[00:00:14] Speaker A: Hello. Welcome to the Roundhouse podcast with Paul Solentrop of Wichita State University Strategic communications. Thanks for listening. Today we have Wichita State Associate head coach Elizabeth Economan and outfielder Bailey Urban. We're going to talk shockers. Softball shockers are wrapping up fall practices this month. They were out at Wilkins Stadium yesterday, Wednesday, taking advantage of the nice weather. Bailey is a senior. She is in her fifth year with the Shockers. She started 92 games over her time here. She's regular on the conference All Academic team. We'll talk about that later. The CPA exam is a big deal. She's a two time All American scholar athlete and she's from Omaha. This is Elizabeth's 6th appearance on the podcast. I have the official standings right here that ties her for the most appearances with former volleyball assistant Sean Carter. So we need your best effort today if you want to get to seven.
[00:01:07] Speaker B: If I get invited back. Got it.
[00:01:09] Speaker A: All right, let's start with fall practices. Elizabeth, give us the update. You had several scrimmages earlier. Where are you at in the calendar?
[00:01:16] Speaker B: We are progressing really well. We have just a couple of weeks left of individual workouts, but we've been able to tackle just about everything and seeing real progress in all of our athletes, defensively, offensively and in the circle. So we have been lucky with the weather. We're able to do a lot of stuff outside, and our turf certainly helps with that. So we are, I think, as a staff and probably the players as well, really excited about our potential and the direction we're going.
[00:01:41] Speaker A: Yeah, Bailey, let's talk about the turf, because there's a lot of new turf. There's a lot of plans for more new stuff over at Wilkins Stadium. The turf, how's it affect things?
[00:01:51] Speaker C: So, actually, yesterday was our first day we got molded cleats. So we've been kind of trying to figure out what's our best kind of grip on the turf.
So that was our first day with those, and everybody had really good opinions on those. So I think that's going to be our route with what we wear on them.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: What is a molded cleat? Explain that to me.
[00:02:12] Speaker C: So when you get to a certain age, you switch to metal cleats, obviously.
So the molded cleats are more what you wear when you're younger for just protection, I'm assuming.
So the metal gets caught up in the turf a little bit more and the molded cleats kind of, I would say grip into the turf and the black pebbles, whatever you will, it just gives you kind of more traction and more grip onto the ground. I would say the ball plays off the turf a little differently, obviously, the way it bounces, the way ground balls come at us. So that's been a learning curve over the fall for sure, but it's helped us be able to practice outside a lot more. When it's rained a ton in the last month, it has rained a lot. So that's definitely been a pro for us to be able to be out there and take live balls in there.
[00:02:59] Speaker A: So it drains pretty quickly, then that would be one advantage. So, Bailey, what's the percentage of grass versus turf that you grew up playing? Is it pretty common anymore to play on turf?
[00:03:10] Speaker C: I don't think I ever played on turf, honestly, especially not in high school. We didn't have any of those.
I think in college, maybe KU had it and maybe another place in Texas, but that's it. So low percentage for my experience.
[00:03:28] Speaker A: There's a lot of grass out there.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: Yeah, it seems to be trending in the turf direction, so there's a lot of places that are getting it, and some are getting full turf, not just outfield aprons. So it's probably because it looks right.
[00:03:41] Speaker A: Right. I think broadcasters hate it because you can't say ball in the dirt anymore on a full. Yeah. Okay. The shockers scrimmaged in the fall, as they always do. They scrimmaged Oklahoma State, South Dakota State, Kansas, Emporia State, to junior colleges back in September and October. Bailey, what was the takeaway from facing that kind of outside competition? What did you learn about this team?
[00:04:03] Speaker C: Obviously, the scoreboard didn't show a lot of good, if you will, but I think we learned a lot, and those experiences have definitely helped. We have a lot of new faces that are taking on big roles this year, and I think playing that high of competition in the fall where it's not as much pressure, you can really learn from what you're doing at bat to at bat or defensively. So I think that was huge for us.
Again, the score doesn't mean much in the fall. We are looking to develop and looking to progress, and I think that once fall season has ended and we've done individuals in practice, you can really see a lot coming together. So I think that definitely helped us progress a lot.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: Elizabeth, what was your takeaway from the scrimmages?
