January 19, 2022 Show

Special Guest: Madison Stein

Stein comes to Arkansas State after most recently spending the last six years at the University of Oklahoma in multiple positions, including the last three working with the Varsity ‘O’ Association on that serves current and former OU student-athletes and their families.  A former four-year so􀅌 ball le􀆩 er winner at the University of Kansas, Stein began her 􀆟 me in Norman as a graduate assistant for athletics administration in 2015. After earning her master’s degree in public administration, she was named a Support Services Coordinator in 2017. She was then tabbed Assistant Director of Varsity ‘O’ Association in 2018 and elevated to associate director in 2020. “Madison brings valuable experience with her to Arkansas State as both a former student-athlete and collegiate administrator,” said Bowen. “Not only is she an outstanding addition to our development team, her diverse skill set will be an asset our en􀆟 re athletics department. We’re excited to welcome her to Arkansas State and the Jonesboro community.” Stein rebranded the Varsity ‘O’ Association, including developing a master plan and web site, managing all of its social media and digital accounts and installing a new database for membership. In addition to her role with the Varsity ‘O’ Association, Stein was a member of the athletics department’s staff council and collective leadership, development leadership and communication teams. Her diverse experience at Oklahoma saw her cultivate and steward major and prospective donors, as well as promote, sell and coordinate premium seating arrangements. “I am thrilled to be joining a wonderful community with such enthusiasm for their Red Wolves,” said Stein. “I want to thank Tom Bowen for inviting me to be a part of his vision for our student-athletes here in Jonesboro. I can’t wait to get to work with our team and connect with our loyal supporters.” The Oklahoma City, Okla., nave was one of OU’s department representatives on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Working closely with student-athlete life, she created, installed and facilitated the “Sooners for Life Scholarship Program.” Stein earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management from the University of Kansas in 2015 and was a Big 12 Conference postgraduate scholarship recipient. She was a two-􀆟 me team captain for the Jayhawks’ so􀅌 ball team, and the three-􀆟 me Big 12 Academic First Team selection was named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2015. Stein is a member of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Women Leaders in College Sports.
 

Amy Holt serves as Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Arkansas State University and is presently in her eigth year after joining the Red Wolves' staff in July of 2013.  Holt came to A-State from the University of Kansas, where she served over a decade as a coach and administrator.  In her position at A-State, Holt supervises various Red Wolves’ sports and administrative assistants.  She oversees budget analysis reports and participates as a member of the A-State Athletics management team.  Holt represents Arkansas State as the SWA at both NCAA and Sun Belt Conference (SBC) events and as the athletics department’s top female administrator.  She also assists in the preparation and administration of the annual operating budget for the University’s 16 varsity athletics programs.  Holt spent nine-plus years (2003-13) directing the women’s tennis program at Kansas and 15 years overall with the Jayhawks.  Under her guidance, KU achieved success as she led the Jayhawks to at least 10 wins in a season on three occasions along with a program-high fifth-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and a nationally 55th-place position in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings.  She coached six players to Big 12 Conference singles titles and had three doubles teams earn all-conference recognition.  Holt, who had 13 of her athletes attain Academic All-Big 12 Team honors, helped Kansas record ITA All-Academic school recognition four times and the 2005 Jayhawks’ team set an all-time KU Athletics record by producing a 3.49 cumulative grade point average. A native of Henderson, Ky., Holt guided the 1998 KU team to a NCAA Championship Top-16 Team finish, a 17th-place national ranking, and the NCAA Central Region’s top ranking.  The 2002 squad would also be rated the region’s top team and a 37th-place national ranking while claiming runner-up laurels in the Big 12 Conference standings.  Holt, who was the Jayhawks’ women’s tennis assistant coach from 1997-2003 before being promoted to head coach, served as Director of the ITA Annual Summer Circuit Tournaments  in Lawrence, Kan.  She was the Big 12 Conference’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships Tournament Director in 2000. Prior to Kansas, Holt spent two years (1995-97) with the Colonels as an assistant coach where she was responsible for on-court coaching, organizing travel, scheduling arrangements, off-season conditioning and coordinating recruiting efforts for both tennis teams.  Holt completed a five-month marketing internship with EKU Athletics in 1996 where she assisted in ticket sales, game-day events/activities, game promotions, and coordinating special events for the alumni association.  A 1995 graduate of Murray (Ky.) State University, Holt holds a degree in health education and physical education.  She earned a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 1996. Holt comes from an athletic family as her father (John Hall) played basketball at the University of Kentucky under legendary head coach Adolph Rupp.  She is married to Rance Holt and the couple have a son, Layton. A two-sport athlete at Henderson (Ky.) County High School, Holt was inducted into the Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Ray Brown

Rickey Jemison

December 6, 2021 Show

Jeannie McDaniel

joins me as we discuss anxiety, stress, and depression before and during the holidays! 

