RADFORD, Va. -- "Radford's not for everyone, but for the right person, it can change someone's life."

That's what Radford head baseball coach Alex Guerra said when he told his story about how he got to Radford and why the school means so much to him.

He's not alone in that feeling; not in the slightest. Guerra is one of nearly 20 Radford University graduates that have returned to the New River Valley as employees of the Radford Athletics department. Because of that, the stories of those that have come through Radford in the past are closely intertwined with the stories of those that will come through Radford in the future.

Each individual has a different story. And putting all of those differences onto one team is a story in itself.

Part of the beauty surrounding Radford Athletics is that its people possess different talents, different areas of expertise and different mindsets that all come together to create a truly glorious product. All of those different ingredients have been and will continue to be combined into one big melting pot which is a big reason why Radford has found so much success.

When academic success goes hand-in-hand with athletic success, that's a good indicator of a strong staff and department. Just last year, Radford recorded the highest rate of student-athletes on the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in the entire conference. The Highlanders had 77.83 percent of their 230 eligible student-athletes named by the league office.

The Highlanders also produced five Big South players of the year and a pair of the coaches of the year. Not to mention the two conference championships and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Throughout the history of Radford's athletics programs, the Highlanders have won 45 Big South regular season championships and 50 Big South Tournament championships. Over 140 former Highlanders have been named the Big South Player of the Year and 23 different standout athletes have been tabbed as All-Americans. The institution is also home to 54 different Big South Coaches of the Year as the school has racked up over 5,900 combined wins.

Seeing how the Highlanders' success serves as a direct byproduct of the athletics department's hard work is a testament to the people that make up Radford's staff. Configuring a team of dedicated individuals with a wide array of talents that leads to success both on and off the field or court does not happen by accident.

A handful of these former graduates are just out of school while others have been here for over two decades. Some are former student-athletes that now lead their old programs and some are assistants and support staff members that are climbing the ranks of the industry ladder. Others possess jobs where their goal is to keep the players in ideal shape, while some spend their days trying to put student-athletes in the best position to chase their dreams upon graduation.

Many of Radford's younger employees are students that never left. The institution, the campus and the area are all home to them. Having just experienced what it's like to be a student, they are often some of the best that can promote what Radford University and Radford Athletics is all about. A lot of their work is a representation of the current state of the school's respective athletic programs. These employees have a real love for Radford which gives them an added emotional stake to do their job well. For most of these individuals, the work they do on a daily basis is an increased load of the experiences they inherited as a student.

Greg Wolfe is a 2021 graduate of Radford University. After working as a student assistant for all four years of undergrad, he is now the Athletics Communications Coordinator. He works primarily with the women's basketball, women's soccer, softball and tennis programs. "From the start, as a student, Radford gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted to do. The day I moved to campus, there was a women's soccer game that I helped with. I definitely hit the ground running with SID work at Radford," he said.

Loyalty to the department and a desire to make it better drove Wolfe to stay, as his passion as a student turned into a full-time opportunity. "I couldn't turn this opportunity down. A lot of people knew who I was and I knew who they were," he added.

Although his days as an athlete are behind him, he still possesses that sense of competitiveness to promote Radford in a way that shows his gratitude to the place that gave him so much. "I feel just as competitive as the players that are down on the court or the field. I really want to win, I really want big home crowds cheering on the team. That motivates me because it's exciting and I don't know any other job where multiple times a week something that fun and exciting is happening."

Another recent graduate is Josie Pendleton; she serves as the Marketing Coordinator for the athletics department. She is also a 2021 graduate and she now works in a unique position as she directly interacts with not just coaches and student-athletes, but also partners, donors, alumni and other fans.

While the work and end product typically change from game to game based on feedback from those that have ties to Radford, she believes that having those relationships with people nearby adds to the enjoyment of what she does every day.

"It's nice to be able to have that connection of knowing what works and what doesn't, based on my relationships with students, administrators and those within the community," she said.

Creativity reaches many different aspects of the athletics department, especially for Brian Yohe. He is the Director of Video & Creative Services and spends a lot of his time generating and distributing content for everyone to see.

The days of paper tickets and hard copies of game programs are just about gone. The evolution of social media and internet exposure completely changed the industry that Yohe currently thrives in. Part of his expertise stems from his time as a student where he was able to learn a little bit about every facet of the department. "Being here allowed me to learn a lot of different things. Being a jack-of-all-trades really helps me now and I get to do a lot of things that I want to do," he said.

There's a level of quality that must be met when promoting a school or team all over social media. Yohe meets that level and then some, thanks in part to his time as an undergraduate. "Seeing the history of Radford, it gives me an advantage of knowing the place better. That lets me represent it better and showcase more personality."

It's often easy to forget about or not even be aware of the day-to-day work that goes on behind the scenes within college athletics. Deals must be made. Contracts must be signed. Schedules must align. There's not much room, if any, for error in those situations. That's why it is important to have a strong group of administrators that are constantly putting the school's athletics department in the best possible position to succeed.

