Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Passion of mine this year is I've gotten connected with
my friends to University of Nebraska, Omaha. I've been a
part of their hockey, their hockey presentation essentially for the
hockey games. I've been on the ice in the intermissions
of the home games and kind of being able to
talk about all the great things that they're doing. Gone
to a lot of the basketball games. There's just a
(00:20):
lot of great things going on there. I don't live
far from the campus. I take my dogs on a
lot of walks through campus, and it's just really a
beautiful and underrated place, I think, not just in Omaha,
but around the Midwest. And we're honored right now to
be joined by one of the people that have made
it so great, Chancellor Joanne Lee, joining us on the
phone line. Chancellor Lee, thanks so much for being on
my radio show today.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Wonderful Emory. Thank you for inviting me.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Okay, so you're actually on the road right now, is
that right?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, I am on the way to Sue Falls right now.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Okay, So Sue Falls is pretty important because well I'll
just let you tell the story. Where where Why are
you going to Sue Falls today?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, I have to say Emory. There has never been
a better time to be a fan of Omar athletics.
We have arrived and I'm going to tell you listener,
please get your Marv gear and come cheer on our
mar frats. I am on the way to sew Fall
absolutely because of our incredible men's basketball team. And I
think many listeners already paid attention. Coach coach Crutchfield just
(01:21):
named Summit League Coach of the Year, Makeel Sutton's named
Smmit League Players of the Year is truly a historic
fairy tale. Nine game win streets during the season, So
once they get the Summer League championship, we're all I
hading to sew Fall. And I would say one of
the thing that makes men's basketball so fun is this
(01:43):
year we're grabbing a lot of national spotlights. Our coach
Kayne Brown's trash hands smashing gave the team a spark,
but really turned into a national story, and I think
the story has reached millions of people through Sports Center
podcast A. W wrestling exposure has been tremendous and massive
(02:04):
for the university. So I hope that you listener know
that we are really competitive, detruitment and resilient we're also
having the most fun and I will tell you the
energy and the attendance really prove it. Yes, I want
people to appear on fraud.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Tonight the MAVs are taking on the Kansas City Ruse
at the six pm start time. MAVs beat Kansas City
both times they played during the regular season. You mentioned
the trash can thing. So you're the chancellor of a
university and this is Division one athletics. But you have Creighton,
which is a big fish, especially in the men's basketball pond.
(02:42):
You have obviously the corn Huskers, where you know people
all over the state really love them and are following them.
So you guys are trying to kind of stand out
with two other kind of giants in this state. But
you have definitely been in the news more than either
team because of this trash can thing for a chancellor
somebody like in your position, because you are so prideful
(03:02):
not just in the university but in the athletic department
as well. What was your initial reaction to the idea
of the trash can being what is the big embracement
of the entire not just institution, but the entire state
of Nebraska right now?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
So I have to say give credit to all our coaches,
particular coach crutch Fields. When we actually the second last
games for their last Saturday, we were doing really well
and they're like, okay, upcoming game is all Roberts. If
we beat Oral Roberts, we will be the single procession
of the Summer League champion. So he talked to our
(03:40):
athletic director Adrian Dallas, what is the chancellor you know
pop out from a trash can. And honestly, I love
our students, That's my number one job. I admire a
student athletes. They work so hard. I would say anything
anything for the team. So I have to say that
I am. I am excited. I was so proud that
when they asked me to do it of this celebration,
(04:01):
I absolutely do it. So I pop out trash can
with the aw champion bow. That really excited team and
I think that is a skill spirit as a D
one mid major school, we're proud to play a part
and congregated community. Make a community excite upon our team.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Uh yeah, the video of that is just fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I never thought in a million years you'd see the
chancellor of a university pop out of a trash can
with a wrestling title as a part of a celebration.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
We're speaking with Chancellor Joeanne Lee from the University of
Nebraska Omaha. So you're going in, you're supporting the men's
basketball team. Women basketball is also playing in their conference
tournament as well, trying to pull some upsets to make
the NC doublea tournament. But the men's team having all
these headlines, that is kind of the next step is
to make the NC DOUBLEA tournament. And this is why
these games are really important. They're not in a conference
(04:50):
where like if you finish in the top three or four,
you know you're making the tournament.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
You have to win this tournament.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So how anxious how much anxiety do you and the
people around you have because you know that you want
to win this conference tournament and make that first trip
to the big, big bracket for the first time ever.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So sure there's a level of anxiety, But I have
to say, right Crutch Phil and Kayanne Brown, they have
really created a culture of caring and love. We love
our students because they compete so hard, but we love
them for who they are. They will be one day,
be a professional, be a leader in the community. So
I think Omaha feels the energy but also feel the
(05:30):
positive attitude of this team. They work hard and one
of the things I want to say, pre season, Omaha
men's basketball team was actually ranked number eight. They are
only nine teams in the conference. But this is what
a market is made off, right, we prove everybody wrong.
