Denning Gerig, Voice of the Shockers, is back for the second day of previewing 2026-27 around Wichita State athletics. We draft compelling Shockers for fans to think about as the school year gets started. We offer Maddie Wilson in the middle for WSU volleyball, Dillon Battie’s rise on the basketball court and pitcher Caleb Reed, among others, for your consideration.
Welcome to the 2026-27 school year from the Roundhouse podcast. We open the athletic season with Voice of the Shockers Denning Gerig and a five-round draft of top storylines across Wichita State athletics. We dive into Will Berg’s potential and the enticing non-conference schedule for men’s basketball. We also discuss shortstop “rats” at Eck Stadium, bowling’s run at an NCAA title and returning softball stars. Come back Friday for a five-round draft of Shocker athletes.
Wichita State sophomore infielder Ausha Moore joins the podcast to talk about choosing softball over basketball, with help from Dad and a wiffle ball, and her old-school music tastes as influenced by Mom. We also discuss Wichita State’s 14-game win streak in conference play, Kinzey Woody’s swag and the quiet contributions of teammates Trinity Allen and Johnna Schroeder. The Shockers play at 2:30 p.m., Friday in the American Conference Championship, needing two wins to earn an automatic spot in an NCAA regional. You can watch that game on ESPN-plus. The semifinal winners play at 11 a.m., Saturday on ESPN2.
Wichita State infielders Kinzey Woody and Kammie Smith are enjoying fabulous freshman seasons and they join us to preview a series vs. Memphis that starts at 6 p.m., Thursday at Wilkins Stadium. We talk about family influence, parental humor, favorite songs and Woody gives us a book recommendation. We also discuss plate discipline, improvement over the course of a rookie season and why the Shockers turned around after a tough series at ECU. The Shockers can win or share the American Conference title this weekend. They enter the series tied with USF in first place.
Get set for the week with the Roundhouse Rundown podcast, the fastest five minutes in collegiate promotions. WSU baseball meets Rice this weekend at Eck Stadium in a series that starts with a football jersey giveaway at 6:05 p.m., Friday. The Shockers and Owls are battling to stay in the upper reaches of the American Conference standings. WSU softball, winners of eight in a row, are at North Texas this weekend. WSU is tied atop the American with USF. On Monday, Shocker women’s tennis expects to hear its name called during the 3:30 p.m., NCAA selection show. All that, plus promotions, ticket specials, Shocker trivia and Shocker history.
Get set for the week with the Roundhouse Rundown podcast, the fastest five minutes in collegiate promotions. Wichita State is 21-10 and earned the second seed in the American Conference Championship for men’s basketball. The Shockers play at 4 p.m., Saturday on ESPN2 in a semifinal game. Wichita State baseball and softball are at home this weekend. The baseball series vs. Butler begins on Thursday. The softball Shockers play UAB starting Friday. All that, plus promotions, ticket specials, Shocker trivia and Shocker history.
Get set for the week with the Roundhouse Rundown podcast, the fastest five minutes in collegiate promotions. Wichita State men’s basketball is in the American Conference title race. The Shockers play at Memphis on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2) and UTSA on Sunday (7 p.m., ESPN+). They are back in Koch Arena to celebrate Senior Day vs. FAU on March 7 (3 p.m., ESPNU). Shocker baseball starts a series vs. Omaha on Thursday (3:05 p.m.). Wichita State softball is at Missouri this weekend for a tournament before opening up at Wilkins Stadium vs. Kansas on March 4 (6 p.m.). All that, plus promotions, ticket specials, Shocker trivia and Shocker history.
Wichita State President Rick Muma sits down with softball coach Kristi Bredbenner and baseball coach Brian Green for a candid conversation about their seasons, their student‑athletes and what it truly means to compete as part of Shocker Athletics.
The “Forward Together” podcast celebrates the vision and mission of Wichita State University. In each episode, President Rick Muma will talk with guests from throughout Shocker Nation to highlight the people and priorities that guide WSU on its road to becoming an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater good.
Wichita State softball starts the season this weekend in Texas. Associate head coach Elizabeth Economon joins the podcast to set the scene. We discuss how the schedule balances tough competition with confidence-building games and how using the team’s new indoor practice facility helps build routines. Newcomers such as Johnna Schroeder and Mackenzie Rooney adapted during the fall and Economon muses about where they might fit in the spring lineup. We discuss how first base and designated player could shake out and how that is a key to the batting order. Returners such as Jodie Epperson and Brookelyn Livanec contributed last season and Economon talks where they fit in 2026.
Former Wichita State softball All-Americans CC Wong and Sydney McKinney are still in the game at Wilkins Stadium. They work with hitters and pitchers, catch bullpen sessions, throw batting practice and scrimmage with the Shockers for their duties as graduate assistants. McKinney is playing professionally and leaves soon for Japan. She will play this summer for Oklahoma City in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, her fourth season in the AUSL. Wong plays for Team Canada with her sights set on the 2028 Olympics. We talk about working with the Shockers, improving their coaching techniques and why Wichita State coaches work so well with athletes. We also talk about the growth of professional softball and the importance of persistence when recruiting starts for young athletes.
McKinney, from Norborne, Mo., played shortstop for WSU from 2019-23. She earned All-America honors in 2021, 2022 and 2023. McKinney led the nation in batting average in 2022 (.522) and 2023 (.527). Wong, from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, played in 2024 for the Shockers and earned All-American honors after hitting .470 (second nationally) with 14 home runs and 14 doubles.