One of those administrators is Frank West. After walking across the stage to receive his diploma, he has yet to leave the area and now he serves as the Director of the Highlander Club. The position he is in is a result of the passion he had and work he did when he was a student.

His playing career came to an end before coming to Radford, but he became a four-year student manager for the baseball team. As a former athlete, he hated to give up the camaraderie and atmosphere of being around sports. Working in athletics back then and working in athletics now has given him a little bit of that feeling back. "To work at my alma mater in the athletics department, it just feels right. I get to work in athletics, so that gives me a little chunk of the experience back," he said.

The days of passionate support, and sometimes friendly heckling, from the student section or behind the visiting team's bench are over. As one of the school's biggest supporters for many years, he now works with many other fans and it means a lot to him.

"Being able to work with our alumni and donors, I see a lot of similarities with everybody that went to Radford. We all care, we're all hard workers. It shows me that I picked the right path and that I'm where I'm meant to be."

Another member of Radford's administrative team is Nicole Green; she serves as the Administrative Services Manager. She is a local to the area but returned to Radford after a stint at Virginia Tech. It's not always easy putting the right people in place and she helps to do that throughout the department. Making sure schedules don't conflict and that different people can get the resources they need is easier said than done.

Green's efforts are fueled by a desire to give back to the place that meant so much to her. A love for the school is what drew her back across the bridge. "Radford helped mold me into the person I am today. The opportunity that opened up here was one of those full circle moments in life and now I feel that I am able to give back to the institution."

While everyone takes a different path throughout the course of his or her career, Matt Harman shares a few similarities with Green. Harman serves as the Assistant Athletics Director for Business Development and also returned to Radford after a couple different stops at various schools. There's something about being a Highlander that never escaped him. "Having that small-knit community is awesome. That doesn't happen everywhere," he said.

The emotional incentive of giving back to your alma mater is an invaluable wage to Harman. A paycheck is nice, but he doesn't have to be asked to do more than what is required; he wants to.

"There's an added incentive for sure. This is where I went to school and this place provided me with so much during my four years here. I want to help them above and beyond what my role is."

While some of the professional Highlanders are getting work done behind the scenes, some of the former graduates have returned and work right alongside the current student-athletes. A good support system for the players often includes folks that can sharpen athletes not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

Allison McCoy is the Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Support Services. Her day-to-day role includes assisting players with their studies which ultimately helps put them in a position to thrive once they graduate. Working in an environment like that helps her develop and maintain strong relationships with the players.

She said, "It's important to measure success in multiple ways. The fact that students come to me when they're struggling means so much to me… so when students set and accomplish their goals, it's the best thing that I could ask for."

Like McCoy said, the relationships between herself and the student-athletes are ones that can yield success at many different times and in many different ways. While some may find instant success with a win each week, McCoy may have to wait awhile for a return on her investment, and she says it's always worth the wait. "I cannot wait for them to become the most successful versions of whatever they want to do. Getting that call and hearing that they received this job or got into that school is the biggest compliment I could ask for."

While part of the student-athletes' support system is mental and emotional aid, Radford's athletic training staff spends a lot time with the teams to help them from a physical perspective. Megan Dee is an Assistant Athletics Trainer and provides treatment for the players before and after weight room sessions, practices and games.

Although the long nights of studying in Peters Hall may have seemed like they would never end, the thrill of being on the sideline for various programs at her alma mater is worth it to Dee. "It's exciting to be able to give back to the program that helped form me as a professional today. I'm able to take what I learned and now give it back to the athletes and teams that helped me become who I am," she said.

While everyone chases a different dream, coaching seems to be a pretty popular opportunity to pursue. For a pair of former graduates, they are currently climbing the ranks of the coaching ladder and they are getting to do it at their alma mater.

Carlie Clary has seen constant promotion on the women's basketball staff during her time in Radford and now serves the Director of Women's Basketball Operations. It didn't take a lot of convincing to get Clary to come to Radford and she hasn't had much desire to leave since she got here. "Radford was a no-brainer because it's home. I grew up in the area, I've never left the area. It's a place that's given me so much," she said.

As a member of the women's basketball coaching staff, she has a responsibility to convince future players to come wear the red and white. It's a job she holds proudly. "There's an amount of pride that if you've been here, you understand. This institution does mean so much to us that have passed through. It's special for me to talk to recruits about what makes Radford special."

Emotions can run high when coaching. Try coaching at your alma mater. Radford's assistant softball coach Marissa Yow is doing just that. The program that helped mold her is the same one that she now helps lead. "Radford has always had a special place in my heart. I built a lot of great relationships and I'm trying to make sure that we continue to build the correct culture," Yow said.

