The first annual Men’s Basketball Media Day was hosted at the Stroh Center yesterday.
Following the team’s regular practice time, members of the media interviewed players, then split into two teams coached by the men’s head coach Louis Orr and women’s head coach Jennifer Roos.
The members of the media included journalists, television anchors and radio personalities who cover the basketball programs.
Team Orr consisted of Jordan Strack, weekend anchor from WTOL/BCSN, Greg Franke, play-by-play announcer from BCSN, Joe Nugent, sports anchor from WTVG, Scott Williams, webmaster from the Sentinel-Tribune and Todd Walker, personality from 1150 WIMA and myself.
Team Roos consisted of Jack Carle, University athletics beat writer from the Sentinel-Tribune, Ken Watlington, host/anchor from BCSN, Mike Lacett, sports reporter from WTOL, Eric Haubert, sports reporter from WTVG, Dave Holmes, sports director from WTVG and Ryan Wichman, weatherman from WTOL.
Players from both basketball teams officiated the media game, including senior Simone Eli from the women’s team and seniors A’uston Calhoun and Luke Kraus from the men’s team.
Seniors Jordan Crawford and James Erger helped Team Orr on the bench as assistant coaches.
The University sports information directors started up the event as a fun way to kickoff the basketball season for the media.
“The idea was to kind of use it to springboard into the basketball season. In late-October early-November, people are not really thinking about basketball yet,” said Dave Meyer, assistant athletic communications director. “Coming into it I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out, but the media really seemed to enjoy it. So we’d love to do this every year.”
The men’s basketball team has been practicing since Oct. 12 and is set to face off against Division II Central State (OH) on Sunday at 2 p.m. The regular season tips off on Nov. 9 against Division II Lake Erie College at 7 p.m.
The Falcons are scheduled to play in the preseason NIT in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Nov. 12-13, including a game against Cleveland State and either Michigan or IUPUI. The winner of the Ann Arbor round will advance to the next round in New York City.
