Advertise on podcast: Center for Sports Studies Podcast

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Ben Kewman, the Associate Athletic Director of Development of Nebraska Athletics. Ben’s career has centered on the principles of philanthropic giving and athletic development in college athletics, serving for over 17 years in development roles at Purdue University before making his way out west. In his current role with Nebraska Athletics, Ben is one of many leaders in his department who help accomplish a comprehensive advancement strategy for the athletics department, driving philanthropic growth and donor engagement through ambitious and measurable fundraising goals aligned with university priorities and athletic department needs and initiatives. Ben discusses his role with Nebraska Athletics, the development process of current projects and initiatives for the university, the role a well-organized development team plays in helping universities of all sizes strengthen and grow their athletic programs, the impact of travel in athletic fundraising and development, the definition of a successful student-athlete experience, and his favorite memories of working in college athletics.

In this special episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with David Retan, Trine alumnus of 2024 and Account Executive of Group Sales at the Detroit Pistons, as part of the “Trine Trailblazers” series. David’s passion for sports and entertainment has allowed him to grow and excel in his young career, which she credits his education at Trine as a leading factor in his career success. His education and background have allowed him to achieve greatness and success with the Detroit Pistons organization. David discusses his role with the Pistons, his connection and attachment to Trine University, how his education at Trine has impacted his growth and career advancement, the importance of group sales and building strong relationships with clients and how to measure success effectively in this role, how evolving fan expectations impact the direction an organization will take in fan relationships efforts, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Ben Nichols, founder and CEO of The 22. Known as “Mr. Padel,” Ben has helped elevate the sport’s profile internationally over the past four years, taking “brand padel” from a relatively unknown concept in the UK to audiences through Forbes, the Financial Times, The New York Times, CNN International, and the BBC.Ben founded the world’s first padel agency, co-founded the Anglo American Padel Cup (also known as the “Ryder Cup of Padel”), developed Insider 22, a leading community for padel entrepreneurs, and serves as an on-screen contributor and executive producer for Travel Racket, a mainstream production focused on the sport. His work has earned him the Padel Ambassador Award at the inaugural British Padel Awards and recognition as a finalist for the Sport Industry Awards.Before entering the world of padel, Ben led global media relations for the World Anti-Doping Agency during the Russian Doping Crisis, considered one of the biggest sporting scandals of the 21st century, and was featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary Icarus in 2018. Now relocating to the United States, Ben is focused on helping build the American padel market while exploring what makes the sport—and the culture surrounding it—so unique.Ben discusses his role with The 22, a summary of the sport of padel, its history and the growth of a lesser-known sport, the challenges of building a sport from a business perspective, how padel fits within modern consumer and sports industry trends, the development of padel in the U.S. market, and his favorite memories of working in international sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Andy Rang, Director of Athletics and Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Trine University Athletics. Andy’s career has centered around the advancement and development of basketball players through coaching at many different levels, from high school athletics to college athletics. With over 20 years of coaching and administrative experience, Andy’s passion, grit and determination for success have allowed him to hone his skills and provide the best learning experience for many different athletes. Andy discusses his new role as Director of Athletics in addition to his coaching duties, the ability to function effectively in multiple administrative roles within the athletic department, how his coaching philosophy has changed over time, his perspective on recent trends in the college athletic landscape, the impact of new athletic facilities on a college campus, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In the first episode of the 2026-2027 season, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Steven Donohue, the Associate Athletics Director of Development of the West Point Association of Graduates for the United States Army. Steven’s career has centered on the principles of philanthropic giving and athletic development in college athletics, serving for universities and programs such as Purdue University and Northern Illinois University. In his current role with Army Athletics, Steven is one of many leaders in his department who help accomplish a comprehensive advancement strategy for the athletics department, driving philanthropic growth and donor engagement through ambitious and measurable fundraising goals aligned with university priorities and athletic department needs and initiatives. Steven discusses his role with Army Athletics, the development process of current projects and initiatives for the university, the role a well-organized development team plays in helping universities of all sizes strengthen and grow their athletic programs, the definition of a successful student-athlete experience, and his favorite memories of working in college athletics.