[00:04:45] Speaker B: Yeah, we saw some really good pitching this fall. I thought between KU and Oklahoma State and South Dakota State, there were really high level arms that we faced, which I think is good for prepping to hit our own pitchers this fall, first of all. But then going into the spring, where if we base it on, last year, everybody gave us their best game. Every pitcher that showed up in the circle against us pitched their best game of their season to that point. So we have a little bit of a target on our back, but we were able to see good pitching. And for some of our newcomers, we have seven new faces. And five of those seven hit, I think something like that.
Six of the seven, they are able to see quality pitching immediately because sometimes when you play a softer fall schedule, you don't know what you don't know. So you get in there and you have some success and you think you're on a good track. But maybe you haven't seen somebody like Alexey Kilfoyle or Mator Kaneshi or somebody that's. That's going to have a lot of success in the spring and has had quite a few games under their belt. So we're able to kind of throw our new kids in the fire and see if they can hang and see. Does it intimidate them? Can they catch up with the velo? Can they adjust to the movement? And so getting to see them do that early gives us a list of things to work on for the rest of the fall.
[00:06:05] Speaker A: This would be a good point to Remind people. The Shockers last year went 44 and ₩12. The American Athletic Conference regular season title went back to the NCAA regionals again. Bailey, I think there are eight newcomers on this team, seven freshmen. What's the biggest adjustment that they saw in pitching from high school and travel ball to playing colleges in the fall?
[00:06:29] Speaker C: I can't speak so much for them, but just in my experience, Velo is obviously a big thing, but I think the biggest is the movement. And you have to figure out how you can have a consistent enough swing to hit all those different kinds of pitches that are moving a lot more than you've ever seen in high school or travel ball? So I think that's the biggest jump in my experience and the biggest learning curve that you kind of have to reevaluate yourself and your swing and how you can kind of match the competitiveness that they're given out in the circle.
[00:07:02] Speaker A: So, Elizabeth, take us back to maybe August 1. What were you most curious about regarding this team and then how has that item played out over these last two plus months?
[00:07:14] Speaker B: Well, it's a good question, I would say, to give you the answer that I would never normally say. Pitching. I was curious about our pitching, knowing that what we returned and how successful Alex and Lauren and Allie were last year. And then to add two kind of unknowns with Erica and Chloe.
And so to be questioning that on August 1 and then here on November 9. They're good. Our pitching staff is good. So kind of sitting there wondering, you never know when you recruit and everything looks great on paper and everybody, personality wise, and it all seems great. And then they get here, are they going to do what you think they can do? So that would be my first thing. And then hitting wise, figuring out who we are as an offense every year when we lose pieces, and obviously we lost some big pieces. So what's our identity offensively? And we're starting to figure that out. We're getting some pieces, we're getting stronger.
We got a new strength coach, which is, he's been Great, too. So it's a big puzle, and we're starting to figure it out.
[00:08:17] Speaker A: So Chloe Barber is the freshman pitcher you mentioned. And Erica, I'm looking for her last name.
[00:08:24] Speaker B: Shirts.
[00:08:24] Speaker A: Shirts. Both freshmen. Is Chloe the one who throws really hard? Is that what I've heard?
[00:08:28] Speaker B: Chloe does spring it? Yes.
[00:08:30] Speaker A: Okay, Bailey, so you've been here since 2020. I think we can accurately say shocker. Softball has gotten more popular over these last few years. Keep going. NCAA regionals, you're on ESPN. People are paying attention, a lot of social media. Sydney McKinney obviously was a big part of that. Addie B. Addison Barnard.
How do you describe that? The attention, the conversations. What's it been like for you to be here during this time and how have things.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: It's really, really cool to have seen. I mean, I feel like I've seen a ton of the progression over now, five years. I actually just was in the outfield during warm ups with some of our freshmen, and I was like, during one of our fall games, and it's packed in there. And I was like, my first year, I think our first fall game, we might have had six people up there, like three sets of parents, and that's all. And now to see our fall game, the standard is packed and it's crazy to see all the attention that we've gotten. And just being good people and having so much success on the field, I think has really brought people to us. And as you said, we've won a lot of games and been to the tournament a couple times in a row, so that keeps people coming back. And it's been really cool to see.
