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Renaming a city for a Rookie? Why one Minnesota town says Paige Bueckers is worth it | International Sports News – The Times of India

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Renaming a city for a Rookie? Why one Minnesota town says Paige Bueckers is worth it | International Sports News – The Times of India


Fans of UConn guard Paige Bueckers cheer for her during practice at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Hopkins, Minnesota, is making a bold and heartfelt gesture as the city prepares to honor its most famous hometown hero, Paige Bueckers. On May 16, the city will officially rename itself Paige Bueckers, Minnesota for the day in celebration of her professional debut with the Dallas Wings. This symbolic move, announced by the Hopkins City Council on April 15, coincides with Bueckers’ first regular season game in the WNBA, where she will face off against the Minnesota Lynx.

Paige Bueckers is no stranger to the people of Hopkins. From her early days as the face of Hopkins High School basketball, where she led her team to the 2019 state championship, to becoming the heart of UConn’s women’s basketball program, Bueckers has always remained deeply connected to her roots.
At the city council meeting where the renaming was proposed, Councilmember Aaron Kuznia shared a personal memory of Bueckers’ time at Hopkins, reflecting on her dedication to her fans. In 2020, after a state semifinal game, Bueckers could have easily left with the team to celebrate the win, but she chose to stay and sign autographs for over 200 young fans. Kuznia recalled, “There were NBA players there at that game, it was a big deal. I remember seeing the athletes leaving the locker room and some of the other ones saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to Davanni’s to celebrate our victory tonight.’ Paige said, ‘I’ll catch up with you.’ There were over 200 kids standing in that line, and she could have left with the team well before that and just went to Davanni’s. I just think that speaks to her character.”
Though the renaming is purely honorary and no babies born on May 16 won’t be officially given the name Paige Bueckers, it aligns with a larger initiative to make Hopkins a “home base” for women’s sports fans and create an ongoing celebration of Bueckers’ professional journey. Laila Imihy, Hopkins’ special projects manager, initially proposed a simple resolution to congratulate Bueckers after her national championship win with UConn. However, the idea quickly grew into something more significant after city manager Mike Mornson suggested going bigger to honor the hometown hero. Imihy, a lifelong women’s basketball fan and season ticket holder for the Minnesota Lynx, said, “I think people are really excited. Our business community is awesome, and they are usually pretty game for fun ideas like this.”
The city plans to involve local businesses to promote the WNBA season opener and engage the community. Imihy emphasized the importance of including local businesses in the festivities, encouraging them to come up with creative ways to celebrate the occasion. “We don’t want it to just be all focused on just the game that night. We have bookstores in town, we have coffee shops, there’s all kinds of businesses, so we’re really trying to encourage people to come up with some creative ideas to be involved.”
Beyond her basketball skills, Bueckers has remained a strong presence in her community. In 2023, she opened a free grocery store at Hopkins West Junior High School in partnership with Chegg and Goodr. She also worked with StockX to revitalize the basketball court at her elementary school in 2022. Additionally, her player edition Nike GT Hustle 3 sneakers released in December featured both the 612 area code (for Minneapolis) and Storrs’ 860 on the tongue, symbolizing her connection to both her hometown and her UConn roots.
As the city renames itself for Paige Bueckers, another layer of excitement is building. The Minnesota Lynx, the state’s beloved WNBA team, will face off against Bueckers’ Dallas Wings on May 16 in her debut game, and again in Minneapolis on May 21. While many in Minnesota have long hoped to see Bueckers play for the Lynx, especially considering her admiration for UConn legend Maya Moore, Imihy believes Hopkins residents will be torn between supporting their local hero and their home state’s team.
“I think people will have a hard time in Minnesota choosing who to root for, but you win either way,” Imihy joked. “A lot of what I see, especially on social media, is people saying she’s going to be a Lynx one day, she will be a Lynx player someday, so I think that would be the best outcome.”
For now, Hopkins is focused on celebrating Paige Bueckers’ remarkable journey and giving her the recognition she truly deserves. The city’s renaming serves as a tribute to one of its own, showing just how much her legacy means to the community that raised her.


Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.





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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com

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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com


Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good. 

“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”

Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.

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“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes. 

“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”

Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”

Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.

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“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”



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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors

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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors



Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.

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Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.

Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

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The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.

Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.

“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.

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The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.

Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.

Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police. 

State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.

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The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.

On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.



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Reds Brandon Williamson beats Twins in first Minnesota homecoming

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Reds Brandon Williamson beats Twins in first Minnesota homecoming


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  • In his first professional start in Minnesota, Trimont, MN, native Brandon Williamson pitched into the sixth to beat the Twins 2-1.
  • The victory was the opener of a six-game road trip for the Reds, who improved to 12-8.

MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Williamson came to this ballpark as a kid, rooted for Joe Mauer and the Twins, maybe even dreamed a little of playing there one day.

“Oh, yeah. Joe Ma,” Williamson said. “That’s my guy.”

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By the time that day came, Mauer had a statue outside the stadium, and Williamson had 29 career starts across three big-league seasons for the Cincinnati Reds.

And then the kid from tiny Trimont, Minnesota, came up big enough to beat the Twins in his first professional start in his home state – a 2-1 victory Friday in front of 200 or more personal friends and family from Trimont. And about 31,000 other people.

“It was awesome,” said Williamson, whose personal contingent at the game represented close to one-third of greater Trimont (pop. 705). “It was everything I thought it would be.”

The left-hander didn’t pitch especially deep into the game, getting two batters into the sixth. But on a night made for native Minnesotans, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees, Williamson looked right at, well, home, pitching to the conditions and setting down the first six batters he faced – and eight of the first nine.

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As one local press box wag quipped during the second inning, “These Minnesota boys know how to pitch in the cold.”

A pair of one-out runs in the fourth inning provided the scoring for a Reds team lineup still trying to break free from its early season woes – albeit with the twin obstacles of the weather and All-Star starter Joe Ryan’s presence on the mound for the Twins for the first six innings.

The only two hits off Ryan were doubles in the fourth by Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez, sandwiched around a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Kreidler. Suárez’s hit drove in two.

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The only run against Williamson scored after he inexplicably followed four strong innings with three consecutive walks to open the fifth, including a four-pitch walk to No. 8 hitter Brooks Lee leading off the inning.

Austin Martin followed the three freebies with a sacrifice fly on a dying liner to the gap in right that Will Benson caught with a slide.

Williamson then rallied to get Luke Keaschall on an inning-ending, 5-4-3 double play started by Suárez, who got the rare start at third base.

“I thought he handled himself really good,” manager Terry Francona said. “He looked like he was having fun pitching. I know he didn’t like walking the bases loaded. But he looked like he was enjoying himself out there. I like that when guys are enjoying competing; then we’re OK.”

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Williamson also left the bases loaded in the third after a hit batter and two-out single followed by a walk. He struck out Keaschall on a called third strike that was confirmed after Keaschall challenged.

“I could have kissed whoever was running the ABS,” Williamson said.

The Reds improved to 12-8 and remained tied for first place in the National League Central after their third win in four games – the second in that stretch by a 2-1 score.“That was cool,” said closer Emilio Pagán, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save in his first outing since experiencing hamstring tightness Tuesday.

“I don’t have a team in my home state (of South Carolina),” Pagán said, “so I don’t know what that feels like. But to pitch against probably his favorite team growing up in front of that many friends and family had to be a surreal feeling. And he handled it great.”



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