The Sunbirds Sports Show with Paul Meadors

FPU’s newest sport is in the house – Women’s STUNT.  Host Paul Meadors welcomes head coach Alyssa Troutt, senior Jaime Galvez, and freshmen Bella Miranda, Allison Geiger and Alycia Escalante into the ESPN Studios.

Don’t know much about STUNT?  You will after this episode!  Having now assembled her first roster, Coach Alyssa breaks down the fundamentals of the competition and details how the first few months of formation and practice have been going with the new team.  Many of the student-athletes on the STUNT team are still adapting to the new sport from their time competing in cheer in gymnastics, the three freshmen recall their first days on the FPU campus, meeting their new teammates, learning the routines, and overcoming the fear factor involved in competing in STUNT.  Senior Jamie talks about her experience as a Sunbird cheerleader and the transition process into trying this new program, plus 6am practices and more.

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With less than one week until the Sunbirds tip off basketball season against Fresno State, host Paul Meadors sits down in the ESPN Studios with head coach CJ Haydock, senior Isaac Peralta, junior Seth Brown, and local freshmen Loukas Jones and Logan Kilbert.

Expectations for the ‘Birds are high heading into the season, with the PacWest coaches predicting them to make a lot of noise in the conference race this season.  All-PacWest second team performer Peralta, along with Brown – the team’s top two scorers from last season – break down their preparation for the new season, their chemistry, and their expectations.  Coach Haydock talks about everything from the community impact of playing the Bulldog to the mentality of this year’s squad ahead of what could be a special season for the Sunbirds.  Then, two well-renowned local stars in Loukas and Logan (the former CIF all-time leader scorer from Sierra High School) discuss the transition from high school to college and how excited they are to continue adding to the legacies here in the Valley.

Monday November 3rd – the Sunbirds face Fresno State at the Save Mart Center.  The women tip off at 5pm, the men at 7:30pm.  Let’s pack the SMC and #BackTheBirds!

With college hoops season so close to tipping off, host Paul Meadors is joined this week in the ESPN Studios by members of the Sunbirds Women’s Basketball team: Associate Head Coach Santino Reynolds, senior Aaliyah Seuell, and freshmen Alexa Perryman and Sienna Evans.

The former San Joaquin Memorial duo of Alexa and Sienna dive into the details of acclimating to college life from studying and time managment to daily practice and preparation for the season. Plus, coach Tino talks about the amount of player turnover from last year compared to this year and how they expect to replace nine outgoing seniors, and Aaliyah reflects on her FPU career ahead of her final season in the Navy and Orange.

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After being preempted last week by the MLB Playoffs, the Sunbirds Sports Show on ESPN 790 returns this week with the FPU Women’s Soccer team.  Host Paul Meadors is joined by head coach Roberto Hernandez, sophomores Sophie Rosales and Ayana Kirisimasi, and freshmen Abby Cano Ledezma and Rosie Farina. 

It’s been a challenging start to the year for the team, but their resilience, grit, and courage has been on display week in and week out.  Despite what the win/loss record says, the coaching staff sees a young, hungry side that’s ready to show what they’re capable of. 

Coach Roberto talks about what each student-athlete brings to the core of the squad, and Ayana describes her experience with the American Samoa National Team.  Plus, toward the end of the show Paul is joined by his new co-host, Zach Sims, for the Five Questions segment.

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This week, host Paul Meadors is joined in the ESPN Studios by members of the FPU volleyball team: head coach Kelsee Montagna, grad student Mikayla Weiss, junior Rachel Plantinga, and freshman Madelyn Feramisco.

FPU volleyball is off to a hot start, currently 10-0 on the season and just outside the national top 25 rankings.  With a grueling trio of matches against the PacWest’s best coming up this weekend, the three student-athletes go through what a practice looks like and how they prepare for competition before every game.  Coach Kelsee reflects on the season so far – her second in charge of the Sunbirds – as well as the team’s tight-knit chemistry, the light-hearted side of the program, and the traits she looks for in recruiting student-athletes.  Plus, the three student-athletes describe their different journeys to FPU.  Mikayla – who recently scored her 1000th career collegiate assist – talks about her move to FPU from Fresno State, and Madelyn – a freshman superstar in the making who was on the verge of quitting volleyball after high school – details  how attending a practice with the Sunbirds made her change her mind and commit to Fresno Pacific.