We're going to go in with a lot of spirit.
We're going to go in with a good attitude. Sure,
we'll love to compete and get a tournament win. So
(05:52):
we just will have to work hard, you know, every
single game, one game at a time. But we really
need you a listener, the energy that cheer on for team.
And I am just telling you, I'm so proud. I'm
not I'm not anxious. I'm excited for them, you know,
if they make the NCAA tournament or to be proud of.
But if they don't, that is fine too, because we
love our students just the way they are.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
It's so great.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And just for clarification, it's a little convoluted, but the
second best team in this conference behind Omaha is Saint
Thomas in Minnesota, and they technically cannot qualify for the
NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
So there's a back doorway.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
If they win the conference championship in Omaha doesn't, Omaha
still would get the automatic bid based on their regular
season championship. I want to shift to the team even
more near and dear to my heart is the team
that kind of got me introduced to what you guys
are doing over there, and that's your men's hockey team.
And they have They got off to a little bit
of a slow start, but they have really come on strong.
(06:48):
They have two more games tomorrow and Saturday, and those
are on the road at North Dakota. But this, I mean,
it's such a unique story. You have a collegiate hockey
team that is so nationally relevant, the at sphere, two
sellouts last week and against Arizona State, amazing atmospheres. What
does men's hockey mean to this institution?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Hockey, no doubt, it's a primier sports, right And I
love our players and you said it right in the beginning.
We didn't really have a really good start, but the
resilience of the students of our players is so admirable.
But more importantly, I want the listeners and all our
friends to hear that there's success a big part is
due to the cheer by our fans, by people coming
(07:32):
to backs arena and supporting our teams and even other
teams such as ASU. We just beat ASU, right, it
was kind of fun and ASU is a great team,
but I think ASU people coming in and say, wow,
it's backs arena full of almost eight thousand fans cheering
for the home team. This is something so magical in
Omaha and that really, you know, that humbled me every
(07:53):
time when I go in and you're absolutely right. Right,
hockey and Oma Hockey ranked top twenty five in the country,
and we will continue to fight for it. And we
always say that you won't know until the last minute
of the game. So all sites are absolutely on the
NKHC tournament this year.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
They have two games as mentioned against North Dakota and
then we'll see what the conference Championship tournament schedule looks like.
There's a chance if things go the right way this
week and that the Mavericks could be hosting first round
in that conference tournament. We're speaking with Chancellor Joanne Lee.
I know that you're busy, I know you're on the road.
I have one more question for you, Chancellor, and I
just it's about the institution as a whole. You're very
(08:34):
present at all of these events with all of these teams,
and it's really awesome. And baseball and softball are getting
going and softball is nationally ranked. Baseball has already beaten
a top five team this year in LSU. There's so
many great things going on in the institution. But you guys,
are you know, real leaders in a lot of different
I think majors or different you know, kind of sectors
of learning that maybe people don't think about when they
(08:55):
think of colleges. What about your institution do you think
makes it stand out as an institution of higher learning
not just in its academic department, but also in trying
to build the leaders of tomorrow in this community and elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Absolutely, you and know is the only public urban research
university in Omaha, and we're the only urban campus within
University of Nebraska system. We are very proud that we're
in an urban setting. We have a critical mass to serve,
We have a critical mass of employers. We know, our
job is to prepare a future leader. Our job is
(09:32):
to convert you know, our students learner into the next
level of professional and more importantly you and know is
committed to connect all docts. What does that mean? We're
going to connect from academic to athletics and vice versa.
