The Sunbirds Sports Show with Paul Meadors

Host and big-time gamer Paul Meadors has one of his favorite FPU teams in the ESPN Studios this week: Sunbirds Esports.  He’s joined by program director Chris Carlson, freshman Jose “Jason4239” Alvarez, sophomore Chris “Mr.Sentinel” Taylor, and junior Alyssa “Mclovinn” Zuniga.

If you missed last season’s Esports episode – or you enjoyed it so much that you couldn’t wait for them to return – you’re really going to enjoy this one.  Now into their second year in program history and coming off a strong fall season that ended with a postseason berth, the ‘Birds are gearing up for a strong spring season competing in Super Smash Bros, Overwatch II, Rocket League, and Marvel Rivals.  Esports is such a new phenomenon in college athletics, and program founder and director Chris talks about the structure and format of competition as well as the leap from starting out as a burgeoning, grassroots program to now challenging for trophies in less than two years.  Hear from these newest Sunbird student-athletes as they talk about the impact the Esports program has had on them and their roles in turning FPU into a destination for gamers across California and beyond.

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We’re back in the pool this week as host Paul Meadors is joined in the ESPN Studios by members of the women’s water polo team – head coach Bryan Suhovy, senior Emma Cook, junior Maggie Cook, and freshmen Kennedy Green and Sofia DeRollo.

It’s a new era for Sunbird polo, as program-founding head coach Suhovy now leads just the women for the first time ever.  Along with the Cook sisters, he talks about their season expectations, recruiting and coaching philosophies, and the impact that longtime Sunbirds Emma and Maggie have made on the program.  Plus, the pair of freshman – Kennedy from the LA area and Sofia from the Bay Area – describe their adjustments to college life in Fresno, their recruitment, and the step up from high school to college polo.

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It’s the start of baseball season, so host Paul Meadors is joined in the ESPN Studios with head coach Oscar Hirschkorn and members of the Sunbird baseball team: grad student TJ Smith (2B) and seniors Chris Clement (INF/OF), Darryl Dilworth (OF), and Aaron Martinez Jr (3B).

Before heading south for the first series of the year, Coach Hirschkorn and team swing by to discuss how their preparation for the new season has been going while describing all the work behind the scenes getting the guys ready for opening day.  2026 marks the first full season for the team in their beautiful new home, Dan Martin Stadium, and the guys talk about how special it is to be able to practice, play, and hang out at such an elite baseball facility.  Plus, the guys talk about their expectations for the season, the results of the PacWest coaches poll, and five questions to close it all out.

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#46: Track & Field – Robert Foster, Gus Remlinger, Avril Mendoza and Brooklyn Epperley

This week, members of the stacked FPU Track & Field team join host Paul Meadors in the ESPN Studios: head coach Robert Foster, sprinter Gus Remlinger, hurdler Avril Mendoza, and thrower Brooklyn Epperley.

Coming off quite possibly the greatest season in program history, expectations for the ‘Birds are sky high for both the men’s and women’s teams in 2026.  Two-time Olympian and Fresno State record-holder Coach Foster describes season expectations and the types of student-athletes he covets while Gus, a former Bulldog football player, talks about being a big goal guy as well as the story of what made him switch from the Fresno State gridiron to the FPU track.  Plus, Avril – who finished 4th in the nation in the 400m hurdles last season as a freshman – talks about getting to now be coached by her former teammate, FPU legend Brianna Green, and Cal Poly transfer Brooklyn speaks on the throwers’ training regimen as well as her opinion on Central East’s switch from Grizzlies to Bengals.

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Class is back in session and so is the Sunbirds Sports Show!  In the first episode of 2026, host Paul Meadors chats with former FPU men’s basketball player AJ Kirby.

It’s been one year since the devastating fires that ripped through Los Angeles began, so we thought it was fitting to catch up with AJ – a fulltime firefighter stationed in LA.  AJ shares memories from that time for the LAFD, his journey from playing basketball in Fresno to joining the fire department back in his hometown, seeing some famous faces while out on calls, and the impact that Fresno Pacific has made on his life.  AJ is one of those guys whose name brings a smile to the faces of everyone who knows him from campus, so enjoy hearing about the latest chapter in the life of a beloved Sunbird.

