CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has joined forces with Chicago television personality and #ILLINI alum Ryan Baker (@RyanBakerMedia) to create a new, in-depth interview series entitled RBI: The Ryan Baker Interview. The series will debut this Wednesday night at 7 p.m. will run exclusively on FIGHTINGILLINI.com on a bi-weekly basis.
The debut episode features interim head coach Bill Cubit (@CoachCubit) of the 4-2 Fighting Illini football program.
"I am thrilled for the opportunity to team up with my alma mater to provide insightful, engaging and entertaining interviews with #ILLINI student-athletes and coaches for FIGHTINGILLINI.com," Baker said.
The idea for the new series came from discussions between Baker and Senior Associate Director of Athletics Mike Waddell this past summer.
"Ryan is a dynamic personality and is a true #ILLINI through and through," Waddell said of Baker. "His insight into the personalities that make Fighting Illini Athletics go, past and present, will be the driving force in this new content for our digital platform.
"We are excited to continue our association with Ryan and look forward to some great moments online that will enhance our #ILLINI brand through telling the stories of the people wearing the Orange and Blue."
Baker serves as CBS 2 Chicago's lead sports anchor on the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts. He joined CBS 2 Chicago from WMAQ-TV in Chicago, where he had worked as an anchor and reporter since 2003.
A distinguished graduate of the University of Illinois College of Media, Ryan, his wife, Jessa, and daughter, Grace, are generous supporters of the UIUC having established the Ryan Baker Endowed Fund in Journalism, which will provide support for journalism students in the College of Media. Ryan also currently serves on the Illini Leadership Council, lending his time and professional expertise toward the University's new strategic initiatives and outreach in the Chicagoland area.
The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 21 varsity teams and is a charter member of both the nation's premier league, the Big Ten Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletics Association. Since its inception as an athletics department in 1890, the Fighting Illini have won 18 NCAA Championships, five football national championships and 245 Big Ten Titles. Fighting Illini athletes have won 27 Olympic medals while competing for 14 countries in 24 Olympics. Notable University of Illinois athletics alumni include Pro Football Hall of Famers Harold "Red" Grange, Dick Butkus, and George Halas; National Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry Colangelo and College Basketball Hall of Famer Lou Henson.
