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Baruch College Athletics

Baruch College Athletics

By Baruch College Athletics

A podcast of chats, interviews and sports information from the Baruch College Athletics Department. The Bearcats are an NCAA Division III athletic program in New York City.
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Bearcat Basketball Alumni Chat with Abraham "Abe" Akanmu

Baruch College AthleticsMar 06, 2021

00:00
17:37
Baruch Soccer's Luis Munoz Bike Rides Across America (May 8 - July 10), His Incredible Stories & Experiences

Baruch Soccer's Luis Munoz Bike Rides Across America (May 8 - July 10), His Incredible Stories & Experiences

Baruch soccer's Luis Munoz spoke on our podcast about his solo bike ride across America that started in New York City on May 8 and ended on July 10 in Santa Monica, California. What was the hardest part of his trip? Which part of the country was the toughest to ride? Where did he sleep & eat? We asked all the interesting questions and have your answers! Episode hosted by Assistant AD/Sports Information John Neves and Head Men's Soccer Coach / Assistant Athletic Director for Equipment and Intramurals Dima Kamenshchik.   

LUIS MUNOZ BIO: Played three years on the soccer team and graduated in May 2022 with a Major in International Business...2021-22 Baruch Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year...2021-22 CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention...Member of the team that won the 2021 CUNYAC Championship and played in the NCAA Tournament...Scored the lone goal in the 2021 CUNYAC Championship against Lehman (1-1, Bearcats won in PKs)...The day after winning the CUNYAC Championship, he ran all 26.2 miles of the 2021 New York City Marathon...Named to the 2021 CUNYAC All-Sportmanship Team...Three-Time Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll...Member of the team that won the 2018 CUNYAC Championship and played in the NCAA Tournament that season. The team rallied from 2-0 to win the CUNYAC title with a score of 3-2...Ran a marathon during the pandemic lockdown on his terrace which garnered national media attention. 



Jul 19, 202225:06
Bearcat Soccer & Cross Country Alumni Chat with Justin Starrantino

Bearcat Soccer & Cross Country Alumni Chat with Justin Starrantino

Justin Starrantino graduated from Baruch in 2016 with a degree in finance & investments with a minor in economics. Justin was a two-sport athlete competing in men’s soccer and cross country. With the soccer team, he was a starter on the 2014 CUNYAC Championship squad and in his 2 years on the soccer team he won 20 total matches. In the fall of 2016, his competitive juices continued and he ran on the men’s cross country team. Off the field, he was President of both Baruch and CUNYAC SAAC for one year and was Baruch's representative for the 2016 CUNYAC Goodwill Tour to Cuba. Justin returned to campus in 2019 to speak at the Athletics Varsity Awards Dinner. This interview took place on Thursday, April 15, 2021.


Apr 27, 202116:55
Bearcat Softball Alumni Chat with Nicole Bellini

Bearcat Softball Alumni Chat with Nicole Bellini

Our special guest this episode is former softball player and current acting head softball coach, Nicole Bellini. Nicole played on the softball team from 2016 to 2018. She was a three-time CUNYAC All-Star, three-time team MVP, and a two-time team captain. She is also Baruch's leader all-time in batting average at .406, second best all-time in doubles with 34, and seventh best in runs scored with 45. In 2019, Bellini became the assistant softball coach and this past November 2020 she transitioned to current acting softball head coach. This interview took place on Thursday, March 18, 2021.

Mar 26, 202129:53
Bearcat Basketball Alumni Chat with Abraham "Abe" Akanmu

Bearcat Basketball Alumni Chat with Abraham "Abe" Akanmu

Abe played on the men's basketball team from 2013-2015. In 2016, he was awarded the Burt Beagle Alumni Association Award.  While attending graduate school at Baruch for higher education administration, Abe was a graduate assistant to the Baruch Men’s Basketball team. From September 2016 to June 2017, he was a Global History teacher and Head Freshman Basketball Coach at Xaverian High School, his alma mater. Abe also spent numerous summers teaching at various basketball camps like Nike Basketball Camp and the New York Knicks Summer Basketball Camp. More recently, Abe debuted his first children’s book entitled “Brand New Shoes,” which we will discuss in this podcast. This interview took place on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

Mar 06, 202117:37
Bearcat Cross Country Alumni Chat with Matt Soja

Bearcat Cross Country Alumni Chat with Matt Soja

Matt was a cross country runner and coach at Baruch College. He ran as a Bearcat from 2005 to 2007. He was one of the first people to help transition the cross country program from a club to varsity sport in 2006. During his undergraduate time at Baruch, he finished in first place individually at the 2006 CUNYAC Finals. In 2008, he was named the CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Male Honorable Mention. He would later coach the men’s cross country from 2009-2016 with his wife Mercedes Zegarra-Soja, who he first met at Baruch at a cross country practice. This interview took place on Thursday, February 11, 2021.

