Sports Charlotte: Recent Episodes
The Charlotte Post
Donal Ware, host of the nationally syndicated sports talk program BOXTOROW, talks about expansion into the Charlotte market at 730 AM The Game, the state of radio landscape and his work as the play-by-play voice of North Carolina A&T athletics.
USA Football Women's Flag National Team member Amber Clark talks about playing in the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship July 5-7 at UNC Charlotte. Clark, a native of Greenville, North Carolina, talks about the growth of flag in the U.S. and abroad and hopes for a place on the Olympic program.
A conversation with the Big South's new leader on shifts in the college sports landscape, a football alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference and breaking barriers in athletics administration.
The grass is greener – and permanent – at Eddie McGirt Field as the Golden Bulls football team debuted the school's FieldTurf playing surface. After lagging most of the CIAA in athletics facilities, the McGirt upgrade is the first in a series of additions for JCSU athletics that could open new opportunities and revenue for the school.
Tyrell Jackson was one of Division II's top-ranked quarterbacks in the nation when he was sidelined by a concussion four games into the 2022 season. As spring drills approach, he reviews how the injury changed his approach to football and his outlook going forward. Host: Herb White.
The Golden Bulls went 2-7 with new head coach Maurice Flowers, but at least they were competitive and entertaining – something they haven't been in recent seasons. Flowers offers impressions of his first season and where the program will focus on recruiting for 2023.
First-year coach Shannon Neely Noel and the Royals are searching for their first win as a Division I program. The road has been bumpy, but Noel sees opportunity to grow the sport and the school's profile among North Carolina's best college brands.
Wrestler John Davidson, who goes by the stage name Knull, talks about the business, his backstory and the grapplers who inspired him.
The Sept. 3 Duke's Mayo Classic between North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central started as an idea by Charlotte City Council member-elect James Mitchell. Now that it's a reality, Mitchell is advocating for an expanded portfolio of HBCU sporting events, including bringing the CIAA basketball tournament back to the Queen City. Can it work? Host: Herb White.
Charles Sifford Jr., son of the first Black golfer to play on the PGA Tour, shares stories from his father's career, impact on the sport and why the Aug. 29 Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup at Quail Hollow Club matters.
PGA Tour Executive Director Adam Sperling updates preparations for the Presidents Cup and Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup at Quail Hollow Club. It's the international golf showcase's first stop in the Southeast.
Central Piedmont Community College Professor Corlis Hayes talks about research and casting for the Three Bone Theatre production "Toni Stone" Aug. 19-Sept. 4 at The Arts Factory. Stone was the first woman to play in an all-male professional sport when she suited up in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s.
The Panthers kick off training camp, the ACC and Big South held media days in successive weeks in Charlotte. Herb White and Asheebo Rojas talk about everything from Carolina's quarterback competition to North Carolina A&T's season opener against rival North Carolina Central.
Asheebo Rojas, The Charlotte Post's Emerging Journalist Fellow for Summer 2022, weighs in on covering the Baker Mayfield trade, Hornets Summer League preparation and Charlotte's embrace of Major League Soccer. Also: Asheebo dishes on why he's an aspiring sports journalist and the difference between covering professional and college sports, which he does at The Daily Tar Heel.
Queens University of Charlotte is moving from NCAA Division II to Division I effective July 1. The Royals, who are joining the ASun Conference, are a national power in several sports, and athletics director Cherie Swarthout talks about the process of transition, competing in a crowded sports market and why football isn't part of the equation. Hosted by Herb White.
Robyn Horner, head coach of the Charlotte Independence women's soccer team, talks about their May 15 debut against Greenville Liberty SC, opportunities in the new USL W League and finding a place in Charlotte's sports landscape. Host: Herb White.
Presidents Cup Executive Director Adam Sperling talks about tournament preparations at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, the first facility in the Southeast to host the showcase. The tournament is also homecoming for U.S. captain Davis Love III and its Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup honors the Charlotte-born golf pioneer with an HBCU match play tournament.
Figuring out the North American soccer ladder can be confusing at first, but Charlotte FC executive Darrius Barnes straightens it out with a description of where the franchise's MLS Next Pro initiative fits in and his role overseeing its development. Host: Herb White.
For the first time, Quail Hollow Golf Club will host a competition for historically Black college programs with the Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup. The Aug. 29 tournament will feature six programs with Johnson C. Smith University the host school. Golden Bulls head coach William Watkins talks about Sifford's legacy and what the tournament does for golf's growth at HBCUs. Host: Herb White.
Maurice Flowers, an All-CIAA and All-America quarterback at Johnson C. Smith University, returns to Charlotte as the Golden Bulls' head football coach. Flowers takes over a program that hasn't posted a winning season since 2011, but he's convinced the ingredients – namely, Charlotte's a fertile recruiting area – will lift it to relevance. Host: Herb White.
The Queen's Firm, a Charlotte FC supporters group, gears up for the first Major League Soccer season in the Carolinas. Co-founder Shawn Smith and social media director Jonathan Lee talk about growing soccer culture in Charlotte, representation and why supporters groups are essential to the game day experience. Host: Herb White.
