Recent content from Rachel Blount
Regan Smith's rivalry with Australian swimming star peaks at Paris Olympics
Lakeville's Regan Smith and Australia's Kaylee McKeown have dominated the backstroke events in swimming in recent years. Who will come out on top during the Paris Games?
Once a prisoner of pressure, Regan Smith is swimming free at last
The Lakeville swimmer, now 22, takes aim at the Paris Games at U.S. trials, competing without fear after expectations wore down her confidence during the last Olympic cycle.
How to watch Regan Smith at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials
A three-time medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Lakeville's Regan Smith will swim four events in her quest to qualify for the Paris Games: the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 100 and 200 backstroke.
PWHL draft hits St. Paul, where there's anger over Darwitz's ouster as GM
PWHL Minnesota coach Ken Klee made the team's draft selections, taking Canadian defender Claire Thompson with the No. 3 overall pick.
PWHL: Darwitz's removal as GM came after monthslong evaluation
Jayna Hefford, the league's senior vice president of hockey operations, said it was clear "there wasn't a path forward" without a change.
Darwitz out as PWHL Minnesota's GM after clash with head coach
Natalie Darwitz built PWHL Minnesota into a champion but is out as GM after a clash with the team's head coach, according to a league source.
First PWHL season enters the books as a bigger success than anyone expected
League executives said they were wowed by the fan response, with almost half a million people attending 85 games over the full season.
Bringing Walter Cup home helps PWHL Minnesota savor the journey
Celebrating with fans at Xcel Energy Center was one of the last few days the championship team will have together before a bittersweet offseason.
PWHL Minnesota's celebration includes captain's speech atop a bar
The inaugural season included many twists and turns for the eventual Walter Cup champions. Emotions came pouring out after the team shut out Boston for the title.
PWHL Minnesota lifts Walter Cup as league's first champion with Game 5 win over Boston
After a championship-winning goal was overturned in Game 4, Minnesota beat Boston 3-0 in the deciding game to bring the first Walter Cup to the State of Hockey.
'Ripped away.' Can Minnesota recover and take PWHL title tonight?
Taylor Heise knows how cruel hockey gods can be. But the PWHL Minnesota forward never felt that sting as sharply as she did in Game 4 of the Walter Cup series, which will be decided tonight.
PWHL finds a champion in tennis legend King
Billie Jean King was instrumental in organizing funding for the league's launch. In St. Paul for Game 4 of the Walter Cup finals on Sunday, King says she's excited by the promise and growth of the sport.
PWHL Minnesota loses in 2OTs after title-clinching goal overturned
Sophie Jaques' winner was taken off the board after officials ruled goaltender interference.
Heise rises to the occasion in PWHL playoffs
With five goals in the playoffs and Minnesota on the brink of a championship, Taylor Heise's proving there's a reason she went first overall in the inaugural PWHL draft.
PWHL Minnesota beats Boston in Game 3 of Walter Cup finals
With the 4-1 victory, PWHL Minnesota takes a 2-1 lead and is just one win away from lifting the first Walter Cup.
Second PWHL draft comes to downtown St. Paul in June
The seven-round, 42-pick event will be followed by a year-end awards ceremony the next day. Minnesota has the third overall selection.
Friendship in net propels PWHL Minnesota to Walter Cup finals
Nicole Hensley is the likely starter in Friday's Game 3 vs. Boston but net-mate Maddie Rooney will be right there for support. "We push each other to get better," Rooney said.
Goalie Hensley shuts down Boston; Minnesota evens PWHL title series
Nicole Hensley got back in goal for the first time since the opening game of the PWHL semifinals and rewarded her coach's faith in her.
Will offense keep churning in Game 2 of PWHL title series?
Minnesota coach Ken Klee said the best-of-5 series will have a different look than the semifinals, when his team and Toronto combined for only 14 goals in five games.
Minnesota can't hold leads, loses to Boston in PWHL finals opener
Boston used tenacity, outstanding goaltending and a fortunate bounce to edge PWHL Minnesota 4-3 to open the league's best-of-5 championship series.
Five things to know about the inaugural PWHL Walter Cup finals series
Minnesota will face Boston in the best-of-five series to claim the league's first-ever title, with Game 1 at 4 p.m. Sunday.
PWHL Minnesota beats Toronto in Game 5 to reach inaugural finals
Maddie Rooney made 27 saves in the 4-1 victory as Minnesota won its third game in a row to earn its spot against Boston for the Walter Cup.
'Downward spiral.' What if troubled Canterbury Park fails?
Horse breeders, owners, trainers, veterinarians and feed dealers see their livelihoods are at stake. "We love this industry," one veteran owner said. "But I'm desperately concerned it's going to die."
Canterbury Park's 2024 schedule at a glance
The Shakopee horseracing track has 54 race days coming between now and September's end.
Offense finally comes alive as PWHL Minnesota tops Toronto in playoffs
Maggie Flaherty and Denisa Krizova scored in the second period, ending Minnesota's goal drought at 142 minutes, 12 seconds. Goaltender Maddie Rooney did the rest.