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This week is a special edition of the Sunbirds Sports Show, as host Paul Meadors is joined by one of the greatest ever to wear the Navy and Orange: 5-time NAIA All-American, FPU Hall of Famer, and current Sunbirds assistant volleyball coach Kelly (Watney) Winter.  The Watneys are no strangers to athletic success here in the Valley, and Kelly continues to add to the family legacy as a fundamental figure in the local volleyball community and beyond.  The Sunbirds’ all-time assists leader, conference player of the year, and former head coach shares her story – from her early days growing up under her father - legendary Fresno State golf coach Mike Watney - to starring for the ‘Birds both on the volleyball court and in track & field, later leading them into the NCAA Division II era as head coach, and then ultimately finding her next calling as a mathematics professor at Reedley College.  There are few Sunbirds as decorated as Kelly, and after this episode you’ll know why.

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Sunbird Soccer is in full swing and the men’s team returns to the ESPN Studios for their first appearance of season two.  Joining host Paul Meadors is FPU head coach Cameron Shahrokhi, assistant coach Villyan Bijev, and senior captains Julian Arán Martín and Lucas Ribeiro.

As the two senior captains approach their final games leading the Sunbirds, they reflect on their time in Fresno and their journey together on the pitch as teammates and off the pitch as best friends.  After last season’s deep run in the PacWest playoffs, Coach Cam talks season expectations and the DNA of this season’s squad.

Assistant coach and former professional Villyan shares the story of beginning career with England powerhouse Liverpool FC at age 18 and the playing and coaching career that brought him back home to Fresno.

Plus, plenty of talk about the state of soccer in the Valley, drinking mate tea, a passionate GOAT debate, and five questions from the FPU students.

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Men’s and Women’s Cross Country is back in the house with host Paul Meadors, and this time he’s joined by new FPUXC head coach Landon Miller, seniors Julissa Avila and Rodney Chemalmal, and sophomores Julia Martinez and Aidan Ransom.

Fresh off the heels of a successful race at Woodward Park with both the men and women taking first place, Coach Miller shares his outlook on the season and what he hopes the team to accomplish in 2025.  Then the four student-athletes talk about both their training routines and off track endeavors and aspirations.  Plus, Rodney – from Kenya – shares his unique story from his tribe back home to discovering FPU, and what he misses most about his homeland.

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This week, host Paul Meadors is joined in the ESPN Studios by FPU’s new men’s water polo coach Jon Miller, plus senior Blake Johnson, sophomores Tristan Fox and Jake Canales, and freshman Matthew Dillsaver.

After the program’s founding coach Bryan Suhovy decided to shift his focus fulltime to leading the Sunbirds women’s team, FPU men’s water polo turned to Clovis High legend and former California Baptist University standout player and coach Jon Miller.  Coach Miller discusses returning home to the Valley after years in SoCal, what drew him to the university, and what he looks to build on as the second person ever to lead an FPU water polo program.  The four student-athletes – Blake from SoCal, Tristan from Oregon, Jake from Texas, and Matthew from Atwater – talk about their favorite parts of living on campus, extracurriculars, their outlooks on the fresh season, getting recruiting to play college water polo at FPU, pregame food routines, and tons more.

Plus, the return of the weekly Five Questions segment rounds out the show, and the guys will have you cracking up with some hilarious responses.

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We’re back!  Host Paul Meadors kicks off season two of the Sunbirds Sports Show with frequent contributor and FPU Director of Athletics, Kyle Ferguson, and FPU Vice President of Student Development, Jake Gilbertson.

It was a busy summer at on the campus of Fresno Pacific, and Kyle and Jake will walk you through it.  From significant facility upgrades to landmark donations and gifts, those behind the scenes at FPU stayed pretty busy all summer.

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