Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Seahawks!

We've got a treat for you as Athletic Director Mike Oblinger gave us a full hour to review his first eight months on the job, facilities priorities, his first coaching hire, conference realignment, media rights and so much more!

Also, you'll find out about Mike's proudest moment as a dad, which podcasts (other than this one!) stay in his rotation and the strange thing he does on his phone late into the night.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and give us five stars, and even better, share on social media.

The New Guy feat. Mike Oblinger

Turns out, the season will continue on Thursday night after all!

No doubt, Saturday night was a rough one, but your resident optimists are here to break down what was a strange week for the Seahawks, including one of the more stunning losses we've dealt with lately.

Topics in this episode include:
- Where did things get weird vs. Elon?
- Zone defenses are affecting UNCW ... but probably not how you're thinking.
- Maleeck Harden-Hayes is attacking since he returned!
- One game without Tra and some strange vibes in the building.
- The Patented UNCW February 17/18 loss and a recent history of bounce-back finishes.
- Some light threats to Brett Yormark and anyone else who tries to squeeze mid-majors out of the tournament.
- The NCAA is trying to make the NIT irrelevant. 
- Families, players and the support staff see the wildly negative stuff a few people post on social media, and it's not cool!

We Will Survive (hey, hey)

We’re back, and so is Brian Mull back to wrap up the regular season for UNCW and preview what’s to come in the CAA Tournament in both the big picture and specifically along the Seahawks’ path.

We’ll have a postgame podcast for each of UNCW’s games in the tournament, so keep an eye out for our content!

CAA Preview Extravaganza feat. Brian Mull

A refreshingly honest conversation with UNCW basketball coach Takayo Siddle looking back on the highs and lows of the 2023-24 season, looking ahead to the portal and where the program stands. 

Also, a little clarification on his offensive and defensive systems and the excitement of watching his mentor Kevin Keatts and NC State pull off the impossible.

March Madness feat. Takayo Siddle

We're thrilled to have Coach Nicole Woods sit down for a great conversation looking back on her first season leading the UNCW women's basketball program, and the work they're already putting into build for 2024-25.

We went all the way back to her childhood in Gastonia, summers on a farm in Reidsville and how her competitive spirit was developed playing every sport imaginable at the Boys & Girls Club.

After nearly having a promising basketball career derailed by knee injuries, a chance conversation landed Woods at Belmont Abbey where she needed time to grow up off the court becoming a Hall of Fame-caliber player.

Plenty of those lessons have come in handy since she began her coaching career as an assistant focused on building relationships with her players — and one she never thought would lead her into a head coaching job.

She explained what changed her mind and led her to take over in Wilmington, the foundation her first team put down, and her approach to bringing a team along after several years of uncertainty.

Finally, she details her approach to the transfer portal and recruiting, how a tweet might ultimately land a recruit, and marketing with #OurBeachIsBetter.

Burning Bush Moments feat. Nicole Woods

For this week's show, we welcomed new Seahawk Sean Moore!

You might remember Sean from scoring a career-high 19 points to lead FDU to one of the all-time stunners in college hoops history vs. Purdue.

After hitting the portal as a grad transfer a few weeks back, UNCW instantly made him a priority and brough him in for a visit on the first weekend.

Sean got into the details on his visit, how the coaches pitched him on his role with the Seahawks, impressions of the city, and what caused him to commit before taking another visit.

Also, he shared his story from being a little-known D2 guard to creating a moment that will forever live in March Madness, how he's improving his game, and the energy he plans to bring Trask next season.

Headin' Down South feat. Sean Moore

As the Seahawks prepare to open the Athens Regional on Friday night vs. Georgia Tech, Coach Randy Hood and closer Luke Craig join us to reflect on the season and what it will take for UNCW to break through a challenging weekend.

The outro song is Jayson Arendt's new single, "Like a Small Town". Check it out wherever you download music or listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIurFeCwKKs

In this episode, we touch on..

- Last year's regional disappointment setting the stage for 2024
- "The best team to never win a regional"
- Overcoming a slow start after the Hawks fell to 11-10
- Craig's personal journey to blossoming in the closing role
- This team's growth throughout the season and overcoming adversity
- Having fun along the way
- Who is Tanner Thach?
- Previewing Georgia Tech, Georgia and Army

To Win a Good Name in Athens feat. Randy Hood + Luke Craig

Hot Perch Summer is over, and it's time to get back to work. 

For our first episode of the 2024-25 season, we're talking to Athletic Director Mike Oblinger as he reflects on success and lessons from his first full year in Wilmington, as well as what's on the horizon for the Seahawks.

Among the topics we covered:
- Five more CAA championships in 2023-24
- Baseball funding and the future of Brooks Field
- Special Assistant Mark Scalf 
- MBB is headed to The Bahamas later this week!
- The future of Trask Coliseum and improving fan experience
- NIL, revenue sharing and what that means for us
- A record year for the Seahawk Club and the nuances of Wilmington and Seahawk fans
- The semi-annual football discourse

Back to School feat. Mike Oblinger

Before Ashley Wade led the UNCW softball program to its second CAA championship, she took the long road as both a player and assistant coach.

In this week's episode, we'll get to know about a journey that included multiple transfers, a $4,000 salary and one long drive to Alva, Oklahoma. 

We'll touch on:
- Arriving at UNCW at a crucial crossroads for the program.
- Her late father's influence on her career, including a fateful conversation that might have landed her in Wilmington.
- The moment she knew she had the job.
- Why the Hawks didn't live up to the preseason expectations in 2023.
- How she can help her team improve its mental toughness.
- One gritty performance after another in the CAA Tournament.
- Takeaways from running into a strong SEC opponent in the NCAA Tournament.
- Important Wilmington coffee shop updates!

By George, That Can't be a Coincidence feat. Ashley Wade

The schedule is set and preseason predictions are starting to pop up, so it's time to roll out the mics and shake out the cobwebs!

Back on Schedule

Sometimes smart, sometimes silly —  always Seahawks.

Perchcast is a weekly show focused on the people and stories of UNCW athletics with a strong emphasis toward men's basketball. We aim to go deeper than the headlines and tweets, and use interviews, analytics and occasionally the eye-test to connect fans with the Seahawks.

The New Guy feat. Mike Oblinger

Perchcast

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