Sing Second Alumni

A great pod this week as we talk about a bunch of stuff happening at AA&F and around the yard. Two alums were drafted this weekend in the NFL draft. We talk about the storybook night for Landon Robinson and Eli Heidenreich Saturday…and a pretty special moment for Margo Darragh ‘16, too. WWe also chat about the last Roadshow of the Winter/Spring season and the upcoming Great Class Challenge. And our Alumni interview this week is with Capt. Erik Kenny ‘02. Erik is the CO of USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), the ship that just recovered the Artemis and her crew a couple weeks ago. Erik joins the pod to talk about it all and the leadership required to command a crew through such a high-vis evolution. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

A full plate this week as we dive deep into the NFL draft this weekend with a guy who’s likely going to hear his name called Saturday…Landon Robinson. The Football Team Co-Captain talks about the Prospect of being drafted and his favorite memories from his four years on the Severn. One of those memories was a post-game visit on the field in Baltimore with Kenneth Jary, an 83-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and TikTok sensation from Minnesota known for spreading joy and patriotism. We talk to Patriotic Kenny about Landon and his own health journey now. We also chat with Murphy Smith ‘25, who just finished the Boston Marathon at 2:08:58…the fastest marathon time of any USNA alum…EVER. And we also chat with new St. John’s President J. Walter Sterling about the Croquet match…a match USNA just won again this weekend. Chris and John also chat about this past weekend’s 50 Years of Women Celebration at the Fluegel Alumni Center and many more topics on a supersized version of the Sing Second Pod. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to the best Alumni Podcast in the business, people. Chris and John bring the goods this week with an exclusive conversation with Bill Moran ‘81 and Becky Haase ‘94 about the name change of the Athletic & Scholarship Programs (A&SP) to the Naval Academy Athletic Foundation. The Admiral and Becky open up about the conversations behind changing the name and take the time to talk in plain terms about the organization’s mission and real impact to the physical mission at USNA. The Athletic Foundation is all about leader development. Don’t miss this amazing conversation about that and many other hot topics around the physical mission. Chris and John also preview next week’s 50 Years of Women gala and the other happenings on the yard as the ac year starts wrapping up. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

Sing Second Podcast featuring interviews with Athletic Director Michael Kelly and Lacrosse alums Jeff Johnson ’79 and Jon Brianas ’00 about the groundbreaking of the new Navy Lacrosse Center. The Naval Academy Athletic Association, in partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation, held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for the new Navy Lacrosse Center, a 35,000-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility for Navy's men's and women's lacrosse programs. We are joined by AD Michael Kelly to discuss the new facility and the positive momentum behind it and all of Navy Athletics right now. As Michael said at the groundbreaking, “We are investing. We're building. We're demonstrating through action our belief in the physical mission and not only what it'll do on our fields and courts here for Navy athletics, but what it'll do for our country, because at Navy, we truly believe that we represent what college sports is at its very best. Navy athletics is college sports at its best now and forever.” We also chat with Jeff Johnson ‘79 and Jon Brianas ‘00, who attended the ceremony and very generously donated to the building’s fundraising. And Chris and John discuss the significance behind this week’s Bonds of Gold ceremony and recap a great weekend for USNA sports. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

The last pod of March! Can you feel it? It’s the ending of the dark ages and the beginning of the countdown to Graduation and Commissioning. The Sing Second Pod team brings you the latest from the Army-Navy star series…some news about the new Lacrosse building on the yard…and an appreciation for our AA&F teammate, John Taylor, who just retired after 54 years here. 54!!! We have a great conversation with our very own Tony Spinler ‘91 about Alumni Support Services. And our alumnae feature for the last pod of Women’s History Month is with LCDR Emma Manzi ‘12. Emma is a SWO, a small business owner and a soon-to-be-mom. How does she balance it all? She joins the pod to give the scoop on that and her business - Grace and Yarmouth. Check out the “SWO Mama” and her stuff at https://www.graceandyarmouth.com/ . That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

