Pac-12 Networks announces on-air talent & programming for fourth season of women's basketball coverage

‘Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Media Day Special,’ to offer interviews and analysis live from Media Day on Wednesday, October 14 at Noon PT 

Chiney Ogumike, Lisa Byington, Brenda VanLengen and Julianne Viani join Pac-12 Networks talent roster 

SAN FRANCISCO (October 8, 2014) – Tipping off the fourth season of women’s basketball game coverage, Pac-12 Networks brings a bevy of veteran voices along with impressive newcomers to give fans exclusive and comprehensive access to Pac-12 women’s basketball. It all begins with the ‘Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Media Day Special’ across all seven networks at Noon PT on Wednesday, October 14. 

The excitement starts with the live two-hour special featuring host Ashley Adamson, analysts Ros Gold-Onwude and Mary Murphy, with an appearance from new analyst Chiney Ogumike at Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Media Day. Taking place from the Pac-12 Studios for the fourth straight year, players and coaches in attendance from each Pac-12 program will be featured exclusively on Pac-12 Networks, Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.

In its fourth season of coverage, Pac-12 Networks welcomes a slew of familiar faces including Onwude, Murphy, Tammy Blackburn, Anne Meyers-Drysdale and Maylana Martin Douglas as women’s basketball analysts. Play-by-play talent features names such as Ann Schatz, Krista Blunk, Anne Marie Anderson, Cindy Brunson, Rich Burk, Kate Scott and Jim Watson.

Former Stanford Cardinal Ogumike, sportscasters Julianne Viani and Brenda VanLengen and play-by-play announcer Lisa Byington are newcomers to the Pac-12 Networks’ on-air roster.

The 1st overall pick to the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 WNBA Draft, Ogwumike was the 2014 WNBA Rookie of the year and WNBA All-Star. A two-time WNBA Rookie of the Month recipient, Chiney led all rookies in rebounding (8.5 RPG) and double-doubles (13.0), ranked second in scoring (15.5 PPG), and third in steals (1.2 SPG). At Stanford, Chiney was a three-time First Team All-American, two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, three-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Pac 12 First Team, and finalist for multiple national Player of the Year awards each of the last three seasons. The 6'4" forward and Cypress, Texas native of Nigerian descent led Stanford to three Final Fours while distinguishing herself in academics, earning multiple honors for her academic success, including being named the 2014 Capital One Academic All-American of the Year and the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Chiney has most recently added host and commentator to her resume, co-hosting ESPN's First Take and His and Hers, covering the 2014 WNBA All-Star game on ABC, and working in-studio for NBATV for the WNBA playoffs. 

Viani is a freelance sportscaster for networks including ESPN, CBS Sports Network and SNY. As a former professional basketball player in Europe and Division I player at Marist College, she has covered a wide range of sports including football, basketball, soccer, softball, and lacrosse both at the college and high school level. Viani was a member of the women's basketball team that reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2007, the school's first ever in history. Julianne's play on the court led to numerous awards, including MAAC Most Valuable Player, two-time All-MAAC selection and four-time MAAC All-Academic selection. She is the first female student-athlete in Marist history to play in four NCAA Tournaments, was named ESPN The Magazine’s second team Academic All-District, and went on to play professionally in Europe's EuroCup. She was named Marist College's Female Athlete of the Year in 2009 and was inducted into the MAAC Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014 in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

VanLengen brings a seasoned broadcasting resume to Pac-12 Networks as the current analyst on Fox Sports 1’s telecasts of Big 12 women’s basketball, and Fox Sports Southwest’s coverage of the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars. She has also logged time as an analyst for BTN, CBS College Sports, ESPN and Westwood One, as well as a play-by-play voice on a variety of sports for ESPN, Fox Sports Net and BTN. Prior to her broadcasting career, VanLengen spent five years on the coaching staff for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.   

Byington has been in broadcasting for 15 years, most recently as a play-by-play voice at the Big Ten Network for a variety of sports. Byington has also been the lead football sideline reporter for BTN, in addition to doing studio and feature work. In addition to BTN, Byington has also called women's hoops games in the Big East for FS1, as well as in the A-10 for CBS Sports Network. Her play-by-play work has also taken her to the pro ranks as the voice of the WNBA's Chicago Sky for two years, as well as working currently with the NWSL's Chicago Redstars. She became a broadcaster after playing four years of basketball and two years of soccer at Northwestern University.

Pac-12 Networks’ full play-by-play and analyst roster for men’s basketball can be found below:

Analysts:

• Tammy Blackburn
• Ros Gold-Onwude
• Maylana Martin Douglas
• Ann Meyers-Drysdale
• Mary Murphy
• Chiney Ogumike
• Brenda VanLengen
• Julianne Viani
• Elise Woodward

Play-by-play:

• Anne Marie Anderson
• Krista Blunk
• Cindy Brunson
• Rich Burk
• Lisa Byington
• Ann Schatz
• Kate Scott         
• Jim Watson

The complete 2015-16 Pac-12 Networks women’s basketball televised schedule can be seen here.