March 14, 2023

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MILWAUKEE — March Madness is once again taking over the national conversation with selections for the NCAA Tournaments for men’s and women’s basketball announced on Sunday. With Marquette University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams set to take the court seeded No. 2 and No. 9 respectively in their national tournaments, several members of the Marquette faculty are available for coverage.

Please contact any of these experts directly or contact Kevin Conway, associate director of university communication, or Melissa Barclay, senior communication specialist, to set up an interview. Kevin can be reached at kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu. Melissa can be reached at melissa.barclay@marquette.edu.

Impact on the university

Brian Troyer is the dean of undergraduate admissions. He has direct knowledge of the impact a post-season appearance and extended run in the NCAA Tournament can have on an institution in terms of new student interest and applications. He has been at Marquette since 2016 while previously working at both UW-Milwaukee and Kentucky during national tournament appearances, including UK’s 2012 National Championship. Troyer is available at brian.troyer@marquette.edu.

Sports medicine

Dr. Chris Geiser is a clinical associate professor and program director of athletic training in the College of Health Sciences. He can discuss athletic training, sports injury and exercise science topics, including dealing with injuries and keeping healthy during a critical time. Geiser can be reached at christopher.geiser@marquette.edu.

Sports marketing and advertising

Dr. Jim Pokrywczynski, associate professor of strategic communication, has presented on and written papers discussing analytics in a sports/event marketing context and brand tracking on social media. Pokrywczyski is traveling and unavailable until March 17, but he can discuss added brand value from surprise winners in the opening rounds of the tournaments and the media darlings of the Sweet 16. He can be reached at james.pokro@marquette.edu.

On-the-court physics

Dr. Andrew Kunz is chair and professor of physics. He can help break down the physics behind many of the exciting plays on the court, from dunks to long-distance shots. Kunz is available at andrew.kunz@marquette.edu.

Faith and basketball

Rev. John Laurance, S.J., is the team chaplain for the Marquette men’s basketball program. He is in his eighth season with the program and is qualified to speak on topics of faith in sports, the Jesuit mission and the roles of a team chaplain in college sports. Father Laurance is available at john.laurance@marquette.edu.

Historical context and materials

Amy Cooper Cary is the head of special collections and university archives at Raynor Memorial Libraries. She is an excellent resource for historical context and archival materials for both Marquette men’s and women’s basketball programs. That includes pictures and video from previous post-season runs. Cooper Cary can be reached at amy.cary@marquette.edu.

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.

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About Kevin Conway

Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.