Background

FUEL FOR A PASSION

My favorite childhood memories surround the success of the Buffalo Sabres to the soundtrack of legendary play-by-play voice Rick Jeanneret. On my 13th birthday, I was lucky enough to meet RJ in the press box prior to a Sabres game that night. Sitting in his chair, wearing his headset, looking down at the ice from the best seat in the house, I saw my future unfold. At the time, the path to sitting in that chair for a lifetime was unclear, but Rick offered the best advice, "start as soon as possible." Little did he know, I had already been working the microphone at my school.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

High school football games were a fun night out for my family. With two teachers in the district as direct relatives, they always wanted to go to support their favorite students, while I tagged along. Even at the age of eight, I felt the unmatched energy at varsity football playoff games and couldn't get enough of it.

As I moved up to middle school, one Saturday morning, I attended a modified football game to cheer on my classmates on the field. Immediately, I felt the lack of energy in the stands. All you could hear was the coaches barking out instructions, pads hitting each other from across the field, and whistles ending each drill during warmups. No music, no announcements, and flat out no energy.

There had to be a change.

The next home game, I went up to the press box to meet the scoreboard operator, who gave me a microphone to say the pledge of allegiance and the sportsmanship statement. The modified coach had given me the thumbs up to do typical public address announcements through the game. By halftime, the athletic director had come out of the gymnasium to hear who was on the mic at the football game.

In a short matter of time, I would work very closely with Mr. Brian Hickson, who helped me develop my craft over the next couple years with top of the line equipment and professional software to run gameday music off. Within 3 years of learning the programs and trying different elements of game day presentation, we had build one of the most electric atmospheres in WNY high school sports.

My 8th grade year, the varsity basketball coach, Pat Cullinan, heard me call a modified hoops game and "called me up" to work their home schedule. That season, Cheektowaga Central, led by future St. Bonaventure and Alabama hooper Dom Welch, went undefeated at home for the first time in school history, winning the program's first sectional title in 60 years.

That spring, I had a rather large life choice to make at 14 years old: follow my father, brother, and sister's footsteps to a private high school, or stay at Cheektowaga Central. Due to the immediate opportunities I had and the connections I had already made at CCHS, I declined a scholarship to Canisius HS to stay at public school for the next four years.

EXPANDING ACROSS WNY

By the time my sophomore year was halfway through, I had began making connections with team personnel and coaches from visiting football and basketball teams. One coach reached out to have me work their three day holiday tournament, sandwiching my 16th birthday. Singing the anthem, running the music, and bringing the juice on the public address for 20 different teams, my voice had caught the attention of a local sports reporter. Within the next month, I was interviewed for a story on WIVB Channel 4, which aired in February of 2016. This piece helped boost my name recognition across Western New York, leading to dozens of opportunities with various scholastic, collegiate, and semi-pro organizations year-round.

During my Junior year, I ran the show at then-Ralph Wilson Jr. Stadium for sectional and regional high school football championships, connecting me with more folks across the Section VI landscape.

That winter, I brought a new game day atmosphere to then-D'Youville College's DIII basketball teams, as public address anouncer and DJ.

FROM HOME TO THE DOME

During my time as a student at Syracuse University, I worked with the Women's Basketball team as in-game host for the 2019-20 season. As the pandemic hit and crowds were banned, I worked with the marketing team to bring the gameday experience to fans virtually. Monthly "Orange Overtime" videos, recapping the month that had passed and previewing the upcoming schedule for the Orange were posted on the WBB's social platforms. During games, I co-hosted a live second screen show, "'Cuse On The Couch," on the team's social platforms, connecting with fans at home, and giving analysis pregame, between intermissions and postgame.

After leaving returning home, I remained in contact with the 'Cuse marketing team, returning to campus during the 2021 Football season as the inaugural "Cuse On The Quad" host, running a pre-game tailgate show, connecting with fans of all ages, playing games and hyping up the crowd before kickoff outside the Dome.

BACK IN BUFFALO, BEGINNING PLAY-BY-PLAY (2021-22)

Upon my return in the 716, amidst the pandemic and shutdowns, D'Youville was looking for their first play-by-play broadcaster as they began the transition from DIII to DII. I gladly accepted the position and began my pxp career in Downtown Buffalo, working with James Burns as color commentator. After the shortened Spring of 2021 season's conclusion, my dream had been realized. I loved every aspect of the job I had only ever dreamt of working. As the fall rolled around, I picked up the pxp role for all other sports at D'Youville.

With more work came more opportunities in WNY, as Niagara University was in need of a fill in pxp person for a volleyball game on Halloween of 2021. I traveled from a 'Cuse football game to NU within 24 hours and called my first game with the Purple Eagles on the Niagara Sports Network.

