UNA Football Night @ Lost Pizza w/ Benjamin Ray 10/05/26

[0:00] It's time for UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza. For the next hour, we'll go in-depth as we talk to your University of North Alabama Lions. UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza is brought to you by Lost Pizza Shoals, Burnley Spine and Sport, Singing River Brewery, Southern Pride Pest Control, Alabama Health Guidance, The Carriage Wine and Market, and Brown Equipment Company. Live from Lost Pizza in historic downtown Florence, here's the voice of the Lions, Benjamin Ray. Hello and welcome back down to Lost Pizza Shoals for another night of UNA Football Night. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel with you.

And Mike, it's the bye week. He's in the house. Coach Dierman is here. He's got the night off. Four and two start to this season, Mike. I can't believe we're already at the bye week, but talk about an outstanding start to this football season for North Alabama. Receiving votes in the media poll, four and one against FCS opponents. It's really been an outstanding opening. Yeah, it's getting a little bit of attention right now. Four and two start, best start in the Division I era. Great start for this football team. And, you know, the first half was a struggle, but really made some adjustments.

Turned it around in the second half. Had a great, excellent second half to win that game at EKU. And even on his off day, Coach Dierman coming out, supporting the other coaches that we're going to talk to tonight. And I think that's a special thing. We talked about the receiving votes thing today. Two votes for UNA in the national FCS polls. Texted that to Coach Dierman. He gave me a wink emoji and said, rat poison. So, hey, I think this team is focused. They know what the task at hand is. They're not going to rest on their laurels.

They're going to keep playing football. And that's all you can ask for. Four of the first six games were on the road. One was a neutral site win. One was a very tough loss down in southeastern Louisiana. A team in the top 25, a game we feel like we should have won. There was the SEC game against Arkansas where we had a very strong showing. But going on the road and winning the first conference game of the year at Eastern Kentucky, to have success, to play for a conference championship, to play for the playoffs, all things we think we can do this year.

You've got to go win on the road. And it was a great feeling. Yeah, that was kind of the next step for this team. Can we go and do this on the road? And they did. And I think that was a big proving point for this team. And now they're going to be excited to start conference play. You've got two big ones coming at home. Abilene Christian next week. And, of course, Austin Peay the week after that for homecoming. So, two big games coming up against teams that are in the rankings or in that conversation.

UAC is a tough league. But to get that first one out of the way and to do it on the road was special. Four of the next six at home as well. So, while UNA football is off this week, you've got plenty of chances to come check them out at Bank Independence Stadium. See them play on Bobby Wallace Field. Abilene Christian not this Saturday, the week after. And then Austin Peay for homecoming. And, Mike, for the first six on the road, you go four and two. You absolutely love that.

For the final six at home, that sets you up for success. Yeah, it definitely does. Because if you're looking at it from a big scope, you have conferences that are all really good. And the UAC is right there at the top. Top three, probably, if you're looking at the Massey metrics or whatever. And you get an eight and four season. That's playoff conversation. You go better than that, you're probably a lock for it. So, you know, this team's not looking ahead. That's for us to do, I guess, and for us to talk about.

But this team's focused on the task at hand one week at a time. But you win some games and you stack them, you're in a good position. People are taking notice of what North Alabama's doing, receiving votes in the top 25. And Leo Glover, not only UAC Defensive Player of the Week, but his honorable mention for the FCS Stats National Defensive Player of the Week as well. Yeah, second week in a row, because Avery Howard was also an honorable mention nationally. So, two Defensive Player of the Weeks in a row. North Alabama has matched Tarleton State for the most weekly awards in the conference this season.

Xavier Johnson, obviously, with all the freshman awards. But Leo, what a great performance. He had 11 tackles, eight of those solo, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, first player with multiple interceptions in a game since 2023. And then Trey Young had two interceptions of his own. So, the first four interception game since 2017. So, that means it's the first time in the Division I era. But Leo was right there. And what I like about Leo is he gave credit to his teammates, because Dallas Johnson tipped one of those.

Canigel Thomas tipped one of those interceptions he got as well. So, a lot of credit to his teammates. The defensive line had a great game. Secondary had a good game. Linebackers all around great performance. Again, football off this Saturday. We'll be back next Monday night with more UNA football talk with Coach Dierman and other players from his program. So, what are we going to talk about tonight? Well, we've got the other fall sports in the house. We're going to talk some UNA soccer. They're here. UNA volleyball is around here as well. Cross country. They'll come running in here in a little bit as well.

But it's time for everybody's favorite segment. Katie, come on up. Let's go. It's time for Lost Pizza Shoals. Tailgate Spotlight. Biggest round of applause so far. Mike and I didn't even get that level of applause. We didn't need it. We've got more goodies. Katie, what delightful treats did you bring us here tonight? Okay, we've got two. The weekly adjustments. Thank you. We've got two of our limited time only options right now. We've got our buffalo chicken dip. Oh, man. Super good. Coming back. Was a fan favorite when I was here before.

[5:27] And then our first time limited time, we've got jalapeno mac and cheese bites served with ranch. I'm going to show this off real quick. What's that sprinkled here on the top? Is that salt or Parmesan? Parmesan. Okay. What a move. Jinx. Jinx. I can't talk to you. For the rest of the show. You've got to do the rest of the show now. Somebody say Ben's Dean. Let's dive into this. I'm going to go with the dip because if I eat one of the mac and cheese jalapeno bites, I might not be able to do the rest of the show. My mouth will be on fire.

