sioux Falls in April of 2022. At Minnesota he was an effective recruiter who helped bring gifted players to Dinkytown. He launched the Augustana program into Division I and had a winning record by his second season. This year the Vikings are even more successful with a 22-11-4 overall record. Raboin is 40 years old.

Bob Motzko parted ways with the Gophers earlier this week. It’s not known what, if anything, Motzko will do careerwise in the foreseeable future. He is 64 and sources say he wants to relax and enjoy himself at least for a while. He has carried the weight of his high pressure job and the tragic loss of his son in a 2021 car accident.

Potulny and Raboin know the culture of the U hockey program. Coyle is likely to see that as a favorable thing. He presumably also wants someone who can excel as a teacher, strategist and recruiter including effective use of Name, Image and Likeness money.

Coyle, who meets with the media to discuss the men’s and women’s hockey head coaching openings on Monday, is likely relying on an advisor or two with puck knowledge to help with the search.

He hired Motzko in March of 2018. That hire didn’t bring the Gophers the national championship they have sought since 2003. This past season the Gophers were 11-22-3 overall and 7-15-2 in Big Ten games. It was the program’s worst season since 1971-72.

Long considered the best hockey coaching job in the nation, sources tell Sports Headliners that is still true. The program’s actual and potential resources include access to high quality high school talent from the state of Minnesota, revenue from the Athletic Department to pay players, high potential NIL money, large and loyal fanbase, quality facilities and a great tradition. The Gopher men’s hockey program is one of the few in the nation that is a money maker for its athletic department.

Motzko reportedly earned a base salary of $750,000. The Gophers can afford to pay their next coach with similar money, making their guy among the best paid college hockey coaches in the country.

Interestingly, Coyle’s name has drawn speculation as a replacement at Kentucky for retiring athletics director Mitch Barnhart. Coyle was deputy assistant athletics director in Lexington under Barnhart from 2006-2011. The Wildcats are basketball blue blood and Coyle is a hoops aficionado who was the top administrator overseeing the Kentucky program.

Coyle’s basketball knowledge helped him identify two outstanding hires now at the U. Women’s coach Dawn Plitzuweit has the Gophers in the NCAA Tournament in her third season. Men’s coach Niko Medved has been lauded for his first-year work in rebuilding the Gophers.

Coyle has been the U AD since 2016. His family has put down roots in St. Paul and as an Iowa native he has spent much of his life in the Upper Midwest.

Worth Noting

Former Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor — Glen Taylor

Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he doesn’t know if the Mavericks contacted his Timberwolves over a year ago concerning a trade of superstars. The rumor last winter was the Mavericks and Wolves talked about sending Anthony Edwards to Dallas with Luka Doncic coming to Minneapolis.

Doncic, 27 and now playing for the Lakers, leads the NBA in scoring with an average of 33.4. Edwards, 24 and out for a while with a knee injury, is third in scoring at 29.5.

Taylor, who finalized his ownership sale of the Wolves last June, has been spending a lot of time in Naples, Florida. He’s passionate about his former club and “watches all the games” on TV.”

Taylor said he’s long liked the “potential” of the Wolves to go far in the playoffs. He doesn’t think the defense is as effective as it can be.

Former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher, whose 1982 team won the Big Ten championship, turns 93 on April 17. Other than troublesome knees, his health is good. His brother Norman from Alpena, Michigan passed away earlier this year at age 97.

Dave Christian, the Warroad native who was a member of the legendary 1980 U.S. gold medal winning Olympic team, joined hosts Patrick Klinger and Dave Boden on the latest “Behind the Game” show. Google the most important sports event in US history, and the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” comes up No. 1.

The U.S. team had a strong Minnesota influence with native sons like Christian playing and St. Paul’s Herb Brooks coaching and masterminding his amateur players to a stunning semi-final win over the heavily favored Soviet Union before going on to defeat Finland in the finals. “Behind the Game” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuGnBTx-4f0

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