There were many times this season that Afton native Jessie Diggins felt like her foot was ripping apart. She was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis a couple of months ago, and also suffered a partially torn ligament to boot.

Though she was forced to miss a couple of races as a result, Diggins has long been known for her ability to push through pain, and she displayed that grit on the way to winning the World Cup overall title in cross country skiing for the third time in her career.

As she reflected on this season, Diggins noted how this was the first time in her career that she has gotten to hoist the Crystal Globe while feeling healthy. Not necessarily from a physical health standpoint, but from a mental health standpoint.

“It was such a joy to be able to prove to myself that I could win the overall Crystal Globe in a place of being really happy,” Diggins said. “There was so much more joy in the process and less stress overall.”

After famously teaming up with her childhood idol Kikkan Randall and winning a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Diggins has established her dominance on the international circuit.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been struggles for Diggins along the way.

She won the World Cup overall title for the first time during the peak of the pandemic, saying, “There was a massive asterisk because it was incredibly stressful and it didn’t feel all that fun at times.”

She won the World Cup overall title for the second time last season on the heels of a relapse into an eating disorder, saying, “I was fiercely dedicated to my mental health and recovery, and that took a lot of my time and energy.”

That’s why Diggins is so grateful for the way this season played out.

Never mind that she had to battle through injuries. She managed to approach each race with a positive mindset, winning six races in total and remaining atop of the standings from start to finish.

The fact that she felt joy at pretty much every turn this season is important to Diggins as she contemplates her future with the sport.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have achieved a lot of the big hopes and dreams,” she said. “I’m still here doing this because I genuinely do love it.”

That keeps her coming back for more, and as of right now, Diggins has every intention on participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. She already is excited about the process of getting ready for it.

How will that impact her schedule next season as she attempts to defend her World Cup overall title?

“I’m not going to be laying down a concrete plan,” Diggins said. “I want to be able to be flexible and adapt to what I need in that moment.”

That goes for both her physical health and her mental health.

Women’s cross country skiing World Cup overall winner Jessie Diggins of USA after the women’s cross country skiing classic style 50 km mass start at the FIS Nordic World Cup Lahti Ski Games in Lahti, Finland, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva via AP)

Related Articles

Gophers hockey: Was officials’ decision to sit Liam Souliere the right one?

Girls high school flag football is coming to Minnesota this spring

Now healthy, Joe Ryan could be a key to Twins’ success

Loons’ Dayne St. Clair relives playoff shootouts vs. Salt Lake

Niko Medved’s path to Gophers included steering him off hockey rinks

The season ended for Minnesota’s men’s hockey team late Thursday on an overtime goal by UMass forward Aydar Suniev, a tough pill to swallow for the Gophers considering they were up 3-1 midway through the third period of the first-round NCAA tournament game.

Worse, the goal came seconds after Minutemen center Dans Locmelis clipped Minnesota’s Ryan Chesley in the neutral zone with a textbook trip, corralled the puck and set up Suniev’s game-winner in Fargo.

Gophers coach Bob Motzko was composed but clearly beside himself during his postgame interview. Asked by a reporter if he felt it was a trip, Motzko said, “How do you feel?”

But that no-call wasn’t the only issue Motzko had with on-ice officials. He was upset by what he considered a no-call on a cross-check to the face of forward John Mittelstadt just before Suniev scored to make it 3-2, the first of three third-period goals that ultimately sent the game to overtime.

“UMass had a hard push in the third period, but that got ’em started, that first one,” Motzko told reporters at Scheels Arena. “It was the first goal they scored (in the comeback).”

He was equally battled by officials’ decision to make goaltender Liam Souliere leave the game because of a broken skate lace. He was replaced by Nathan Airey, and the Minutemen knotted the game 3-3 with a tip off the ensuing faceoff.

Asked for his feelings on the officiating, Motzko told reporters, “I shouldn’t be the one up here.”

The decision to make Souliere leave the game had Motzko scratching his head. Asked what the officials’ explanation was, the coach said “We didn’t get one, but he said we had to change goalies — and we said we didn’t.

“(Was it) because he came to the bench? What if he had stayed on the ice and we would have went out?” Motzko added. “We couldn’t use our timeout because it took a lot longer than a minute to fix what happened. But he said we had to switch goalies. I don’t know, is that true? It’s the first time I’ve ever had that.”

NCAA ice hockey rules are just vague enough to make any officials’ decision controversial.

According to the official 2024-25 rules book, “Unnecessary delay shall not be permitted for the repair or adjustment of a goalkeeper’s equipment. If major adjustments are required, the goalkeeper shall retire from the ice and be replaced by the substitute goalkeeper immediately.”

But, the rule further states, “A referee may allow for minor delays.”