In the last episode of the 2025-2026 academic year, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Jake Kinsey, Athletic Director for Fremont High School in Fremont, IN. Jake’s experience in coaching and education has provided him with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in his role with Fremont High School, having served as an assistant coach for the Trine University Football team for almost twenty years. His position with Fremont HS Athletics gives him the ability to share his experiences with young students, helping shape their education and growth through high school athletics. Jake discusses his role with Fremont High School, his experience with Trine Athletics, being an influence and advocate for his students and student-athletes, the importance of recruiting students across multiple sports at a small high school, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Mike Avery, Head Coach of Fort Wayne Football Club. Mike’s career has centered around the advancement and development of soccer players through coaching at many different levels, from collegiate athletes to professional athletes. With over 25 years of coaching experience, Mike’s passion, grit and determination for success have allowed him to hone his skills and provide the best learning experience for many different athletes. Mike discusses his role with Fort Wayne FC, his connection to Trine University, how his coaching philosophy has changed over time, his perspective on recent trends and innovations in player development, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this special episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Nikki Maroney, Trine alumna of 2022 and Senior Account Executive of Membership Services at Ilitch Sports & Entertainment as part of the “Trine Trailblazers” series. Nikki’s passion for sports and entertainment has allowed her to grow and excel in her young career, which she credits her education at Trine as a leading factor in her career success. Her education and background have allowed her to achieve greatness and success in her numerous roles in membership services with Ilitch Sports & Entertainment, the ownership group of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. Nikki discusses her role with Ilitch Sports & Entertainment, her connection and attachment to Trine University, how her education at Trine has impacted her growth and career advancement, the importance of membership services and building strong relationships with clients and how to measure success effectively in this role, how evolving fan expectations impact the direction an organization will take in fan relationships efforts, and her favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Katie Stumpp, Associate Athletic Director of Administration at the University of Pittsburgh Athletics. Katie is an experienced collegiate athletics administrator with over a decade of leadership across sport administration, operations, compliance, and event management at Power Four institutions, such as Marietta College, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Purdue University and the Ohio State University. Her current role at Pitt Athletics has her overseeing multiple sport programs, leading the event management and sports camps departments, and supporting more than 450 student-athletes and staff in achieving excellence on and off the field. Katie discusses her role with Pitt Athletics, the importance of having a well-rounded administrative staff in a highly competitive Power Four conference, how her experience as a DIII graduate played a role in her career success and longevity, the challenges of hosting major external events related to athletics such as College GameDay, challenges her department faces in regards to NIL initiatives and regulations, and her favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Dave Serowka, College Instructor of Sport Management at Northern Illinois University. Dave’s personality and experience in athletics and recreation and sport management have allowed him to excel in his career in numerous opportunities, from working in game day staff with the Schaumburg Boomers and the Chicago Bears, to working with campus recreation at Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University, to now serving in his current role in college education. His passion for connecting classroom concepts to real-world applications have allowed him to foster professional growth and develop the next generation of sports industry leaders. Dave discusses his role at Northern Illinois University, the growth of sport management as a career field over the past few decades, the importance of applied learning as a critical venture for students and young professionals, the skills and abilities required for college students to excel in the industry, and his favorite memories of working in sports and academics.