November 10, 2021 Show

Special Guest: Kelly Damphousse

Kelly Damphousse [DAM-fiss] became Chancellor at Arkansas State University in July 2017.  His self-effacing humor and a lifetime spent relating to individuals regardless of the job led him to Jonesboro to become the third permanently appointed Chancellor, and tracing back to the university’s founding leader, V. C. Kays, from 1909 as the 13th chief executive of the institution.  He is fond of invoking V.C. Kays because they both share a deep commitment to students, faculty and staff of Arkansas State.  Quick to point out he is a servant leader for his institution, Damphousse’s personal style has had an immediate impact.  Raised in a small fishing village in northern Canada, Damphousse attended Lethbridge Community College where he earned an associate’s degree in law enforcement in 1982.  A failed professional hockey tryout foiled one of his two early life ambitions, a career as a goalie in the NHL.  His degree was the starting point for his other goal: becoming a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.  As he likes to say, three years in prison at the Alberta Correctional Service where he served as a correctional officer refocused his dream of becoming a Mountie.  Heading south, Damphousse enrolled at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where his life was changed forever.  Along with completing his bachelor’s in criminal justice, specializing in law enforcement and police science in 1987, he met Beth Smith, a College Station native who, in Kelly’s words, “neither wanted to marry a cop or a Canadian.”  A graduate of Texas A&M University for his master’s and doctorate, he taught at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before returning to his alma mater at Sam Houston.  He moved to University of Oklahoma in 1997 where his research and teaching led to administration positions culminating with his naming as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college at OU.  A first-generation college graduate, a community college transfer, an international student, and a slightly older entering, if not “non-traditional” student, Damphousse has a first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by many of today’s university student.  He and Beth have two daughters, Kayleigh who is an academic administrator at the University of Florida and Kristen who is completing her master’s public health at Emory University.  The Damphousses are also the proud parents of Maple Leif, a standard poodle and lab mix, who serves as the First Dog of A-State.

November 3, 2021 Show

Coach JJ Montgomery

Coach Montgomery is the head men’s basketball coach at Angelina Jr. College. He is a former standout at Arkansas State University. JJ played professional basketball overseas for 10 years.
 

October 20, 2021 Show

LIVE From Egypt!

Former Arkansas State Basketball Legend

Dewarick Spencer

October 6, 2021 Show

Special Guest: Amy Holt

Amy Holt serves as Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Arkansas State University and is presently in her eigth year after joining the Red Wolves' staff in July of 2013.  Holt came to A-State from the University of Kansas, where she served over a decade as a coach and administrator.  In her position at A-State, Holt supervises various Red Wolves’ sports and administrative assistants.  She oversees budget analysis reports and participates as a member of the A-State Athletics management team.  Holt represents Arkansas State as the SWA at both NCAA and Sun Belt Conference (SBC) events and as the athletics department’s top female administrator.  She also assists in the preparation and administration of the annual operating budget for the University’s 16 varsity athletics programs.  Holt spent nine-plus years (2003-13) directing the women’s tennis program at Kansas and 15 years overall with the Jayhawks.  Under her guidance, KU achieved success as she led the Jayhawks to at least 10 wins in a season on three occasions along with a program-high fifth-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and a nationally 55th-place position in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings.  She coached six players to Big 12 Conference singles titles and had three doubles teams earn all-conference recognition.  Holt, who had 13 of her athletes attain Academic All-Big 12 Team honors, helped Kansas record ITA All-Academic school recognition four times and the 2005 Jayhawks’ team set an all-time KU Athletics record by producing a 3.49 cumulative grade point average. A native of Henderson, Ky., Holt guided the 1998 KU team to a NCAA Championship Top-16 Team finish, a 17th-place national ranking, and the NCAA Central Region’s top ranking.  The 2002 squad would also be rated the region’s top team and a 37th-place national ranking while claiming runner-up laurels in the Big 12 Conference standings.  Holt, who was the Jayhawks’ women’s tennis assistant coach from 1997-2003 before being promoted to head coach, served as Director of the ITA Annual Summer Circuit Tournaments  in Lawrence, Kan.  She was the Big 12 Conference’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships Tournament Director in 2000. Prior to Kansas, Holt spent two years (1995-97) with the Colonels as an assistant coach where she was responsible for on-court coaching, organizing travel, scheduling arrangements, off-season conditioning and coordinating recruiting efforts for both tennis teams.  Holt completed a five-month marketing internship with EKU Athletics in 1996 where she assisted in ticket sales, game-day events/activities, game promotions, and coordinating special events for the alumni association.  A 1995 graduate of Murray (Ky.) State University, Holt holds a degree in health education and physical education.  She earned a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 1996. Holt comes from an athletic family as her father (John Hall) played basketball at the University of Kentucky under legendary head coach Adolph Rupp.  She is married to Rance Holt and the couple have a son, Layton. A two-sport athlete at Henderson (Ky.) County High School, Holt was inducted into the Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

September 29, 2021 Show

Wesley England

Senior Associate Athletic Director    Development, Major Gifts & Donor Relations

Arkansas State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Bowen announced in August 2021 that Wes England has been named the Red Wolves’ Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development. England comes to A-State after most recently spending the previous four years as Assistant Athletics Director for Development at UConn, where he also served as the Director of the Husky Athletic Fund. During his time with UConn, England helped elevate donations to the athletics department and overall donor counts to the highest levels in seven years.  He was responsible for overseeing all premium seating areas, while also managing the outbound ticket sales and service team and external relationships to enhance the UConn game-day experience. England went to UConn after working for IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions in multiple roles from 2012-17.  He was the Executive General Manager of Learfield’s NCAA Championships operation in Indianapolis from 2015-17, and prior to that was the General Manager for Learfield in its Auburn office.  England was named the company’s Sales Trainer of the Year in 2015. The Clarksville, Tenn., native worked for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2004-12, including the final two years as the Director of Inside Sales.  He worked his way up in the franchise after joining the team as an inside sales representative.  The Panthers won the “Stanley Cup of Business Award” from the Sports Business Journal in 2004-05, and England was the Panthers’ Employee of the Year in 2010.  Prior to his eight-year stint in the NHL, he worked with the National Football League’s (NFL) Houston Texans from 2003-04 in its corporate sales office.  England graduated from the University of Houston with his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and sports administration before going on to earn his master’s degree in sport management from the University of Connecticut.  He and his wife, Jocelyn, have one daughter, Briley Mae.

September 22, 2021 Show

Special Guest: Rickey Jemison

 Former NFL and Arkansas State Football player