New Mizzou Men's Basketball assistant coach Steve Wright talks about his Ohio roots, why he's joined Dennis Gates' staff for a second time, playing pro ball overseas, and much more. Later, Matt and Brad catch up on all the big news around college sports and Mizzou Athletics.

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In this episode of “Mizzou Storytellers,” former Missouri basketball star Laurence Bowers joins hosts Dave Matter, Loretta Jones and producer Steve Sowers to reflect on his journey from Memphis to Mizzou and beyond. Known for his shot-blocking, leadership, and resilience, Bowers opens up about the moments that defined him both on and off the court. Laurence takes listeners back to his decision to commit to Mizzou and shares powerful stories from his five-year collegiate career, including the emotional toll of his 2011 knee injury. Now a mentor, entrepreneur, and community leader in Columbia, Bowers previews his Bowers-Carroll Alumni Basketball Game that’s coming to Mizzou Arena on June 14.

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On the latest episode of “Mizzou Storytellers,” Loretta Jones, Dave Matter and Producer Steve Sowers visit with a real pistol of a guest: Assistant Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Career Development Katie Martinez. Katie shares the story of her journey from the Dakotas — both South and North — including her years as a collegiate shooter. A criminal justice major in college, Katie discusses how she found her calling in student-athlete development with stops all around the country, leading her to Mizzou in 2023. After the interview, Dave shares stories from SEC spring meetings in Destin, while Loretta gets into her recent return to the volleyball court.

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On this week’s episode of “Mizzou Storytellers,” Loretta Jones and Dave Matter are back in the studio to visit with one of the most important and interesting leaders in Mizzou Athletics, Will Kava, the staff’s Executive Athletics Director / Chief of Student Athlete Services. Will talks about growing up in Hawaii and playing college football at the University of Washington before he embarked on law school and later carved out a career in college athletics. The one-time competitive hula dancer, egg connoisseur and pro wrestling fan shares his thoughts on the current changing landscape of college athletics from the perspective of both a former college athlete and current compliance director. Later, Loretta and Dave reflect on the newly announced Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025, their adventure hosting the recent ROARS Awards ceremony and Loretta’s half-marathon. (NOTE: We apologize for experiencing technical difficulties with our recording this week)

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Matt and Brad share the exciting results of Mizzou Gymnastics' record-setting visit to the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, and catch up with Eric Edholm of NFL.com to discuss where some Mizzou Football players might hear their name called in the upcoming NFL Draft.

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In the latest episode of “Mizzou Storytellers,” Loretta Jones and Dave Matter visit with Mizzou women’s golf coach Caroline Westrup Gaeta, who shares the story of her journey from Sweden to Norway to her newly earned U.S. citizenship. Caroline discusses how her father first put a golf club in her hands, leading to an All-American college career at Florida State and professional experience in the U.S. and overseas, including her inspiring comeback from illness and injury to earn her LPGA card. Caroline details her transition into coaching and her arrival at Mizzou. Producer Steve later quizzes Dave and Loretta from the U.S. Civics Test that Caroline aced to earn her citizenship, while our hosts officially launch their campaign for Best Columbia Podcast of 2026.

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On this week’s episode of “Mizzou Storytellers,” Loretta Jones and Dave Matter are joined by newly hired Mizzou women’s basketball head coach Kellie Harper, who shares the story of her journey from Sparta, Tennessee, to becoming a three-time national championship-winning point guard for Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols. Kellie introduces Mizzou fans to her family and coaching staff and shares insight into how she spent this past year away from coaching. She also explains why Mizzou is the perfect fit for her and her family – and tells one heck of a Michael Jordan story.

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