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HANNI FROM PAGE 9 hawk fans "
Nick Schwerdt, the current host of "Rock Chalk Sports Talk," said he has learned a lot from Hanni since 2012, when he started as an intern at KLWN. Schwerdt was named the host of the show in May 2015, after serving as the producer of the show for two years.
"He was so willing to take me under his wing and give me advice and give me pointers," Schwerdt said. "I probably would not be in this chair if it wasn't for him."
Ever since the announcement was made that Davis was to retire after the 2015-16 basketball season, Hanni has had considerable support. The Facebook page "Bring Brian Hanni Back to KU" was created in November by Lawrence native Becca Booth, and currently has 765 likes. Booth's family previously owned KLWN and had met Hanni.
"Brian's name was the first person that came to
my head who would be a perfect replacement," Booth said. "Brian and I had worked together at KLWN when he was doing 'Rock Chalk Sports Talk'. We have a family history of knowing him, he worked for my dad [Hank Booth], and he would be a
this is the
opportunity of a lifetime, it's the fulfillment of pretty close to a lifelong dream and I'm just ecstatic to be coming home."
Brian Hanni voice of the Jayhawks
Hanni said one of his early mentors was legendary broadcaster Tom Hedrick. Hanni was a student of Hedrick's in 1998, when Hanni began at the University.
"He was my initial broadcast mentor at KU
perfect fit."
and so much of my success I owe to him, because of his coaching and teaching." Hanni said.
Hanni said Hendrick's book, "The Art of Sportscasting: How to Build a Successful Career," helped him immensely.
"It's a huge reason why I'm coming home today," he said.
"He casts a large shadow in terms of his talents, his legacy is an incredible career," Hanni said. "He was amazing to listen to as a young sports fan in the state of Kansas and listening to him really was something that inspired me early on...I'm very much aware of the fact that there will never be another Bob Davis and I'll just do as all I can and work as hard as I can possibly can to keep the bar raised remotely close to where he set it."
Though Hanni said he knows he can't truly replace a legend like Davis, he will give it his all.
Hanni's journey at Texas Tech might be over, but he said he enjoyed his
time in Lubbock and fans have been very supportive.
"The people down there are incredible," Hanni said. "They were so very gracious throughout my time there. They were so understanding over these last eight months that if this call from Kansas came to come home that I had to take it. This was truly a unique situation, to have such support with the employee of one university potentially leaving for a conference rival."
Hanni will return to Lawrence in August to begin his journey as the new voice of the Jayhawks. Hanni's first game will be the season opener for Kansas football on September 3 against Rhode Island at Memorial Stadium.
Schneider adds second graduate transfer to roster
RYAN LEVINE &
RYAN LEVINE &
DYLAN SHERWOOD
@KansanNews
Adding to what has already been a loaded class of transfers, Kansas women's basketball coach Brandon Schneider has signed graduate transfer Lisa Blair, according to a KU Athletics release.
Blair has spent the last four years playing at Ohio State University and will be eligible to play in the 2016-17 season. Blair is the third transfer that Schneider has picked up, joining Sydney Umeri and Eboni Watts.
"Her length and knack for blocking or altering shots provides us with the paint presence we've been
looking on the defensive end," Schneider said in the release. "We wanted to add depth and immediate help to our front line this spring, and we feel we've done that with [Sydney] Umeri and Blair joining our program."
Blair was named a McDonald's All-American nominee in 2011, coming out of high school in Brooklyn, NY. During her senior season she averaged 12 points, ten rebounds and ten blocks per game, according to the release.
During her three years at Ohio State, Blair played in 81 games, and redshirted for one season.
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