Recent content from Cassidy Hettesheimer
New kids on the block: As season heats up, seven volleyball players to watch in Minnesota
The list covers players in Kittson County and East Grand Forks in the northwestern corner of the state, Moorhead, Two Harbors and South St. Paul.
Mahtomedi volleyball keeps clicking, stays undefeated with sweep of South St. Paul
Mahtomedi got 14 kills each from senior outside hitter Kaili Malvey and senior middle blocker Silvie Graetzer, helping the Zephyrs beat visiting South St. Paul 25-17, 25-18, 25-10.
Lakeville North snaps five-year losing streak to Lakeville South
The Panthers defeated the Cougars 35-31 behind a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Riley Grossman to Connor Cade with 16.4 seconds left in the game.
Never mind stopping the Power T. It's challenging enough just to watch.
Elk River's offense, built on misdirection and a well-hidden football, can puzzle spectators — especially camera operators — just as much as it fools defenses.
Elk River's ground game rolls against Brainerd in Class 5A showdown
The Elks held Brainerd scoreless in the second half and didn't punt once, scoring seven touchdowns on seven possessions.
Meet Minnesota's medal winners at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Led by swimmer Regan Smith's five medals, athletes with Minnesota ties on Team USA will come home from Paris with 12 medals, believed to be the most from a Summer Olympics for the state.
Stage is set: U.S. women's soccer wins Olympic gold or Brazil's Marta completes her quest
Saturday's gold medal game between the U.S. and Brazil will be a coronation for one side and motivation for the other entering the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Will Minnesota Aurora go pro? Here's what you need to know.
The pre-professional team, now armed with investors, is waiting to hear this fall whether it will become the 16th team in the NWSL, the nation's top women's league.
A burst to bronze: St. Paul's Lee medals in the all-around
A gold medalist in the Tokyo Games, she overcame illness and other difficulty to return to the Olympics and made it pay off.
Olympics recap: Suni Lee wins bronze, Regan Smith silver
It's one of the busiest days for Minnesota's Olympians in Paris. St. Paul gymnast Suni Lee won bronze in the women's all-around final, and Lakeville swimmer Regan Smith won her fourth silver medal, in the 200-meter butterfly.
BMX champion from St. Cloud pursues elusive Olympic gold medal
Alise Willoughby twice has crashed out of the Games (and once won a silver medal). Now, as the oldest women's BMX racer in the field, she's going for that gleaming goal again.
Suni Lee, U.S. women win team gold at Paris Olympics
Simone Biles, Suni Lee and the U.S. team got their redemption, reclaiming the Olympic gold medal in women's gymnastics on Tuesday in Paris.
Brock Faber gets long-term contract from Wild
The former Gophers defenseman signed an eight-year, $68 million contract extension.
Former British Open champion Stewart Cink in the hunt at 3M Open
The 51-year-old started Friday with back-to-back bogeys, but he got back on track on the next hole and finished the day five strokes back from leader Taylor Pendrith.
Jacob Bridgeman feeling confident again after taking first-round lead at 3M Open
The PGA Tour rookie, who opened with a 63 at TPC Twin Cities, said he felt "like I've been kicked in the face" after missing his previous three cuts.
Vikings' Jefferson spent his summer as a different kind of entertainer
After signing his record-breaking contract in June, star receiver Justin Jefferson walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week and the red carpet at the premiere of his Netflix series.
Former U golfer Ben Warian hopes to kick-start his career at 3M Open
The Stillwater native and Hill-Murray product got a sponsor's exemption to play the PGA Tour event at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine.
Lynx All-Star McBride headed for WNBA three-point shooting contest
With three Olympic teammates, Kayla McBride has fallen under the radar despite a strong first half.
Loons give up two late goals, let D.C. United slip through their fingers
Teemu Pukki put Minnesota United ahead 2-1 with 10 minutes left, but D.C. United turned two set plays into goals in the 90th and 91st minutes to win 3-2.