[00:09:49] Speaker A: Fans like it when they'rewarded. Yes. Those NCAA regionals are a fun deal. So, Bailey, you're one of seven seniors on this team, you've got a lot of change.
Several players are going to be stepping into new roles. You've got eight newcomers. How has your leadership role changed as the roster has gotten to this point?
[00:10:09] Speaker C: I just try to take my experiences and what I've been through and kind of use that to help guide.
I remember a lot of people before me. I say bnick a lot was somebody that I watched a ton my first two years and she helped me when it came to throwing a ton of outfield stuff, hitting, and I just kind of tried to resemble that and be kind of what she was to me, to them. And I think that's kind of what I'm trying to focus on when it comes to leading and developing other people.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Bailey Nickerson, the former center fielder is who you're referring to. I'm just trying to keep all the fans on the right names here. Okay, so Bailey, off to a great start in 2022 and then an injury ended your season after 16 games. You're hitting 333 had three home runs last season. You did a lot of pinch hitting, came in off the bench in a big game versus the University of Houston, drove in the game tying and winning runs in the 6th inning, which is a long winded way of getting to how do you mentally prepare for that role where you don't know and you're going to come up and a lot of times a situation where it would be really nice if you got a hit?
[00:11:19] Speaker C: Last year was obviously probably my biggest struggle year in my career just because of my circumstances and what it was, it was just a different kind of role that I had to adjust to and kind of take grasp of. Pinch hitting was always something that really intimidated me. I was like, you got one shot, like, do I swing at the first pitch? Do I not? Kind of thing. And then when I hit my home running in South Florida was kind of when that whole pinch hitting thing started and that was just a big confidence boost and then something that I was like, okay, I can do this. If I can get in there once a game and really try to make this game go our way a little more, then that's what I'm going to do.
Obviously, I've gotten to practice a ton since then and gotten to develop a lot, so hopefully I can kind of help out more than maybe once a game. But yeah, that was a big learning curve for me and something that I'm really glad that I got to do because of my circumstance and because of rehabbing my leg and all of that.
[00:12:20] Speaker A: Elizabeth, how do you coach pinch hitters?
[00:12:23] Speaker B: It's the hardest job. They can be ready at the beginning and then wait and wait and wait.
There's some times that we'll sit and say, okay, if this happens, Burb, you're going to go, but if this doesn't happen, we're going to leave her in, she's going to bunt or whatever, and then we'll save you for the 6th inning, just depending on the score, the innings, how the kind of the game is going. But Bailey is like a lot of our upperclassmen who've been here for a little bit. They're paying attention the whole game. So they're watching their teammates swing, they're watching the pitcher. They're looking at the scouting report. They're kind know in their mind going, okay, if I got my chance. Now, she's been starting everybody with a curve outside or maybe something down and in, and so they're going to have a game plan that they're kind of always working on. And I think Bailey's one of the best to do that because she's got the most experience, but she's ahead of the game mentally.
Even while she was out injured, I would text her while she was at home and go, hey, did you watch the game? What do you think? And so we would talk a little bit about the opposing pitchers or the scouts, and she's always been sharp and thinking about plan and approach and execution. So for her, maybe her body might get colder as the game goes on, but then she'll go down and do some running, some swinging, and just, she knows that when it's my chance, I got to go. And I don't know what the percentage of success was, but I feel like every time we put her in, she did it.
[00:13:51] Speaker A: So it sounds like communication is important and they need to know, we may use you here, but we may not. But then there's another turn coming around. So just keeping them in the game and knowing they may be needed at.
[00:14:02] Speaker B: Some point, and as they get older, it's easier. They know they can start to feel for it. And toward the end of the season, I think it was similar situations repeatedly that we were kind of in so she could have a feeling for it and then moves closer to the front of the dugout so I could see her all. And we're having conversations and our offense does a good job in the dugout of talking to each other anyway, so they're communicating and Bailey's not going to, she's going to keep her ear in there because she knows it's going to matter and it's going to get to be her chance very soon.
