Etcetera With The Woodards

In this episode, Angie talks about her experience winning a AAA Girls State Basketball Championship for Mercyhurst Prep, perfecting her game at the collegiate level at Penn State University, and making history as the first player from Erie, PA, to play in the WNBA.

In this episode Michael takes us for a journey and talks about his experience playing football in high school, at Thiel and being a pioneer in Erie Media all the way to BET and now ABC.

In this episode, Steffanie takes us back to the late 80s and talks about her time running track for Academy High School, competing on the collegiate level at Georgetown University, and her experience participating in the Olympics.

In this episode, Gary and Asia talk about the importance of this business trip to a few historic locations down south and why students should want to attend. They were getting ready to take a bus tour down south for Juneteenth. Gary has been involved in organizing since the 90s, and his daughter Asia has now taken the lead.

In this episode Kyra explains what Erie's Black Wall Street is, how it began and what services they offer the Erie community.

Long before Levonne Rowan reached the professional football ranks, Erie already knew there was something special about him.

A standout at Mercyhurst Preparatory School, Rowan established himself as one of Pennsylvania’s premier defensive backs, earning three All-State selections and finishing his high-school career with an incredible 21 interceptions. And football wasn’t his only arena—his speed made him a dominant track athlete as well, capturing four Pennsylvania state championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

That talent earned Rowan a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin, where he became a key member of the Badgers’ secondar...

Who wears the badge matters.

For Detective William “Putney” Bailey of the Erie Police Department, the conversation about diversity in law enforcement goes far beyond numbers. It’s about trust, visibility, relationships—and making sure young Black men and women can see a place for themselves in a profession that has an enormous impact on their communities.

On this episode of Etcetera with the Woodards, Detective Bailey sits down for an important conversation about the need for greater Black representation in policing, what it means to serve a community that knows you, and why recruiting officers from dif...

History has a way of making certain moments feel bigger than an election.

When Daria Devlin became mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania, she became only the second woman in the city’s history to hold its highest elected office—following the trail first blazed by former Mayor Joyce Savocchio more than three decades ago.

But Devlin’s story is about much more than making history.

A lifelong Erie resident with years of experience in community development, education, nonprofit leadership and public service, Devlin now carries the responsibility of leading a city confronting questions about economic opport...

Wrestling greatness runs in the Crosby family.

In 1988, Melvin Crosby captured a PIAA state championship for Erie Academy. More than three decades later, his son Dorian Crosby added his own name to Pennsylvania wrestling history, winning a PIAA Class 3A state championship for Cathedral Prep and making the Crosbys the first father-son PIAA championship duo in Erie County history.

But Dorian’s story didn’t stop there.

On this episode of Etcetera with the Woodards, Dorian Crosby joins the conversation after completing a remarkable undefeated season at Gannon University and capturing the 2026 NCAA Division II N...

Long before David A. Armstrong, J.D., led a university, he was helping to lead the way at Mercyhurst.

A three-year starter on the offensive line for the Lakers, Armstrong distinguished himself both on the football field and in the classroom, earning All-District honors and recognition as a GTE Academic All-American. His accomplishments ultimately earned him a place among Mercyhurst’s athletic greats as a charter member of the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

But football was only the beginning.

Armstrong went on to earn his law degree, work as an attorney, coach foot...

What does it look like when the community that raises you becomes the inspiration for the career you eventually build?

On this episode of Etcetera with the Woodards, Erie native Damian Bounds returns to his roots—at least through conversation—to share an extraordinary journey from growing up in public housing in Erie, Pennsylvania, to becoming a major educational leader in one of the largest school systems in Georgia.

Bounds has spoken openly about growing up surrounded by family and community in Erie public housing, where he says the experience provided him not only with lifelong rela...

Before Khyl Horton became an Erie basketball legend, he was a kid from the lower East Side of Erie, Pennsylvania, developing a game that would eventually make him one of the most decorated players the city has produced.

On this episode of Etcetera with the Woodards, Khyl sits down to tell the story behind the highlights—and those highlights are serious.

At Mercyhurst Prep, Horton became the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. He finished his high school career with 1,886 points, currently listed by the Erie Sports Hall of Fame as the third-highest total in Erie...

This week, Etcetera with the Woodards sits down with Essie Hollis, one of the most accomplished basketball players ever produced by the city of Erie.

At Strong Vincent, Hollis was a high school All-American who exploded for 753 points and a 30.1-point-per-game average during the 1972–73 season, leading the Colonels to city and district championships. And that was only the beginning.

At St. Bonaventure University, Hollis amassed 1,905 career points and 977 rebounds, averaged 17.5 points per game for his career, became a two-time ECAC All-Star in 1976 and 1977, served as co-captain of the 1977 NIT Championship team, and scored 24 points in the ch...