Photo Gallery (images Rob Garcia)

San Francisco, CA – In a fitting collaboration, the Academy of Art University Athletics Department has teamed up with the School of Multimedia Communications to bring live coverage of its sporting events through the Urban Knights Radio Sports Network. Set to begin in November with basketball season, the UKRSN will deliver “on-air” broadcasts of Urban Knights men's and women's basketball home games throughout the 2012-13 season as well as sports talk shows pioneered by "The Round Table Recap” which will be hosted by former ART U student-athletes. Listen live at www.UrbanKnightsRadio.com.

“We are extremely excited,” Multimedia Communications Instructor and Urban Knights Radio Manager Matty Staudt said. “Conversations about broadcasting live sports were happening when I started last November, and after our all student-run radio station launched last December, the Multimedia Communications and Athletics departments have been working together with the goal of broadcasting all sports live with students. We're here to produce sportscasters and in order to do that we need to work as a team to give them real-world experience while simultaneously providing the school with live coverage of its athletic events.”

Athletics and Multimedia Communications align perfectly under the mission of Academy of Art University in this endeavor as the Urban Knights Radio Sports Network plans to operate with the mantra: "We are students. We are athletes. We are broadcasters." Additionally, students will learn under the direction of accomplished individuals like Jan Yanehiro, Director of the School of Multimedia Communications, and Joe Fonzi, KTVU FOX 2's weekend sports anchor.

“ART U Athletics is thrilled to collaborate with Multimedia Communications on this endeavor,” Director of Athletics Kevin Price said. “It's a natural fit and provides our own students with a great opportunity for experience and growth. Plus, the guidance of skilled people such as Jan Yanehiro and Joe Fonzi will make the production first class.”

Seeking to graduate students with true hands-on experience, those individuals taking classes such as “Advanced Play-by-Play” (COM 306) and “Media Station Management” (COM 351) will have a unique chance to perfect their craft in live situations at ART U's home basketball games.

“As the voice of the Urban Knights, Multimedia Communications students provide their fans a way to follow the team globally through live streams of radio and video,” Yanehiro said. “Together, the athletes and student broadcasters are pioneering the sportscast of the future.”

Always seeking to provide mentors such as Yanehiro who have mastered their craft, Academy of Art University has several local professionals involved with the Urban Knights Radio Sports Network including Fonzi and Jenn Violet Kennedy, Assistant Program Director of “The Razor & Mr. T” at KNBR.

“When it comes to play-by-play experience, there's no substitute for actually doing it,” Fonzi said. “College students do not get the chance to practice play-by-play on commercial radio stations. Those stations are looking for experienced professionals. It's a 'Catch 22.' By making beginning mistakes and getting experience in college radio situations, students are preparing themselves for possible entry-level positions at professional stations. There's a second benefit. Athletics will benefit because they'll be getting additional exposure and the ability for students who aren't at the games to follow them.”

Whether involved in the specific classes or not, Academy of Art University students are now also offered the possibility of hosting their own radio show, an opportunity which former ART U softball student-athletes Genna Allen and Jayme Stewart have embraced. The duo along with former men's soccer student-athlete Boomer Cruz recently co-created "The Round Table Recap” which will air weekly and discuss recent happenings in the world of Urban Knights Athletics.

“It's an honor to represent the school's athletics on the radio,” Cruz said. “It's really cool to produce something every week that means something and [The Round Table Recap] is going to be expanding the awareness of our school's athletic program.”

Airtimes for “The Round Table Recap” are set for Wednesdays at 8pm, Thursdays at 1pm and 5pm, Saturdays at 4pm, and Sundays at 7pm all at www.urbanknightsradio.com.

“The students working on the games will be using the same equipment, doing the same preparations, and broadcasting games as any major market sports radio station,” Staudt said. “Plus, they'll be working with some of the best broadcasters in the Bay Area including KTVU's Joe Fonzi and KNBR's Jenn Violet. Our goal is to create a well-rounded student-athlete broadcaster who knows how to be on the air and be behind the scenes.”

The Urban Knights Radio Sports Network is also excited to announce two new social media accounts which will provide updates to fans online. Those on Facebook can “Like” the UKRSN page at facebook.com/UrbanKnightsRadioSportsNetwork and, on Twitter, follow @Knights_Radio.