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A weekly podcast for Naval Alums, friends and family. We bring you the latest news from the Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation.
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339 Episodes
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![Sing Second Podcast[Apr 06, '26] featuring AD Michael Kelly and Alums on groundbreaking of the new Navy Lacrosse Center.](https://i1.sndcdn.com/avatars-WsEs2AC4ABeP2yu6-pQMSbQ-original.jpg "Sing Second Podcast[Apr 06, '26] featuring AD Michael Kelly and Alums on groundbreaking of the new Navy Lacrosse Center."){kind=avatar}
Sing Second Podcast featuring interviews with Athletic Director Michael Kelly and Lacrosse alums Jeff Johnson ’79 and Jon Brianas ’00 about the groundbreaking of the new Navy Lacrosse Center. The Naval Academy Athletic Association, in partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation, held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for the new Navy Lacrosse Center, a 35,000-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility for Navy's men's and women's lacrosse programs. We are joined by AD Michael Kelly to discuss the new facility and the positive momentum behind it and all of Navy Athletics right now. As Michael said at the groundbreaking, “We are investing. We're building. We're demonstrating through action our belief in the physical mission and not only what it'll do on our fields and courts here for Navy athletics, but what it'll do for our country, because at Navy, we truly believe that we represent what college sports is at its very best. Navy athletics is college sports at its best now and forever.” We also chat with Jeff Johnson ‘79 and Jon Brianas ‘00, who attended the ceremony and very generously donated to the building’s fundraising. And Chris and John discuss the significance behind this week’s Bonds of Gold ceremony and recap a great weekend for USNA sports. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
The last pod of March! Can you feel it? It’s the ending of the dark ages and the beginning of the countdown to Graduation and Commissioning. The Sing Second Pod team brings you the latest from the Army-Navy star series…some news about the new Lacrosse building on the yard…and an appreciation for our AA&F teammate, John Taylor, who just retired after 54 years here. 54!!! We have a great conversation with our very own Tony Spinler ‘91 about Alumni Support Services. And our alumnae feature for the last pod of Women’s History Month is with LCDR Emma Manzi ‘12. Emma is a SWO, a small business owner and a soon-to-be-mom. How does she balance it all? She joins the pod to give the scoop on that and her business - Grace and Yarmouth. Check out the “SWO Mama” and her stuff at https://www.graceandyarmouth.com/ . That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
March is winding down, but the Sing Second Pod team couldn’t be happier, because that means it’s officially Orioles season! Chris and John talk about the great sporting events - like Army/Navy - that become great settings for connection and memories. Orioles Opening Day is that for the pod hosts. What is it for the alumni? Reunions? Croquet? Army/Navy? Blue Angels? The hosts also discuss the recent Presidential order protecting the Army-Navy game, and we talk about the invaluable heroes of the Naval Academy - Sponsor families. Our featured interview this week is Susan Yoshihara ‘86. As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month and prep for April’s 50 Years of Women gala at the Fluegel Alumni Center, Susan brings home the goods about her amazing experience in and out of uniform. Susan is founder and president of the American Council on Women Peace and Security (ACWPS), a non-partisan nonprofit organization advancing women’s leadership in international peace and security, and she served for 20 years as an active-duty U.S. Navy helicopter pilot in the Western Pacific. We have a great convo. Don’t miss it. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
March Sadness continued on the yard as the Women’s Basketball team joined the men’s team in getting upset in the Patriot League Tournament. So…no March Madness for Navy basketball, but the teams still get to play in some postseason tournaments. Chris and John discuss. March 16th is also the drop date for the AA&F Travel Catalog. We follow up last week’;s successful Travel Showcase at the FAC with interviews with AHI Travel and the WWII Museum about some of the trips they offer in partnership with us. Take it from us…it’s better to travel with an AA&F program. And our feature interview this week is with one of John’s old bosses, Jim Shannon ‘81. The Admiral helps us continue to mark Women’s History Month by offering his perspectives from his time as a Mid when the first classes of women arrived…his leadership perspectives from a great career in the Fleet and his “Pee Wee Reese” moment when it came time to really support his female Shipmates. It’s always good to chat with an Irishman on St. Patty’s, and Jim is indeed one of those. Slainte!! That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
