Students team up to announce basketball games over the radio


Anna Gindlesperger

Reporter

November 19, 2004

 


A fresh set of voices has reached the airwaves to announce the Milligan basketball games this season.


Sophomores Andy Chrisman and Brett Seybert have joined with senior Chris Gambill to announce the basketball games live over Milligan’s radio station this year, replacing the announcers who graduated in May.


“We had students broadcast the games last year, Anthony Dunning's Game Day Crew, so I am extremely excited that we have another group willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen again this year,” said Carrie Swanay, associate profesor of communications and faculty advisor for the radio station. “It certainly isn't an easy task to pull off therefore it really takes a crew dedicated to making it happen.”


Seybert and Gambill will offer commentary and analysis while Chrisman does the play-by-play.


Calling play-by-play action will be challenging for Chrisman, who played baseball in high school but has had little formal experience with the game of basketball. However, he is more than willing to meet that challenge, feeling he has “been preparing for this [his] whole life.”


Swanay said that since they have not had an experience previously, so “there is nothing like hitting the ground running.”


Christman said that he has always dreamed of being a play-by-play announcer since he was young.
“I used to drive my parents crazy playing video games and doing the play-by-play,” he said.


Chrisman, a University of Tennessee fan, wishes to imitate the announcing style of John Ward, the “Voice of the Vols.”


Chrisman looks forward to working with Seybert who “has been an excellent analyst and has provided very good insight during the games.”


They, along with Gambill, will be broadcasting all of Milligan’s home basketball games this season with the exception of a couple dates in the spring that conflict with baseball games.


“We are very excited to have this opportunity,” says Chrisman. “It really is a lot of fun to do.”


90.5 station manager Mike Hewitt said the guys have done a good job and have been pretty professional.
“We’re glad to have people who are willing to get the games on the air for people who can’t get down to the fieldhouse,” Hewitt said.