Chris Stiepock, Class of 1987 and former Wesleyan men’s basketball player, is now the Vice President at NBC Sports where he oversees Supercross, Motocross, and MotoGP. He also helps coordinate NBC Sports’ foray into esports, starting with video games that sync in with NBC Sports’ major programming properties like Premier League, NFL, NHL, Olympics, and NASCAR. Stiepock discusses his incredible story about how his career began, which started as Director of Marketing and Communications for the first-ever X Games that led to a 20-year career at ESPN.

Spike Malangone ’09 was a 3-time All-American for the Wesleyan men’s lacrosse team and was named the best defensive player in the country in 2009. He was one of three Malangone brothers to play for head coach John Raba and the Cardinals, joining his older brother Paul ’05 and his younger brother Conor ’11. Following a stellar playing career, Spike carried that momentum into the professional world and has excelled thus far with jobs working in the NFL, for Sports Recruits LLC, the NFL Network, and now as the VP of Programming for Cadence13; a leader in premium podcasting. Spike has worked on shows such as “Gangster Capitalism”, “Zack to the Future”, and many more. 

The winningest hockey coach in the history of New England prep school hockey, John Gardner ’74, joins Chris & Coach to talk about his playing days, his career at Avon Old Farms, recruiting, coaching players that went on to have NHL careers, and he tells stories about the Stanley Cup! Gardner was inducted into the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. He played baseball and hockey at Wes, including one year of football, and shortly after graduation, he began his 46-year legacy at Avon began.

Growing up in Mill Valley, California (just north of San Francisco), Perry Hammond '03 chose to move east to enroll at Wesleyan University where he enjoyed a successful four-year career with the Cardinals men's soccer program. Following graduation, and after a brief stint back west, he picked up and moved to Madrid, Spain, to teach English. While abroad, he was able to get a start in the sports industry as a translator for a big 'fútbol' club in Madrid. His career path, which has included stops at Nike and Adidas, has led him to his current role as General Manager at Lane United FC, a soccer club based in Eugene, Oregon, that currently plays in USL League Two. Hammond joined Chris & Coach to talk about his journey post-Wesleyan and an incredible story from his undergraduate playing days that you will not want to miss.

Another Wesleyan men’s basketball great joined Chris & Coach as the hosts welcomed Class of 1986, Michael Arcieri. Arcieri was a 1,000-point scorer for the Cardinals, reaching that feat before the 3-point line was even introduced. His incredible story of perseverance is a must-listen for those looking to achieve their dreams. Arcieri has done everything from coaching high school basketball, attending law school, and working for several NBA teams as a scout and director of basketball operations.

Former women’s tennis superstar Victoria Yu ’19, one of the most decorated athletes in Wesleyan Athletics history, joined Chris & Coach on Zoom to discuss why she chose Wes, what it was like playing alongside and against Eudice Chong ’18, what it was like playing doubles with her sister Kristina [‘22], and she relives the 2019 NCAA National Championship match in which the Cardinals became the first women’s team in school history to win a national team championship.

The 2018 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Jordan Sears ’18, was a shutdown defender for the Wesleyan men’s basketball team. Now, the Assistant Video Coordinator for the Milwaukee Bucks gets to guard two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in practice! Sears is excelling in his post-Wesleyan days, in which he started as a graduate assistant coach at St. John’s under Hall of Famer Chris Mullins.

The all-time leading scorer for both goals (35) and points (87) in Wesleyan men’s soccer history, Amos Magee ’93, joins Mike Whalen ’83 and Chris Grace in this week’s episode of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score. Magee was named an NCAA Division III All-American in 1992 and helped guide the Cardinals to a 15-1-1 record in 1991, the program’s greatest record in school history. He went on to play 12 years of professional soccer and was inducted into the Wesleyan Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008. Magee is now the Director of Player Personnel for Minnesota United FC.

Former 1,000-point scorer for the Wesleyan men’s basketball team and now head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Tobin Anderson ’95, joins Mike Whalen ’83 and Chris Grace on Zoom to relive his playing days and discuss his career. Anderson has excelled as the Spartans’ coach and has guided them to a 142-50 (.740) record in six seasons, including five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. At Wesleyan, Anderson was a four-year starter and two-year captain. He graduated as a top-10 scorer in program history and currently sits tied for 11th all-time with 1,129 career points.

Bill Mandigo ’83, a classmate of Athletic Director Mike Whalen ’83, joins Chris & Coach on Zoom to reminisce about his days in Middletown. Mandigo is the head coach of the Middlebury women’s ice hockey and women’s golf programs. He enters his 33rd season as the women’s ice hockey coach and has amassed a 598-158-48 record while winning three NCAA National Championships. He talks about his journey to Vermont, how he was fortunate to coach one of his daughters at Middlebury, what life and coaching have been like during the Covid-19 pandemic, and much more.