Mic'd Up Sports

In our first taped episode since the death of George Floyd, Tamia Ugass, a verbal LSU commit who plays for Roseville, shares her thoughts about what happened and what all of us can do to ensure we don't go through this grief again. When it comes to basketball, Tamia holds a unique distinction as a Muslim of Somali descent. She hopes that will inspire others as she looks forward to the day she can...

We pay another virtual visit to Holy Angels with three members of last year's Tri-Metro All-Conference Team in girls basketball: Kassie Caron, Grace Massaquoi and Frankie Vascellaro! Vascellaro led the Stars in points and rebounds for the last two seasons and earned 1,000 career points as a junior. Caron made a breakthrough as a sophomore, and Massaquoi's basketball experience didn't include a sin...

In 2020, the TSB Television YouTube channel earned its 10,000th subscriber, and the number continues to climb. The broadcast team of Mike Peden and LaToya Turk used this moment as an opportunity to reflect on our sports coverage and all the athletes we have showcased since our first broadcast in 2006.

Nia Hollie was one of the top high school prospects in her class, winning a pair of state titles for Hopkins and the distinguished Miss Basketball Minnesota award in 2016. Her numbers were less prolific at Michigan State, but her four years in the green and white were instrumental in her growth as an athlete and citizen. In this conversation, Nia reflects on her basketball legacy, the impact forme...

With over 2,500 career points, Adalia McKenzie holds a piece of history for Park Center girls basketball as the school's all-time leading scorer. In her sophomore and junior years, Adalia placed third in the state of Minnesota in scoring. As a senior, McKenzie was fourth. At least one Twin Cities writer called her the best girls basketball player in the state outside of Paige Bueckers. Adalia cred...

As an athlete, Molly Kasper was one of the trailblazers. At Eau Claire North, she was an All-State basketball and softball player and competed in the Wisconsin state tennis tournament. At Winona State, she was a member of the first team to qualify for the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament, reaching the Sweet 16. As a head coach for Eastview girls basketball, Molly is helping the next...

Mykel Parham is on a growing list of Minnesota athletes who landed a college scholarship at Creighton University, but did you know that Mykel and her sister attended rival high schools? The Apple Valley graduate shares a few stories about that experience, her journey in basketball, and what she hopes to accomplish as an athlete and as a citizen.

Rachel Kawiecki has a place in Holy Angels history as the record holder for most overall state tournament appearances. The three-sport athlete has qualified for seven state tournaments in soccer, girls basketball and softball.  In this episode, Rachel discusses her love of sports, DC superheroes and her country-loving alter-ego.

You know you're from the Twin Cities if you know Crystal Flint. Crystal came to Minnesota on a basketball scholarship for the Golden Gopher women's team, and she has made a difference for the better ever since. Crystal overcame two ACL injuries early in her college career to become a member of the first Minnesota team to qualify for the NCAA women's basketball tournament. After her playing days, s...

Cayla McMorris was a household name at Park Center, breaking the school's all-time scoring record and the face of the first Park Center girls basketball team to win a state title. Playing college basketball at Wisconsin, Cayla led the Badgers in scoring in her junior and senior seasons and is a member of the 1,000-point club. Cayla is now a professional athlete with several overseas teams on her r...

EmpwrHER founder Andrea Dubose talks with Mike Peden about her sports upbringing in small-town Mississippi, her rare double-duty performance as a high school athlete, and how she approaches coaching as a woman of color at Mounds View High School. We also explore her work with athletes like Lindsey Becher and Alexis Pratt, who earned college basketball scholarships.

His first love was baseball, but Carl Pierson is synonymous with prep basketball in Minnesota, coaching for 17 years. His background in sports and political science was the genesis for his first book, "The Politics of Coaching." In this conversation, we explore Carl's momentous expedition in athletics at Mitchell High School in South Dakota, a life-changing experience through girls basketball, and...

