Charlie Voelker is the co-host of The Drive every weekday afternoon from 3 pm to 7pm. Charlie has been a part of the Capital Region Sports scene for over the last 25 years. In 1996 he joined Big Board Sports host and NewsChannel 13 sports director, Rodger Wyland in the UAlbany broadcast booth for football and basketball. Charlie spent 6 years in minor league baseball, then spent the next 17 years as the Associate Athletic Director for the University at Albany before retiring from that position in 2020. Charlie and his wife Kim live in Albany County with his son Andrew.
Charlie Voelker
Dreams & Hard Work Put Upstate New York Native In Super Bowl LVII
"This is something you dream about your whole life," is how Philadelphia Eagles head coach, Nick Sirianni opened his post-NFC Championship game press conference. That dream began playing in Sirianni's head many years ago in a small town in Upstate New York.
Poll: What Do New Yorkers Think About The Gov’s Job Performance?
In November, Kathy Hochul became the first woman elected governor in New York State history. Hochul has weathered the storm, after taking office in the middle of Andrew Cumomo's tumultuous last term. The 57th governor of the Empire State delivered her State of the State address last week. So, what do Hochul's constituents think of the governor's job performance? A new Siena Poll has the answer.
Lake Placid: The Core of New York’s Winter Sports Investment
This week over 1400 collegiate athletes are competing in Lake Placid for the 2023 FISU Winter World University Games. The site of two Winter Olympic competitions in 1932 and 1980 provided the perfect infrastructure for the international event. However, many of the competition sites and training areas needed drastic updating to be considered for such a high-profile winter sports event. In stepped the State of New York and the Lake Placid is shining with Gold Medals.
Add Some Holiday Baseball Fun With A Quick Trip To Cooperstown
Finding "holiday week" activities that the entire family will enjoy can be a drag sometimes. Outdoor fun is often curtailed by tough-to-plan-for weather conditions, while other options are either too far away or too expensive. Capital Region baseball fans have a gem in their own backyard and the week between Christmas and New Year's is the perfect time to take advantage.
10 Pressing Questions Facing The New York Yankees This Offseason
Getting swept in the American League Championship Series by the Houston Astros was many Yankees fans worst nightmare. The magical season that started so well, always had that hint of doubt based on their midseason match-ups, especially the two game sweep by the Astros following the All Star break. Now, how do the New York Yankees move forward? Pinstripes' owner Hal Steinbrenner has a lot to think about.
#5 Clemson’s Dabo Scouts #14 Syracuse for Saturday Battle
There is a big football game on Saturday at noon on ABC-TV. It features #14 Syracuse taking on #5 Clemson. This is the best Syracuse Orange football team in at least the last 4 years and maybe in decades. Clemson football star head coach, Dabo Swinney, may have summed it up best on Tuesday, “Dino’s got ‘em going, man. He’s got an offense that can score. He’s got a scheme that creates challenges.” Handsome praise from a coach that has enjoyed the highest pinnacle in college football.
Boeheim Predicts This Year Syracuse Will Make NCAA Tourney
In the course of coaching a premier college basketball program for nearly five decades, it would be easy to assume that one would get pretty good at assessing their team's chances from one year to the next. On Wednesday at the ACC Men's Basketball Media Day, Boeheim told several reporters that this year's squad of Orange will go to the Big Dance in March. After suffering his first losing season since taking up the profession at Syracuse, the 77 year-old coach is ready to get his team back to playing tournament basketball.
All Rise! Offer For New York Yankees’ Historic Ball Hits $2M
Tuesday night, when Corey Youmans sat down in his left field seats at Globe Life Field in Section 31, Row 1, Seat 3, he may have dreamed that he could snag a valuable piece of history. Well, dreams come true and the baseball that Youmans caught in his glove is already worth $2 million. That number may get higher.
Fetch! Golden Retriever Snags Home Run From New York Mets Star
Tuesday night was "Bark in the Bark" night at Citi Field. Dogs and their loving owners were sprinkled through the stadium for the second-to-last regular season game. One four-legged friend stole fans' hearts and a special home run ball early in the game.
DNA Test Confirms Rare Wolf Killed In Upstate New York
There are a lot of different animals in New York. I use the term "animal" literally and figuratively. However, one species has been missing from the vast terrain of the upper regions since the early 1900's, the wolf. The DEC notes that there are wolves in Wisconsin and Michigan but not in New York. Populations of the species do exist north of the empire state border in Canada.
Will The Buffalo Win Super Bowl LVII? 2022 NFL Predictions Are In!
Who will win the Super Bowl? Well, you have to get there first. All of this year's season predictions are below, each division champion, wild-card teams and conference champions, plus the Super Bowl LVII winning team and score prediction!
OUCH! Deepwater Jellyfish Sting Hundreds On New York Beaches
It has not been an easy summer swimming on the white sandy beaches of Long Island this year. Six people were bitten by sharks in a little more than a two-week span. The painful swimming experience continued on Sunday at Jones Beach State Park and Robert Moses State Park, thanks to a marine organism called a Pelagia Noctiluca.