More for me. But I'm going to try this dip right here. I'll still cheers you. Look at that. I can't even. The chip broke. There we go. Oh, wow. That is good cheese. Yeah, look at that layer. Yeah, just look at that. Oh, yeah. Let me try a third chip. There we go. There's a golly. There we go. Cheers, Mike. That's a football food right there. It's so good. Made in-house pretty much every day. Wow. Parmesan, you taste it. But the inside, I mean, is that pepper jack? Or it is jalapeno, right?

Jalapeno. Jalapeno cheese. I mean, it's got a pepper jack vibe. I love it. This is amazing. It's my favorite right now. It's what I get. Well done. Katie, for the next six games at home, so there's a lot of tailgate opportunities. How can people have these delightful treats at their tailgates moving forward? So we've got our Lost Pizza tailgate playbooks. We've got them here in store. You can grab one. They're online. They're on Facebook and Instagram. You can see everything we have. Just call us in store.

Ask for me or Jaina. Jaina's our other manager. We'll be able to hook you up and bring everything straight to your tailgate tent. And when do people need to have those orders in for the next game? By Friday, end of day. Friday, end of day. So there you go. Get them in. Another tailgate spotlight. Everything they have brought out has been absolutely delicious. We love the food and fellowship here. Katie, thank you very much yet again. Thanks for having me. Well, we're going to talk some UNA athletics when we come back.

But, Mike, we're not just celebrating good food and good times at North Alabama. For you, it's a bit of a family celebration as well. Yeah. I want to shout out my dad. He's here today. A lot of you see my dad. He's always at the coaches' shows. He got a really good report today. Some of you may know he had some cancer that he was dealing with. But he got a really good report today at ClearSkin, which is great news for him. So I just want to give him a shout out.

I want to say congrats. And we'll just keep going, man. It's positive. Let's go. All righty. We'll take a timeout. Chris Walker will join us when we come back. This is UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals. Game day is coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbooks, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710.

Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing, of sprains, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, drafts of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

[10:36] Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control. Locally owned and operated. Protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. There you go. It's another great crowd.

You saw it there here at Lost Pizza Shoals in historic downtown Florence. It's UNA football night, a special fall sports edition, giving Coach Dierman the night off. He's still here hanging out, getting some food, heading to do some work on the off week as they gear up for Abilene Christian in two weeks. But we're talking UNA soccer with Chris Walker, 14th season at the University. Is that correct? It's been a while, yeah. It's been good, yeah. It's been a few years. It's been long enough now that you really have to think how many years.

Yes, every time someone asks at the start of each year, you're trying to add it all up and stuff. But no, it's been great and loved every minute of it. Let's talk about the big storyline for this team right now. When you arrived, obviously, they were playing on the turf complex there at the Bill Jones Athletic Field, which was really a great playing service. We hosted NCAA tournaments there. We hosted Gulf South Conference Championships there, ASUN tournaments there as well. Always great crowds. Then we started digging up dirt, and you guys got this place, so you go to the city.

We had a great time out there at the Florence Sportsplex. I mean, unbelievable crowds, the turnout. It was really a cool venue. Then we get to go over to Cox Creek. That was your home. But now I think we counted up sixth home for UNA Soccer, and you've kind of gone to the penthouse up in the sky. No, it's fantastic now. And obviously, yeah, we started off on campus on the practice field, which was unique in itself because I don't think there's many soccer fields and football fields where it's a football field sideways with everything.

So it caught a lot of attention just to lay out of that. And then obviously moving to the sportsplex with the city of Florence were fantastic with that. And then to Cox Creek. But then coming back in the other day, getting into Bank Independent Stadium was unbelievable. Well, the girls loved every minute of it. It was a great experience from obviously from the walkout to the video board being there and then just the surface to play on. So then the environment and the crowd, our fans have followed us to every location we've been in.

And the crowd the other afternoon was fantastic. And hopefully we can keep that going moving forward. I think the pyro may have scared a few of the girls coming out at first, right? I told them they were walking out in the smoke, but it kind of went off. It was aggressive, but it was fantastic. So it scared one or two of them. It woke them up for sure. Yeah, it was very loud, but very awesome. A great environment. 900 fans, over 900 actually, watching the game and in this stadium, just how beautiful it is.

But we were talking off air a little bit. Early 15, I remember playing Lee for the championship, went to penalty kicks. It was a great environment. How does this environment compare to some of the great environments we've had over the years? Oh, we've had some great, obviously, crowd turnouts in a lot of games. But yeah, the GSC championship game where we won it here on campus was fantastic. It was one of my favorite ones, looking back at it, just for the crowd, the student athletes, the football players were all there in the end zone and coming out and enjoying it as we won.

But getting in the stadium, the student athletes getting involved behind the goals, all the fans along the sideline, it was fantastic. And we talked about having our team benches on that fan side so the girls can hear it and feel all that part of the excitement in the stadium. I think it really helps. Now, the other night, I think it might hurt us a little bit at the start of the game, just the excitement and all of it probably got to us a little bit with a bit of a shaky start.

But after that, I think it was great second half and moving forward, I think it's only going to be a boost. Jaheim Ingram had talked about that when he came out for the first time, did the run through. He was sitting on the bench before he went in defensively and he said to himself, I'm crying on the sidelines. I can't get it together. I mean, what were the emotions you were feeling when the team took the pitch for the first time? Oh, it was. It was unbelievable.

Just again, just to have the video board, you've got the hype videos, and we've seen it all in Brawley, go and watch volleyball, you go watch basketball, and they've had all that there. So to now have stuff like that extra to add to our, you know, game day environment for recruits, for every part of it, it just makes every bit of it even more enjoyable. Now, we've been traveling a lot the last decade, right, at the Division I level, but how often are you going to mid-major conference schools where they have that?

