Englewood, CO – The WAC Sports Network (WSN) announced today that celebrated broadcaster Barry Tompkins and former NCAA coach Joe Glenn will comprise the football broadcast team for its nine games slated this season.
The pair will engage fans for the first time on September 17, when WSN Football debuts with Nevada at San Jose State. The eight additional games, subject to ESPN national broadcast selections, are as follows: Fresno State at Idaho (Sept. 24); Fresno State at Nevada (Oct. 22); Nevada at New Mexico State (Oct. 29); Idaho at San Jose State (Nov. 5); Fresno State at New Mexico State (Nov. 12); Fresno State at Hawaii (Nov. 19); Nevada at Utah State (Nov. 26); and Idaho at Nevada (Dec. 3).
Tompkins, a 40-year network television veteran, boasts countless accolades over the years, namely four Emmy Awards. For three decades, Tompkins has been known as the voice of Pac-10 Conference Football and Basketball for Fox Sports and various syndicators, and he continues to broadcast a wide variety of events on national television. In addition to Fox Sports, he has served stints with NBC, HBO and ESPN. His credits include play-by-play commentary of the NFL Super Bowl, the Rose Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, eight Olympic Games, The Tour de France, Wimbledon, and French Open and U.S. Open Tennis. He also has covered World Gymnastics Championships, World Swimming and Diving Championships, World Figure Skating Championships, horse racing’s Triple Crown, World Cup Skiing, MLB’s San Francisco Giants, as well as more than 100 World Championship fights.
Other major sporting events he has covered as well include the PGA’s Masters, U.S. Open and British Open, The Indy 500, MLB’s World Series, NHL’s Stanley Cup, and the FIFA World Cup. In 2006, Tompkins was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his work as a boxing commentator.
Glenn, WSN football color commentator, transitioned into a career of coaching football at the collegiate level, having played for South Dakota from 1968-1970. He served as head football coach for several programs throughout his professional career: Doane College (1976-’79), Northern Colorado (1989-’99), University of Montana (2000-’02) and University of Wyoming (2003-’08).
While at Doane College, Glenn was the youngest head football college coach at age 27. During his time with Northern Colorado he led the Bears to two NCAA Division II national football championships (1996, 1997). With Montana he led the Grizzlies to the 2001 Division IAA National Championship.
“This is tremendous that we’ll have both Barry Tompkins and Joe Glenn at the helm of our football broadcasts for the 2011 season,” said WAC Commissioner Karl Benson. “We’re fortunate to have such a talented, legendary team for our second year of WSN, and we know our fans will be thrilled.”
The 2011 year marks Glenn’s second year with WSN, which will reach more than nine million households with its football broadcasts from September to December 2011.
“I’m really excited to be a part of the WAC Sports Network and believe the WAC is a very competitive football conference. I have a great respect for Karl, and I also know most of the coaches in the conference and look forward to working with them on an ongoing basis,” said Tompkins. “In Joe Glenn, I have the opportunity to share the broadcast booth with a very knowledgeable football mind. Hopefully we are able to bring an experienced, insightful and first-hand look at a competitive schedule of games in a conference that promises high-powered offenses and crowd pleasing performances.”
Additionally, the WSN will broadcast a full package of basketball games this athletic season, and the WAC Sports Network Facebook page will provide details throughout the year regarding affiliates, game times and related information. WSN launched in September 2010.
Learfield Sports’ WAC Sports Properties team has oversight of WSN through Learfield Sports’ extensive conference partnership. The company, which manages multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate institutions, associations and conferences, represents the WAC, as well as six member schools: Fresno State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, San Jose State and Utah State. It also titles the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup in conjunction with NADCA and USA Today. Learfield Sports’ programming is seen on more than 160 local television stations, cable systems and Regional Sports Networks. For more about its history and collegiate portfolio, visit learfieldsports.com.
Posted on Monday, July 18, 2011