March is winding down, but the Sing Second Pod team couldn’t be happier, because that means it’s officially Orioles season! Chris and John talk about the great sporting events - like Army/Navy - that become great settings for connection and memories. Orioles Opening Day is that for the pod hosts. What is it for the alumni? Reunions? Croquet? Army/Navy? Blue Angels? The hosts also discuss the recent Presidential order protecting the Army-Navy game, and we talk about the invaluable heroes of the Naval Academy - Sponsor families. Our featured interview this week is Susan Yoshihara ‘86. As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month and prep for April’s 50 Years of Women gala at the Fluegel Alumni Center, Susan brings home the goods about her amazing experience in and out of uniform. Susan is founder and president of the American Council on Women Peace and Security (ACWPS), a non-partisan nonprofit organization advancing women’s leadership in international peace and security, and she served for 20 years as an active-duty U.S. Navy helicopter pilot in the Western Pacific. We have a great convo. Don’t miss it. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

March Sadness continued on the yard as the Women’s Basketball team joined the men’s team in getting upset in the Patriot League Tournament. So…no March Madness for Navy basketball, but the teams still get to play in some postseason tournaments. Chris and John discuss. March 16th is also the drop date for the AA&F Travel Catalog. We follow up last week’;s successful Travel Showcase at the FAC with interviews with AHI Travel and the WWII Museum about some of the trips they offer in partnership with us. Take it from us…it’s better to travel with an AA&F program. And our feature interview this week is with one of John’s old bosses, Jim Shannon ‘81. The Admiral helps us continue to mark Women’s History Month by offering his perspectives from his time as a Mid when the first classes of women arrived…his leadership perspectives from a great career in the Fleet and his “Pee Wee Reese” moment when it came time to really support his female Shipmates. It’s always good to chat with an Irishman on St. Patty’s, and Jim is indeed one of those. Slainte!! That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

March is a cruel month, Pod Fans! We bring you the newest pod just a day removed from Boston University’s last second game-winner, a shot that ended Navy’s magical Patriot League run and took them out of the NCAA tournament. Chris and John break down the heartbreaker. We also chat about the amazing news about Col. John Ripley ‘62 being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in Vietnam. Was also have a football schedule and a date for the Distinguished Graduate ceremony. We break it down. And our feature interview this week is with Mary Brigden ‘81. Mary was an All American sailor, an Olympic hopeful and still sails the mean waters of Coronado. She talks about her experience in one of the first classes of women at USNA and chats about the amazing fundraising women alums and the USNA Women SIG are organizing to support the April Gala and the Naval Academy. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to March, Pod Fans! The way our basketball teams are playing, this March looks to be a pretty fun time on campus. Both teams will host the Patriot League Tournament on the Yard this year, starting with the men this week and women next week. Let’s go Dancing! Our Alumni Feature is a good one! Kristi Bickel just wrote a children’s book - Rosie’s Day on a Warship. That’s good SWO reading right there. We talk to Krisiti about her journey to becoming an author. And we chat with her about the upcoming Celebration of 50 Years of Women at USNA. Krisit is in charge of the Comms for the event. She gives us an update. And we chat with John O’Leary about this weekend’s Hooley at the FAC. Another great opportunity this weekend to connect with the city of Annapolis and the supportive citizens of our town. John talks about the event and why he loves the Fluegel Alumni Center. And finally…we have to acknowledge the events taking place in the Middle East and the military operations taking place in Iran. Chris and John discuss the impact on the current Mids, alumni…and they chat about a pretty impactful correspondence the Supe sent the Brigade as the operations unfolded. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

The final days of February are upon us…and we’ve already won the Star Series against Army. A great weekend for Men’s and Women’s Basketball up in scenic Highland Falls resulted in two Star wins. With those wins, both teams clinched the regular season Patriot League titles and clinched the Star Series for Navy. Sing Second!! We also just got back from a little record-breaking Roadshow in Tennessee. We talk about that. And we have two amazing interviews. Iron Mike Steadman is making it out there in the entrepreneur space. Want a Ted Talk? Mike gives it. From helping to launch the USNA Entrepreneurs Group (who just held an amazing event at the FAC this past week) to being a Brigade Boxing Champ, Mike has stories. You want to hear them. ANd we chat with Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao ‘96. The Under dishes on his time as a Mid and the Navy & Marine Corps the Class of 2026 is about to join. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.