ESPN to Provide 15 Hours of Programming from 2016 College Championships
Posted: May 18, 2016 12:54 PM
Ian Toner Assumes Analyst Role, Lepler Shifts to Play-by-Play
Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 18, 2016) – With the 2016 collegiate ultimate season set to conclude later this month at the USA Ultimate College Championships, May 27-30, in Raleigh, N.C., ESPN is gearing up to cover the event for the fourth consecutive year, distributing 15 hours of total content across multiple digital and traditional television platforms.
ESPN will again produce and distribute live programming of all four men’s and women’s division semifinal matchups and both championship games on ESPN3 and its WatchESPN mobile app.
Live programming will again be supplemented with three post-produced, one-hour shows showcasing the semifinals and each championship game on ESPNU, airing in primetime on Wednesday, June 1.
And while the programming itself looks familiar, the broadcast team will take on a new look as longtime analyst Evan Lepler will call the games as play-by-play announcer, and Ian Toner will assume the role of color commentator.
Lepler has been with ESPN’s ultimate broadcast team since its inception in 2013 and has provided expert analysis for USA Ultimate’s College Championships, U.S. Open and National Championships – serving as a commentator for 60 games over the course of the last three years.
Toner makes his ESPN debut as a world champion and two-time national champion athlete, as well as an experienced contributor to a variety of ultimate-specific media outlets. Toner has previously served as a commentator for live productions on behalf of Ultiworld, NexGen and Ditch, while also writing editorial content for USA Ultimate and Skyd Magazine covering the youth, college and club divisions.
As a player, Toner won a world title with the U.S. National Team at the 2013 WFDF World U-23 Championships. He also won a pair of national titles in two disciplines of the sport – capturing a championship on the grass in 2014 with Johnny Bravo (Denver, Colo.) and on the beach in 2016 as a member of And the Warhawks (Cambridge, Mass.).
Professionally, Toner is an experienced public and media relations specialist at Communications Strategy Group in Denver.
Toner will also work alongside Lepler at the U.S. Open in Providence, R.I., July 1-4.
2016 USA Ultimate College Championships
ESPN Broadcast Schedule
All Times Eastern
Sunday, May 29
12:00 p.m. – Women’s Division Semifinal, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
2:30 p.m. – Women’s Division Semifinal, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
5:30 p.m. – Men’s Division Semifinal, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
8:00 p.m. – Men’s Division Semifinal, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
Monday, May 30
12:00 p.m. – Women’s Division Championship, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
2:30 p.m. – Men’s Division Championship, ESPN3 and WatchESPN mobile app
Wednesday, June 1
7:00 p.m. – Semifinals Highlight Show, ESPNU
8:00 p.m. – Women’s Championship Show, ESPNU
9:00 p.m. – Men’s Championship Show, ESPNU
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