Stroman on Sports (News On The Hill)

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman joins News Director Brighton McConnell for her weekly segment on Friday, Apr. 10. With UNC hiring former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to now lead its men’s basketball program, the athletics department is betting on a seasoned professional — but one who has not coached exclusively college players in a while. Stroman shares her thoughts on how the current college sports landscape may create challenges for Malone, who is known for being tough and straightforward with his players. She also shares her perspective of someone who joined the Carolina Family after not having played in Chapel Hill for college.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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The post Will UNC’s Michael Malone and His Tough Coaching Work in Modern College Ball? – Stroman on Sports (Apr. 10, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Deborah Stroman joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell over the phone on Friday, Apr. 3 from Phoenix ahead of the women’s basketball NCAA Tournament’s Final Four tipping off. Stroman shares what the atmosphere is like and what it’s like to be an environment so celebratory of women’s hoops. Then, the pair preview the matchups of South Carolina-UConn and Texas-UCLA — a repeat of last season’s Final Four. Is that kind of repeat a good thing for the sport, and how do those programs find the consistency to set themselves apart? Who does Debby say are players to watch and the favorite to win it all?

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Previewing the Women’s Final Four + What the Four No. 1 Seeds Bring – Stroman on Sports (Apr. 3, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, Mar. 27 about both UNC basketball programs, as the women’s team prepares for its Sweet 16 matchup vs. No. 1 UConn and the men’s team’s ongoing head coaching search. Following the dismissal of Hubert Davis earlier in the week, it’s been an emotional week for Carolina fans. Stroman shares her perspective on why she wishes the next coach will still have some Carolina Family ties and shares a name not currently being broadly discussed as an option. Plus: Debby details what constitutes as a win for UNC women’s basketball, considering they are such underdogs to the Huskies, and what the coaches’ message ought to be to the young players.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Previewing UNC Women’s Basketball vs. UConn and Discussing Men’s Basketball’s Coaching Vacancy – Stroman on Sports (Mar. 27, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Deborah Stroman chats with Brighton McConnell ahead of UNC women’s basketball’s first round NCAA Tournament game in Chapel Hill on Friday, Mar. 20. She previews the Tar Heels’ weekend schedule hosting games and what she’s looking to see from Courtney Banghart’s team as they take on Western Illinois. Stroman also shares the storylines she’s most interested in for the women’s side of March Madness — after weighing in on UNC men’s basketball’s disappointing end to its season with a first-round overtime loss to VCU.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post As UNC Women’s Basketball Gets its March Madness Started, Carolina Men’s Basketball Crashes Out – Mar. 20, 2026 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, Mar. 13 following UNC men’s basketball’s 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night. Carolina crashed out of the tournament without winning one game for the first time since 2014 and — despite a furious comeback attempt — displayed a lack of urgency that has put the team in trouble this season. Stroman and McConnell discuss what went wrong vs. Clemson, what to look out for in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, and how such games reflect on Hubert Davis and the coaching staff.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post UNC Men’s Basketball Fizzles in ACC Tournament, Raising Coaching Staff Questions – Mar. 13, 2026 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell talk on Friday, Feb. 27 ahead of the final weekend of the regular season in women’s college basketball and the ACC tournament beginning in Duluth, Ga. Stroman shares the storylines she’s been most interested in from ACC play and what she’s looking forward to before covering the conference tournament, while McConnell discusses the importance of UNC finishing as the No. 3 seed in the ACC standings. Plus: the pair share their thoughts ahead of the Tar Heels hosting the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils on Sunday to finish off the regular season and get March Madness started!

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Previewing the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, UNC-Duke Rematch– Stroman on Sports (Feb. 27, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, Feb. 20 about UNC men’s basketball star Caleb Wilson and his future. With the freshman forward nursing a broken bone in his non-shooting hand, the Tar Heels are struggling on the court. With Wilson, they could be contenders — but what risk does he carry toward his NBA Draft stock if he returns? Stroman shares her perspective on what modern college athletes weigh when battling through injury, as well as her thoughts on another star freshman (Kansas’ Darryn Peterson) and his injury management strategy.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Balancing Injury, Competition and Draft Stock: What Should Caleb Wilson Do? – Stroman on Sports (Feb. 20, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Andrew Stuckey discuss this past weekend’s UNC vs. Duke women’s basketball game. She talked about how the Tar Heels were able to find offense in a series that has put points at a premium. She also talked about how the team is operating with a focus on the post, particularly as Reniya Kelly has missed the most recent games with an injury. She also discussed the presence of politics in the Olympics, and more.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post UNC vs. Duke in Women’s Basketball, Politics in the Olympics, and More – Stroman on Sports (Feb. 16, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell discuss on Friday, Feb. 13 the controversy around political statements and cultural highlights made at both the Olympics and Super Bowl. Bad Bunny’s halftime show electrified the biggest football game in the world, but some conservatives tried to argue it was either too political or non-American for the event. Stroman and McConnell discuss the musical artist using the platform to promote a cultural celebration before turning to Italy and the Olympics, where some Team USA athletes have drawn the ire of conservatives for criticizing current events in their home country.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Celebrating Culture, Free Speech Amid Criticism of Super Bowl Halftime and Olympics — Stroman On Sports (Feb. 13, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Is this the biggest weekend of sports EVER??? 97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell discuss the three big events happening around Friday, Feb. 6, with the 2026 Winter Olympics holding their opening ceremony to start the festivities in Milan and Cortino. The big event for locals is UNC men’s basketball facing Duke for the first time this season, with Stroman sharing her keys to success for Carolina as the Tar Heels try to earn their first win over the Blue Devils in more than a year. Finally, the Super Bowl on Sunday features a few Tar Heels and intriguing stories from both sidelines.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Winter Olympics Begin, UNC vs. Duke Preview, and Super Bowl Sunday — Stroman On Sports (Feb. 6, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.