The Cardinal Chirp Podcast

BONUS POD: Leila Epstein and Sarah Youngberg

Today we have a very special bonus episode of the Cardinal Chirp with your 2026 NCAA Division III National Champions Leila Epstein and Sarah Youngberg of the women’s tennis team. The Cardinals went 23-2 on the season under first-year head coach Steph Yanosov which concluded in the program’s second National Title! 

Episode 22: Eli Smirin and Nelson Bellows

Today on the show we talked to All-Americans Eli Smirin and Nelson Bellows from the Men’s Crew team! The team won its first four races of the spring season and most-recently finished runner-up at the New England Championships. Eli is from Cali and Nelson is from Cambridge, Mass. Both have been on the V8 boat since their freshman year and achieved quite a bit in their four years including multiple Little Three titles, a NESCAC Championship, New England title, and the first National Championship in team history. In this episode we kick off with a Senior Assassins deep dive before getting into all things rowing, the different seats on the boat, different types of strokes, how they got into the sport, stories from out on the water, a weird but authentic respect and camaraderie among the NESCAC programs, and much more. 

Episode 21: Mia Holbrook and Coach Wilson

This week on the show, we talked to Mia Holbrook and Head Coach Jon Wilson from the Women’s Golf team! Mia Holbrook, a junior from Pound Ridge, New York, is looking to continue her great Wesleyan career after being the NESCAC Tournament Runner-Up in her sophomore season! Coach Wilson is in his seventh season at Wes and is the first coach in Wesleyan women's golf history. In this episode we talk about all things Wes Golf, Coach Wilson beating Tiger Woods, the origin and history of the mini mic, befriending other NESCAC teams and coaches (shoutout Stu) and much more.

Episode 20 - Ali Amante and Ella DeCrescenzo

On the show this week, Cat spoke with teammates Ella DeCrescenzo and Ali Amante from the Softball team. Ella is a pitcher from Brooklyn, New York having a breakout junior year and Ali is a senior catcher from Massapequa, New York who is a steady defensive force for the Cardinals leading from behind the plate. We dive into all things Wesleyan softball, the annual Florida spring break trip, pitcher/catcher relationships, superstitions, an interesting approach to scrambled eggs, all things Neil’s Donuts, and much more. 

Episode 19: Sam Hensinger and James Marsden

James Marsden and Sam Hensinger of the Wesleyan Baseball team join host Will on this week's episode. Baseball currently sits atop the NESCAC West Division and secured the 2026 Little Three Championship with a series win over Williams this past weekend. Both James and Sam hail from the great state of Connecticut and both have unique paths to Wes, with James first arriving on campus as a football player and Sam as a transfer from Ithaca. The two discuss all things Wes baseball, new head coach Matt Reynolds, random conversations amongst outfielders, spring break road trips, why NESCAC baseball has two divisions, and more. 

Episode 18: Dylan Green and Becca Dibble

It's WeWoLa time on The Cardinal Chirp as seniors Dylan Green and Becca Dibble from women's lacrosse join Bridget and Cat to talk team culture, music, the art of falling, Coach Kim Williams and her impact within the program, a rowdy group of senior parents, and plenty more on what is our longest episode to-date! 

Episode 17: Will Miller and Charlie Hill

Spring sports are in full swing and this week we've got Will Miller and Charlie Hill from men's lacrosse joining the pod to discuss the NESCAC lacrosse scene, legendary head coach John Raba, motivation from Coach Whalen, and plenty more!

Episode 16: Roland Thornqvist and Steph Yanosov

Today on the show, we have head coaches Roland Thornquist and Steph Yanosov of the Wesleyan tennis teams. Thornqvist is in his first year leading the men’s tennis team. A four-time NCAA D1 Champion coach at Florida with women’s tennis, Roland won 582 matches and 4 national titles and arrives in Connecticut looking to extend his long-standing success at the collegiate level. Steph is in her first full year as the head coach of the women’s team as the 2024 D3 National Assistant Coach of the Year has continued a long line of success for the program in her tenure as an assistant, helping lead the Cardinals to 2 NCAA runner up finishes.

Episode 15: Ike Guttentag and Kellen Horst

Today we’ve got Kellen Horst and Ike Guttentag from the wrestling team. Both are seniors, 4-year roommates, and big fans of Neil’s Donuts. This episode was taped prior to the weekend of the NCAA Regionals and we discuss that plus all things Wes Wrestling, best cutting and bulking foods, the high school wrestling (public vs. private), twin culture, RIP legacy admissions at Wes, and much more. 

Episode 14: Danny Judge, Daniel Lurie, and Tanner Kontir

We’re doing something a bit different this week with 3 athletes jumping on the pod. We’ve got seniors Danny Judge, Daniel Lurie, and junior Tanner Kontir from men’s hockey joining Cat to discuss team traditions like Phat Sundays, hangouts at Usdan, the music house, all things Block Blast, and being a student-athlete on campus.