Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Insider Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 21
2/24/2025 4:49:00 PM | Baseball, Women's Rowing, General
Buzzer-Beaters, Baseball Breakouts & Rowing Insights
Click Here to Listen Now!
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- In the latest episode of The Eastern Insider, Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner broke down one of the most thrilling moments in recent EMU basketball history—a miraculous buzzer-beater from Jalin Terry. Comparing it to the iconic "Miracle on Ice," Helmer marveled at how Terry covered so much ground in 3.6 seconds before sinking the game-winning shot. With EMU now riding a three-game winning streak, the Eagles hold the longest active streak in the MAC, positioning themselves for a strong postseason run.
With a crucial week ahead, EMU has a chance to clinch a spot in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland for the first time since 2018. Wins over Bowling Green and Central Michigan could secure their place, making the final road games about seeding rather than survival. Helmer and Steiner emphasized the importance of fan support at the George Gervin GameAbove Center, despite the challenge of spring break depleting student attendance.
The women's basketball team also made headlines, pulling off a gritty road win over Northern Illinois. Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh's "revenge tour" approach has paid off, as EMU continues to disrupt playoff hopefuls with well-executed game plans. With tough matchups ahead against Miami and Buffalo, the Eagles can still play spoiler in a season where depth has been a constant challenge.
Beyond basketball, the episode highlighted EMU Gymnastics' upcoming meet against Western Michigan and Wilberforce, as well as the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships at Bowen Field House. Rowing coach Kemp Savage joined the show to discuss his team's upcoming transition to MAC competition, and baseball's Cooper Vance was spotlighted after a dominant offensive display against Central Arkansas.
With postseason stakes rising across multiple sports, The Eastern Insider delivered an action-packed episode, setting the stage for a pivotal week in Ypsilanti.
Segment 1 - Kemp Savage
On this week's Eastern Insider podcast, EMU head rowing coach Kemp Savage sat down with Tom Helmer to discuss the growth of his program, the success of standout rower Lily Wilhelm, and the team's aspirations for the upcoming season.
A highlight of the conversation was Wilhelm's gold-medal performance with the U.S. women's eight at the World University Championships in the Netherlands—an event that featured some of the most challenging conditions Savage has ever seen. "There was like a 30 mile an hour tailwind," he recalled. "It was just right on that level because later in the day, they actually had to close the course down." Despite the elements, the U.S. team edged out Italy in a thrilling finish. "It came down to us and Italy, and we won by about a deck," Savage said.
Wilhelm's dominance has carried over to EMU, where she recently set the school's 6K record with a 22-minute time and an impressive 1:53 split. "If you've ever just been on a rower at the gym, to keep that pace for that long is very demanding," Helmer noted. Savage agreed, adding, "She's showing a nice place, and we have a couple other athletes nipping at her heels."
Looking ahead, the team is gearing up for its March 1 trip to Alabama and the CAA Championships in May. EMU has finished seventh in each of the last two seasons, but Savage is optimistic. "We're a lot healthier than we were the last couple of years, so we've been able to train a lot better," he said. The team's progress is also evident in recruiting, with 19 signees set to join next year.
As EMU rowing continues to grow, Savage remains focused on developing top-tier athletes and fostering a strong team culture. "Rowing's great because talent doesn't win races—training and the grind win races."
Segment 2 - Cooper Vance
Eastern Michigan shortstop Cooper Vance joined Greg Steiner on this week's Eastern Insider to discuss his journey as an everyday player, the adjustments he's made, and what lies ahead for the Eagles in 2025.
Vance reflected on his first full season as a starter, acknowledging the physical demands but emphasizing the learning experience. "My body held up pretty good," Vance said. "It's just more so the adjustment to playing every day at that level and the bumps and lumps that come along with it." He credited his freshman-year mentor for helping him develop consistency.
Mentally, the grind of a long season presents challenges, but Vance takes it one series at a time. "You can have one good weekend and one bad weekend—that's baseball," he said. "You just do what you can when you're feeling good and grind through when things aren't going your way."
With the Mid-American Conference season approaching, Vance stressed the importance of consistency. "Anybody can win any game on any given day," he said. "For us, it's about taking it one week at a time and not worrying about other teams—just playing our game."
In the offseason, Vance focused on refining his swing and defensive mechanics. "We've got a really good hitting coach this year," he noted. "He's helped me a lot, so just working on what he's been showing me and cleaning things up defensively—footwork, glove angles, stuff like that."