Lynx look to bounce back against Dream before Olympic break
After losing at home to Caitlin Clark and the Fever, Minnesota aims to hand Atlanta its eighth loss in a row and end the first half of the season with a win.
Clark's first pro game at Target Center was a full-circle moment
Target Center holds plenty of beloved memories for the Fever's Caitlin Clark, a childhood Lynx fan. Now she's the star signing autographs for a new generation.
For Aurora 2 players, UPSL final is a chance to underline club identity
Like the first team, the Aurora 2 went undefeated during the regular season. On Sunday at TCO Stadium, the team could win a United Premier Soccer League conference title.
Edina girls flag football team heads to NFL Championships
The under-18 Edina team will represent the Vikings at the tournament at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Vikings are putting the spotlight on girls flag football by also hosting the first state high school championship in the sport Sunday.
For Lynx's Juhász, last season's experience fueled this year's dependability
Dorka Juhász, a 6-5 forward from Hungary, played more than most WNBA rookies a year ago, giving her the knowledge and confidence to help the Lynx either off the bench or as a starter.
Wild prospect Heidt aims for a spot with the pros
Forward Riley Heidt, a second-round pick in 2023, was third in WHL scoring this season while honing his defensive skills.
ESPY Award nominees show off Minnesota's basketball prowess
Minnesota sports fans will see some familiar names at the ESPY Awards on Thursday night.
Lynx's Carleton heads to Olympics as part of Team Canada
The Paris Games will be the second Olympics for Lynx forward Bridget Carleton, who is one of four active WNBA players on the Canadian national team.
History repeated: Aurora lose to Indy Eleven in playoffs
Friday's playoff loss in Detroit — which included a late penalty-kick miss — was Minnesota's first loss of the season, as the Aurora chased their first league championship following three undefeated regular seasons.
Aurora playoff preview: Will Indy Eleven stand in their way again?
Two highly successful USL W League franchises will meet in the first round of the playoffs Friday. Here's why, with the keys to Minnesota advancing.
Timberwolves draft choices arrive in Minneapolis
Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are eager to join a title-contending team in the NBA.
At gymnastics trials, combatting injuries goes beyond physical health
Athlete mental health was the talk of the trials at Target Center, with several gymnasts speaking about the importance of therapy.
Day 2 of women's gymnastics trials: Rotation-by-rotation recap
Simone Biles earned an automatic berth to the Paris Summer Games, her third Olympics at age 27. Suni Lee of St. Paul is going back to the Games too, after finishing second at the trials at Target Center.
Three Minnesotans named to U.S. swim team for Paris Paralympics
Eagan's Mallory Weggemann, Stillwater's Summer Schmit and Edina's Natalie Sims are returning to the Paralympics after competing at trials at the University of Minnesota.
Richard, Malone headline U.S. men's gymnastics team for Paris
Frederick Richard claimed the all-around title at the Olympics trials at Target Center and an automatic berth to Paris, but a strict formula set the rest of the team.
Day 1 of women's gymnastics trials: Rotation-by-rotation recap
At Target Center, Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee stood out as they try to earn spots at the Paris Olympics. But two contenders, Kayla DiCello and Shilese Jones, had their competition cut short by injuries Friday.
Simone Biles storms to first, Suni Lee in third after Day 1 of trials
Tokyo Olympians Simone Biles, Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles electrified the Target Center crowd and put themselves in strong positions before the team for Paris is decided Sunday.
Minnesota's Wiskus in third after first day of U.S. gymnastics trials
Fred Richard, a 20-year-old competing at Michigan, is in first place in the all-around, followed by reigning U.S. champion Brody Malone and Minnesota's Shane Wiskus.
Two more Olympians earn Team USA berths in trampoline
Jessica Stevens and Aliaksei Shostak are headed to Paris after the final night of the USA Gymnastics Championships at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Looking for affordable tickets to the gymnastics trials? Watch the men.
With Simone Biles and Suni Lee in town, ticket prices on the resale market for the U.S. Olympics women's gymnastics trials at Target Center are skyrocketing.
Morgan missed the Olympic roster. Twin Cities fans saw the signs.
