Tag: wnzr

Former MVNU Baseball Standout Lucas Daugherty to Join Cougar Wall of Fame

Former MVNU baseball standout Lucas Daugherty will be inducted into the Cougar Wall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend. WNZR’s Xander DeVault talked with Daugherty about his time as a Cougar from 2012–2016, his baseball career, and the memories that made his experience special.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

During his time at MVNU, Daugherty earned several honors, including Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year and NAIA Honorable Mention All-American recognition. However, he says some of his favorite memories came from road trips, spring trips to Florida, and the relationships he built with teammates. He also reflects on the influence of longtime coach Keith Veale and the importance of consistency, teamwork, and strong leadership.

Today, Daugherty teaches science and coaches baseball at Waynedale High School. He says MVNU helped shape his faith, career, and life beyond baseball. He is grateful for the opportunity to join the Cougar Wall of Fame and encourages future students and alumni to stay connected to the university.

Click HERE for more information on MVNU’s Homecoming events!

Congratulations to Lucas Daugherty for holding these MVNU Records:
– Lowest Earned Run Average in a career at 2.11
– 4th in most career pitching victories with 32
– 4th in most career strikeouts with 286
– 2nd in most career shutouts with 9
– 3rd in most innings pitched with 294.1

In 2014 as a sophomore, he was named Crossroads League First Team, NCCAA East Region, and NCCAA All-American.
In 2015 as a junior, he was Crossroads League First Team, started 13 games and posted a 10-2 record with 8 complete games. He also added 63 Strikeouts, an ERA of 3.39 in 82.1 IP, and tallied a fielding % of 0.955 with 6 putouts and 15 assists.
In 2016, as a senior, he was named NAIA Honorable Mention All-American, and Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year Crossroads League First Team.

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MVNU Prepares for a Full Weekend of Homecoming Activities

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is preparing for its 2026 Homecoming Weekend, featuring class reunions, campus activities, athletic events, and special celebrations. WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Mike Cheek, MVNU’s Executive Director of Alumni and Major Gifts, about the weekend’s schedule and opportunities to reconnect.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Highlights include the Golden Grad Luncheon, Homecoming Chapel, the Before the Bird 5K, the WNZR 40th Anniversary Alumni Reunion, and Cougar basketball games. Saturday evening will also feature A Night with Nashville, a concert benefiting Cougar Baseball. Songwriters Brian White, Andy Chrisman, and Tony Wood will perform Christian music hits and share the stories behind the songs.

Click HERE for more information about MVNU’s Homecoming Weekend!

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MVNU Alumni Look Ahead to Homecoming 2026

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with the two former Cougar baseball players, Mike Cheek and Brian White, about their time at MVNU, life after graduation, and the special events planned for Homecoming.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Cheek now works at MVNU and helps oversee alumni events, while White moved to Nashville after college to pursue songwriting and youth ministry. White shared how his Christian music journey began, including writing his first song, “Pardon By The King.” Both alumni reflected on how MVNU has changed over the years while emphasizing that students’ passion and fire for Christ remain the same.

One highlight of Homecoming Weekend will be A Night with Nashville – Benefitting Cougar Baseball with the Hits. Cheek and White shared how the event came together as an opportunity to bring alumni together through music while supporting Cougar Baseball. They also discussed why Homecoming is so meaningful, celebrating life change, friendships, and memories made at MVNU.

Click HERE for more information about MVNU’s Homecoming Weekend!

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Centerburg High School Students Lead a Food For The Hungry Collection

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Danielle Mincks, intervention specialist and high school student council advisor at Centerburg High School, about the school’s participation in the 2026 Food For The Hungry campaign.

Click HERE to listen to the conversation, or click the image link below!

Mincks has been teaching for 20 years collectively, she’s been at Centerburg for four years. She shares how her role as the High School advisor to help with supporting the community and being a key piece of Knox County. Next week the middle school and high schools will be collecting for Food For The Hungry during first period classes.

Their drive next week is only Monday through Friday, and only in the morning because they really want to build up a solid collection before Thanksgiving. She talks about how students want to help the community and they have extra motivation with classroom competitions, teachers matching donations, and the countywide pizza party awarded to top participating classes.

Minks mentions how Centerburg focuses on generosity, respect, integrity, and thoughtfulness through its school culture and positive behavior programs. Rather than setting a specific fundraising target, the school hopes to surpass its previous contributions and continue building support for local families facing food insecurity. She wants students and community members to continue working together to care for our neighbors in Knox County and talks about last year’s campaign and how a student wanted others to benefit from food assistance and to donate a his dinner from last night, a box of macaroni and cheese.

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Friday Favorites: The Morning Thing’s Favorite Basketball Memory

Friday, November 6th is National Basketball Day and the MVNU Men’s Basketball Team has their home opener on this night! For this week’s Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts will share their favorite basketball memory.

Click HERE to listen to this week’s Friday Favorites, or click the image link below!

