Golden Gophers – 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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Poor Arizona Defenses Did QB Kyler Murray No Favors

Posted on May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 by David Shama

Enjoy a Saturday notes column.

No one fascinates this town more right now than Kyler Murray. The 28-year-old quarterback is working in Organized Team Activities with the Vikings, his new team after signing with the club in March.

Thousands of purple-clad loyalists ponder whether he can win the starting job from J.J. McCarthy. If so, how effective will he be?

Murray is a conundrum to fans, and maybe his Vikings coaches and teammates, too. He is physically gifted and potentially explosive, including his ability to run. In 2019 he was the Pro Football Offensive Rookie of the Year. Twice in his career he was a Pro Bowler.

Yet many consider the former No. 1 draft pick by the Cardinals a bust. His stats have been inconsistent and only once did he lead Arizona into the playoffs, 2021.

But if you’re looking for a glass half full approach about the controversial quarterback consider this: For the most part, he played his previous seven seasons with a lousy defense that added to his challenges.

Four times with the Cardinals he was accompanied by defenses that were 23^rd or worse in points per game given up in the 32-team NFL, per Google AI Overview. In yards per game given up the Cardinals ranked from 2019-2025: 31^st, 26^th, 11^th, 21^st, 21^st, 15^th and 27^th.

All of that meant pressure for the offense in high-scoring shootouts. Murray having to compete when opposing defenses knew the Cardinals had to throw the football and that pass rushers could tee off on the quarterback. Game plan out the window.

The Vikings defense figures to have Murray’s back if he wins the job. Last season in total yards yielded per game Minnesota ranked third and seventh in points per game allowed, per Google.

The Twins have designated right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson for release or assignment. The move, announced this morning, comes in conjunction with adding right-handed pitcher John Klein from Triple-A St. Paul.

Richardson’s departure surprises many observers given his history with the franchise. He was acquired in 2021 via a trade with the Blue Jays that also brought infielder-outfielder Austin Martin to Minnesota for stopper Jose Berríos.

Both Richardson and Martin were considered top MLB prospects. Richardson appeared in one game each in 2022 and 2023 for Minnesota. He became a starter in 2024 and 2025. He had his best season in 2025, going 7-4 with a 4.04 ERA.

Richardson, 25, has had a rough 2026 and has competed with young prospects for rotation time. He appeared in 12 games with 10 starts, going 0-7 with a 7.74 ERA. He was responsible in 27.2 innings for 25 walks, 26 strikeouts and a .330 opponent batting average. He couldn’t execute his pitches this year like last season.

Martin, 27, struggled in two previous seasons with the Twins but has been a pleasant surprise this year. He has been superb as an outfielder and is hitting .278 with two home runs and 16 RBI.

Klein, 24, looks like he will be used out of the bullpen. The Brooklyn Park native had a 3.65 ERA in his last four games with the Saints, with 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. This is his second stint with the Twins having made his MLB debut on May 2 against the Blue Jays when he pitched one scoreless inning.

Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey, courtesy U of Minn. — Drake Lindsey photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

While there is conjecture about who starts for the Vikings at quarterback, there is none in Dinkytown where redshirt sophomore Drake Lindsey has the job locked up. However, this week the Sporting News (Bill Bender) didn’t give the Gophers many props in a ranking of Big Ten starting quarterbacks and their backups.

Lindsey and Liberty transfer Michael Merdinger (one season of eligibility) came in at No. 13 in the 18-team conference. Bender wrote Lindsey “is generating some NFL interest, and he had a successful first year as a starter with 2,382 yards, 18 TDs and six interceptions with a 126.9 passer rating.”

Oregon, Ohio State, USC and Indiana had the top four tandems. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/big-ten-quarterback-rankings-2026-

The football Gophers are expected to receive a visit this weekend from D’Iberville, Mississippi cornerback Jordan Walley. The class of 2027 high schooler is the brother of former Gopher cornerback Justin Walley and ex-Mississippi wide receiver Jaden Walley.

For decades Dave Mona has been an authority about Minnesota sports card collecting. He once had about 4.5 million cards. “Of which 4 million were a waste,” he told Sports Headliners. “I am probably down to a half million cards, most of which are commons (low value) that I sell off in big bunches at auctions.”

The card collecting environment is different now than decades ago. While there are still those who buy for the fun of acquiring favorite athletes, there are purchasers who buy large numbers of packages in hopes of lucking into a big find like a young superstar. Mona said the process is like playing the “lottery,” only working for “one person out of multiple millions.”

There’s no better example of what Mona is talking about than the Victor Wembanyama rookie card that sold last week for a reported $5.11 million. Supposedly the largest amount ever sold for an unautographed NBA card.

Wembanyama, a 7-4 freakish talent who can move around the court like the NBA has never seen before, is 22 years old and has played just three NBA seasons. His future looks to be all upside as does that of his team, the San Antonio Spurs.

For old cards, the 1952 Mickey Mantle remains the gold standard. Depending on condition the card can range in value from around $5,000 to $100,000, Mona said.

Over 3,000 athletes from throughout the nation are expected for the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota June 20-26. Competition in 16 sports will be held at the University of Minnesota and other sites in the metro area as the Games return here for the first time since 1991.

Among those participating will be Jenna Perkins, daughter of former KARE 11 sports anchor Eric Perkins who now runs Perk at Play Productions, a company that does video storytelling for businesses. Jenna is the Honorary Co-Chair for the 2026 games along with former Gophers defensive lineman Danny Striggow.

The two are friends and attended Orono High School. They participated in unified sports and clubs, a concept that brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities.

Another familiar name with ties to the 2026 Games is former Twins shortstop Roy Smalley. He is on the board of directors, and his participation continues a long-time affiliation with Special Olympics.

As a teenager in Southern California, Smalley was attracted to the Special Olympics and volunteered at the Games held at the Los Angels Coliseum. After his playing career ended in 1988, he became the paid executive director of the 1991 Games in Minnesota.

The 1991 Games were held in July. They were part of a series of sports events hosted by Minnesota in 1991 and 1992 that is unprecedented for one region in a 12-month period. The metro area also hosted the Stanley Cup Finals, U.S. Open, World Series, Super Bowl and Final Four.

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