Feb 15, 202115:48
Fourth Annual Baruch National Girls and Women in Sports Day (#NGWSD) Event

Fourth Annual Baruch National Girls and Women in Sports Day (#NGWSD) Event

The Baruch College Athletic Department hosted it's Fourth Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. We had terrific guest speakers from 'This Is Us', which included professional softball superstars Monica Abbott, Kiki Stokes, Ally Carda, and Aubrey Leach. This year marked the 35th year of the national event that celebrates the achievements of women and girls in sports with fair play and Title XI. The Baruch College Athletic Department hosted this year's event on Zoom on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.

Feb 05, 202101:07:43
Bearcat Softball/Women's Basketball Alumni Chat with Michele (Runko) Morelli

Bearcat Softball/Women's Basketball Alumni Chat with Michele (Runko) Morelli

A Baruch alum and two sport athlete, Michele made the most of her outstanding time at Baruch College winning a CUNYAC Basketball Championship in 2008 and a CUNYAC Softball Championship in 2010. The softball title in 2010 was Baruch's first-ever in that sport.  Michele took time out of her busy schedule for this Bearcat chat regarding her experiences as a student-athlete and her advice as an alumnus. Baruch softball sophomore Julia Cuttone, along with Assistant AD/Sports Information Director John Neves, were the hosts of this episode, which was recorded on January 15, 2021.

Jan 15, 202116:03
Bearcat Chat with USA Softball Star Crystl Bustos

Bearcat Chat with USA Softball Star Crystl Bustos

Bearcat chat with USA softball star Crystl Bustos. A discussion on how to deal with not playing during the pandemic and how to stay focused for when you do start playing sports again. Baruch softball sophomore Julia Cuttone was the host of this interview, which took place on November 29, 2020.

Dec 03, 202055:32
Bearcat Softball Alumni Chat with Melanie Pellegrino

Bearcat Softball Alumni Chat with Melanie Pellegrino

Baruch Alum, two-time CUNYAC Softball Champion (2010, 2012), and former Baruch Softball Coach Melanie Pellegrino did an interview feature for Baruch College Athletics on her experiences as a student-athlete and her advice as an alumnus. Baruch softball sophomore Julia Cuttone was the host of this interview, which took place on November 27, 2020.

Nov 30, 202006:36
Bearcat Chat with Katie Casey (Sports Nutrition)

Bearcat Chat with Katie Casey (Sports Nutrition)

Baruch College Athletics invites you to a special Bearcat Chat about sports nutrition. This chat took place on Monday, November 16, 2020. Our guest speaker was Katie Casey, a licensed dietitian nutritionist and certified sports nutritionist. She will be speaking on the basics of sports nutrition and how to best fuel your body for activity, life, and in the pandemic. Baruch College Head Athletic Trainer Whitney Vail is the host.

Nov 17, 202046:59
Bearcat Chat with Yankee Executive, Author, and Inspirational Speaker Ray Negron

Bearcat Chat with Yankee Executive, Author, and Inspirational Speaker Ray Negron

Bearcat chat with Ray Negron of the New York Yankees on Thursday, November 12, 2020. Negron gave an inspirational chat to Bearcat student-athletes. He was joined by Carmine Vaccaro and Baruch baseball coach Jose Torres. Ray's amazing journey began decades ago when at 16-years of age, he was caught spraying graffiti on a wall at Yankee Stadium by NY Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner. As fate would have it, Steinbrenner decided against putting Ray in jail and instead, offered him a second chance making him the batboy for the greatest franchise in sports history. Ray was propelled into a dream job sharing the dugout with the "Bronx Zoo" team of the seventies. He became a positive influence in the fiery clubhouse that included Manager Billy Martin, superstar Reggie Jackson and the legendary Thurman Munson.

Nov 13, 202048:40
Bearcat Chat with Bob Walsh (Providence College Men's Basketball) on Dynamic Leadership

Bearcat Chat with Bob Walsh (Providence College Men's Basketball) on Dynamic Leadership

Baruch Athletics hosted a chat with Bob Walsh on Thursday, November 5. Walsh is the founder and managing partner of the Dynamic Leadership Group and a former college basketball coach with 25 years of leadership experience on-and-off the court.  He founded the Dynamic Leadership Academy for young coaches and executives, and he is also the host of the Dynamic Leadership Podcast.  A sought after speaker and consultant, Walsh is a nationally known for his innovative and uncommon approach to leadership.

Nov 09, 202001:00:35
Bearcat Chat with Men's & Women's Tennis Head Coach Gregory Wyzykowski on Financial Planning

Bearcat Chat with Men's & Women's Tennis Head Coach Gregory Wyzykowski on Financial Planning

Tennis Coach Gregory Wyzykowski hosted a Bearcat zoom chat on Thursday, October 22. He discussed basic financial planning for students and adults. (56:47)

Oct 26, 202056:58
Bearcat Chat with Associate AD for Administration & Finance Erin Pomykala on reducing stress and finding balance through mindfulness practice

Bearcat Chat with Associate AD for Administration & Finance Erin Pomykala on reducing stress and finding balance through mindfulness practice

Baruch College Associate Athletic Director for Administration & Finance Erin Pomykala hosted a Bearcat chat on Thursday, October 15. Among the topics discussed was reducing stress and finding balance through mindfulness practice. This informative podcast is the entire audio of that zoom chat. (37:23)

Oct 19, 202037:35