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 credits her faith and fellow basketball prodigies for offering her guidance and instruction to become one of the top prospects in the 2021 class, and she'll continue that journey at Illinois when she graduates.

In this conversation, we learn what got Adalia to take up basketball, her favorite Bible verses (she wants to be a pastor after her playing days), and how many times she can watch Hercules, her favorite movie, without getting bored.

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 generation of athletes blaze trails, including the 2017-18 team that completed a 32-0 run to claim the Class AAAA girls basketball state championship. For Molly, that moment was more exciting to her than any tournament she could have won as a player, and it's one of many discussions she shares in this conversation.

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, she continued making an impact in basketball as a coach and official. Now the mother of two basketball standouts, Crystal demonstrates her compassion and wisdom in this interview.

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 resumé, and we reflect on her life in basketball in this oral history session.

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 his thoughts on the future of playoff seeding and shot clock usage in Minnesota high school basketball.

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 on her wisdom as a coach, and it's all part of an insightful conversation with Mike Peden.