We know, if we do it right, we can change
the trajectory not only for the students, but for the
whole family and the whole community. So you know, it's
(09:54):
very committed to it. You know its own community. We
know that we play a big part for economic development.
And I have to say, while I'm so excited celebrating
my athletes, one other thing that makes me continuously to
be very proud as the chancel of this urban campus
is my student GPA from last four is accumulative three
point four six in a division one. Three point four
(10:17):
six is unheard of. And last year the graduation rate
is a ninety four percent. This is something that we
know and we are going to dedicate every day when
we come to work, we know we have important tasks.
We're going to be really focused on making sure that
our students, our stein athletes are going to be very successful.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Chancellor Joanne Lee, a lot of great things happening at
the University of Nebraska Omaha. I've been blessed to kind
of get my foot in the door and be a
little bit of a part of that, and I can't
wait to continue to be a part of it in
the future. Such great work, Good luck with the basketball
team up there in Seoux Falls, and we'll chat with you, I'm.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Sure very soon.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Thank you very much, dam Marie.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
That's such great stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, you see you're popping out of a trash can
with a wrestling champmpionship belt to celebrate with the men's
basketball team. How many chancellors in America are doing that?
A lot of good vibes happening over there in the
Xabon Village area with our friends at the University of
Nebraska Omaha Again. Six pm is the tip off with
Omaha in Kansas City in the quarterfinal round of the
(11:17):
Summit League Men's basketball Tournament as they look to try
to punch their ticket this weekend to their first ever
NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Passion of mine this year is I've gotten connected with
my friends to University of Nebraska, Omaha. I've been a
part of their hockey, their hockey presentation essentially for the
hockey games. I've been on the ice in the intermissions
of the home games and kind of being able to
talk about all the great things that they're doing. Gone
to a lot of the basketball games. There's just a
(00:20):
lot of great things going on there. I don't live
far from the campus. I take my dogs on a
lot of walks through campus, and it's just really a
beautiful and underrated place, I think, not just in Omaha,
but around the Midwest. And we're honored right now to
be joined by one of the people that have made
it so great, Chancellor Joanne Lee, joining us on the
phone line. Chancellor Lee, thanks so much for being on
my radio show today.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Wonderful Emory. Thank you for inviting me.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Okay, so you're actually on the road right now, is
that right?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, I am on the way to Sue Falls right now.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Okay, So Sue Falls is pretty important because well I'll
just let you tell the story. Where where Why are
you going to Sue Falls today?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, I have to say Emory. There has never been
a better time to be a fan of Omar athletics.
We have arrived and I'm going to tell you listener,
please get your Marv gear and come cheer on our
mar frats. I am on the way to sew Fall
absolutely because of our incredible men's basketball team. And I
think many listeners already paid attention. Coach coach Crutchfield just
(01:21):
named Summit League Coach of the Year, Makeel Sutton's named
Smmit League Players of the Year is truly a historic
fairy tale. Nine game win streets during the season, So
once they get the Summer League championship, we're all I
hading to sew Fall. And I would say one of
the thing that makes men's basketball so fun is this
(01:43):
year we're grabbing a lot of national spotlights. Our coach
Kayne Brown's trash hands smashing gave the team a spark,
but really turned into a national story, and I think
the story has reached millions of people through Sports Center
podcast A. W wrestling exposure has been tremendous and massive
(02:04):
for the university. So I hope that you listener know
that we are really competitive, detruitment and resilient we're also
having the most fun and I will tell you the
energy and the attendance really prove it. Yes, I want
people to appear on fraud.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Tonight the MAVs are taking on the Kansas City Ruse
at the six pm start time. MAVs beat Kansas City
both times they played during the regular season. You mentioned
the trash can thing. So you're the chancellor of a
university and this is Division one athletics. But you have Creighton,
which is a big fish, especially in the men's basketball pond.