No, there's not many schools at all that have got a video. And we went to Alabama, which is obviously not mid-major, but they've got a huge jumbotron in their soccer stadium, but it came from the football field over to the soccer facility. So we've not seen it at all. There's nothing in the UAC. So it's exciting, and it adds to the environment. EKU's coach after came up to us and said they loved every minute of the game day experience and stuff like that. So hopefully that will keep moving forward.

[15:49] Yeah, two very talented teams going at it, too, for that first game. It made it a big game-feel environment. And now you've got two more coming up with two good Texas teams coming to town. Now that that first game feeling's kind of worn off, what's kind of the focus of the team now? No, we're excited. Obviously, we love where the team's at right now. We're obviously midway through the season, and we've only lost two games. And both of them have been really close. Obviously, the game against EKU, we slipped up and lost that one 3-2.

But I think we ended the game. Tie probably wouldn't have been a fair result the way the second half. We outshot them, I think, 12-4, 12-2 in the second half. So we had our chances there. But no, the two Texas schools coming in, the other side of the bracket in the UAC. So it'll be, again, an exciting game. I think there's no easy games in the UAC. But I think that also makes it exciting because EKU were the number one seed in the preseason polls. We were number two.

So we went back and forth all game long. So I think the conference is right there, wide open for everyone to go after it. And I think our goal is obviously still to get to the conference tournament and to win the conference tournament as well. So we'll keep going game by game. But we're excited for Thursday night to get a night game in the stadium and get all the fans back out there and put on another good performance. Now, obviously, you're from England, right? You grew up over there.

Huge soccer scene. And soccer is very community-driven overseas. And in America, it's obviously taken off as well. But I look at Bank Independence Stadium, and we always have great soccer crowds. But it feels like you can really build something special here with soccer. Oh, I love the size of the stadium. I mean, the football game was fantastic. To have over 11,000 fans in there was incredible. The environment for that was the best sporting event I've been to being here at UNA. I thought it was unbelievable. So to then try and turn and do something, obviously not to that scale for soccer, but to get close to 1,000 fans in there for the first game was unbelievable as well.

So we'll keep building on that and obviously putting a good product on the field. The girls have been working really hard and scoring some goals, and that helps keep the excitement and bringing the crowd back every game. So we're excited about where we're at and what we can keep doing. Well, speaking of scoring goals and spreading the love a little bit, we have a segment on this show usually with Brent Dierman called Brent Dierman Trivia. But right now, we're going to do Chris Walker Trivia. How's that sound?

Sounds great. All right. Well, here's your question. How many different players have scored a goal this season for UNA? Oh, hang on, hang on. I've got to count. Oh, you've got to click out of the step. How many different players have scored? You weren't watching me as I was… I'd say about nine. Final answer is incorrect. It's actually 11. Okay. Yeah. Wow. There you go. You can throw the team on that. I'll take that. The more the merrier. So, we're not a one-person team. Obviously, like we said, Meg scored a goal, a bunch of them as well.

Monica's going to go down in history for the trivia question for the first goal scored in Bank Independent Stadium for UNA. But, no, 11 is fantastic. I think that's making us the team we are right now, the variant of different scorers throughout the year. So, we're hard to just shut down one person, which we've been a little bit in the past that way. So, I think this year it's been great. And it's been causing us a good problem to try and pick a start in 11 each game.

And I think it's keeping the girls on their toes and keeping them competitive from game to game. One area you're not having trouble with defensively is picking a starting lineup. Because I'm looking at Addy Spate. Four years now, right? It's hard to believe Lily Ford in her second year. But, again, it feels like she's been here forever. Gracie Tyrrell, another four-year starter. And this defensive back line has been a part of two goalkeeper of the years, I believe, in the last three years. What's it like having that steady group back there?

We've been blessed to have a senior-led group at the back that has just a ton of experience with us and with me as well. So, I think Gracie's played virtually every minute of every game since she's been here. Addy's not far behind her in that as well. And then Lily and Avery transferred into us. But all of it mixed in together. The goalkeepers have been unbelievable over the last couple of years as well. So, just to have that experience back there, it brings the calmness to the team.

And it just kind of filters through from that. But we work on it hard every day. It's not just the back line and the goalkeepers and the defensive side of stuff. The forwards do a ton of it. And that's where a lot of our goals have come from, from the pressing side of games, the way we play. So, it's a full team effort. But, yeah, the back four has been some senior, older leadership in the team. Yeah. And, Coach, last thing for me, kind of going back to the EKU game, you alluded to Monica's first goal.

But then Addy getting the second goal. Yes. The pressure you guys put on, I think it was officially 13-2 was the shot count there. But when that goal went through, I mean, what was the feeling there? And then just for Addy to be the one to do it. Oh, it was fantastic. I mean, just to get us back in the game. And it gave us a chance that last 15, 20 minutes to try and really go at them. And we did. We threw everything at them the last.

And we were unfortunate not to come away with a tie. I think we'd hit the post in the first half. And it got really close. So, I think, you know, we play them again, which will be nice to bounce back and, you know, take it to them at their place. But we've got some big ones coming up. And one game like theirs is not just going to make a huge impact on the season. So, we'll take it game by game and try and get three points off Abilene and then move on to Tarleton and go from there.