U golfer McCauley ties for second in Auburn Regional, advances to NCAA championships
Gophers sophomore Isabella McCauley shot a final-round 7-under 65 on Wednesday to finish in a tie for second in the Auburn (Ala.) Regional and earn a spot in the NCAA championships.
How Natalie Darwitz built a pro women's hockey team in a few months
PWHL Minnesota GM Natalie Darwitz has constructed a roster, negotiated contracts, hired coaches, made a trade, swept floors and unpacked smelly equipment — anything to get the team off the ground.
PWHL Minnesota set to play Toronto in first-round playoff series
Toronto's win on Sunday gave Minnesota a playoff berth, and now the two teams will battle to keep their season alive in the inaugural PWHL postseason.
PWHL Minnesota backs into last playoff spot when Ottawa loses
Toronto's 5-2 victory over Ottawa on Sunday gave Minnesota the last available berth in the PWHL playoffs despite an 0-5 finish to its season.
PWHL Minnesota loses regular-season finale, awaits playoff fate
Needing just one point to make the playoffs, Minnesota lost its final five games of the inaugural PWHL season. Saturday's 5-2 defeat came at the hands of last-place New York.
Playoff pressure hits PWHL Minnesota ahead of regular season finale
Minnesota has been chasing a playoff spot for more than two weeks, only needing one point to lock up a spot — now it all comes down to the final game of the season.
One point from PWHL playoff spot, Minnesota faces difficult task at Toronto
Minnesota will look to snap a three-game losing streak and and punch a ticket to the PWHL playoffs.
Brandt's goal with 2.7 seconds left lifts Boston over PWHL Minnesota
The former Gophers standout denied PWHL Minnesota a chance to clinch a playoff spot in the third-to-last game of the regular season.
PWHL Minnesota enters final regular season home game needing one point for playoff spot
Minnesota sits in third place in the PWHL standings entering Saturday's game against Boston at Xcel Energy Center.
Gophers women's sports: 5 stars of the season you should know
In recent weeks, the U's athletes have claimed an NCAA title, Big Ten championships, a school record and top 10 rankings.
McCauley makes golf history for Gophers with comeback for the ages
Isabella McCauley, a star from Simley High School, started Sunday in 18th place but roared back to win a share of the Big Ten title.
Wild rumblings: Gustavsson wants to return, Faber played despite broken ribs
Coach John Hynes will lead the U.S. world championship team in May, which could include Matt Boldy.
Gable Steveson won't defend his Olympic gold medal in wrestling
Former Gophers and Apple Valley wrestling standout Gable Steveson qualified for this weekend's U.S. Olympic trials but did not enter the event.
Scorching hot before the PWHL's break, Minnesota returns Thursday at Montreal
Minnesota vs. Montreal features two stars from the world championships. Kendall Coyne Schofield had nine points in that tournament, and Marie-Philip Poulin scored two goals to help Canada win gold.
Elk River's Bates again top American woman in Boston Marathon
After an injury last fall, Emma Bates regained her place among the nation's elite runners — even if her time fell slightly short of her expectations.
Top-seed BC breezes into Frozen Four championship with 4-0 victory over Michigan
The Eagles earned a showdown with Denver on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center for the title.
Commission approves historical horse racing games at tracks over tribes' objections
Historical horse racing is a machine-based game that allows users to wager on past horse races. It has been used in other states to generate money for live racing purses.
PWHL Minnesota beats Montreal 3-2 in shootout before lengthy break
The team came back from a 2-0 deficit to win before taking a nearly monthlong break for the world championships.
Jessie Diggins says she really needs a break from skiing right now
After revealing last fall that she had a relapse of an eating disorder, Diggins roared to the best season of her career. Now, it's time for the Afton native to dial things down.
Diggins makes history, clinches second overall World Cup title
Afton's Jessie Diggins prevailed Sunday in a 20-kilometer mass start freestyle in Falun, Sweden, and became the first American to win two World Cup cross-country skiing crowns.
U women's hockey ousted by Clarkson in 4 OTs in NCAA quarterfinals
Dominique Petrie scored the tying goal at 18:09 of the third to send the game to overtime. She got the winner, too, a power-play goal at 5:44 of the fourth OT.
Gophers women at Clarkson: Winner to the Frozen Four
The Gophers are 1-8 against Ohio State Wisconsin, but they're 26-1-2 against everyone else, including 9-0-2 against other ranked teams.
Gophers women's hockey reaches NCAA quarterfinal with a new formula
The Gophers have emphasized playing better in close, low-scoring games, a strategy that might help at Clarkson for a trip to the Frozen Four.
Diggins clinging to World Cup overall lead entering closing weekend
Afton native Jessie Diggins is ahead of Linn Svahn by 102 points after leading by more than 300 points in early February, and the season's final races will be held on Svahn's home snow in Falun, Sweden.
PWHL Minnesota piles up points at home by shutting out Boston
Kendall Coyne Schofield, Michela Cava, Grace Zumwinkle and Taylor Heise provided the scoring, while goaltender Nicole Hensley earned her first shutout of the season with 20 saves.
