Sophie Cunningham rally in Minneapolis sees pro‑trans counterprotesters confront NCAA softball player

On August 2, 2026, Kendall Kotzmacher, a former high‑school softball star now heading to Colorado Christian, traveled from college back to Minnesota to attend a rally supporting women's‑sports activist Sophie Cunningham outside the Target Center in Minneapolis. Kotzmacher joined fellow advocates Riley Gaines, Michelle Tafoya and Jennifer Sey during the third rally in a week.

During the event a pro‑trans protester approached with a megaphone, shouting insults at the group and directing a personal attack at Kotzmacher, telling her she should have been aborted. Kotzmacher, who has previously received online hate messages and death threats after competing against a transgender pitcher, said this was the first time she faced such hostility in person. The confrontation grew more physical when Gaines arrived; Kotzmacher alleged police nearby did not intervene and a male bystander began pushing people around.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions over transgender participation in women’s sports and the safety concerns faced by activists at public demonstrations.