[21:06] Four of the final seven at home. Plenty of opportunity to come catch up the Lions at Bank Independent Stadium. Coach, we appreciate you joining us here tonight. Introduce us to the players you've got here coming to this next segment. Yeah, we've got Monica Yoder and Meg Welsh with us today. Both, you know, exciting players. Both scoring goals. Excited to come watch. And we'd love to see you all out there watching them play Thursday night. Thursday night, 7 o'clock. Come on out. Watch the Lions at Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium.

Coach Walger, thank you for stopping by and joining us. Thank you. Appreciate it. When we come back, we'll have Monica and Meg come join us up here. This is UNA football from Wallace Pizza Shoals, a UNA fall sports night. at Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you're looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710.

Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger points. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, paraffs of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

When getting the job done right is job one, you need construction equipment that's built right. From compact track loaders to the world's number one selling compact excavator, the Kubota construction lineup features durable Kubota engines, more comfort, and the versatility to do it all and do it right. Visit your local Kubota dealer today. Go to KubotaUSA.com for full disclaimer. Stop by Brown Equipment, located at 826 North Military Street in Laredo, or visit them online at brownequipmentcompany.com. Well, welcome to the stage here at UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals.

I'm Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, and we're happy to welcome up two standouts for the UNA Soccer program. We've got Monica Yoder here, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, transferred in from MSU Denver. And then we've got the sophomore Meg Welsh from McKinney, Texas, swinging by. And as Chris Walker said, we're still talking football, real football. Thank you both for joining us. Meg here is second in the league with four goals. And Meg, for you, it's been kind of a breakout season for you. What's been the difference from your freshman to sophomore year?

Yeah, I think coming in freshman year, I was a little timid coming in, just because I'm a freshman, and we had some really standout seniors, and I just tried to do what I could with my role that I had. And I think coming in sophomore year, I had a lot more confidence, and being able to just like finish the ball for my team. And I mean, it's a team sport, and I was just able to be there to tap it in. But yeah, it's definitely been a really fun season, and I'm excited to keep going.

[26:07] Yeah, you've certainly been fighting the net. Monica, let's talk about your story a little bit. Coming over from Colorado, in fact, the last school you were at was actually the same site that the UNA softball team played their national championship game in 2016 and won that. I know Steve liked that stat right there. But Monica, for you, coming to UNA and then being the first person at UNA to score a goal and make independent stadium history, how special was that? It truly was a blessing. I was so happy that I was able to do that, and it's been a blessing just to come here to UNA and experience this.

I definitely wouldn't have wanted it any other way, and I truly loved my experience so far. So, yeah. For both of you, let's talk about that first match at Bank Independent Stadium. We showed it earlier, the pyro, the smoke as you guys were walking through the tunnel. How cool was that, and did it startle either of you when it fired off? It was really cool. I got a heads up on the smoke because I was walking in the front. You had the inside scoop. Yes, I was walking in the front, so I heard them count down.

Here it is right here on the screen. I heard them count down of when they were going to do it, so I was prepared, but I know Meg is a little. Yeah, I was not prepared at all. I had no idea that was going. I thought when they said smoke, maybe some calm smoke, no, it shot up, and I was so surprised. But it was really cool. It was super fun, but definitely was not expecting that. Well, everybody was talking about Giselle's reaction, I think, was the main one.

She was right behind you, I believe. Kind of similar to mine because I was standing right there, too. It kind of spooked me a little bit. Yeah. But cool to see all that, and then the video board, the crowd of 900. I mean, how special was that environment for both of you? Yeah, that was so special. I mean, shout-out to Davis for making the hype for you. He's in the house. He recommended the buffalo dip, by the way. Great. What a guy. But the hype video was so amazing.

Just the whole production was fabulous. Yeah, I think we've definitely been waiting to be able to play in the stadium, come back on campus. And I think being on campus makes a huge difference just to get more people out there. And being under the stadium lights on Thursday will be super fun. Monica, you're from Colorado. Meg, you're from Texas. And you guys have been everywhere in your collegiate careers. You've probably played at a lot of cool venues growing up and stuff. But Bank Independent Stadium, Bobby Wallace Field, I mean, how does it stack up to some of the places you've been in college clubs throughout your careers?

I think it's definitely a very, very different environment. It's definitely, like, it's crazy. I mean, it's a giant stadium. And, like, the turf is nice. And, like, obviously, there's a little bit of slipping and sliding going on there. But you can use that to, like, home field advantage because we're used to, like, playing on that now. So, yeah. I definitely think just the environment of it all is so cool. I think definitely in the South, definitely football kind of gets it all. Like, football is huge in the South, especially in America.

And I think that just being able for us to be able to play there and just kind of feel the environment of having, like, a big game day on campus thing is definitely just huge. So, I think it was super fun. And, Meg, I think it was you that mentioned, and Coach Walker said it earlier, playing under the lights and how cool that's going to be in that stadium. I want to go back to this. So, 10 games so far, only lost two, 5-2-3 record. Very impressive rolling into these next two home games.

Teams that you might be familiar with being from Texas, Abilene Christian and Tarleton. What's kind of the goal for the team now that that first stadium game is out of the way and now we're looking ahead and trying to win some games again? Yeah. I think, obviously, the goal is to keep winning, as it is for every team. But just continue our momentum forward, especially in the second half. We had a lot of momentum in that half. And I think if we just continue that forward throughout the next home games and then having that home crowd advantage is definitely helpful.

Yeah, I definitely think having the new field and everything was super exciting. And I think we're super ready for the next two games to come about for us. And I think that we just wish we could have got that game back yesterday. But I think we're excited to carry that on to Thursday and Sunday. And I think we have a little fire under us. So I think we're super excited for that. Can't wait, indeed. Now, before we let you two go, let's hear about your journeys to North Alabama.

