Gary Bender did play by play for Final Fours, the NFL, NBA, the Olympics, Major League Baseball and more. Bender, a 1962 University of Wichita graduate, got his start at KMUW broadcasting Shocker basketball as the team rose in the national rankings. We talk about his days on the farm in Western Kansas creating the anthem, commercials and action to pass the time on a tractor. We discuss how he maintained silence during one of the most exciting finishes in NCAA Tournament history and how advice from Bill Parcells pushed him on his way to CBS. Bender is a member of the 2024 Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame induction class. That ceremony is free to the public at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 in Wiedemann Hall.
Wichita State pitcher Gavin Oswald and outfielder/first baseman Derek Williams met at age 8 playing baseball in the St. Louis area. They are reunited as newcomers with the Shockers. We talk about Oswald’s custom-made spikes, why he hates facing teammate Jaden Gustafson and how Oswald and Williams journeyed to Wichita State. Williams explains why he operates with such a positive attitude and Oswald describes what it’s like to play baseball for the Savannah Bananas.
Wichita State pitchers Alison Cooper and Alex Aguilar talk about the new members of the pitching staff and how they are ready to carry more of a load this season. Cooper tells us which former Shocker she shouts out with her uniform number. We discuss their favorite snacks at Buc-ee’s, why the Barnard sisters are good at pickleball and reveal the coach whose mantra is “It’s going to be fine.”
On the anniversary of one of that season’s memorable wins, we look back on the 2014 Wichita State basketball season. The Shockers won 35 straight games and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Mike Kennedy and Bob Lutz discuss the NBA talent on that team, the team’s historical importance and the rally at Missouri State on Jan. 11, 2014. We talk about the joys of the regular season, why Tekele Cotton was one of the stars on this team and why Bob predicted an unbeaten season before anyone else. We break down the strength of schedule, the Saint Louis game that sparked a kerfuffle with Doug Gottlieb and hand out plenty of trivia questions.
Former Shocker All-American shortstop Sydney McKinney joins us from her new job as assistant softball coach at Marshall University. We discuss her move to coaching, how often she says the same things her Shockers coaches said and her advice for recruits considering options. We learn that people in West Virginia put butter in their coffee. We also talk about Athletes Unlimited pro softball coming to Wilkins Stadium in June, how she saw Shocker softball grow and more.
Assistant director of track and field John Wise prepares us for the track season, indoors and outdoors. We discuss Destiny Masters’ record pentathlon score and how the AAC’s changing membership affects track. We talk about the men’s quest to win a third straight AAC outdoor title and where the previous two titles rank on the program’s list of accomplishments. Then it’s movie time and we focus on “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Wise’s YouTube video which takes his followers to parts of Oklahoma featured in the movie. We discuss his YouTube channel “Travel with a Wise Guy” and the big twist at the end of his “Killers of the Flower Moon” video.
Wichita State senior left Brylee Kelly talks about her six years as a Shocker and why her affection for the program and coach Chris Lamb made it the right choice to stay. She details the ups and downs of her senior season and her advice for young athletes. We also discuss what former Shocker Mikaela Raudsepp said that convinced Kelly to choose Wichita State and how teammates Morgan Stout and Katie Galligan made big moves this season.
Bob Hull, entering season No. 17 as the color voice on radio and TV for Shocker basketball, discusses Wichita State’s 3-0 start and what that small sample of results might tell us about the rest of the season. We discuss Wichita State’s tempo, how the Shockers space the floor and why communication is so important for the defense. We also talk about Xavier Bell’s driving ability and why the big men work well together. We wrap up with Bob’s picks for the most memorable games and opponents of the past 17 seasons and his enthusiasm for the new Rolling Stones music.
Shocker softball is almost done with fall workouts, so we get associate head coach Elizabeth Economon and outfielder Bailey Urban to update us. We talk about newcomers to watch, how injuries are shaping the outfield and how this team grew offensively over the fall. Urban describes rehabbing from injury and how Economon gets the best out of Shocker hitters. We also discuss Shocker softball’s rise in popularity and Urban’s success in the first part of the CPA exam.
Wichita State baseball director of operations Tad Reida talks about his return to WIchita, his relationship with coach Brian Green and facing Mike Pelfrey in practice at Wichita State. We discuss his impressions of fall standouts and his recollections of two memorable moments from his Shocker career. WSU wraps up the fall with a three-game series on Friday (5 p.m.), Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at Eck Stadium.
