WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State released the final pieces of its men's basketball television schedule and announced that
Shane Dennis has been selected as the new TV play-by-play voice.
Cox Communications will produce and air 14 men's games – 12 on Cox Channel Kansas (available to Cox Cable subscribers on HD 2022) and two more on Cox Channel Extra (Cox HD 2122) -- during the 2016-17 season.
See below for the complete schedule.
Dennis, who served as analyst on baseball and road men's basketball games last year for Cox, makes his play-by-play debut on Nov. 5 when the Shockers host Augusta (Ga.) University in an exhibition game.
"Shane has demonstrated the ability to be a quality play-by-play announcer over a period of years, for a variety of sports, and the transition to men's basketball should be seamless," WSU Athletic Director,
Darron Boatright said.
For Wichita sports fans, Dennis is a familiar name. He was an All-American pitcher for WSU in the early 1990's and spent 13 seasons as the program's Director of Baseball Operations. In his 17 years as a broadcaster Dennis has handled a number of Shocker assignments, including a five-year stint as radio voice of WSU women's basketball and the last seven years alongside Mike Kennedy in the Shocker baseball booth.
On the television side, The Uniontown, Kan. native has worked as an analyst on Cox WSU baseball broadcasts since 2010 and in 2014 added road men's basketball games to his plate. He lends his talents annually to
The Valley on ESPN3's coverage of the MVC Baseball Championships and to NBC World Series on Cox.
Dennis replaces longtime Wichita television personality Bruce Haertl, who relocated to Denver last spring. Bob Hull will return for his third year as analyst on home telecasts while continuing his Shocker Radio responsibilities on the road. Boatright plans to name a road television analyst in the near future.
The Television Hub of Shocker Athletics
Cox Channel Kansas (HD 2022) and Cox Channel Extra (HD 2122) can now be seen by Cox Cable subscribers in more than 90 communities across the state, making it the widest geographical television option in Kansas.
In all, Cox will air live coverage of 25 Shocker events during the 2016-17 school year, including three volleyball matches, three women's basketball games (dates still to be determined), 14 men's basketball contests, and five baseball dates.
"Cox is proud to support Shocker athletics," said Coleen Jennison, Kansas Market Vice President. "Providing local, exclusive content, like Shocker basketball, is part of our commitment to the communities we serve."
The Shocker Sports Report on Cox Channel Kansas
Weekly 30-minute episodes of the Shockers Sports Report air from Oct. 25 through the end of May, Tuesday nights at 9:30 p.m. (with rebroadcasts Wednesdays at 6 p.m. or anytime through the Cox On-Demand platform under Free Zone/Local Sports).
Host Mike Kennedy recaps the week in WSU highlights and headlines and takes fans inside the huddle through in-depth interviews with a notable lineup of student-athletes and coaches, including
Gregg Marshall,
Chris Lamb,
Jody Adams-Birch and
Todd Butler.
Fans outside of the Cox Channel Kansas viewing area can still catch Shockers games:
*Free live streaming is available via ESPN3 and, after the final whistle, fans everywhere can relive the action through ESPN3's on-demand archive.
*Many of these games will be shared with local cable operators in select communities beyond the Kansas borders, including Kansas City (via Time Warner SportsChannel) and Hays (Eagle Communications). Many, but not all, are also carried by Cox affiliates in Oklahoma and Arkansas (check local listings).
*Through special arrangement, men's basketball broadcasts against Indiana State (Dec. 28), Loyola (Jan. 11) and Southern Illinois (Feb. 15) will air outside of the Cox Channel Kansas and KC Metro areas on MVC Television affiliates Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Indiana and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
*Cox's broadcast of the Feb. 1 game at Drake will be simulcast in the Chicago area on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Wichita State Men's Basketball Games on Cox:
Saturday, Nov. 5 – AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY [Exhibition] – 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 11 – SOUTH CAROLINA STATE – 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13 – LONG BEACH STATE – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20 – MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE – 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 29 – SOUTHERN NAZARENE – 7 p.m. (on Cox Channel Extra, 2122)
Tuesday, Dec. 6 – SAINT LOUIS – 7 p.m. (on Cox Channel Extra, 2122)
Thursday, Dec. 22 – SOUTH DAKOTA STATE – 7 p.m.
^ Wednesday, Dec. 28 – at Indiana State – 6 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 1 – BRADLEY – 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 4 – DRAKE – 7 p.m.
^ Wednesday, Jan. 11 – LOYOLA – 6 p.m.
+ Wednesday, Feb. 1 – at Drake – 6 p.m.
^ Wednesday, Feb. 15 – at Southern Illinois – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 21 – EVANSVILLE – 7 p.m.
^ - Simulcast available outside of the Cox Channel Kansas viewing area on Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Indiana and Comcast SportsNet Chicago
+ - Simulcast available outside of the Cox Channel Kansas viewing area on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