Because we've got two different perspectives from a grad transfer and then a freshman. But you're both from, you know, lands away from here, right? You know, we typically see players come in more locally, I guess. But, Monica, for you, you hit the portal. Why North Alabama? When I got my visit here, I, like, truly, I felt, like, kind of at home. Which is kind of interesting because, obviously, I'm so far away. And I've never really been to the South before at all. But it kind of just, it felt right.

And then coming here now, it's definitely, like, I think back to my thought process of, like, deciding which schools to transfer to. And I couldn't see myself going anywhere else other than here. Like, it's truly been so amazing. And it's definitely different than Colorado out in Alabama. But I'm really glad that I'm, like, having this experience because I wanted to, like, see something different, experience something new. Because I've been in Colorado, like, pretty much my whole life. So it's definitely been amazing. And I'm so glad that I'm here.

[31:24] And, Meg, from Texas, you did the high school route here to North Alabama. What was your journey like? Yeah, I just think coming on my visit here, obviously, I was looking to see where I wanted to go to college. And I think it just had all the aspects of me from academics and also athletics. And I think just seeing how the team plays and the team environment and the way the community is and the way the community supports the school just felt very much like home to me.

And I think that it doesn't even feel like I'm far away from home just because of how supportive and awesome everyone is here. Well, everybody can watch these two play Thursday night. Bank Independence Stadium, 7 o'clock, Abilene Christian under the lights. Then Sunday, 1 o'clock, Tarleton State. A pair of big ones coming up. Thank you both for coming up here and doing this with us. You both kind of said you're a little nervous the lights were bright, but you both knocked it out. Thank you. Thank you for having us.

Thank you guys so much. There you go. Check out UNA Soccer at home this week. Let's take a time out. When we come back, we're going to transition to some volleyball. Tristan Johnson's here. He's got some friends as well. That's on the other side of this break. It's UNA Football Night Fall Sports Edition from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd.

It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate. Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash Shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, perhaps some mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control, locally owned and operated, protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. It's his fifth season at North Alabama.

Hard to believe it's been that long. Tristan Johnson is up next, head volleyball coach here at the University of North Alabama. Welcome back down to Lost Pizza Shoals for you in a football night, fall sports edition. I have to think about that every single time. But coach, an unbelievable start for your program so far. You played three matches in the first six days. This week, you got to just play one on Saturday. What have you made to the way this team has started, what, four and one in league play so far?

Yeah, no, it's been good. Really, really pleased with where we're at. Travel's been tough the first four matches, but it's been good. I think we've kind of settled in a little bit. It's good to, it was good to be home, first off. It was really good to be home and back sleeping in our own beds and being where we want to be and then playing in front of a home crowd. So, yeah, it's been good. Really pleased with where the girls are at and just how hard they've been working and kind of the rhythm that we found after the non-conference schedule.

[36:47] Yeah, really big win over Abilene Christian to kind of open that play and then a tough loss at Tarleton. But then you come back, you beat West Georgia. And then Central Arkansas, a team that's way better than their record, comes to town. They played a really, really hard schedule. They were motivated to get a win. You guys didn't let them, man. I mean, it was a great game. Bounced back from that set, too. Got the next two. What was the rhythm like in that Central Arkansas game?

Yeah, I mean, it was very competitive. Central Arkansas, when they come here, is always, I mean, we go there. It's always a really, really competitive matchup. And, you know, they have a lot of returners from last year. They won the conference tournament last year and bring back a lot of kids from that season. And so, yeah, I mean, I think our girls were really motivated to get out there and get the win. Their record does not show their team at all. They're really talented and obviously very well coached.

So, yeah, I mean, I think it was a good win for us being able to get in and win a close one. I mean, the third set was super tight, and we were able to take it away and, yeah, come out with a win. So, yeah, just really happy with where we're at. Loved how we played at West Georgia, you know, coming off the loss at Tarleton. That was a really tough trip. We played at home against Abilene, got done really late, woke up really early, drove to the airport, flew there, played the game, flew back.

And so to turn, and then we got home Sunday pretty late and then turned right around Monday to go to West Georgia and went out and had a really good match against them. So, yeah, just really, really like where the girls are at. Again, I think we found some really good rhythm and just hoping we can keep it going. You look up and down this roster, and there's a lot of familiar names. In this day and age, you don't see that a lot. But what's it like having the players like Kinsley that we're going to talk to here in just a little bit, players that have been around and in this program, what's it mean to you to have them balled in and invested in all of this?

Yeah, it's everything. I mean, last season was the first season that every player on the roster were girls that I had recruited, and last spring was the first spring that every player on the roster were girls that we had recruited. So I think that's a big piece of what we've got going on is culturally we've got things moving in an amazing place. And then, you know, again, to your point, that doesn't happen super often in terms of kids sticking around and doing things. And, you know, we've had kids that have had a lot of success like Kins and Reese and people like that that have stuck around after having really good seasons.

And so, yeah, I mean, it's everything, right? I mean, us being able to connect as a group, grow as a group, be close, play for each other. You know, I've felt over the last few years that we've had a lot of really good talent, but I feel like this is the first year that we've had really good leadership in the locker room to match that talent and a group that's bought into playing for each other. Yeah, great group indeed. And a lot of the people that get talked about, Reese Ricketts, obviously, with her 200 kills, Kinsley with what she's done with her assist, and Ava and all of that.