Retired English footballer Lloyd Sam brings professional and life experiences to his new job as Charlotte FC analyst. With playing time in the Premier League, Major League Soccer and lower-level leagues in England and the U.S., he's got plenty to share about the beautiful game. Host: Herb White.
Queens women's soccer coach Aimee Haywood has had a hectic first year. The Royals earned a pair of South Atlantic Conference championship berths and a school-record 16 wins in the fall 2021 season and a first-round win in the NCAA Division tournament. Host: Herb White.
Queens University of Charlotte championship-winning rugby coach Frank McKinney is the subject of "Scrum," a documentary that details the obstacles and challenges faced by one of the first Black American collegiate head coaches in the sport. The film, helmed by award-winning director Thomas Morgan. debuted Oct. 10.
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns discusses his new documentary on three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali and "The Greatest's" place among legendary American figures. Burns also dishes on his storytelling prowess and how producing a documentary movie aligns with journalism. Host: Herb White.
Harding High School sophomore Akala Garrett, the 2021 Gatorade Runner of the Year in North Carolina, won the girls' 400 meter hurdles at the USA Track & Field Nationals and three state titles at the N.C. 4A championships. Her goal is simple: Run in the Olympics.
Knightdale, N.C. native and former Duke soccer player Darrius Barnes is back in his native state as Charlotte FC's director of business operations. A former MLS player and executive in the league's New York office, Barnes talks about the run-up to Charlotte FC's inaugural season and the sport's business end.
Semi-retired NASCAR racer Bill Lester, one of four Black drivers to ever compete at the sanctioning body's top national series, talks about his new book, the state of the sport and his unusual path to competition. He also chimes in on barriers to inclusion on the track as well as the boardroom for historically marginalized people. Host: Herb White.
Black college football made waves with Jackson State University's hire of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Deion Sanders as head coach. Donal Ware, host of From the Press Box to Press Row on SirusXM, talks about the hire and its impact on HBCUs going forward. Host: Herb White.
High school football is as American as apple pie and muscle cars, and Matt Morrow might be the sport's top local advocate. Morrow, founder of Charlotte Football Insiders, previews the state playoffs, the Queen City Senior Bowl and answers why Mecklenburg County has North Carolina's most competitive programs. Host: Herb White.
Charlotte Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller is a co-founder of Anti-Racist Soccer Club, a movement to fight bigotry in the sport. Miller also discusses his 10th season as a professional and juggling his many ventures. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Brandt Bronico, who played college soccer with the Charlotte 49ers, will resume his MLS career with expansion side Charlotte FC in 2022. In 2021, he's playing with the Charlotte Independence in USL Championship. He's talking homecoming and all things soccer with host Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte 49ers defender Patrick Hogan is on the MAC Hermann Award Watch List as one of the nation's top players. He talks about the delayed start, soccer during the COVID-19 era and what he does away from the pitch. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte 49ers women't soccer coach John Cullen talks restarting training in January, coping with COVID-19 infections and playing the season during the spring semester.
CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams discusses why the conference opted to cancel its 2021 basketball tournament for the first time since its start in 1946. Without the postseason showcase, the league, its members and sponsors are bracing for the economic impact as well as looking to keep fans engaged with virtual events.
Rod Reid, the founder of Force Indy, an ambitious open-wheel racing team based in Concord, N.C., talks about its maiden voyage in the 2021 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. Reid, who leads NXG Youth Motorsports Inc., which has introduced more than 2,300 students from under-represented communities to racing, has two goals. One is to develop African American talent that can succeed in IndyCar. The other is raise open-wheel's profile in communities traditionally ignored by the sport.
Charlotte Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller joins the podcast to talk about the 2020 USL Championship campaign and earning a playoff berth with the Jacks. He also lends insight into leadership, team-building and the importance of offseason improvement. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Former Major League Soccer and Charlotte Independence player Aaron Maund talks about his professional journey, time in Charlotte and what's next on and off the pitch.
Charlotte Independence defender Hugh Roberts previews the Jacks' first-round match against Charleston Battery in Matthews, N.C. The Independence are hosting a playoff game for the first time in franchise history after winning Group G in the USL Championship. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte 49ers soccer coach Kevin Langan talks about the program's adjustment to COVID-19, playing a spring schedule, producing MLS-caliber athletes and how Charlotte FC changes the Carolinas sports landscape. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
West Mecklenburg High School and UNC-Chapel Hill graduate Naya Tapper is one of America's top rugby players. Her prolific scoring and international experience make her a top contender for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team – if and when the games commence in 2021. She's dishing on training during the COVID-19 pandemic, what led her to rugby and becoming a role model. Host: Herb White.
Trenton Cannon isn't going to supplant Christian McCaffrey as the Carolina Panthers' top running back, but the 2017 CIAA offensive player of the year is a master on special teams. Cannon opened up about a new chapter in his career, playing on opening day and his HBCU experience. Host: Herb White.
The 49ers women's soccer coach talks about delaying the season to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leadership of veteran players and a large class of incoming players. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Brandon Bellamy, the owner of Gastonia's new minor league baseball team, has a lot of work to do before the club takes the field in 2021. Bellamy, owner of a Maryland development company, is working with the city on developing FUSE – the Franklin Urban Sports and Entertaintment District – in addition to building the club and managing its new stadium.