March is a cruel month, Pod Fans! We bring you the newest pod just a day removed from Boston University’s last second game-winner, a shot that ended Navy’s magical Patriot League run and took them out of the NCAA tournament. Chris and John break down the heartbreaker. We also chat about the amazing news about Col. John Ripley ‘62 being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in Vietnam. Was also have a football schedule and a date for the Distinguished Graduate ceremony. We break it down. And our feature interview this week is with Mary Brigden ‘81. Mary was an All American sailor, an Olympic hopeful and still sails the mean waters of Coronado. She talks about her experience in one of the first classes of women at USNA and chats about the amazing fundraising women alums and the USNA Women SIG are organizing to support the April Gala and the Naval Academy. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
Welcome to March, Pod Fans! The way our basketball teams are playing, this March looks to be a pretty fun time on campus. Both teams will host the Patriot League Tournament on the Yard this year, starting with the men this week and women next week. Let’s go Dancing! Our Alumni Feature is a good one! Kristi Bickel just wrote a children’s book - Rosie’s Day on a Warship. That’s good SWO reading right there. We talk to Krisiti about her journey to becoming an author. And we chat with her about the upcoming Celebration of 50 Years of Women at USNA. Krisit is in charge of the Comms for the event. She gives us an update. And we chat with John O’Leary about this weekend’s Hooley at the FAC. Another great opportunity this weekend to connect with the city of Annapolis and the supportive citizens of our town. John talks about the event and why he loves the Fluegel Alumni Center. And finally…we have to acknowledge the events taking place in the Middle East and the military operations taking place in Iran. Chris and John discuss the impact on the current Mids, alumni…and they chat about a pretty impactful correspondence the Supe sent the Brigade as the operations unfolded. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
The final days of February are upon us…and we’ve already won the Star Series against Army. A great weekend for Men’s and Women’s Basketball up in scenic Highland Falls resulted in two Star wins. With those wins, both teams clinched the regular season Patriot League titles and clinched the Star Series for Navy. Sing Second!! We also just got back from a little record-breaking Roadshow in Tennessee. We talk about that. And we have two amazing interviews. Iron Mike Steadman is making it out there in the entrepreneur space. Want a Ted Talk? Mike gives it. From helping to launch the USNA Entrepreneurs Group (who just held an amazing event at the FAC this past week) to being a Brigade Boxing Champ, Mike has stories. You want to hear them. ANd we chat with Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao ‘96. The Under dishes on his time as a Mid and the Navy & Marine Corps the Class of 2026 is about to join. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
February keeps marching on. The snow and ice are melting…a little…and Lacrosse is back! The pod marches on this week with a great live pod from the Fluegel Alumni Center, where on Feb 13 we welcomed dozens of Navy Women’s Lacrosse friends, family and alums to help the ladies kickoff their home season. Bill Wagner joined John Schofield, head coach Cindy Timchal and Women’s Lax Alum Cynthia Lisa ‘00. We chat about the coming season and how the Fluegel Alumni Center has become a great home base to connect with our athletes, alums and parents. We also chat about the Commissioning 101 event that took place at the FAC Saturday…another great investment in our Naval Academy and the parents as we deliver the gouge about Commissioning Week to hundreds of parents from the Class of 2026. In addition to the briefings, we had more than a dozen vendors in the building for an Expo. One of those vendors is Made Plus. Want to hear more about the amazing N* shoe? Listen to the interview and check out Made Plus. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
Special pod drop! What sort of coaches are on Michael Kelly's radar to lead the young athletes of the Naval Academy? The very best, obviously. Navy shook the Etch-A-Sketch and hit a homer with a major league hire for Men's Soccer. After a coaching career that was marked by success developing championship-caliber players with the U.S. Soccer men’s and youth national teams as well as at the MLS, MLS NEXT Pro, USL and Division I levels, John Hackworth became just the seventh head coach in the 105-year history of the Navy men’s soccer program Dec. 5th, 2025. We sit down with the new head man to chat about his goals, expectations and his plan to engage the Soccer Alumni. We talk big names "Hack" has coached through the years. DeMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan...and David Beckham! Don't worry, there wasn't enough time in the interview for some extensive Manchester United talk, but we have a great conversation about how and why the legendary coach chose to come to Annapolis. Let's just say that having a chance to develop the future leaders of America was too good to pass up. Coming back for the Men's Soccer Reunion weekend April 10-11? You should. Coach Hack and program need your support. Enjoy the Pod. Go Navy! Beat Army!
