Baseball season is near and broadcaster Shane Dennis joins the podcast to discuss the 2021 Shockers. We talk about newcomers to the pitching staff, the impact of a healthy Paxton Wallace on the lineup and how the Shockers might navigate four-game weekend series. Dennis also details how coaches Gene Stephenson and Jim Thomas handled losing spades games on baseball bus trips in the 1990s, his favorite teammate nicknames and the case for playing Cooper Elliot at all nine positions in a tribute to former Shocker Mike Jones.
Bartlett, a senior outfielder on the baseball team, is a transfer from Saint Louis University. He talks about his first impressions of the coaching staff, talking hitting with his teammates, why he keeps a journal and the Shocker pitcher who causes him the most headaches. Bartlett also discusses dealing with failure in baseball, a future in school psychology and which teammate is the best hunter/fisherman.
Chad Gibney coaches one of the best women’s junior college basketball teams in the country at Western Nebraska Community College. He talks about his path to coaching, his season coaching both men’s and women’s basketball at Western Nebraska and which Shocker coaches he borrows from. Gibney, a manager at Wichita State for the men’s team from 2010-16, discusses his favorite Shocker memories, what made practices special and why Steve Nash is his favorite NBA star.
Taylor Eldridge, a 2011 communications graduate from Wichita State, is the Shocker athletics beat writer for The Wichita Eagle, a position he has held since 2017. Eldridge joins the podcast to discuss his popular video breakdowns, how his job changed over the years and his advice for young journalists. He discusses the Shockers, the impact of Morris Udeze and Tyson Etienne’s rise. We wrap up by talking about his favorite stories, his favorite pickup basketball spots and how he handled the time-honored tradition of a sportswriter locked in a stadium late at night.
Seniors Murkel Dellien and Marius Frosa are preparing for their final season and a chance to add to the accomplishments of one of Wichita State’s greatest doubles teams. They reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 NCAA Doubles Championships to earn All-American honors, becoming the second Shocker duo to earn that honor. They talk about their teamwork, their goals for this season, favorite Grand Slam tournament and plans after college.
Sean Johnson played catcher at Wichita State from 1996-98 and worked as director of operations before embarking on a career in professional baseball. Johnson, who attended South High School, became scouting director for the Minnesota Twins in 2016. He talks about the Double A team that will play in Wichita this summer, how the Twins rebuilt their organization after a 103-loss season and the differences between AA and AAA baseball. Johnson also discusses how his time as a Shocker influenced his career, the time he threw out Randy Young in practice and cooking during the pandemic.
The Shockers are 2-2 after Tuesday’s win at Tulsa and we have radio voice Mike Kennedy to give us his thoughts. We discuss how improved practices and a full roster are helping and how newcomers such as Craig Porter Jr., and Alterique Gilbert are fitting in. Mike talks about how the pandemic has changed his work life and his long break in between March and the fall.
Steve Strain and Bob Hull join the podcast to break down the early results for Wichita State women’s and men’s basketball. The women are off to a 3-1 start and Strain details the improvements he sees and how the Shockers can improve. Wichita State’s men are 1-1 and Hull talks about the new faces and how they might help as the roster returns to full strength.
Senior associate athletic director Becky Endicott is retiring after a career at Wichita State that started in 1993 as an intern. She helped steer Shocker women’s athletics to its successes of the past 20 years and earned a reputation as a wise guide through the NCAA manual and an effective advocate for women’s athletics. Endicott discusses her time at Wichita State, how athletics has changed, her best Grier Jones story, rooting for the Chiefs and advice for young people considering a career in athletics.
Seniors Emma Wright (volleyball) and Marta Bellucco (women’s tennis) are two of the leaders for Wichita State’s diversity and inclusion outreach. They discuss their motivation for getting involved in the athletic department’s educational efforts and what they’ve learned about navigating the discussions that issues such as social justice, race, cultural differences and sexuality bring about.
