SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco is excited to announce it has reached a new agreement with KNBR, The Sports Leader, the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading sports talk radio station and home for all USF men’s basketball games.
The increased coverage throughout basketball season is highlighted by the expansion of the Hilltop Hoops Hour show, which will now air live on The Sports Leader’s YouTube channel, as well as KNBR 680 AM / 104.5 FM on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m.
The new format starts with tonight’s Hilltop Hoops Hour show with featured guests USF Director of Athletics Brent Blaylock, men’s basketball head coach Chris Gerlufsen and men’s basketball assistant coach Ryan Boatright.
“We are thrilled to announce this new and expansive partnership with KNBR to elevate the reach of USF basketball throughout the Bay Area,” Blaylock said. “Bringing the Hilltop Hoops Hour to a live YouTube broadcast alongside expanded coverage across KNBR’s channels gives Dons fans unprecedented access to our basketball programs. This collaboration not only showcases the incredible talent, personality and energy surrounding our teams, but it also provides a dynamic platform to connect with the community, drive excitement on the Hilltop and bring more fans into War Memorial Gym this season.”
Hilltop Hoops Hour, hosted by USF men’s basketball play by play radio announcer Pat Olson, will air most weeks on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on KNBR 680 AM / 104.5 FM. Thirteen of the 17 episodes will air live on YouTube. Four editions of the show will be pre-recorded with radio only due to a combination of the holidays and men’s basketball travel. The show will move to Wednesdays or Thursdays at 9 p.m. if it conflicts with a Golden State Warriors game and KNBR 1050 when both of those windows are not available. Replays will remain on demand on the The Sports Leader’s YouTube channel.
KNBR’s YouTube currently boasts over 52,000 subscribers.
“The University of San Francisco is an historic institution in this great city,” said The Sports Leader Program Director Mike Hohler. “The basketball program at USF has a rich and successful history and a very bright future. I’m thrilled that KNBR and KTCT will continue to have a major and expanded role in bringing the story of USF basketball to our listeners and viewers for the 2026-27 season.”
The USF Coaches Show will air during the final nine weeks of the regular season on Wednesday-morning and Thursday-afternoon windows across KNBR 680 AM / 104.5 FM and KNBR 1050 from January 6 to March 4. Both men’s head coach Chris Gerlufsen and women’s head coach Molly Goodenbour will be featured each week.
Fans will also be able to catch information on ticket offers and other USF basketball promotions throughout the season during the Hilltop Hoops Hour.
All 2026-27 regular-season games will continue to be broadcast on KNBR 1050 with Olson and Jim Brovelli on the call.
Men’s basketball hosts Portland State at 4 p.m. from War Memorial Gym at Sobrato Center on Saturday.
About University of San Francisco
Founded in 1855, the University of San Francisco is the only NCAA Division I college athletics program located in the city of San Francisco. A charter member of the West Coast Conference, USF supports over 250 student-athletes across 15 varsity sports programs. The storied legacy for the Dons includes 13 national championships, 101 conference championships and 104 All-Americans. Rooted deeply in the university’s Jesuit tradition, the department is committed to cura personalis (care for the whole person), focusing on the holistic development of student-athletes through excellence in competition, rigorous academics, community service and leadership development.
About The Sports Leader
KNBR 680AM / 104.5 FM The Sports Leader is the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading Sports Talk radio station, providing sports fans with exciting and comprehensive sports coverage of the Bay Area’s favorite teams. KNBR broadcasts through a powerful 50,000-watt signal licensed to San Francisco, CA, and can be heard throughout much of the western U.S. and as far west as the Hawaiian Islands. The heritage Sports Talk station is the official radio broadcast home of the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, Stanford Cardinal, Cal Golden Bears, USF men’s basketball, and San Jose Earthquakes. KNBR programming can be heard at 104.5FM and 680AM, as well as on KNBR 1050 and on https://www.thesportsleader.com/. The Sports Leader is owned and operated by CUMULUS MEDIA (NASDAQ:CMLS), a leading audio-first media and entertainment company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month and offering high-quality local programming through 395 owned-and-operated stations across 84 U.S. markets. For more information, visit: https://www.thesportsleader.com/.