February marches on and announces itself with authority here on Super Bowl Weekend. Pats v Seahawks? Yawn. We're talking about FOUR STAR MATCHUPS this weekend with Navy battling Army in Rifle, Indoor Track and Field (Women & Men) and Gymnastics. We chat about the new Atlas Restaurant opening in the old Stevens Hardware building - Admiral's Cup. ANd we have an AMAZING interview with Cam Kinley '21. Circle this interview, people. Bookmark it and send it to your friends. Cam Kinley has it figured out. He talks about his playing days a little, being Class President during the 2021 COVID ROM year, putting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform and why he serves now on the Board of Trustees. Cam talks about leadership, giving back and whether politics might be in his future.That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
Welcome to February and the thick of the dark ages. Chris and John preview one of the Naval Academy’s signature events, Thursday’s Ship Selection Night from Alumni Hall. We also talk about the recent snow storm here in Annapolis that made those dark ages a little darker. And we preview a big weekend for Rifle, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field and Gymnastics as they compete for the Star against Army. And this week’s alumni feature is with Karla Murphy ‘12. Karla reps the Eastern North Carolina Chapter, and after a discussion with John at their Founder’s Day Dinner in the fall…a conversation started. Karla is a former Marine, and now an entrepreneur, an executive coach and the author of a new book: Be One of Zero: Why the Obsessed Always Win, A Leadership Operating System to Upgrade the Founder & the Business. Karla talks about leadership and introduces a leadership operating system for founders and executives who want to scale without sacrificing their health, relationships, or sanity. A great conversation about making that transition out of uniform and making a difference on your own path. Learn more about Karla and her company at https://foundersforge.pro/ and check out her book here. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
The first hard copy of the Magazine for 2026! Just in time to get you through the dark ages. Emily Lucht, John Schofield and Jimmy DeButts bring you the best Alumni magazine in the business in audio form. The Jan/Feb issue hits mailboxes next week, but here is your sneak peak and your behind-the-scenes access to how the stories are written, the context behind the content and a little more explanation of how said content arrives in your mailbox every two months. In this issue we discuss an amazing gift from the Volgenau '55 family, Service Selection for the class of 2026 and even Tom Selleck! Our 50 years of women series continues with stories about the "admission rush" and other great vignettes. We have a great conversation with Michael Kelly and we hear from a CH-53E pilot. That and more as we bring you a preview of a great issue of Shipmate!
The last full week of January was marked by some great stuff. Chris joined John in Annapolis for the Army-Navy Basketball doubleheader at Alumni Hall. Chris and John break down a great day from Pod Sponsor Dry 85 in Annapolis. We also chat more about our South Carolina roadshows (they just wrapped up) and other great updates from AA&F. Our feature interview this week is with Jim Petersen '76. Jim has stories!! And he's a published author. Jim's books connect directly to themes important to today’s midshipmen and alumni: decision-making under uncertainty, leading with integrity, navigating misinformation, personal growth, and building teams that thrive under pressure. These insights draw from his Naval Academy experience, his career as a Navy Captain (Ret.), and his current work as CEO of Diversified Professional Coaching. And we finish off our interview series with our candidates in the Eastern and Central regions. Caleb Cronic ‘11 and Scott Herbener '87 introduce themselves to the alumni and talk about why they are running to Be trustees. That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
A special Sing Second Podcast for your Annapolis snowday. Before the skies opened and the temps dropped, the Alumni Association & Foundation joined the USNA Women Shared Interest Group in celebrating a new display at Historic Annapolis in downtown celebrating the journey of USNA Women in words and photographs. Dozens of alumni joined AA&F President & CEO Jeff Webb ‘95 in hearing from USNA Women SIG leadership and Historic Annapolis museum curators about the important bond between the Naval Academy and the city of Annapolis over 50 years since women arrived for I-Day. Sing Second’s John Schofield interviewed Linda Postenrieder ‘82, Allison Webster Giddings ‘84 and Historic Annapolis’ Elizabeth Cox about the exhibit and the ceremony.