Airey was given no time to warm up. After the goal, Souliere returned to finish the game.

The Minutemen scored three unanswered goals to take a regulation lead before Jimmy Snuggerud scored to send the game into overtime tied 4-4. It was a brief reprieve. Suniev scored a little less than 5 minutes into OT.

“Two goals tonight. We all get the mandate from the NCAA on sportsmanship, and I’ve got to be up here,” Motzko said. “I shouldn’t be the one sitting here right now.”

Related Articles

Men’s hockey: UMass rallies to knock Gophers out of NCAA tournament in OT

Men’s hockey: Western Michigan slips past MSU Mankato in 2OT

Gophers looking to balance rested versus rusty in NCAA tourney opener

Gophers are Fargo-bound, will face UMass in NCAA hockey opener

Gophers’ Jimmy Snuggerud, Wild prospect Zeev Buium named Hobey Baker finalists

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah became the first state to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pride flags at schools and all government buildings after the Republican governor announced he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature.

Gov. Spencer Cox, who made the announcement late Thursday night, said he continues to have serious concerns with the policy but chose not to reject it because his veto would likely be overridden by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Starting May 7, state or local government buildings will be fined $500 a day for flying any flag other than the United States flag, the Utah state flag, military flags or a short list of others approved by lawmakers. Political flags supporting a certain candidate or party, such as President Donald Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” flags, are not allowed.

The new law could stoke conflict between the state and its largest city. City buildings in liberal Salt Lake City typically honor Pride Month each June by displaying flags that celebrate its large LGBTQ+ population. Local leaders have illuminated the Salt Lake City and County Building in rainbow lights to protest the flag ban each night since the Legislature sent it to Cox’s desk.

Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office, said their attorneys are evaluating the law and the capital city does not yet have information on what it will do once the law takes effect.

Related Articles

Transgender Americans aim to block Trump’s passport policy change

Trump administration cancels at least 68 grants focused on LGBTQ health questions

Trump administration cuts funding for Minnesota research on vaccines, health care access

Here’s how some human rights and LGBTQ+ groups prepared for major foreign aid cuts under Trump

Trump administration suspends $175 million in federal funding for Penn over transgender swimmer

The bill’s Republican sponsors, Rep. Trevor Lee and Sen. Dan McCay, said it’s meant to encourage “political neutrality” from teachers and other government employees. Opponents argued it aims to erase LGBTQ+ expression and take authority away from cities and towns that don’t align politically with the Republican Legislature.

In a letter to legislative leaders explaining his decision, Cox said he agreed with the “underlying intent” of the bill to make classrooms politically neutral but thought it went too far in regulating local governments. He also noted that by focusing narrowly on flags, the law does not prevent other political displays such as posters or lighting.

“To our LGBTQ community, I know that recent legislation has been difficult,” Cox said. “Politics can be a bit of a blood sport at times and I know we’ve had our disagreements. I want you to know that I love and appreciate you and I am grateful that you are part of our state. I know these words may ring hollow to many of you, but please know that I mean them sincerely.”

Cox’s decision came hours after the Sundance Film Festival announced it was leaving its home of four decades in Park City, Utah, for Boulder, Colorado. The flag bill created eleventh-hour tensions as some residents worried it would push the nation’s premiere independent film festival out of state. Festival leaders said state politics ultimately did not influence their move from conservative Utah to liberal Colorado. They did, however. make “ethos and equity values” one of their criteria in a nationwide search for a new home and referred to Boulder in their announcement as a “welcoming environment.”

Utah’s flag law goes further than one signed last week in Idaho that only applies to schools. But Idaho Republicans are also advancing a separate bill to ban government buildings from displaying certain flags.

Florida lawmakers have advanced a proposal to ban pride flags and others that represent political viewpoints in schools and public buildings after similar measures failed in the past two legislative sessions. Some federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, also have limited which flags can fly at their facilities.

A school bus driver fatally struck a man on a bike in St. Francis on Friday morning, authorities said.

The collision happened just before 7:30 a.m. when a woman who was driving the bus, which had no passengers, was turning south onto St. Francis Boulevard from eastbound Ambassador Boulevard, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said. The man died at the scene.

The identities of the victim and bus driver have not been released.

The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office, Francis Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.

Related Articles

Woman, 72, fatally struck by drunken driver while crossing White Bear Township road, sheriff’s office says

Turkish student at Tufts University is latest Palestinian supporter swept up in US crackdown

350-pound teacher accused of stepping on sixth-grader’s back during lockdown drill in northwestern Minnesota

3rd gunman sentenced in St. Paul murder that led to funeral shooting

Minnesota judge says ex-senator arrested in prostitution sting can be released to halfway house