Bird Fans 4 Ever Podcast

🎙️ Episode 85 of the Bird Fans 4 Ever Podcast is now available! We're joined by Illinois State women's basketball great Ellen McGrew. A two-time Laurie Mabry Award winner, All-Gateway Conference selection, and member of the historic 1989 Redbird team that remains the only ISU women's team to win an NCAA Tournament game, Ellen shares stories from her outstanding career in Normal. We discuss her pat...

Tonight on Bird Fans 4 Ever, we’re talking Illinois State basketball and the changing landscape surrounding Redbird hoops with Brennan White from Illinois State University and Jason Higdon from Empower The Nest. We’ll discuss NIL, roster building, player retention, recruiting, and what the future looks like for Illinois State basketball as college athletics continues to evolve. From behind-the-sce...

 NEW EPISODE ALERT – Birdfans4ever  Episode 83 is LIVE and you don’t want to miss this one! We sit down with QB Tommy Rittenhouse and WR Daniel Sobkowiscz — two of the key offensive playmakers who helped lead the Redbirds on their incredible run to the FCS Championship Game.  From their journeys to Illinois State to breaking down the unforgettable 2025 season, these teammates share it all:  How th...

🚨 NEW EPISODE 🚨 Hey BirdFans! 🔴⚪️ Episode 82 of Bird Fans 4 Ever is live and we’re joined by former Illinois State guard Elyce Knudsen! We talk about: 🏀 Her basketball journey from Millikin to Illinois State 🔥 Her playing style and approach to the game ⭐ The first moment at ISU when she realized, “this is Division I basketball” 👀 How watching Paige Robinson helped influence her path to bec...

This episode highlights Brian Gant, one of the toughest and most reliable Redbird weak‑side linebackers of the 1980s. The fast, instinctive defenders who could flip momentum with a single play. Together, Gant’s career and the legacy of ISU’s weak‑side linebackers make for another great episode celebrating Redbird football history.

 BirdFans4Ever Podcast #80 is here! A special one for Redbird fans — Jeff Harris joins the show along with return guest Matt Taphorn from Jon’s playing era! Jeff dives into how he found his way to ISU, the games that still stick with him, and what it was like when the three-point line arrived during their junior year and changed everything. You can feel the warmth in this conversation — the s...

 Episode 79 is LIVE! Birdfans4ever Podcast welcomes this week’s guest Jeff Bidwell — Missouri Valley aficionado, host of the brand new podcast Morning in the Valley, and the voice of Murray State Men’s Basketball! In this episode, we dive deep into the Missouri Valley Conference preseason predictions for men’s basketball. Jeff gives us an outsider’s perspective on Illinois State University’s...

 BirdFans4Ever Episode 78  We sit down with Chase Walker to talk about his recruiting journey and how he made his way to ISU! Chase shares how he developed his unselfish play, learned to anticipate offenses, and how the coaching staff is helping him grow into his role as a Redbird. We also dive into memorable matchups — including playing against one of his best friends vs. Ohio, plus standout game...

We’re flying high with Landon Wolf! 🏀 From his days at UNI to the transfer portal and finally landing at Illinois State, Landon shares the inside story—how he first saw ISU and its fans from the other side, the games that still give him chills, and what’s racing through his mind when he throws down a dunk on someone. Plus, we dig into the fire of the Bradley vs. ISU rivalry and how he came to fee...

🚨 Bird Fans Forever – Episode 76 🚨 Charles Calhoun II shares his Redbird journey—from being recruited for defense to thriving on the offensive line. He mastered run blocking, protected QBs, and fulfilled a promise to his grandfather by becoming an attorney. 🏈⚖️

🎙️ Birdfans4ever – Episode 75: Brandon Lieb Talks Leadership, Culture, and the Road Ahead 🏀 In this special 75th episode of Birdfans4ever, we’re joined by Brandon Lieb, a graduate student and leader on the Illinois State men’s basketball team. In this episode, Brandon opens up about: The team culture at Illinois State and how it’s progressed during his time here His thoughts on the schedule and r...

🎙️ Bird Fans 4 Ever Episode 74 features a true Redbird legend: Dave Schumer , who started all four years from 1986 to 1989 for Illinois State. In this episode, the hosts dive into Schumer’s impressive collegiate career, including: 🏈🏆 Second Team All-MVC honors during his junior year 🏈🏆 First Team All-MVC selection as a senior 🛡️ Durability & Excellence : Starting every season for four stra...

🎙️ **New Episode Drop – Birdfans4ever Podcast!** 🟥🐦 We’ve got a **special guest** joining us this week — **Landon Moore** is in the building! The hometown favorite and former St. Francis (PA) and Butler guard is bringing his talents back to **Normal** for his final college season with **Illinois State Men’s Basketball**! In this episode, Landon opens up about: 🏀 Why he chose to finish his caree...