Week 3 of 2026, and we are hitting our stride. Chris and John talk a little about their Live Sheehy Lexus pod with Bill Wagner, the coaches from NAAA and Longtime USNA and AA&F supporter Paul LaRochelle. We also chat about the official end to the College Football season (Congrats, Indiana) and how Navy will remain relevant in this landscape as a football program and as an institution. Our alumni interview is a special conversation about entrepreneurship. Rob Johnston ‘08 has a simple LinkedIn profile title - “Technology Entrepreneur.” But he’s so much more than that. We discuss his origins at USNA, his time in the Marine Corps and how he made it big in the Cyber space. And we continue our interview series with our candidates in the Eastern and Central regions. Jen Tyll ‘01 is running in the Eastern region. Jeff Griffen ‘04 is running in the Central. Get to know them on the pod. That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
Sing Second Podcast featuring Vet Boats’ Terry Moran ‘87 and a convo with New Director of Alumni Support Services, Tony Spinler ‘91. Sing Second Podcast with Rob Ackerman '07 and our first Candidate Interviews. 2026. Week 2. Let’s go. The pod team gets together in person at the Fluegel Alumni Center to bring you the latest updates from USNA, AA&F and more. Connect, Communicate, Support and Anchor? That’s what we do. Tony Spinler ‘91 is big in the SUPPORT game. The new Director of Alumni Support Services joins the boys in studio to talk about his job and what he has in store to help our alums in uniform, out of uniform and in between. And we chat with Terry Moran ‘87 of Vet Boats. Terry takes us on his journey from Annapolis to the Fleet…and now giving back to Veterans through the therapeutic experience of being on the water. And we continue to feature short interviews with alums running for Trustee positions with the Alumni Association in the East and Central regions. We chat with Clay Davis ‘94, running in the Central Region. That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
We're back!! We hope you had the happiest of holiday seasons. But the holidays are over. Navy won another bowl game. Ho hum. January is here. The Pod team has re-formed and is ready to embrace the dark ages. Ease back into the second half of the pod season by enjoying a great conversation about entrepreneurship with Rob Ackerman '07. Rob is crushing it in the tech private sector and is now running Data Tribe. Data Tribe is a unique startup foundry that takes startup teams focused on Cyber Security and Data Science technologies out of Government Agencies, Defense, Technology Centers and Research Labs to co-build fast growing commercial technology companies solving complex business and Global enterprise problems. It's a great convo! And we preview some other pod specialties coming this year. And our January podcasts will feature short interviews with alums running for Trustee positions with the Alumni Association in the East and Central regions. We chat with Devin Winklosky '93 (East) and Darryl Smith '88 (Central). Voting opens for the elections 17 Feb. That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
Happy Holidays, teammates. The holidays are always brighter with a win vs Army in our pocket. The boys chat about the big game, the awesome alumni presence and what we're looking forward to for the Cincy Bowl Game. Hint - It's a live pod and watch party at Dry 85 in Annapolis. We also talk about a major $15 million gift from Ernst '55 and Sara Volgenau, and chat with Natalie Brianas from the Foundation about that gift and the importance of alumni philanthropy. She also riffs on some unique family connections she has. And we chat with the amazing team at Synchrony...a company that has some great opportunities for alums, advice for transitioning out of the service and more. And we have a quick convo with an alum at Synchrony, Gabriel Ives 04 from the class of 2004. This is the last pod until January 6th, so happy holidays and safe travels! That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
We rang in the Army-Navy game with a special podcast from Checkerspot. We chat with alums, USNA staff and bring in Jeff Webb ‘95 at the end for some final thoughts on a great rivalry, a great game and an amazing tailgate for our alums. Colin Schofield does a little guest hosting in place of Bill Wagner. We made some predictions. Some came through (the under). Some didn’t (Navy covering). But all that matters is that we had great conversations. A great game was played. And Navy Sang Second. Enjoy.
Today's show features interviews, game and season analysis and commentary from the team. Go Navy, Beat Army!
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