But one person I want to highlight is a true freshman, Anna Hoffmeyer, man. She is hitting at a high, and this is really good, over 100 kills for her this season. And she's still hitting 344 for a percentage, and she leads the team in blocks for a true freshman. It's pretty amazing. Yeah, and I knew coming into the season that she was going to have a chance to have a great year. I mean, she was one of those kids that when we recruited her, you know, we were her only Division I offer at the time.

And she's not, you know, you watch some of the teams that we play. They've got middle blockers that are 6'3", 6'4". She's not the tallest kid in the gym. She doesn't jump necessarily the highest in the gym, but I'll challenge you to find someone that works harder in the gym. And that was one of the things that really stood out when we were recruiting her. We were actually, she's from Ocean Springs, but she played club ball down in Mobile. And the head coach at McGill-Tulin runs that club, and I had texted her, and I was like, hey, can you tell me a little bit about Anna?

And she picked up the phone and called me while she was teaching in class at McGill and said, if I could have every kid at our club and in my school team be like one person, I would choose Anna Hoffmeyer. And so in that moment with a McGill-Tulin head coach who's won countless state championships, I knew that she was something pretty special. And then Reese Ricketts leads the league and kills Kinsley McGowan, who we're going to talk to here in just a second, leads the league and assists.

You go up and down through here. I mean, Ava Martindale, we're going to hear from her. She's right there second in the league in digs. What's it like seeing all these players that have been in this program that we were just talking about, not just impacting your program, but setting the tone for the rest of the league? Yeah, it's been exciting. I mean, you know, to your point, Reese has, you know, it's amazing to me. She's led the league and kills per set every week, every day since we started the season and has not got player of the week, which has been something that's bugged me pretty bad.

But, you know, I think with where Kinsley's been, and she's been at the top of the leaderboard in assists per set the whole season, she had 55 assists, I think, in four sets in the last match, which is just a crazy number. And then Ava, I mean, I think, you know, what she's done this year, she worked her tail off over the spring. I had to watch myself there. She worked her tail off in the spring to really, if any of you that know me know, I had to think about that one.

But she worked so hard to really grow in her confidence and grow in her position in serve-receive, and her defense has always been phenomenal. So I'm just really happy for her that, I mean, this is her third Defensive Player of the Week award when she won it the first two times. And then she got all-tournament team when we were at Troy. I mean, she's just done such a phenomenal job. Couldn't be more proud of her. All right. So we did this with Coach Walker, and we usually do it with Coach Dierman.

[41:53] Sprint Dierman trivia. We had Chris Walker trivia. How about Tristan Johnson trivia? Have I spoiled anything? I almost spoiled. Sorry. Coach Walker's. I think you're good with where you're at. Just don't scroll. We'll just. Yeah, that's better. Okay. Okay. Are you ready? Do I get the topic, or do I just get the questions? You get the topic. Okay, let's hear it. It's going to require some league knowledge. How about that? Oh, God. Because it's not just about your team. Okay. So that's what makes it a little harder than Chris's question.

All right, here we go. Question is, there are seven teams in the UAC that have over 300 errors, but we've been very efficient. We've had under 300. So we are one of the two teams, so I'll give you that one. But who is the other team in the UAC that joins us with less than 300 errors? We're talking total errors? Yes. Oh, man. We lead. We have 242, and there's another team that has 284. The obvious choice would be Eastern Kentucky because they've had such a good season, but I'm going to guess that you're going to tell me I'm wrong there.

You are wrong there, so I won't accept that as your answer. That's a trick question. That's a trap, Mike. I don't appreciate that. Let's think here. I'm going to go with Austin Peay as one of them. No, not Austin Peay. They're a really good defensive team. They're like top ten in the nation in defense right now, so that was one guess. Oh, my gosh. I'll give you one more. Okay. Abilene Christian. Man, you're 0 for 3. It was Little Rock. Oh, okay. And you haven't seen them yet.

No, there you go. Yeah, it's a team you hadn't seen yet, but they had 284. But what's impressive to me is just how efficient your attack has been. Nobody's even close to that. I mean, 242 in the amount of sets we've played, I mean, I think it just says a lot about the efficiency, and I know I've harped on that a lot, but do you see it that way as well from your perspective? Oh, 100%. Yeah, I mean, we played a drill when we were 10-0, and we had won 24 sets in a row.

I guess that's eight, right? And then we were 10-0. We played a game every single day, and the entire premise of the drill is points that you earn versus points that you error and give away. And, again, the whole premise of the drill is learning how to balance going for it with errors but also going for it with points. You can lose the game, and you can win the game at the same time. So you can lose the game and the game be over, and the other team not have even won the game yet.

So you're balancing those two things out, and I think one of the things that taught our group a lot was how to manage the game, how to manage when to go for it, how to manage when to be aggressive, how to manage when to go for the win. If you need one point to win the game and you've got four or five errors left to give away, the other team doesn't get anything for that. You just lose those points. So you just go for it, and then if you risk it and you get the win, you get the win, and if you don't, then you still have some things to give there.

So I think this team's done a really good job of that. And if you look at our attack errors, I mean, there were a few matches there where, I mean, we were, you know, five less attack errors. When we played at West Georgia in the second set, I think we were 20 kills, no errors, which is just an insane, insane number. So, you know, and all that's a credit to Kins. I mean, she's done such a good job. She's worked so hard to really be good. And she made a couple of sets against Central Arkansas that are some of the best sets that I've ever seen in my coaching career.