(02:42):
You have obviously the corn Huskers, where you know people
all over the state really love them and are following them.
So you guys are trying to kind of stand out
with two other kind of giants in this state. But
you have definitely been in the news more than either
team because of this trash can thing for a chancellor
somebody like in your position, because you are so prideful
(03:02):
not just in the university but in the athletic department
as well. What was your initial reaction to the idea
of the trash can being what is the big embracement
of the entire not just institution, but the entire state
of Nebraska right now?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
So I have to say give credit to all our coaches,
particular coach crutch Fields. When we actually the second last
games for their last Saturday, we were doing really well
and they're like, okay, upcoming game is all Roberts. If
we beat Oral Roberts, we will be the single procession
of the Summer League champion. So he talked to our
(03:40):
athletic director Adrian Dallas, what is the chancellor you know
pop out from a trash can. And honestly, I love
our students, That's my number one job. I admire a
student athletes. They work so hard. I would say anything
anything for the team. So I have to say that
I am. I am excited. I was so proud that
when they asked me to do it of this celebration,
(04:01):
I absolutely do it. So I pop out trash can
with the aw champion bow. That really excited team and
I think that is a skill spirit as a D
one mid major school, we're proud to play a part
and congregated community. Make a community excite upon our team.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Uh yeah, the video of that is just fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I never thought in a million years you'd see the
chancellor of a university pop out of a trash can
with a wrestling title as a part of a celebration.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
We're speaking with Chancellor Joeanne Lee from the University of
Nebraska Omaha. So you're going in, you're supporting the men's
basketball team. Women basketball is also playing in their conference
tournament as well, trying to pull some upsets to make
the NC doublea tournament. But the men's team having all
these headlines, that is kind of the next step is
to make the NC DOUBLEA tournament. And this is why
these games are really important. They're not in a conference
(04:50):
where like if you finish in the top three or four,
you know you're making the tournament.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
You have to win this tournament.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So how anxious how much anxiety do you and the
people around you have because you know that you want
to win this conference tournament and make that first trip
to the big, big bracket for the first time ever.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So sure there's a level of anxiety, But I have
to say, right Crutch Phil and Kayanne Brown, they have
really created a culture of caring and love. We love
our students because they compete so hard, but we love
them for who they are. They will be one day,
be a professional, be a leader in the community. So
I think Omaha feels the energy but also feel the
(05:30):
positive attitude of this team. They work hard and one
of the things I want to say, pre season, Omaha
men's basketball team was actually ranked number eight. They are
only nine teams in the conference. But this is what
a market is made off, right, we prove everybody wrong.
We're going to go in with a lot of spirit.
We're going to go in with a good attitude. Sure,
we'll love to compete and get a tournament win. So
(05:52):
we just will have to work hard, you know, every
single game, one game at a time. But we really
need you a listener, the energy that cheer on for team.
And I am just telling you, I'm so proud. I'm
not I'm not anxious. I'm excited for them, you know,
if they make the NCAA tournament or to be proud of.
But if they don't, that is fine too, because we
love our students just the way they are.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
It's so great.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And just for clarification, it's a little convoluted, but the
second best team in this conference behind Omaha is Saint
Thomas in Minnesota, and they technically cannot qualify for the
NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
So there's a back doorway.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
If they win the conference championship in Omaha doesn't, Omaha
still would get the automatic bid based on their regular
season championship. I want to shift to the team even
more near and dear to my heart is the team
that kind of got me introduced to what you guys
are doing over there, and that's your men's hockey team.
And they have They got off to a little bit
of a slow start, but they have really come on strong.