[00:14:31] Speaker A: Bailey, I've begin to suspect that Coach E. Really likes to coach hitting, talk about hitting, watch hitting, think about hitting, dream about hitting, all those kind of things. Describe working with her and her coaching approach.
[00:14:44] Speaker C: I mean, you don't just want an assistant coach of the year for no reason.
Yeah, she's one of the best. We talk about it all the time. Anytime she has to miss practice, miss a game, we're like, oh, no, what do we do? So, I mean, I think that says a lot on its own. Personally, I feel like I've developed so much in the box, in my swing, everything, and I have to give every prop to her for that. It's been a lot of hours, a lot of swings in the cages to figure not just myself, however many hitters we have, 19, whatever.
So that says a lot. And the success that we've had over the last four, five years says a lot.
[00:15:24] Speaker A: That was very nice. When we get nice things on this podcast. Yes, that's very good.
[00:15:45] Speaker D: Hi, this is Rick Muma, president at Wichita State University. Check out the latest episode of the Forward Together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from Shocker Nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita State University. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:16:15] Speaker A: So, Bailey, there's an opportunity for playing time in the outfield this spring with Wichita State. Tell us about how you approach the fall and your mindset. Knowing that your bat, your glove is probably going to be very important to this team.
[00:16:28] Speaker C: It's helped me a lot that my body now feels 100%, and I can trust that because last year that was a big toll for me. So now that that's back up to speed, I'm just really trying to focus in on my self confidence, knowing that I've started before, I've been in these situations before.
So to trust myself and trust my preparation and all the work I've done this fall and can now do during winter break, which, again, I couldn't do last year. So that's a big thing for me, to just trust what I can do and trust my own abilities to kind of step up when there is an opening.
[00:17:05] Speaker A: Yeah, injuries are always interesting.
They can be really hard on athletes. What kept you going? Who kept you going? How did you keep a good attitude during the rehab?
[00:17:18] Speaker C: So obviously that was my second time doing it, so I kind of knew what the path ahead of me was going to be.
My family was a big part for me, just a big support system, doing whatever they could to help because they knew right away when I did it, I always told them if I toured again, I was done. And the day it happened, I was like, yes, done. And then I just kind of thought about it, and I was like, you know, I don't want to go out like this. And they were very supportive with me on that end. And then my coaches and my teammates were huge, too. They were texting me every week, asking me how I was doing, when I would be able to, whatever it was, run, start my hitting progression, cutting, that kind of stuff. So, honestly, I don't think I could have done it or would have really came back if it wasn't for a support system. So I got a lot of thanks to give to all those people.
[00:18:08] Speaker A: So, Elizabeth, it's a good opportunity to take us through the outfield. The shockers will be without Lauren Lucas, who's taken a medical red shirt. She certainly would have been a huge part of the team's offense and the outfield. And then Cam Compton's also taken a medical red shirt. She may have figured in the outfield. Take us through. Who will be out there for the shockers?
[00:18:26] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, right now, we've got a lot of new faces in the outfield. We've got a lot of Nebraska faces in the outfield. We've got Burb and Taylor Salach and Addie B. They're looking kind of to be the head and shoulders right now. Then you mix in Avery Barnard. Sid Zenin's a freshman as well, and she's played a little bit of outfield for us this fall. She's holding her own. I think she would prefer to be maybe at first base, but she's finding a way to get it done. And if she hits like she's been hitting, that could be an option as well.
Maddie Espinosa is coming back from some injuries, so she's starting to get in the mix a little bit with practice. And then we have Mila Seton, another freshman from Kansas, who's super Athletic, just young. So Avery, Sid and Mila, just very young, trying to get their feet under them a little bit, have really progressed well in the last two months, so look a lot more comfortable. They can cover a lot of ground.
Avery has plus plus speed, which is not surprising. That must just be part of the Barnard family genes.