We’re joined by Trevor Arbogast, founder of @RDB1Media, and Ty Pence, standout player for @redbird_mbb!  Trevor dives into how and why he launched the go-to blog for all things Illinois State Athletics   And together, he and Ty talk about their awesome new apparel collab — where 75% of profits go straight to the 1998 Club, helping raise NIL $ for the ISU Men’s Basketball team  This one’s for...

🎙️ BirdFans4Ever Podcast Ep. 71 is LIVE! We’re joined by @Malachi_P5 to talk: 🔴 His journey to Illinois State 🎯 Chasing the ISU season FT% record 🏆 The Redbirds’ unforgettable CBI run & CHAMPIONSHIP win! Don’t miss this one! 🔗👇 BirdFans4Ever #RedbirdHoops #RollBirds

We’re soaring into a milestone episode with not one, not two, but three incredible guests from the Illinois State University Gymnastics team! Alana Laster, Jaye Mack, and Sara Wabi are all standout athletes and 2025 NCAA Regional Qualifiers, and they’re joining us to talk about their journey, their season, and what it means to represent ISU on the national stage. Trust us—you don’t want to m...

 Bird Fans 4Ever — Episode 69 is live!  This week’s guest: Brennan White, representing Fly With Us—the Illinois State Women’s Basketball NIL Collective. We talk NIL, Brennan’s journey to Illinois State, the many facets of his job, and how Fly With Us is changing the game for ISU athletes. Don’t miss it. #BirdFans4Ever #FlyWithUs #RedbirdNation

We sat down with ISU Men’s Basketball Captain Dalton Banks for one of our most inspiring conversations yet. After transferring from SIU, Dalton faced a tough but transformational journey — from uncovering a lingering injury to rebuilding his game and mindset. He opens up about leadership, the winning culture at ISU, and what it meant to go out as a CBI Champion. This one’s for anyone who believes...

 New Podcast Episode Dropping Now!   In this special episode of BirdFans4Ever, Dan Muller takes us behind the scenes to talk about Shoes That Fit — a charity that’s close to his heart, providing brand-new shoes to kids in need.  Listen as we highlight this incredible cause and how YOU can help make a difference! WWW. shoesthatfit.org #BirdFans4Ever #ShoesThatFit #RedbirdNation #GiveBack

We’re flying high with 2025 Redbird commit Tyreek Coleman on this episode! Illinois 1st Team All-State guard Tyreek talks about his journey to becoming a Redbird, what made Illinois State University the right fit, and how he brings lockdown defense, deadly 3s, and elite playmaking to the court! Don’t miss his full recruiting story! ️️  3&D GUARD ALERT! Roll Birds!! #Birdfans4ever #Redbird...

New Episode Alert! 🎙️🔥We’re joined by none other than Mason Klabo – Illinois State basketball recruit 🏀, 2025 North Dakota Mr. Basketball 🏆, and the all-time leading scorer in ND Class A/AA boys basketball history 📈! We talk legacy, the recruiting journey, and what’s next as he gets ready to rep the Redbirds 🟥🐦 Don’t miss Episode 65! 🎧 #Birdfans4ever #RedbirdNation #ISURedbirds #MasonKlabo...

NEW MUSIC DROP We’re “Kickin’ up with Redbird Nation” to celebrate 3 YEARS of the Birdfans4ever Podcast! This anthem’s for the fans, the plays, and the passion of Redbird Athletics – hosted by ISU alums Jon Pemberton, Jon Diener & Steve Thate. Stream it. Share it. REP THAT RED. #Birdfans4ever #KickinUpWithRedbirdNation #RedbirdNation #RedbirdPride #ISUAlumni #RedbirdAthletics

Episode #64 of the Bird Fans 4 Ever Podcast is live!  This week, Jay McGee & Michael Rigsby from the 1998 Club, Illinois State Men’s Basketball NIL Collective, discuss their involvement and how YOU can support the Redbirds.  Listen now! @Redbird_MBB #GoRedbirds #BF4E #Bird

 New Episode Alert!  BirdFans4Ever Episode 63 is LIVE!  and  Dive into the world of Redbirds NIL with this week’s special guests, Jason Higdon and former MBB player Matt Coats, as they break down the Empower the Nest initiative!  Tune in to learn how Empower the Nest is making a difference for Redbirds student-athletes.  Listen now:  https://youtu.be/OJkARpij-lk  Like and follow Empower the...

🚨 New Episode of #BF4E! 🚨 This week on Bird Fans 4 Ever, we’re joined by Illinois State Redbirds recruit Isaac Ericksen! 🦅 🎙️ Isaac talks about how he got to ISU, his game on the court, and his experience interacting with other recruits during his visit. Don’t miss it! 🔴🏀 #RedbirdNation #ISURecruit #Basketball #Redbird_mbb