Taylor Hanson

An Aurora FC banner and Minnesota Vixen jersey hang on the walls of A Bar of Their Own, the first sports bar in the Twin Cities to show only women’s sports. | Photo by Kathryn Kovalenko Teams in Minnesota and across the country face the ongoing debate of interest against media investment, working to make games available and accessible. Maya Dempsey, 21, walks past a young girl on her way off the field, clad in her light blue Aurora FC quarter zip with the team’s crest on the left shoulder. “Oh m

The warm weather brings more than sunshine to the Ona Orth tennis courts of Bethel University. For the Royals’ women’s tennis team, it brings change, new opportunities and a chance at the MIAC championship title.

Last season, the Royals got knocked out of the playoffs in the semifinals by Gustavus Adolphus College. This season, they have yet to lose a match, giving them a program best of an 11-match winning streak. With two freshmen and no seniors, the young team of 11 continues to play hard in

The studio felt dark and quiet, tinted by blue and purple lights, surrounded by black curtains. Two chairs with a microphone were set up in the room. Leya Hale was nervous. But why? Usually, Hale is the one asking questions behind the camera. She’s not used to being recorded and the sound of her own voice makes her uneasy. She took a sip of her tea, then physically shook out the nerves in her body by flailing her arms. She laughed, the kind of laugh that makes everyone else in the room laugh wit

Kelsie Sealock laces her neon pink spikes. She lifts her hands and says a prayer for clarity and guidance. It’s one lap. The sun is shining, the sky is blue for the first time in weeks and her team is on the sidelines. It’s one lap. She looks straight ahead at the blue track and takes her mark. The gun pops. One lap.

The women’s 4×400-meter relay added another MIAC championship to their trophy case during the 2024 Indoor Track and Field Division III season. Their performance earned them a trip

Tonya Brownlow first realized her passion for homeless intervention 30 years ago while handing out keys at Our Savior’s Housing, a shelter and homeless support nonprofit. Residents of the building were formerly homeless, and the non-profit was providing them with three meals a day and a bed at night — though they needed to get their room keys from the front desk every evening. Brownlow made a point to remember residents’ names and use them when handing over the room keys. Usually, the gesture tr

Bethel University senior softball player Kayla Simacek finds her place on the mound.

Kayla Simacek stood on the mound, grinding her cleat into the dirt and fitting her hand into the cool leather of her glove. Her fingers traced the laces of the softball. She knew this feeling. She longed for this feeling. The same feeling she felt at 10 years old, the first time she picked up a softball. The first time she played for Hastings High School. And the first time she played for Bethel University. Sim

Geetha Peters sat in a plane full of strangers with tears running down her face. Whispers filled the air, the cramped seating was uncomfortable and her stomach longed for something other than airplane food. Peters’ daughter Lian was the only familiar thing around her. The plane would land and her new husband would greet them and take them to a new house. The plane would land, trading the India heat for Minnesota cold, and streets full of familiarity for streets full of strangers.

Peters works a