(06:48):
They have two more games tomorrow and Saturday, and those
are on the road at North Dakota. But this, I mean,
it's such a unique story. You have a collegiate hockey
team that is so nationally relevant, the at sphere, two
sellouts last week and against Arizona State, amazing atmospheres. What
does men's hockey mean to this institution?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Hockey, no doubt, it's a primier sports, right And I
love our players and you said it right in the beginning.
We didn't really have a really good start, but the
resilience of the students of our players is so admirable.
But more importantly, I want the listeners and all our
friends to hear that there's success a big part is
due to the cheer by our fans, by people coming
(07:32):
to backs arena and supporting our teams and even other
teams such as ASU. We just beat ASU, right, it
was kind of fun and ASU is a great team,
but I think ASU people coming in and say, wow,
it's backs arena full of almost eight thousand fans cheering
for the home team. This is something so magical in
Omaha and that really, you know, that humbled me every
(07:53):
time when I go in and you're absolutely right. Right,
hockey and Oma Hockey ranked top twenty five in the country,
and we will continue to fight for it. And we
always say that you won't know until the last minute
of the game. So all sites are absolutely on the
NKHC tournament this year.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
They have two games as mentioned against North Dakota and
then we'll see what the conference Championship tournament schedule looks like.
There's a chance if things go the right way this
week and that the Mavericks could be hosting first round
in that conference tournament. We're speaking with Chancellor Joanne Lee.
I know that you're busy, I know you're on the road.
I have one more question for you, Chancellor, and I
just it's about the institution as a whole. You're very
(08:34):
present at all of these events with all of these teams,
and it's really awesome. And baseball and softball are getting
going and softball is nationally ranked. Baseball has already beaten
a top five team this year in LSU. There's so
many great things going on in the institution. But you guys,
are you know, real leaders in a lot of different
I think majors or different you know, kind of sectors
of learning that maybe people don't think about when they
(08:55):
think of colleges. What about your institution do you think
makes it stand out as an institution of higher learning
not just in its academic department, but also in trying
to build the leaders of tomorrow in this community and elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Absolutely, you and know is the only public urban research
university in Omaha, and we're the only urban campus within
University of Nebraska system. We are very proud that we're
in an urban setting. We have a critical mass to serve,
We have a critical mass of employers. We know, our
job is to prepare a future leader. Our job is
(09:32):
to convert you know, our students learner into the next
level of professional and more importantly you and know is
committed to connect all docts. What does that mean? We're
going to connect from academic to athletics and vice versa.
We know, if we do it right, we can change
the trajectory not only for the students, but for the
whole family and the whole community. So you know, it's
(09:54):
very committed to it. You know its own community. We
know that we play a big part for economic development.
And I have to say, while I'm so excited celebrating
my athletes, one other thing that makes me continuously to
be very proud as the chancel of this urban campus
is my student GPA from last four is accumulative three
point four six in a division one. Three point four
(10:17):
six is unheard of. And last year the graduation rate
is a ninety four percent. This is something that we
know and we are going to dedicate every day when
we come to work, we know we have important tasks.
We're going to be really focused on making sure that
our students, our stein athletes are going to be very successful.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Chancellor Joanne Lee, a lot of great things happening at
the University of Nebraska Omaha. I've been blessed to kind
of get my foot in the door and be a
little bit of a part of that, and I can't
wait to continue to be a part of it in
the future. Such great work, Good luck with the basketball
team up there in Seoux Falls, and we'll chat with you, I'm.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Sure very soon.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Thank you very much, dam Marie.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
That's such great stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, you see you're popping out of a trash can
with a wrestling champmpionship belt to celebrate with the men's
basketball team. How many chancellors in America are doing that?
A lot of good vibes happening over there in the
Xabon Village area with our friends at the University of
Nebraska Omaha Again. Six pm is the tip off with
Omaha in Kansas City in the quarterfinal round of the
(11:17):
Summit League Men's basketball Tournament as they look to try
to punch their ticket this weekend to their first ever
NCAA men's basketball tournament.
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