And Mila's also built really well and moves really well, too, so we've got a lot of athletic options. It's going to come down to who hits the ball consistently the best and that'll fill those three spots. But it's been fun. We've in the past been short on numbers in the outfield and so we've kind know at times had Lolo out there taking some fly balls just in case she was our fourth or fifth option. It seems like we have six or seven options now, so we've got some depth, which was much needed out there and obviously a couple of missing pieces. So we'll lean on Cam and Lauren a little bit for support like we do Bailey with just experience and kind of the mental game and being good people to kind of have an extra set of eyes on some of the young people because there are so many. So Lauren has played outfield forever and sees a lot of things, so they'll be able to help us kind of as an extension of our coaching staff to get information to the new kids and maybe keep an eye on them and take them under their wing a little bit. So it's going to be fun, it's going to be interesting, but there's a lot going on out there which is a very big positive for us.
[00:20:34] Speaker A: I'm sure there'll be a lot of interest in Avery Barnard being Addison's younger sister. Tell us a little bit more about her.
[00:20:41] Speaker B: Avery is, in my opinion, faster than close. If Addie listens to this, I'd like to do a foot race at practice just to see if we've got that correct.
[00:20:53] Speaker C: Were you there when they did home to home?
[00:20:54] Speaker B: Oh, no, I did Addie Beaner. Okay, well, I retract that statement. It appears that Addie, in fact, is faster.
I think Avery is raw. I think she's got a lot of untapped potential that I think we're trying to kind of squeeze out of her a little bit and get her comfortable and confident. And she's been able to be successful at her level because of her speed and she's strong for her size, too. So she's been able to do some things that other people couldn't do just because she's gifted. So I think if we can really hone in on getting her mechanics of her swing right and kind of getting her throw right, she'll be able to contribute for sure.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: So you mentioned speed, which may be more a part of things if I'm understanding things correctly. I know when I talked to Christie Bredbenner early in the fall, you talked about what kind of an offensive team is this team going to be? Are they going to hit home runs like they have in the past? Maybe not. Are we going to have to do some different things? How did that shake out during the know?
[00:21:53] Speaker B: I think we're initially at the beginning I would have said we're going to have to manufacture runs a little bit more bunting wise, stealing wise than we have in the past and I still think we'll do that. But now that they've had two months in the weight room with coach horn and we've been able to get into the cage and do some individuals and kind of work on swing mechanics and approach, I think we'll hit for power. Might be doubles, triples to start with, but there's some kids that can hit the ball out of the yard now. Will we hit 103 or 121? Probably not, but I didn't think I'd ever see that anyway, so I think that was exceptional. Can we get up in the hope so I think with some experience having Burb and Addie B and Caroline Talon, if she can get some at bats in, there's definitely power potential, but we add a little speed, which just makes that a little bit more fun. So if we can walk and then steal a base and now we're in scoring position, then we hit a double and it can kind of become contagious a little bit. So I think initially my thoughts early in September were, whoa, this is going to be different. We're going to hit a lot of singles and kind know have to piece things together. But as we've progressed, it's become more and more powerful. So I'm pretty optimistic.
[00:23:11] Speaker A: You mentioned Taylor Salachek, one of the outfielders. She had a really nice freshman year. How's her fall progressed?
[00:23:18] Speaker B: Yeah, she's looking real good.
Taylor came in last year with immediate offensive power and then we kind of had to work on some of maybe her not favorite pitches. Well, she's hitting those hard now and she, after having a year under her belt and then going home and working out this summer, she's very strong and I think she's adjusted well to Coach Horn. I think actually everybody's adjusted well to Coach Horn, so having that combination in her and she loves working out anyway, so she loves to be strong. So she's been hitting the ball really well this fall consistently. So we look for her kind of fill some of that Zoe and Lolo power that will obviously lose because they've graduated, but she should be able to pick up some of that slack pretty easily.
[00:24:04] Speaker A: So Bailey, you're nodding your head enthusiastically. Tell us your observations about Taylor.
[00:24:09] Speaker C: I mean, every day when we hit live on the field, I think. I don't even know. 90% of the balls go out, and they go out by a long way. So I think she's somebody that would definitely be able to step up. Like she said in Lolo or Zoe's power role, we don't live very far away, so I've heard about her forever, and she's always been able to hit the ball hard and far, and being able to be on the same team and see it every single day is really cool.
[00:24:38] Speaker A: Okay, Bailey, we mentioned there's, I believe, if I counted right, seven freshmen. And then Cece Wong, an infielder, is a graduate transfer.