She believes part of making that connection as a coach is by proving her relatability to her players. Having gone through the same routines and experiences, relaying that message to the team means a little bit more. "There's a sense of pride since I played here. I've been in my girls' shoes. It's a huge coaching and recruiting tool that I can use."

Each of the alumni have a special story. The administrators support staff paved their way to fill the roles that they are currently in and the assistant coaches are seeing what it's like to return to their old stomping grounds. However, for a couple of Radford's head coaches, some full circle moments in life allowed them to now be the leader of the team they once played for.

After a pair of stints as the men's assistant and women's assistant, Chris Barrett turned an interim head coaching opportunity into a permanent position. As the head men's soccer coach, Barrett's journey of over 15 years has been rewarded. In 2006, he returned to school and was offered for one of his classes to be paid for if he would train the goalkeepers. Barrett was a former goalkeeper himself and, of course, he said yes.

The list of experiences and memories continued to grow but one thing never changed: his dedication to his alma mater. "This isn't just a job. To me, this is like being called to take care of the family business. I don't think anyone's going to care as much about a program or a team other than someone that's played there. It's truly a family situation."

When Barrett got the gig, the first thing he did was assemble his staff. Three assistants, two of which are Radford alumni and a roster full of soon-to-be Radford graduates is quite the family. While some may look at that as added pressure, Barrett loves the position he is in. "I can tell them that I'm truly one of them. I'm a Highlander. I'm a men's soccer player. So when they graduate, they're part of the same brotherhood I am," he added.

While Barrett leads the men's soccer program, the baseball team now has one of their own at the helm as well. The aforementioned Guerra was named as the Radford head baseball coach just a few months ago. Baseball season doesn't start for a little while, but his excitement level is already through the roof. "When this position opened up, it was a no-brainer. I always wanted to be a head coach and what better place to do it than the place that has meant so much to me."

"It's extremely motivating to come to work every day. Representing a group of people that a put a lot of time, effort, energy, love and passion into Radford drives me every day. It's the best feeling in the world," he added.

Hearing the stories of these coaches, there's an incentive to win and there's an incentive to shed some light on Radford in a positive way. But there's also an incentive to help mold and form young people for life after graduation. "It's a very humbling opportunity," Guerra added. "Coaching isn't a job, it's a profession. It's an opportunity to impact people on a daily basis. It's a responsibility that's as real as it gets. These parents drop off their kids to us when they come to college. We take the baton from them and help grow them into the men that they're going to be."

Guerra shares the opinion of Barrett: those that get into coaching eventually dream about coaching at their alma mater. As Barrett is in the heart of his season, Guerra is just now laying the building blocks for his inaugural campaign. The hard work and the camaraderie are coming together now, which he believes will transition into wins next spring.
 
"The winning takes care of itself," Guerra said. "Teams that win love each other, they have a great relationship with each other. They're connected and they work hard at it. We're doing all of that now."

The Radford alumni that contribute to the athletics department all have different stories, and they all have great stories. But there are two individuals that have been here for a lot of highs and lows and still have no desire to leave. The duo of Rick Watson and Neal Leahy have been at Radford for a combined 45-plus years and could tell you more than just about anyone on campus. They're great friends. They share an office. And they're both Highlanders for life.

Watson serves the Director of Broadcasting and Leahy is the Director of Operations. Watson has spent the majority of his career as the "Voice of the Highlanders" and Leahy showed up to Radford in 1991 and hasn't left since. Back when they were both students, it was the opportunities they both had that ignited a fire that has yet to go out.

For Watson, he came to school knowing that he wanted to be a broadcaster. As a student, he jumped in head first and all of his work since then has allowed him to be a part of some of Radford's biggest moments.

One of those special moments became a national headline. It was Watson's viral call of Carlik Jones' buzzer-beater against Liberty that sent the Highlanders to the big dance. That came at a time when Radford became the first team in the country to secure their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. But it's not just important for him to share the news; he wants to do it in a way where the fans feel as if they are part of it. "The enthusiasm is real," Watson said. "You can't plan it. As a broadcaster, I want the audience to feel like they are a part of what I'm doing. I want them to have emotional gratification from it," he said.

"I like to help be part of what reminds people why Radford is a special place. We have really good people and really good programs. The community wants to pull for Radford; they want to embrace what we have to offer. I hope that I play a large part in that."

While the fans can appreciate Watson and recognize his voice wherever they may be, they can also thank Leahy for making sure it all happens. Leahy is in charge of all the operational components that go into putting on a good experience on game days. He takes pride in working for his school. He might be an employee, but he's as big a fan as anyone.

"It makes a difference when you work for your alma mater cause there's that little extra incentive. I want to see us do well," he said.


"It's not just a job. I bleed tartan. There's never a time when I'm not rooting for Radford."

There's never a time any of these individuals aren't rooting for Radford. That's because Coach Guerra is right. It really is a special place, and it really can change someone's life. For these folks, it has.