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Kyne Sheehy, Assistant Athletics Director for Ticket Sales, Premium Seating and Service at the University of Notre Dame Athletics. Kyne’s determination, work ethic and drive for growth and success in ticket sales and service have allowed him to excel in every stage of his career, including at San Diego State University, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Mobile BayBears, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, and The Aspire Group, Inc. His current position at Notre Dame Athletics grants him leadership over the ticket sales, service and retention team for multiple sport programs, allowing him the opportunity to help his team build upon their skillsets and abilities and deliver the best customer service experience for the Notre Dame faithful. Kyne discusses his role with Notre Dame Athletics, the evolution of the athletic and entertainment ticketing experience, the ability for Notre Dame Athletics to balance tradition with modernism and its impact on fans of all ages, influential factors affecting current ticket pricing and sales strategies, new opportunities for growth and innovation in ticketing for athletic and entertainment events, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Tim House, the Deputy Athletics Director for Development and Strategic Initiatives of Michigan State University Athletics. Tim’s career has centered on the principles of philanthropic giving and athletic development in college athletics, serving for universities and programs such as Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, Duke University, the United State Military Academy at West Point, the University of Pennsylvania, and Purdue University. In his current role with MSU Athletics, Tim leads and elevates a comprehensive advancement strategy for the athletics department, driving philanthropic growth and donor engagement through ambitious and measurable fundraising goals aligned with university priorities and athletic department needs and initiatives. He also serves on the athletic department’s leadership team and manages several Spartan teams and a variety of key initiatives that position Michigan State for success amid an evolving intercollegiate athletics landscape. Tim discusses his role with MSU Athletics, the development process of current projects and initiatives for the university, the role a well-organized development team plays in helping universities of all sizes strengthen and grow their athletic programs, the definition of a successful student-athlete experience, and his favorite memories of working in college athletics.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Matt Bomberg, President of the Great Lakes Division of Northwoods League Baseball and President/Managing Partner of the newly formed Richmond Flying Mummies in Richmond, IN. Matt’s entire career has centered on business development and talent evaluation in baseball, having worked for organizations such as the St. Paul Saints, the former Fort Myers Miracle, the former Green Bay Bullfrogs, Glitnir Ticketing, STATS LLC, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his current roles, he utilizes and leverages his career experience as the league liaison for the Great Lakes Division of the Northwoods League summer collegiate baseball league, coordinating schedules and business development opportunities for the division. He also serves as Co-Owner of Northwoods League Softball, a new enterprise built on the same premise as its baseball counterpart, and is President and Managing Partner for the newly formed Richmond Flying Mummies team, building a new organization from scratch and beginning a new era of baseball in Eastern Indiana. Matt discusses his roles with the Northwoods League, the development process of initiating new teams and organizations in an already enormous league, why hiring the right people for the right opportunity is critical to maintain both short- and long-term success, the importance of integrity and good business ethics when wearing lots of hats in job responsibility, the changes in the game of baseball over time and how they have impacted many facets of business operations, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Dr. Lacee’ Carmon-Johnson, Director of Basketball Advancement for the Toronto Raptors NBA team. Lacee’s career has centered around the education and advancement of athletes and students alike, having worked in numerous capacities with athletic programs and universities such as Stephen F. Austin State University, Marshall University, Purdue University, and Western Kentucky University. Currently, her role with the Toronto Raptors sees her in a player service and development role that helps to benefit many different areas of the organization, such as daily operations, community engagement, philanthropy, player programs and resource implementation, and cultural enhancement. Lacee’ discusses her role with the Toronto Raptors, the importance of continuing education both for students and professionals alike, the challenges of running a player development program for a professional organization, the development of prospects’ personal brands and value of NIL in college athletics and its impact on professional organizations, and her favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Adam Darowski, Executive Director of Design for Sports Reference, LLC. Adam’s career has centered around web design and product development, but took a huge turn when he joined Sports Reference in 2020. Since then, he’s been involved in numerous projects and achievements with the organization, including the integration of Negro League data to the Sports Reference database, personal research on the 25th Infantry Wreckers and the 4,000 Professional Hit Club, and the acquisition of the widely popular Immaculate Grid game. Adam discusses his role at Sports Reference, LLC, the importance of an aggressively functional web design philosophy, the integration of Negro League data to the Baseball Reference database, the acquisition of Immaculate Grid and its impact on the sports stathead community, and his favorite memories of working in sports.