Charlotte Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller talks about playing during a time of social unrest, activism among athletes and how the Jacks plan to navigate the USL Championship regular season stretch drive. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte Independence defender Hugh Roberts talks about athletes' reaction to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, activism in Charlotte and addressing housing insecurity. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley talks about the NWSL Challenge Cup, COVID-19 and building a championship legacy with some of the world's best soccer players. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Davidson College Athletics Director Chris Clunie talks about working with alumna Makayla Binter on a mural saluting Wildcats of color, the school's commitment to diversity and inclusion and the demands of athletics and academic success on campus. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller opens up about the Jacks' condensed USL Championship campaign and the mental and physical challenges of playing during a pandemic. He gives his expectations for the season and opines about the state of professional soccer in Charlotte. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
The Charlotte Independence defender talks about the shortened USL Championship season, social activism, philanthropy and the state of professional soccer in Charlotte. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Randi Neal, an All-Region guard/forward who led South Pointe High to a pair of South Carolina 4A girls' basketball title games, committed to Johnson C. Smith. Her criteria? Culture, proximity and playing for a contender for the CIAA title.
Queens University of Charlotte graduate Mystique Ro is one of America's top skeleton racers and a contender for a spot on the 2022 Olympic team. Ro talks about her journey to Queens, how she transitioned from track and field to skeleton and training in Charlotte.
Myers Park High School softball was off to a 5-0 start when the Mustangs' season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two days later, in-person school instruction was closed. Whittney Barringer, who plays third base, was suddenly without her favorite sport and the rites of passage for high school seniors: No prom, no graduation, no games. "I felt like crying," she said.
Charlotte 49ers football reached historic milestones in 2019 with the program's first winning season and a bowl berth. Can they top it in 2020 if and when games can be played? Second-year coach Will Healy weighs in on football and how COVID-19 has changed his life and program. Host Herb White.
Johnson C. Smith basketball coach Steve Joyner talks about the 2019-20 season, exceeding expectations and how COVID-19 has changed recruiting for the 2020-21 season.
The coronavirus pandemic forced Johnson C. Smith University to cancel all campus activities, including spring football drills. Coach Kermit Blount talks about losing valuable practice days as well as the 2020 class of commitments.
Former Charlotte 49ers defensive end Alex Highsmith talks about the process of preparing for the NFL Combine and the draft. It's been a long climb for Highsmith, who went from a walk-on with the 49ers to Charlotte's all-time sacks leader.
Charlotte MLS Technical Director Marc Nicholls talks scouting, coaches, staff and building an academy program a year before their inaugural campaign in 2021.
Former Carolina Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert talks about his NFL career, what keeps him busy in retirement and a Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl pick. Also, he's got opinions on where the Panthers are headed with a new coaching staff and player movement heading into 2020.
Charlotte MLS Director of Community Engagement Dustin Swinehart talks about his new job, passion for service and what a perfect opening day would look like when the team kicks off in 2021.
Charlotte Independence coach/general manager Mike Jeffries is putting both hats to use in the run-up to the USL Championship preseason. The Jacks are aiming to make the postseason after missing the playoffs the last two years. Hosts: Herb White and Ashley Mahoney.
Luke Williams, founder of the Charlotte Soccer Gala, talks about growth of the sport at a grassroots level in Charlotte, addition of an MLS franchise and keynote speaker Tom Glick, president of the new club. Hosts: Herb White and Ashley Mahoney.
Charlotte City Council member James Mitchell talks about Charlotte landing the 30th Major League Soccer franchise and the expected impact beyond sports. Host: Ashley Mahoney.
Johnson C. Smith basketball coach Steve Joyner, who embarks on his 33rd season with the Golden Bulls, offers his assessment of his team, the CIAA and playing position-less hoops long before it became a thing in the NBA. Hosts: Herb White and Ashley Mahoney.
Twins Shareka and Shameka McNeill have led Virginia Union to a pair of CIAA basketball championships in their two years with the Panthers. Their goal is to earn another pair of titles and add a national championship to boot. They share what drives them, VUU's emergence as a Division II national power and sibling rivalry. Hosts: Ashley Mahoney and Herb White.
Nate Wimberley, host of WBTV's "Football Friday Night," talks about the show's history, mission and why it changed the way high school football is covered in the Carolinas. He also weighs in on who has the best football in the Carolinas, and why.
Davidson football is off to a 3-0 start for the second straight season under coach Scott Abell, who has put the program on the path to Division I non-scholarship relevance. Abell talks about recruiting as a non-scholarship school, leveraging the accomplishments of alum and All-NBA star Steph Curry and making Wildcats football a happening.
Hip hop musician Mayor Talib's single "Any Given Saturday" is the soundtrack to HBCU Gameday on Aspire TV. A former football player at Johnson C. Smith and a Florida A&M grad, Talib dishes on southern roots, black college culture and the best HBCU players ever. Hosts: Herb White and Ashley Mahoney.