Vance also highlighted new faces making an impact, including Harrison Travis behind the plate and Devin Zerwas at first base, players he believes will be key contributors.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- In the latest episode of The Eastern Insider, Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner broke down one of the most thrilling moments in recent EMU basketball history—a miraculous buzzer-beater from Jalin Terry. Comparing it to the iconic "Miracle on Ice," Helmer marveled at how Terry covered so much ground in 3.6 seconds before sinking the game-winning shot. With EMU now riding a three-game winning streak, the Eagles hold the longest active streak in the MAC, positioning themselves for a strong postseason run.
With a crucial week ahead, EMU has a chance to clinch a spot in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland for the first time since 2018. Wins over Bowling Green and Central Michigan could secure their place, making the final road games about seeding rather than survival. Helmer and Steiner emphasized the importance of fan support at the George Gervin GameAbove Center, despite the challenge of spring break depleting student attendance.
The women's basketball team also made headlines, pulling off a gritty road win over Northern Illinois. Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh's "revenge tour" approach has paid off, as EMU continues to disrupt playoff hopefuls with well-executed game plans. With tough matchups ahead against Miami and Buffalo, the Eagles can still play spoiler in a season where depth has been a constant challenge.
Beyond basketball, the episode highlighted EMU Gymnastics' upcoming meet against Western Michigan and Wilberforce, as well as the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships at Bowen Field House. Rowing coach Kemp Savage joined the show to discuss his team's upcoming transition to MAC competition, and baseball's Cooper Vance was spotlighted after a dominant offensive display against Central Arkansas.
With postseason stakes rising across multiple sports, The Eastern Insider delivered an action-packed episode, setting the stage for a pivotal week in Ypsilanti.
Segment 1 - Kemp Savage
On this week's Eastern Insider podcast, EMU head rowing coach Kemp Savage sat down with Tom Helmer to discuss the growth of his program, the success of standout rower Lily Wilhelm, and the team's aspirations for the upcoming season.
A highlight of the conversation was Wilhelm's gold-medal performance with the U.S. women's eight at the World University Championships in the Netherlands—an event that featured some of the most challenging conditions Savage has ever seen. "There was like a 30 mile an hour tailwind," he recalled. "It was just right on that level because later in the day, they actually had to close the course down." Despite the elements, the U.S. team edged out Italy in a thrilling finish. "It came down to us and Italy, and we won by about a deck," Savage said.
Wilhelm's dominance has carried over to EMU, where she recently set the school's 6K record with a 22-minute time and an impressive 1:53 split. "If you've ever just been on a rower at the gym, to keep that pace for that long is very demanding," Helmer noted. Savage agreed, adding, "She's showing a nice place, and we have a couple other athletes nipping at her heels."
Looking ahead, the team is gearing up for its March 1 trip to Alabama and the CAA Championships in May. EMU has finished seventh in each of the last two seasons, but Savage is optimistic. "We're a lot healthier than we were the last couple of years, so we've been able to train a lot better," he said. The team's progress is also evident in recruiting, with 19 signees set to join next year.
As EMU rowing continues to grow, Savage remains focused on developing top-tier athletes and fostering a strong team culture. "Rowing's great because talent doesn't win races—training and the grind win races."
Segment 2 - Cooper Vance
Eastern Michigan shortstop Cooper Vance joined Greg Steiner on this week's Eastern Insider to discuss his journey as an everyday player, the adjustments he's made, and what lies ahead for the Eagles in 2025.
Vance reflected on his first full season as a starter, acknowledging the physical demands but emphasizing the learning experience. "My body held up pretty good," Vance said. "It's just more so the adjustment to playing every day at that level and the bumps and lumps that come along with it." He credited his freshman-year mentor for helping him develop consistency.
Mentally, the grind of a long season presents challenges, but Vance takes it one series at a time. "You can have one good weekend and one bad weekend—that's baseball," he said. "You just do what you can when you're feeling good and grind through when things aren't going your way."
With the Mid-American Conference season approaching, Vance stressed the importance of consistency. "Anybody can win any game on any given day," he said. "For us, it's about taking it one week at a time and not worrying about other teams—just playing our game."
In the offseason, Vance focused on refining his swing and defensive mechanics. "We've got a really good hitting coach this year," he noted. "He's helped me a lot, so just working on what he's been showing me and cleaning things up defensively—footwork, glove angles, stuff like that."
Vance also highlighted new faces making an impact, including Harrison Travis behind the plate and Devin Zerwas at first base, players he believes will be key contributors.
Players Mentioned
Oestrike Stadium Turf Replacement Time lapse
Friday, October 03
Oestrike Stadium Upgrades Reveal
Thursday, October 02
Alumni Achievement Award - Anthony Tomey
Friday, September 26
Scout day✅
Monday, September 22