U.S. women's soccer coach Emma Hayes named her Olympic roster Wednesday. The United States' recent win over South Korea in St. Paul had hints for what it would and wouldn't include.
Academics and athletics ran on parallel paths for Student First winner
Harlow Tong is headed from St. Paul Central to Harvard for education with a focus on the environment and for more sprinting. "I just want to see how much I can do," he said.
Two seconds left, two points needed? Time for the Play of the Year.
Maple Grove won a girls basketball state quarterfinal with "Iowa," involving a sweet screen and a lob pass. It worked, that time.
Up-and-coming gymnasts will vie for spot on men's team at trials
Gophers alum Shane Wiskus is back home in the Twin Cities with a second Olympic trip on the line.
Lynx beat Mercury 73-60 for sixth victory in a row
After losing to Phoenix on a buzzer-beater earlier this month, the Lynx used Napheesa Collier's 23 points and 14 rebounds to set themselves up entering Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup.
Lynx look for redemption against Mercury
Phoenix and Minnesota meet Saturday night at Target Center. The Mercury won the teams' last meeting.
Lynx's Alanna Smith making big strides in the paint
Alanna Smith's growth with the Lynx is playing a big role in the team's rise as a defensive power.
Two baseball state champions are known, two are awaited
Springfield won a fast-paced Class 1A final, and Rockford was just as quick in Class 2A. The 3A and 4A title games will be played Saturday at Target Field.
Aurora continue balanced attack in 5-0 rout of Bavarian United
The Aurora received goals from four players, with Katie Duong scoring twice, in a clean-sheet victory at TCO Stadium.
Edina's leader fills a gap, becomes Metro Player of the Year in boys golf
Torger Ohe blamed himself for the Hornets' failure to reach state as a team. He covered that ground by winning the Class 3A individual title.
Wait four days for one day in Target Field? Finalists say yes, please.
The state championship games were postponed until Friday, but the plan to keep them in the Twin Cities' premier ballpark satisfied participants.
Aurora heat up in second half, rout Chicago Dutch Lions
Midfielder Katie Duong scored a goal and assisted on three others as Minnesota rolled to a 6-0 victory on a hot Sunday at TCO Stadium.
Lakeville South caps perfect season with girls lacrosse state title
Lakeville South beat Prior Lake in the championship game to give captains Tori Tschida, Sivanna O'Brien and Katie Grubbs an ideal end to their high school careers.
How tiny basketball doodles are a sign of the WNBA's growth
The Lynx played host to the WNBA's first NBA-popularized "Paint Night," on trend with new partnerships in women's basketball.
Just like that, girls lacrosse state champion goes down
Prior Lake gets overtime goal to defeat Benilde-St. Margaret's in state semifinal.
Finding his groove pushes Edina golfer to 3A boys title
Feeling low after his Hornets missed the team tournament, Torger Ohe raises his play for individual title.
Centennial golfer works his way in among boys Class 3A giants
Owatonna sophomore is surprise leader among 3A girls, with final rounds setting up well in other classes.
Irondale athlete stands out in both track and field at state meet
On Day 3 of the championships, Juriad Hughes Jr. won two sprints against elite fields and took the long jump, too. Earlier, St. Peter's Corbin Herron drew cheers when he won a hurdles race, blew out a hamstring in a relay, then taped up and ran one more for pride.
Girls 3,200 record falls hard at track and field state championships
Hutchinson's Isabelle Schmitz finished just ahead of Monticello's Isabel Mahoney, and both broke the Class 2A mark.
Long runs produce first champs at state track and field
Maddie Gullickson of Wayzata repeated in the girls 3,200, and Robert Mechura of Roseville arrived first in the boys 3,200. Wind had a say in some of the competition.
USWNT beats South Korea 3-0 at Allianz Field in a tuneup for Paris
While new U.S. coach Emma Hayes used the friendly to experiment as she determines final roster spots, 16-year-old Lily Yohannes scored her first international goal and might have a choice of her own — whether to play for the U.S. or the Dutch.