She back set a ball from zone two, which is over by the ref stand, and back set it all the way across the court to Dylan. And it was a perfectly tempoed set where it needed to be. And for anyone that's never done that before, that is shoot a basket with your eyes closed with the lights off from half court and see if you can make it. I mean, it's a really, really tough thing to do. So, you know, I think it's not surprising to me to hear you say that because of the work that she's put in and that our hitters have put in.

Well, Coach, you're on the road this week, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky. Then next week, UT Arlington and Austin Peay at home. We appreciate you swinging by. We're going to talk to your players of the week next. Thanks, guys. Roy Lyons. That's Tristan Johnson. Let's get around those cables right there. We'll take a timeout. We've got Ava Martindale and Kinsley McGowan next on UNA Fall Sports Night at Lost Pizza Shoals. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd.

It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate. Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic. Located in downtown Florence, we offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

[47:18] Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, paraffs of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

Make the most of every lawn with Kubota commercial landscaping equipment. From the productivity-boosting Z700 mower to the reliable SVL track loader, it's a lineup built to get the job done right. Because when your reputation is on the line, you need equipment that will never let you down. Visit your local Kubota dealer today. Stop by Brown Equipment, located at 826 North Military Street in Loretto, or visit them online at brownequipmentcompany.com. We got your United Athletic Conference Players of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, Ava Martindale, a senior from College Station, Texas, her second year at North Alabama.

And then we've got Kinsley McGowan, the setter of the week from Cleveland, Tennessee, leading the league in assists. Ava is second in the league in digs. We appreciate both of you joining us. Kinsley, you're the longest-tenured lion, I guess, up here with us tonight. I mean, your third year at North Alabama. How can you sum up the way this season has gone? Best start in program history, great start to league play. How are things going so far? I mean, I think they're going well. This is definitely the best it's felt, being here as well.

I mean, we're all super close. So, it's super fun every day. Yeah. And, you know, something that I really like, Kinsley, is that we were all talking, and me and Ava, we were a little surprised you had never looked at the stats pages and things. Obviously, you've accomplished so many things on the stats side and the milestone you got at Abilene Christian, what, 2000 career assists. I mean, obviously, you don't keep up with that stuff. So, it seems like the team is more important to you and those type of things.

So, I guess, how much of your focus is on just that side and not so much the stats side? Yeah, I would definitely say all of it. I mean, yeah, I've never really looked at most of this. I'm not sure what a lot of it is either. But, yeah, I think I just put all my focus into them. They pour a lot into my cup, so I try to do my best to pour more into theirs. Ava, your second season at North Alabama, what's it like playing with this group where so many of you have been together two, three, maybe even four years in some instances?

It's just been super fun. I think that that's kind of what's made us so special this year is that we just love being with each other, love practicing every day. And, like, you get so much more out of it when you just enjoy the company you're in. And the mark of a good volleyball team for both of you, I think when you have a good tandem at Libero and Setter, you're in good shape. And you can rely on her. She can rely on you. So, Ava, what does that mean to you to know that you've got her as a setter?

And, Kinsley, same to you about Ava. I mean, it's great. I was joking with her earlier. I was like, I'm going to tell them, like, I mean, she just makes me look good. Like, I just have to get the ball up, and we're good. So, it's super, like, fun playing with her. She really makes me look good. So, yeah, when we were talking earlier, I was talking, I was like, I mean, I can't do it without you. You got to dig the ball for me to set it.

But, yeah, we have a lot of fun on the court. And it's nice to have someone that you know is in your corner and always has your back out there, someone you can really count on. And this is kind of an interesting perspective. We have three of the top ten hitters in the league. Reese Ricketts leads the league in kills. Dylan Garner is fourth. Phoebe is tenth in the league. And then there's others as well that you could throw out there. Maybe I want to start with you.

What's it like in practice when you're going up against these heavy hitters? I mean, I think it's what makes us such a good defensive team. I know y'all are kind of talking about that. But when we have to play against that every day where I have to, I can't just not worry about anybody, it makes games a lot easier just because I have to do it every day. And then, Kinsley, for you, I mean, what's it like when you're trying to spread the wealth amongst all these hitters?

It honestly feels like you can never really go wrong. I think there's a lot that goes into the IQ of a setter and making the right decision. But a lot of time it feels like there's really not a wrong decision. Last thing for me, and it's a question for both of you, because I think Coach Johnson kind of alluded to this. For you, Kinsley, there was a play you had in the Central Arkansas game where you basically had to set it across court to get it to, I think it was Dylan who put it away.

[52:35] And then, Ava, for you, I've seen you make some pancake-type saves. If you could pick a play of the year for each of you, what's been your favorite play that you've made this year? Oh, there's so many. Sorry to put you on the spot. And it could be a rally, too. I mean, we've had some really good rallies. I remember ACU, there was a really good rally in the fourth set. I think it was. I think for me, it was game point of fifth set against Abilene Christian, just because it was, like, first conference game, and, like, it was just a huge win.

And I set Dylan out of system. I think you dug the ball. And it wasn't even super, like, flashy, but just, like, the excitement at the end of the fifth set was, like, insane. I think there's not really a specific play that comes to mind, but there's a few that I've had with each of our hitters where the vibes are so high, and it feels super electric when it's pretty close, and they get a kill, and they're electric. It makes me pretty electric. But, I mean, I guess I could say the one coach brought up earlier.

I forgot about that. I forgot I did that. Well, we appreciate both of you joining us. These are your UAC Players of the Week, Ava Martindale and Kinsley McGowan. Best of luck on the road, and we'll see you guys at home next Thursday. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for having us. We're going to wrap it up with some cross-country talk. When we return, this is UNA Fall Sports Night at Lost Pizza Shoals. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd.