PWHL Minnesota gets a rematch against Boston at home
Rachel Blount's breakdown: After failing to score against Aerin Frankel last time, Minnesota will have to find a way. And the sooner, the better, since Boston is 5-0 when scoring first.
Gophers women's hockey will play at Clarkson to open NCAA tournament
The Gophers received the No. 5 overall seed and will advance to the Frozen Four with a victory
Wisconsin beats Ohio State at Ridder Arena for WCHA Final Faceoff title
The second-ranked Badgers got off to a hot start and built a big lead against the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Gophers face steep climb in WCHA Final Faceoff
The third-seeded Gophers need to get past rival Wisconsin in the semifinals for a chance at a WCHA Final Faceoff championship.
Hugh McCutcheon will be inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame
The former Gophers volleyball coach guided the United States to two Olympic medals.
Shootout practice pays off in PWHL Minnesota's win over Ottawa
Denisa Krizova, Grace Zumwinkle and Taylor Heise scored shootout goals, and goaltender Maddie Rooney allowed only one to give Minnesota the victory.
PWHL Minnesota opens key four-game homestand vs. Ottawa
Rachel Blount's breakdown: This is the first of four consecutive home games for Minnesota, and the first three are against teams in the bottom half of the standings.
Gophers open WCHA playoffs Friday vs. MSU Mankato
Minnesota State Mankato has never beaten the Gophers in a postseason game, but the Mavericks kept it tight in all four matchups this season.
Clark lights up Williams Arena right from the start
Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark had fans in a frenzy before Wednesday's game vs. the Gophers. Then came the spellbinding first quarter.
Clark and coach bask in breaking women's basketball's 'real record'
Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder and Caitlin Clark did not want her record-setting performance to pass without paying tribute to the full history of the women's game.
PWHL Minnesota falls to Toronto for third consecutive loss
Defender Sophie Jaques scored her second goal with 21.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the score, but Sarah Nurse delivered the game-winner for Toronto with 1:12 remaining in overtime.
Red-hot Toronto set to face PWHL Minnesota at Mariucci
PWHL Minnesota is in a goal-scoring slump and faces a Toronto team that comes in riding a five-game winning streak.
Despite falls, Lee happy to be at Winter Cup after battling kidney issues
The reigning Olympic all-around champion fell on her events as she sought a spot at the upcoming World Cup, where a new skill would be named after her if she completes it.
Diggins' dream-come-true weekend ends with third-place finish in 10K
The roar that followed Jessie Diggins around the Wirth Park course was the loudest she has ever heard, part of a day made even sweeter when an American pulled a stunning upset in the men's race.
'Wall of noise' celebrates Diggins in World Cup race on home snow
Afton native Jessie Diggins finished fourth in Saturday's World Cup freestyle sprint at Theodore Wirth Park, a cross-country skiing event she lobbied for years to bring to her home state.
Fresh snow 'a gift' for organizers of Minneapolis World Cup cross-country skiing event
The 5 inches of snow that fell on Theodore Wirth Park put a smile on countless faces, including the World Cup skiers who arrived Friday to test the courses for this weekend's races.
Everything you should know about Wirth Park's World Cup skiing courses
For the first time in more than 20 years, World Cup cross-country ski races are being held in the United States. Here's what competitors and spectators can expect to see in Minneapolis this weekend.
'The only thing I wanted': Jessie Diggins turns Olympic gold into a hometown race
This weekend, cross-country star Jessie Diggins will finally ski in a World Cup event at home after lobbying for years to bring the top professional circuit back to Minnesota. This is the story of how that happened.
When world-class cross-country skiing meets climate change
Organizers of next weekend's World Cup cross-country races at Theodore Wirth Park hoped to welcome Jessie Diggins home with a classic Minnesota winter. Instead, they've gotten record warmth and precious little snow.
Diggins wins 'exciting' final event before Minneapolis World Cup race
The Olympic gold medalist won for the fifth time this season, tying the United States record.
No. 5 Gophers women's hockey set to face No. 10 St. Cloud State
Rachel Blount's breakdown: To beat the the Huskies, the Gophers will need to solve St. Cloud State's goalie tandem of Jojo Chobak and Sanni Ahola.
Minnesota native Lindwurm makes U.S. Olympic team in marathon
The runner from St. Francis, representing Minnesota Distance Elite, finished third Saturday in Orlando to claim a place at this summer's Paris Games.
PWHL Minnesota looks to stay sharp in Toronto
Minnesota, which has earned points in all four of its road games, has a great opportunity to close the first part of its schedule with a win.
![A nNrdic skier makes their way around a loop made of artificial snow Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, Minn.. ] AARON LAVI](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/K6YJ5PYQPULS5JJK76UUTAVNBU.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
World Cup cross-country ski races at Wirth Park get 'green light'
The international ski federation approved the conditions of the snow at Theodore Wirth Park for the Loppet Cup races Feb. 17-18, which are expected to feature Minnesotan star Jessie Diggins.
U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials: Broadcast information, top runners, Minnesotans to watch
The competition is Saturday in Orlando, with men and women vying for spots in the 2024 Paris Games.
