Colgate University’s student-operated radio station, WRCU, has a new sports broadcasting show to highlight Colgate’s athletic games. Originally, WRCU was a home for Colgate students to record podcasts and get involved with DJ opportunities. When tuning into WRCU’s station, 90.1 FM, people can expect the latest news and a new rotation of music, introducing fresh artists and vibes. But now, after 75 years of success, WRCU is venturing into sports broadcasting.
The driving force behind the sports broadcasting division at WRCU was Andrew Bialek ’25. Before graduating, Bialek passed the sports director role to Eli Senzel, a current senior on the WRCU board.
“I took the role to do something on the totally opposite side of music, which is sports broadcasting,” Senzel said. “It gave me the opportunity to try out something new and fun.”
As a board member, Senzel is expanding WRCU and giving students the opportunity to try something different. He encourages students to get involved with WRCU even if they did not originally gravitate towards the radio network, fostering a wider student involvement in radio. Senzel’s ambitions to expand WRCU broadcasting aligns with the station’s mission to allow students to express themselves through unique opportunities.
To bring his vision to life, Bialek contacted Jordan Doroshenko, Colgate’s sports communication director, to see if WRCU could start to broadcast Colgate sports games. After the initial contact, the athletics department has been supportive in the process of getting WRCU to games, giving them access to broadcasting resources and promoting the station.
In the spring of 2025, WRCU began broadcasting for sports games such as hockey and lacrosse. Throughout this year, they will continue to call for hockey and lacrosse games as well as football, basketball, soccer and softball. WRCU wants to engage with as many sports as possible this upcoming academic year to help build a strong sports broadcasting network. At each game, the broadcaster uses the press box to analyze the game play-by-play. The most recent live broadcasting event was the Colgate University versus Binghampton University soccer game on Sept. 4.
“My role with WRCU has put me in communication with the Athletic Department, who have been incredibly supportive in getting [commentators] the chance to call games on both radio and TV,” Senzel said.
The athletics department is thrilled that Colgate sports updates can reach a wider audience than the sports enthusiasts attending the events. Kennedy Glinn, a first-year student on the field hockey team, believes that sports broadcasting will be beneficial for the whole athletics department.
“The sports broadcasting at WRCU will help bring together a cohesive sports community on campus for the non-student athletes,” Glinn said. “Also, broadcasting all sports events will bring more excitement and supporters to the games.”
The new network helps advertise and highlight Colgate’s phenomenal radio network and athletes. Just by tuning into 90.1, people all over Madison and Chenango County can hear live updates on Colgate sports games.
The new community emerging from the introduction of a sports broadcasting network will support all students. That’s also what brought junior Kiera Tran, publicity director at WRCU, to the station in the first place.
“I came in not knowing anyone, and the people were so supportive,” Tran said. “That’s what keeps me coming back — it’s such a creative and welcoming place, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
WRCU continues to be a creative niche on campus where students can express themselves and thrive. They offer students unlimited opportunities to share their interests on air, including music, stories, podcasts and now sports. WRCU gives students the opportunity to connect, contribute and develop their voices within the radio community.
With the novel sports broadcasting section, WRCU is inviting a broader range of students to join this supportive environment. It is an exciting opportunity for all students to try something new if they have never hosted a radio station or been a DJ before. As the fall sports season progresses, Colgate students and members of the community are encouraged to tune into WRCU’s station, 90.1 to hear the latest sports news.
*Correction — The original version of this article, published Sept. 12, incorrectly described the historical relationship between WRCU and sports communications. The claim that “after 75 years of success, WRCU is venturing into sports broadcasting” is misleading as WRCU offered sports broadcasting opportunities in the past. Bialek revived a pre-existing relationship between the organizations. Additionally, Kiera Tran was described as a contributor to WRCU, but her correct title is publicity director.
