The Chicago Bears interviewed Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores for their head coaching job Saturday.

The 43-year-old Flores has been running Minnesota’s defense the last two seasons after a stint as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for Pittsburgh in 2022. That came after he was Miami’s head coach for three years, going 24-25 with the Dolphins and making no postseason appearances before being fired.

On Feb. 1, 2022, Flores filed a federal lawsuit against the league, the Dolphins, the Giants and the Denver Broncos. Flores, who is Black, alleged racist hiring practices for leadership positions across the NFL.

Flores interviewed with the New York Jets on Friday and was expected to speak with the Jacksonville Jaguars about their head coaching vacancy. The Vikings finished second to Detroit in the NFC North at 14-3.

The Bears are looking to replace Matt Eberflus, who was fired on Nov. 29. Chicago finished last in the NFC North at 5-12 and lost 10 in a row before closing the season with a win at Green Bay.

The Bears have confirmed interviewing 15 candidates, a list highlighted by Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who got the job in New England.

college hockey

Third-ranked Gophers women top Mavericks

Josefin Bouveng recorded a hat trick, and Abbey Murphy scored her 20th goal of the season as No. 3 Minnesota completed a weekend sweep of WCHA rival Minnesota State with a 5-2 victory in Mankato.

Allie Franco also scored for the Gophers, who improved to 19-5-1 overall, 13-4-1 in conference play. Hannah Clark stopped 19 of 21 shots for her 15th win in net (15-3-1).

Alexis Paddington and Julianna Gazdik scored for the Mavericks (10-13-1, 4-13-1).

Top-ranked Badgers blast Tommies women

The St. Thomas women’s hockey team were no match for No. 1-ranked Wisconsin, falling 11-1 to the visiting Badgers at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights.

Wisconsin (23-1-1) took a quick 3-0 lead in the first period and extended the edge to 7-0 before the Tommies (5-16-2) got on the board with a Maddy Clough goal near the end of the second frame.

The Badgers responded with four more strikes in the final period to skate home with a 10-goal win.

St. Thomas men draw at Lake Superior State

The St. Thomas men’s hockey team surrendered a 3-1 second-period lead at Lake Superior State.

The Tommies (8-10-5) took a 2-0 lead on scores by Cooper Gay and Liam Malmquist, but the Lakers (9-12-2) drew one back before the end of the first period.

Gay scored his second goal of the game at 10:23 of the second period, but State countered with a tally of its own just over a minute later.

St. Thomas could not hold the edge in the third, as the Lakers drew even at the 12:34 mark in what would prove to be the final score of the game.

gymnastics

Gophers defeat Penn State in Big Ten opener

The No. 21 Minnesota weomen’s gymnastics team defeated No. 16 Penn State in its Big Ten opener at Maturi Pavilion, 196.325-195.700.

The Gophers have now won eight straight meets against the Nittany Lions.

The Gophers (3-0, 1-0) earned 49.175 on vault, 48.700 on bars, 49.200 on beam and 49.250 on floor.

Penn State (5-2, 0-1) went 48.950 on vault, 49.125 on bars, 48.900 on beam and 48.725 on the floor.

Rookie Ava Stewart took home her first event title on vault with a career-high 9.925 to lead both teams.

Jordyn Lyden moved to three-for-three on uneven bars event titles after posting a 9.875 on the event, tying her season-high.

Junior Brooklyn Rowray, who missed almost the entire 2024 season with an achilles injury, won her first event title since the season-opener with a 9.875 on balance beam.

Fifth-year Mya Hooten took home her third straight floor title with a 9.925.

Alpine skiing

Vonn finishes 20th on Cortina Olympic course

Sofia Goggia solidified her status as the favorite for another downhill gold by winning Saturday for the fourth time on the course for next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Lindsey Vonn finished 20th after wasting speed worthy of a top-10 finish with a mistake toward the end of her run.

soccer

USMNT defeats Venezuela in Florida

This camp for the U.S. men’s national team is primarily about giving young players opportunities. And U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino liked what he saw.

Patrick Agyemang and Matko Miljevic scored in their international debuts, Jack McGlynn got his first national team goal and the United States beat Venezuela 3-1 in a friendly between teams missing their regular starters.

McGlynn and Agyemang scored about two minutes apart late in the first half and Miljevic, whose third-minute penalty kick was saved, struck in the 64th minute.

McGlynn connected on a left-footed strike from about 30 yards in the 37th minute, Agyemang deflected a shot off goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez not long afterward and the Milijevic scored on a counter, joining Agyemang to raise the total to 61 players who scored in their U.S. debuts.

GOLF

Els wins Tour Champions opener in Hawaii

Ernie Els finished at 18-under 198 to win the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship for his seventh PGA Tour Champions victory, closing with a 6-under 66 to beat Bernard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alex Cejka by two strokes.

The 67-year-old Langer missed a chance to win for the 19th straight season on the 50-and-over tour.

The German star won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year for his record-extending 47th senior title.

— From news services