Give the fans a name or two. Which other group of newcomers has really popped for you this fall?
[00:24:52] Speaker C: Right off the bat, I think, is CC. They put her in the lead off spot this fall, and I think she literally got on 8910 times in a row. We were like, this girl never gets out. We're singing that this girl's on Fire song. It's crazy. So to have her on our side, I think, is going to be huge. So we're really excited about that.
Chloe Barber, like you mentioned earlier, is somebody that everybody on our team does not really want to hit against.
Fridays, we do all kinds of live hitting, so you get off one pitcher every week, and I actually have Chloe this week, and there's a lot of prep and a lot of talk that we've been having about how can we catch up to 68 and kind of what are her go to. So I think she'll be huge to us this fall. She had a lot of success.
As long as she can get some of those freshman jitters out of the way, I think she'll be big for us right away.
I would also say Sid has made a ton of progress with her bat lately.
A ton of power there, a ton of opposite field power, which you don't see very much, which is really cool. So I think she'll be another big help for us this year.
[00:26:06] Speaker A: So, Elizabeth, when you get a freshman or a newcomer in, do you let them fail a little bit, let them struggle and let them come to you for help? I think different coaches probably approach it differently. How do you think about that part of adjusting newcomers to Wichita State?
[00:26:23] Speaker B: Yeah, I think, well, coaches are different, and then every athlete's different, so some want to try it their way first and see if it works, and some are like, let's do it from day one. They want to just kind of break it down and start over. So we only had two weeks, I think a week and a half of individuals before we started our team practice in August or September. So we did. We let them kind of do their thing at the beginning, and I was observing, I kind of take a lot of notes and mentally prepare for what's going to happen with every hitter going into the fall. So kind of let them do their own thing For a couple of days and then see if they start asking questions or what they might struggle with a lot. And then as soon as they open the door, I start asking them questions and then I go, okay, well, what do you think about this? Have you ever tried this? And what if we moved you here and changed your stance a little bit or whatever? And some works. Sometimes it works great and sometimes it doesn't work. So the hardest part about sports in general is figuring out, well, A, how their brains work. Do they understand what I'm saying? Can they process it? And B, what are their bodies physically capable of? So there are some people that we can't change their stance because it'll make them worse. So their bodies or their hips or their legs or their shoulders or torso or whatever can't do what maybe somebody else's can do. So figuring out who moves well or who moves in some way that you can kind of manipulate. So we made some significant changes with a couple of the freshmen and then we've taken a couple freshmen and made tiny tweaks. So it just depends on what their frame. Obviously, Sid zenins, she's a big, strong kid. She's going to be able to do more with her body than maybe Avery Barnard, just based on size. First off, some of them did struggle early in the fall, and I don't ever go in and make them feel terrible like you're going to struggle at this, but some of them struggled and it kind of opens that door, like I said, for, okay, let's figure out how to make it a little bit better.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: Bailey mentioned Cece Wong. Sounds like she's worth going back to. She's a transfer from Grand Canyon. Tell us about her, Elizabeth.
[00:28:38] Speaker B: Yeah, she's a much needed lefty bat to add to our lineup, and she's one of the most natural hitters I think we've had the pleasure to coach and now we've had some good hitters come through here, so not to take anything away from them, but Cece jumped right in and seems to have found her happiness in softball again. So seems to be fitting in well with the team, getting some feedback. Really likes to be a student of the game, likes to learn softball, has some ideas and likes to have people to bounce him off of.
I think is a pretty positive personality to kind of throw in the mix. Very happy, very loud. Can just kind of. It seems like she's been here longer than two months. She just fits right in. But I'm telling you what, between her and Taylor Solachek, there's some balls that are going far, far outside of Wilkins. So it's like having Lolo back. There's some balls that are hitting the street and crossing over into the front yard of the YMCA over there. So she's got the ability to. She's not very tall. She's five one.
Well, our roster says five four. I think that's a stretch, but I'm five four then, too.
She's got the ability to hit for power despite not having long levers. And it doesn't matter if it's in or out or up or down. She can get the barrel on the ball and it jumps. So she's very powerful for her size. And when she's on, she's very good.
