It's an *NCAA TOURNAMENT EDITION* of Perchcast!

The Seahawks got it done in DC with heart, grit, and defense. There are so many incredible moments and individual contributions to talk about from UNCW's run to its seventh CAA title.

We've enjoyed the celebration, but now it's time to go make some noise on the national stage against a GREAT Texas Tech team. The Hawks are going to have to play exceptionally well to get it done, but there is a path to victory. 

We've Got a Damn Game to Win feat. Brian Mull

We're thrilled to talk with former Seahawk guard Jaylen Fornes about his journey in life and hoops, including two different stints at UNCW that saw his teams hang banners in Trask Coliseum.

Fornes, who also played pro ball in Denmark, played for three different coaches in Wilmington, with each at a distinct stage of building their program. He shares his perspective on getting to know Coach Takayo Siddle as a young assistant then reconnecting with him as a head coach as he looked to build a winning foundation.

Since returning home, Fornes has been working to build his clothing brand, Stack Your Days (www.stackyourdays.net) and working with young basketball players to make their dreams come true, just as he did as a young man from humble beginnings in Pamlico County.

Jaylen is an instant Perchcast legend and someone you'll see coaching very soon. 

Stack Your Days feat. Jaylen Fornes

The man needs no introduction.

UNCW Legend and CAA Champion Donovan Newby joins the program to talk about his career as a Seahawk!

Donovan Newby Fan Club - April Meeting feat. Donovan Newby

UNCW Director of Athletics Mike Oblinger stops by for his annual summer check-in just as college sports enters a new era thanks to the House Settlement and the seismic changes resulting from revenue sharing.

Among the topics we covered: 
- Mike reflects on his second full academic year in Wilmington, with the Seahawks again hanging multiple banners while experiencing plenty of success beyond competition. 
- The Seahawk Club and fundraising is reaching new heights
- Another offseason, another shift in NIL
- Numerous facilities projects, both big and small 
- More progress for the women's basketball program
- The men's basketball scheduling philosophy
- Channeling the MBB momentum for athletics as a whole
- The changing landscape of the CAA and the league's health as a whole


A Whole New World feat. Mike Oblinger

Training camp is over and it's almost time to set up the tailgates, so naturally, we're talking hoops on this lovely August evening!

With the CAA dropping the full schedule for the 2025-26 season, we've now got a full picture of the road to DC and UNCW's unprecedented 20-game home schedule. The Seahawks will have to find their footing on the road in January, but things set up nicely for Trask to be rocking in February.

With 60 days until the first exhibition game, a few thoughts on the roster, too!

Back on Schedule

The UNCW Seahawks play basketball this week!

It's just an exhibition game, but it'll be a fun one against a solid, uptempo High Point program that is also looking to build on an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

Chopped Unc Bill Jones and TeacherBracket join to discuss what we've heard about preseason practice and what we're most interested to watch on Saturday afternoon in Trask. Also, some thoughts on lineup combos and the value of these games.

Preseason Speculation and Conjecture is Fun!

Uncle Bill provides a quick rundown of what happened in today's exhibition, which saw High Point escape Trask Coliseum with a 99-98 overtime victory. 

Perch Postgame: UNCW falls to High Point

With college hoops preview season in full swing, we're excited to welcome Hofstra senior Dylan Brett! 

Dylan, a play-by-play announcer and aspiring journalist, put together a 77-page CAA preview that contains more than 30,000 words on every player, coach, and storyline in the league. 

Along with his sharing his detailed analysis on UNCW and several other teams around the conference, he also explained the process of putting together such a massive project while trying to balance his final year of college and radio work. 

Great conversation with a really talented young fella who is headed for big things! 

Catch him talking CAA hoops all season long on Twitter at @dylanbrxtt. You'll find the preview pinned on his profile, or directly at:

https://x.com/DylanBrxtt/status/1980257693643276637



He Wrote the Book on the CAA feat. Dylan Brett

We're grateful for the opportunity to talk with one of the all-time great Seahawks, Craig Ponder!

Now an assistant coach at UNCW, Ponder played a pivotal role in rebuilding the program under Coach Kevin Keatts, ultimately closing his career with a CAA championship in 2016 before pushing Duke to the wire in the NCAA Tournament. 

Since returning to Wilmington as a coach in 2020, Ponder has been on the sideline for the winningest period in UNCW basketball history, and last March, became the first Seahawk to win a title as a player and a member of the coaching staff.

A Career Worth Pondering feat. Craig Ponder

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.