Leading a group of Black students at a primarily white institution (PWI) is difficult at any time, but Sean King became president of the Association of Black Students (ABS) at a pivotal time in history.

Jason Ross Jr., the play-by-play announcer for the Oakland University women’s basketball team, has always dreamed of being a professional broadcaster. Now, before even graduating college, he has earned a permanent play-by-play role, started his own Detroit sports brand and is working for major media companies. 

Ten years ago, Oakland University women’s basketball head coach Jeff Tungate underwent back surgery. That back surgery was botched, and for nearly a decade, Tungate has dealt with the aftermath. Earlier this season, he went on indefinite leave, putting associate head coach Ke’Sha Blanton in charge of the program.

Growing up in Nigeria, Babatunde Sowunmi always imagined himself playing soccer for the national team. At 16 years old, he moved to the United States and began playing defensive end for his high school football team. Now, he’s a center on the men’s basketball team.

After months of testing and launching the app, the BioButton is now available to Oakland students and faculty.

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The button “…tracks a wearer’s skin temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate at rest." 

Kevin Beers has been the public address (PA) announcer for the Golden Grizzlies for 15 years. Throughout that time, he has become a staple of the O’rena, having multiple famous calls like “That’s traveling, and you can’t do that!”

After COVID-19 pushed many local schools to adapt and embrace a hybrid learning approach, families learned quickly that internet access is not created equal.

Ten years ago, on gameday, Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jeff Tungate woke up unable to get out of bed. At the time, he was an assistant coach for Greg Kampe and the men’s basketball team.

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Former Oakland men’s soccer star Travis Harrington will be spending the next two years in Togo, Africa, working for the Peace Corps. 

While in Togo, he will be teaching children English through speaking French in a middle school, while also implementing gender equality practices.

The Frontline Workers Scholarship is a new initiative aimed to increase the amount of frontline workers with bachelor’s degrees.

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“Those people who work selflessly providing essential services are an inspiration, and in many cases, profiles in courage,” President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz said in the official press release. 

Coming off of two straight Horizon League second team awards in golf, senior Jake Kneen has set his sights on the ultimate goal: Horizon League Player of the Year.

For Trey Townsend, coming to Oakland University to play basketball was always a goal.

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“In all honesty, I’ve always wanted to go to Oakland” 

At nine years old, Alex VanHolder began having difficulty seeing while playing his favorite sport, baseball. In May of 2016, doctors told him he had developed a Medulloblastoma tumor on his brain stem.

After a year defined by COVID-19 tests, empty seats and sacrifices from student-athletes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel as vaccines become available and implemented.

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Those student-athlete sacrifices are what made the COVID-19 era of college sports enjoyable for Athletic Director Steve Waterfield.

Sewage at Oakland University can contain more than just the usual “crap,” it can contain trace amounts of COVID-19. 

In November, Oakland administration announced their plans to monitor sewage with Aquasight, a Troy, Michigan company, in an attempt to improve contract tracing on campus.

In her fourth and final season at Oakland University, Jamie Walling is facing the challenges of a postponed season and becoming a senior leader, all at once.

The home-court advantage the Grizz Gang provides the Golden Grizzlies is felt. Loud cheers, passionate fans and the “O-U” clap on free throws can consistently be found filling up the O’Rena.

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Also consistently found in the Grizz Gang is Meta Kern, the 65 year-old woman who says she is “the biggest fan of Oakland basketball.”

Four games into conference play in 2020, the men’s basketball team received a boost to their lineup when Rashad Williams was granted his waiver from the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and was cleared to play.