[00:30:16] Speaker A: Okay, that's enough softball. Bailey, you passed the first part of the CPA exam. There are four parts to the CPA exam.
What's more stressful, facing a great pitcher in the 7th inning or taking the.
[00:30:32] Speaker C: You know, I had the same jitters and the same feeling in my stomach for both. So, I don't know. It's kind of similar in the fact that trusting my preparation and what I've done, I probably studied for that thing over 100 hours since August. So I have no other choice but to trust what I've done and be confident in myself and try to do the best I can at both.
[00:30:56] Speaker A: How long does it take? 4 hours or 4 hours. Okay. Why accounting? Why? Is that what you are studying? Going into, I guess, I presume.
[00:31:05] Speaker C: Yeah, right away. When I was a freshman in college, I was just trying to think, what am I good at? Like, what are my strengths? I knew science out of my realm of expertise right away.
And math is always in numbers is something that I was stronger in. So I decided to take that path, and that's been what I've done ever since. My dad works in an accounting firm, so that's kind of helped. He's kind of led me in the way and knows a lot of people. So that helped me get some opportunities with internships and kind of developing my skills in that realm of my life.
So, yeah, that's just been my path ever since. And the CPA test is the next hurdle to get to where I want to be.
[00:31:49] Speaker A: Okay, very good. All right. Road trips. All college athletes, coaches, got to be on buses and airplanes and things like that. Bailey, what do you do to get through it? Do you have earbuds or a book or snacks that you've got to have?
[00:32:05] Speaker C: Nothing that I really have to have. I try to be productive, sometimes more on the bus, in the plane, with homework and stuff. I watch a lot of shows, a lot of TikTok, Snapchat. People talk to everybody around me. Just whatever we can do. But, no, there's not really something that I do every single time, necessarily.
[00:32:25] Speaker A: Elizabeth, how about you? How do you survive?
[00:32:27] Speaker B: I usually start by double checking that I have all of my stuff in my bags, but then I'll get the film out for wherever we're going. I'll start watching film and just double checking my notes. And then, to be quite honest, once the bus gets rolling, I fall asleep, because I don't get to do that enough. I don't think so. As soon as that car gets moving and I feel comfortable with where I'm at with my work, I will fall asleep and not know where we are. And it's really great not to be in charge of driving the bus or coach Beal drive herself sometimes and call and say, where are you? And I have no idea. And it's the best feeling in the world because I don't get to do that very often.
[00:33:07] Speaker A: I understand. Sleep is important. Very good. Good advice. Bailey, what are you reading? Watching. Listening to. What would you tell the people to check out?
[00:33:16] Speaker C: I would say I watch more shows than read books. Taylor's actually gotten me into reading a little more, so I have been starting to.
I watch a lot of shows. I'm watching Grey's Anatomy right now. My all time favorite is probably vampire diaries and Wintry Hill. I'm guessing a lot of the population has watched all thosE. But if you haven't, those are my top three, probably.
[00:33:37] Speaker A: Very good. Elizabeth, how about you? Do you have a recommendation for people for their idle time?
[00:33:43] Speaker B: Softball and more softball?
Unfortunately, in my house, the TVs are operated by my small humans, so I get little to nothing of my choice. So the World Series is over. So there are no more sports that happen unless the Chiefs. I can talk the whole family into watching the Chiefs, but lots of Disney, lots of kids, Netflix. So, no, I don't have shows that I watch. I usually fall asleep to them.
[00:34:10] Speaker A: Okay, that's fine. Well, we're getting interrupted by construction here at Coke Arena. So this is a good place to wrap it up. Bailey Urban, outfielder for the Shockers Elizabeth Econeman, associate head coach for the Shockers softball team, thanks for your time.
[00:34:24] Speaker B: Thanks for having us.
[00:34:40] Speaker D: Thank you for listening to the Roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can find more Roundhouse
[email protected] It's over. It is over, ladies and gentlemen. Say it slowly and savor it. Wichita State is going to the final Four for the first time in 48 years.
[00:35:09] Speaker A: Unbelievable. What a scene, folks.
[00:35:11] Speaker D: The Shocker fans are just going crazy in the sand. Just maybe the greatest win in the history of Wichita State basketball.