** Due to AJ’s demanding schedule at the fire station, this interview was recorded in advance on his day off. **

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The final Sunbirds Sports Show of 2025 is throwing it back to the glory days of Fresno Pacific College men’s basketball!  Members from the 1994-1995 Sunbirds are in the house – host Paul Meadors is joined by legends Tim Amundsen, John Jones, and Tod Tompkins.

Bullard High varsity boys head coach Tim, Clovis North varsity boys assistant coach John, and Caruthers Unified administrator Tod reunite with their former classmate Paul for an hour of hilarious stories from their days competing for the Sunbirds in the NAIA that you do not want to miss.

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It’s Finals Week on campus for the student-athletes of Fresno Pacific University, but one of the greatest Sunbirds in recent memory was able to find some time to join host Paul Meadors in the ESPN Studios.  Four-year volleyball standout Cambria Waites, along with head coach Kelsee Montagna, break down the incredible and historic season for Sunbird Volleyball.

Just days after their season ended in the Sweet Sixteen, Kelsee and Cam go over everything from this memorable fall that ended with a 27-2 record and conference championship.  2025 marked the rebirth of Sunbird volleyball - once the pride of Fresno Pacific Athletics – and it all began last year with the arrival of Coach Kelsee and her staff as they began to rebuild the program’s culture piece by piece.  Less than two calendar years later they are NCAA contenders unified by a love for the game and each other.  Kelsee and Cam discuss how important this progress has been and where it will take the program going forward. Plus, Cam - a Criminology major - talks true crime, and Kelsee tells the wild story her ultra-marathon runner husband accomplished while the team was competing in the PacWest Tournament.

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The Sunbirds Sports Show is back after a nice Thanksgiving break.  Host Paul Meadors welcomes back the Men’s Water Polo team to the ESPN Studios – head coach Jon Miller, seniors Forrest Gray and Samuel Ramos, junior Chase Hammes, and sophomore Jordan Lambert.

Fresh off his first season in charge, Coach Miller reflects on the season that was that included a victory over a D-I opponent, taking down mega rival Biola on the road, and a fourth place finish in the WWPA conference.  Forrest and Sam discuss their chemistry in the pool as teammates, give their takes on Thanksgiving vs Christmas, and look back on their time as Sunbirds.  Chase and Jordan talk about goalies scoring goals, finding your role on the team, and what it really takes to play collegiate water polo.  Plus, best Christmas gifts ever, and more.

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It’s another special edition of the Sunbirds Sports Show, as host Paul Meadors is joined again by FPU legend and director of soccer Jaime Ramirez.

Last time Jaime - aka Profé - was on the show, he shared stories of this childhood growing up in Mexico, his move to Fresno when he was 11 years old, and his time as a Sunbird player.  In this episode, Jaime picks right back up where he left off – from his professional playing career and signing with the LA Aztecs, to his first days leading the Fresno Pacific program.  You won’t want to miss the last chapter of this fascinating conversation with one of America's most accomplished college soccer coaches.

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This week, the Sunbird swimmers are back in the ESPN Studios.  Host Paul Meadors is joined by head coach Ray Eggert and assistant coach Rebeca Bribiesca Spears, plus seniors Cara Moehle and Tony Montes, and freshmen Mia Manno and Santiago Schute.

It’s a new era in the pool for FPU as coach Eggert takes over the program that he once starred for as a student-athlete.  The 2010 and 2011 NAIA national champion and former team captain discusses the state of the program toward the midpoint of his first season – everything from establishing a new culture to setting championship expectations for the program he helped put on the map over a decade ago.

Tony and Santiago dive deep into their training regiments, team bonding, and some… interesting pre-race routines.  Coach Rebeca – from Mexico City – and Germans Cara and Mia each talk about their individual journeys that brought them to the Valley, as well as their favorite bits of culture shock here in America and Fresno.

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