Andre Lanoue has officiated a total of seven sports in his career. These days, he is the coordinator of baseball officials for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and his umpiring career includes an assignment in the College World Series. Officiating doesn't lack in trials and tribulations, but this conversation with Mike Peden also reveals the joys of staying involved in sports.

Some athletes stick to one school in their prep and college careers, others are like Olivia Antilla. Olivia played for two high school teams and three college teams, and she left an indelible lesson about striving for your goals. In high school, she won a state championship with Benilde-St. Margaret's. In college, she led Florida A&M in scoring as a junior and senior. Olivia now hopes to pass...

Over the last five years, there's a good chance spectators of sporting events have been serenaded with the voice of Brian Sweeney, the MN Announcer Guy. His list of public address announcing credentials includes Simley High School, University of St. Thomas hockey, and Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey. He also pulls double-duty as an announcer and broadcaster for the Minnesota Vixen and the Women's...

Founder of The Gibson Foundation (https://www.thegibsonfoundation.org), Donnell Gibson invests in young athletes, offering them a place to develop their skills in sports and other aspects of life. It's an extension of the support he received as a standout player for Johnson High School in St. Paul. Perseverance is a central theme of Gibson's story, as this discussion with Mike Peden illustrates.

Onye Osemenam is proof that you can make a big name in a small school. She won back-to-back Class A state championships with Maranatha Christian Academy, setting the school record for career rebounds and earning an Athena Award for her excellence in academics and athletics. Onye's excellence continued at Missouri State, where she was a defensive stalwart and a three-time member of the MVC Academic...

There's a saying in the basketball community that getting the chance to play at the college level is a life-changing experience, no matter what division. Destinee Bursch is a firm example of that belief. The Eden Prairie athlete will play for Minnesota State-Mankato in college, the next leg in a journey that started at Eden Prairie, made a stop in Chaska, then returned to Eden Prairie. Destinee di...

Since fourth grade, Mara Braun had visions of playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. That vision will soon become reality following Mara's verbal commitment to Minnesota. Before she suits up in the maroon and gold, you can find Mara making an impact for Wayzata on the basketball court and the special education community. Find out more in this episode of Mic'd Up Sports!

Jade Hill is a member of the first family of Minnesota basketball, and is one of three players to score over 2,000 career points at Minneapolis South (Her older sisters, Tayler and Morgan, are the others on that list). Jade will hold a piece of history next year as part of the first Division One recruiting class at St. Thomas. As you can guess, she has a following when it comes to basketball, but...

Changing schools before your senior year is a tough decision. Doing so in the middle of a pandemic brings even more uncertainty, but that hasn't stopped T'Naye Griffin of St. Louis Park from making an impression in the sport of basketball. One thing is certain: Griffin will continue her journey at Alcorn State, and her journey can resonate with anyone dealing with life-altering obstacles. We discu...

Danielle Williams makes up one half of the Unfinished Business podcast, a platform she hopes will launch her career in sports broadcasting. A graduate of Indiana University and former player on the women's basketball team, Danielle stays involved in the sport as a coach and trainer. We discuss her journey in sports and the friendships she made along the way.

When Jessie Stomski Seim joined the Wisconsin women's basketball team in 1998, she described herself as "rough around the edges," which interfered with a promising prep career as a student at Tartan High School in Oakdale.  Since then, you could call Jessie a "diamond in the rough." In 2020, Stomski Seim was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame, honoring a career that included B...

There was plenty of hoopla when Paige Bueckers committed to UConn, but no matter how many points and awards she accumulates, she won't be the first Hopkins graduate to attend that school, because Taylor Anderson got there first. Anderson was a dual-sport sensation at Hopkins in basketball and track and still holds the Minnesota state record for the fastest 100m women's race, a feat that helped her...

This interview was recorded the day before Bria Sandifer officially committed to play college volleyball at William Penn, the next leg of an historic journey. Bria was a member of the first North St. Paul team to reach the class AAA state tournament, earning a bronze medal. Thanks to her family connections, you could consider her an "honorary graduate" of Minnehaha Academy too. We explore all of t...