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P.O.D.’s Sonny Sandoval Shares a Story of Faith, Redemption, and Restoration

WNZR’s Xander Devault speaks with Sonny Sandoval, lead singer of the metal band P.O.D., ahead of Sonny’s appearance at Tragedy Into Triumph on Wednesday, November 4.

Click HERE to listen to the entire conversation, or click the image link below!

Sonny reflects on his 35 years with P.O.D. and the many different musical genres the band has been part of throughout its career. He shares how he encountered God at an early age and eventually recognized an opportunity to use music as a way to share God’s love with others. Sonny also explains what P.O.D. means when describing themselves as “too Christian for the world and too secular for the church,” and how the band has remained committed to its message while reaching people from all walks of life.

When reflecting on the meaning of Tragedy Into Triumph, Sonny describes it as a picture of redemption and restoration, representing the journey from being lost to being found. Looking back on his own life, he recognizes the ways God rescued him from where he was headed and gave him a new purpose.

Sonny also opens up about his personal faith journey and the lasting impact his mother had on his relationship with God. He remembers how she continued to praise and thank God throughout her battle with leukemia, even as her health declined and she eventually passed away. Her example encouraged Sonny to make his own faith a priority by spending time in prayer and reading his Bible. As his relationship with Christ grew, he began to understand how God could use his life experiences and the platform he had through P.O.D. to reach others with the message of Jesus.

Although Sonny admits that being in the spotlight is not always comfortable, he recognizes the responsibility that comes with the opportunity to influence others, even if it means reaching just one person. He encourages people to bring all their emotions to God, whether they are experiencing anger, hurt, or disappointment, and reminds them that difficult past experiences do not disqualify anyone from being used by Him.

Sonny points to the many people in the Bible who were far from perfect but were still called by God, emphasizing that it is His goodness, grace, love, and Spirit that qualify us for His purposes. Having been involved in some of the first Tragedy Into Triumph events, Sonny has maintained a connection with founder Wendell Brown and hopes to encourage those who may want nothing to do with God to experience a change of heart. Above all, he wants people to understand their identity in Christ, discover the freedom that comes through knowing Jesus, and recognize that God can use their stories, including their tragedies, to bring hope and encouragement to others.

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Place for Grace Offers Hope and Support to Mothers in Crisis

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talks with Kandee Popham, founder and executive director of Place for Grace, about the ministry’s work supporting mothers facing difficult circumstances.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Beyond providing maternity housing, Place for Grace builds relationships with women by offering encouragement, parenting guidance, practical assistance, and long-term support. Kandee shares how the ministry helps mothers find stability, build confidence, and create healthier futures for themselves and their children.

Kandee also discusses the ministry’s largest annual fundraiser, Flannel Fest, which helps provide housing, food, and essential resources for the women and children they serve. She encourages the community to show compassion toward single mothers and shares ways to support Place for Grace through volunteering, giving, and prayer.

Click HERE for more information on Place 4 Grace!

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Danville FFA Supports Food for the Hungry Drive

WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger talks with Cory Myers, teacher and FFA advisor at Danville High School, about Danville FFA’s involvement in the Food for the Hungry Drive!

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Myers explains how the project connects with the FFA motto, “Living to Serve,” and gives students an opportunity to give back to their community.

The collection runs November 2–6, with Danville Junior High and High School students collecting non-perishable food items to benefit the Danville Interchurch. Monetary donations will go through Food for the Hungry. Myers shares how the project teaches students the importance of serving others and continues Danville’s tradition of neighbors helping neighbors.

Click HERE for more information about Food For The Hungry!

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Carey Nieuwhof Shares His Journey Through Burnout

Hear from Carey Nieuwhof on WNZR! He is a well-known podcaster, author, and pastor, and he speaks about his personal experience with burnout.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Carey shares how putting work ahead of everything else took a toll on his health and well-being, and how he gradually found his way out of that difficult season. He also discusses the warning signs of burnout and the importance of creating healthier habits.

Carey emphasizes the value of setting boundaries, making time for hobbies and friendships, and learning to lead yourself well. He encourages those struggling with burnout to recognize unhealthy patterns and reach out for help. Carey will be speaking at the Tragedy Into Triumph event at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Wednesday, November 3.

Click HERE for more info about Tragedy into Triumph!

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Kylie Bisutti: Choosing Jesus Over Fame

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Kylie Bisutti, former Victoria’s Secret model, ahead of her appearance at Tragedy Into Triumph at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Monday, November 2nd!

Click HERE or on the picture link below to hear the full conversation!

Kylie shares her journey of choosing a relationship with Jesus Christ over fame and the challenges she faced with identity, shame, and the pressures of the modeling industry. She also discusses how God used difficult seasons in her life to redirect her path and help her discover her true identity in Christ.

Today, Kylie serves as a motivational speaker, sharing her testimony and encouraging others who may be struggling with eating disorders, identity issues, and the pressure of living up to the world’s expectations. She hopes attendees at Tragedy Into Triumph will be reminded that their circumstances and past do not define them. Instead, true peace, value, and identity are found in Jesus Christ.

Click HERE to see information about the Tragedy into Triumph event!

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