It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate. Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, perhaps some mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control. Locally owned and operated, protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. Wrapping up this special fall sports edition at Lost Pizza Shoals of UNA Football Night.

Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel. And we've got our largest set ever. We've got five people up here. We're talking cross country with third-year head coach Connor Callahan. He's got Nathan Buckridge up here and Lily Meeks as well. And Coach Callahan, you guys are heading down to Tallahassee this weekend. Just sum up how the season's been going for the men and the women this year. It goes quick. I mean, that's the biggest thing about it is we go from, you know, we haven't raced in a couple weeks.

[57:48] So you go to Huntsville a couple weeks ago, which was a good race for us. Gives us a chance to run in the heat, but not too far away. And both the men and the women ran well. Nathan got to run his first race of the season over there in Huntsville. Lily got to go back home a little bit and run over in Huntsville as well. So a good chance for both of them to race. Looking forward to Tallahassee this weekend, just getting down there. It's a regional course.

It's a good course, true cross country course. Yeah, and you finally get to do it. I think it was two years ago we were supposed to go and it got canceled your first season. Now I actually get to go. It's a good thing. And we will talk about that in a moment. But as you've probably already heard, we've done Tristan Johnson trivia. We've done Chris Walker trivia. But now we're going to do Conor Callahan trivia. I'm nervous. Are you ready? I think. Well, a lot of people know this already, but we added a distance-based track program this year, right?

So that means the roster may have gotten a little bigger. So from last year to this year, men's and women's combined, and I want to thank Grant for doing the research on this. How many, how much of a runner increase have you had from last year to this year? Is it about 25 or 26? Very close. Almost. 22 is the final answer. Is that right, Grant? I knew it was something. 22. You were right on it. But 46. I mean, that's a lot. That's a big roster. It's a lot to manage.

And we were just talking to some recruits today. And Coach Noah does a great job of just kind of being able to kind of pick up my slack a little bit of the day-to-day stuff inside the office and just making those relationships with the kids. Because we tell every recruit, like, relationships are huge for us. So I do my best. And we're doing well. But it is one of those that we're a big relationship kind of driven program. Lily, true freshman from Huntsville, Alabama, Whitesburg Christian Academy.

What's your first year running at North Alabama been like? It's been great so far. I mean, the reason I'm here is because of Callahan. And he has delivered so far. I think that we've put a couple of good races down. But, you know, we can only go up from here. We've had a lot of great training. So I'm excited for what's to come. What was that first race like when you stepped into the box? Totally nerve-wracking. Yeah. I was very, very nervous. But it was nice to have it on the home course.

You know, we practiced there a lot. So it was really just a great experience. It was kind of a small meet. So it was just me and my teammates out there racing against each other, against the clock. So it was a great experience. And Nathan, for you, originally from England, you make your way here to North Alabama. What ultimately drew you here to Florence, Alabama? I think really the support network that we were going to come and get at North Alabama was huge. That's definitely what I was looking for in a program, and I knew to get the best out of me.

I'm really making an impact in the results. So, yeah. So we like to ask our foreign lines that come over, what's been your favorite thing about Florence? What's been the biggest adjustment? God, that's a good question. I think, for me, just the people so far. Everyone's been so welcoming, super friendly, super good at helping me out whenever I need it. And I think that makes a team, that makes the environment so much more than anything else. Well, Coach Callahan, last thing. We'll let you guys get out of here.

Looking at the rest of the schedule down to Tallahassee, back home for the Kinnomer Classic, which is awesome. Then the UAC Championships, NCAAs after that. What's the outlook for the rest of the season? Continue to get fit. We've got 6 a.m. practice, workout tomorrow, so we'll be over at the track. So we can't let off the gas. I think that's the biggest thing is let's make sure that we're not satisfied with what we've done and continue to kind of go with where we can go. And, hey, it's going to take a lot from these two.

I think that's the biggest thing is, you know, putting a little bit of pressure on them to, you know, do what they can do. It's one of those that we're not asking them to do anything they haven't done. But we've got to continue to get better. And I'm excited to go down to Tallahassee this weekend, see a true course, probably get a little bit wet. But, hey, that's what makes cross country cross country. And the last thing, is your son running yet? He's speed walking. Speed walking.

To the point that he's speed walking. He runs away with the TV remote. So that's his go-to. There you go. He'll be out there on the course soon enough, right? Yes, exactly. Well, we appreciate you all joining us. And best of luck down at Tallahassee this weekend. Thank you. Thank you. Royal Lions. That's Connor Callahan and UNA cross country. That's going to do it for us on this UNA fall sports night at Lost Pizza Shoals. Thank you to Coach Walker, Coach Johnson, Coach Callahan, all their student athletes for coming out.

Thank you all for coming out yet again to Lost Pizza Shoals. We'll be back with you next week with more UNA football coverage. Brent Dierman and Company will be getting set for a game against Abilene Christian at Bank Independence Stadium. We can't wait to see you all there. So for Mike, Ty, a lot of people, Braden, Grant, Zach in the house as well. For Blair back at the station. For Chuck and Greg Thornton over there. I'm Benjamin Wright, San Roar Lions. You've been listening to UNA football night from Lost Pizza.

Tonight's show is brought to you by Lost Pizza Shoals. Burnley Spine and Sport. Singing River Brewery. Southern Pride Pest Control. Alabama Health Guidance. The Carriage Wine and Market. And Brown Equipment Company. Thanks for listening. And Roar Lions!