Years after writing game recaps and season previews for WNY Athletics while in high school, the small business covering HS sports in Western New York had begun to try their hand in the livestreaming space. I rejoined the team in the Fall of 2021, calling football games for the sectional championships at Highmark Stadium.

As the season changed to winter, and rather abruptly in snowy Buffalo, my roles expanded at Niagara, working with Todd Callen and Pat Malacaro as a play by play and color commentator for Purple Eagles men's and women's basketball on ESPN+.

With the D'Youville Saints men's hoops team, I got to travel to New York City to work as public address announcer and anthem singer for their exhibition vs Emory & Henry at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.

With WNY Athletics, I began calling HS boys and girls basketball, along with hockey, which was always my first love. On the NFHS Network, working with Randy Schultz, I had the opportunity to call the Section VI and NYSPHSAA Championships, held at Buffalo's LECOM Harborcenter. A thrilling 7-6 OT championship was the Pelham Pelicans win the 2022 State Championship in Downtown Buffalo, and was the pinnacle of my broadcasting career at the time.

Into the Spring of 2022, I remained at D'Youville, returning to the press box at softball and baseball games in a role I had missed, as Public Address Announcer and DJ for Saints' home games. D'Youville had me host as emcee for their event, elevating them to a University. Later in the Spring, I emceed the D'Youville University commencement, hosting the event and reading all 400 names of the graduating class of 2022.

At the same time, I began filling in as PA announcer at Niagara baseball games, as well as calling play by play for WNY Athletics' coverage of local high school baseball and softball games. Our WNYA crew followed the NYSPHSAA State Championship tournament to Binghamton, NY, where I called the Class D Semifinals and Championship at SUNY Broome and Binghamton University respectively, which saw Deposit-Hancock complete a perfect 23-0 season and claim the State Title.

The Summer of 2022 was one with more time spent working at a car dealership than in a press box, though this down time away from sports was valuable to read and learn more about the art of sportscasting.

For the fifth year, I worked the Section VI HS All Star Football Classic as public address announcer, splitting duties with University at Buffalo broadcaster Paul Peck. With the WNYA crew, I worked with the Barstool Spittin' Chiclets team as pxp announcer for the 'Chiclets Cup,' held at Riverworks in Downtown Buffalo on the Barstool social networks.

SOPHOMORE SEASON OF PXP (2022-23)

Year two as a play-by-play announcer began in the Fall, as solo announcer for Niagara Volleyball on ESPN+, solo for D'Youville men's and women's soccer on the ECC Sports Network, along with calling Thursday Night HS Football on WNY Athletics with Mike Fatta. The football season concluded at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, in a cathartic weekend, as I called the Class A and C State Championship games on the NFHS Network with Tom Prince and Timm Ciffa.

With a new Head Coach and 10 new players, I joined the University at Buffalo Women's Basketball team as the new radio play-by-play voice. Airing on the Bet 1520 AM locally and on the Varsity Network App (presented by Learfield), I travel with the team and call each game, home away and in Cleveland, OH at the MAC Tournament.

While working with the University at Buffalo, I filled the remainder of the winter schedule with WNY Athletics/NFHS Network, D'Youville University, and Niagara University as play-by-play announcer.

In the Spring, I called a National JUCO Baseball Game of the Week on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on Tourbeau Sports. This gig led to a wonderful opportunity in Columbus, Georgia, calling the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series. After 18 games in a week, 15 of those as the solo commentator, I learned a lot from this experience, working with 4 skilled camera ops, a graphics team and lead producer.

In the summer of 2023, I was the Director of Gameday Experience with the Niagara Power, of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. As public address announcer and DJ for all home games, I had fun matching the moment in the game with the right sound effect or song. Working through the summer also allows for some fun theme nights (4th of July, Father's Day, Juneteenth, etc.) to bring new life to Sal Maglie Stadium in Niagara Falls, NY.

YEAR 3 OF PXP (2023-24)

The fall of 2023 sports season is as appetizing as a charcuterie board at any New Year's Eve party...

In August, I became the first play by play voice of the reigning MAC Soccer Champions University at Buffalo. Previously, the Bulls had a single camera with no graphics, replays, or commentary. I recruited current senior at Niagara University Michael Loss to build these productions from the ground up. Together, we rapidly took UB Soccer's broadcasts to the top production in the Mid American Conference, despite not having ESPN+ capabilities, using photoshop and OBS Studio to build our original graphics package and run the show.

Under Matt Walfrand's direction at UB, I have filled in for Volleyball play by play on ESPN+ numerous times, working with an extremally processional and talented crew. Joined on commentary by current St. Joseph Collegiate Institute's Head Coach Mark Anzalone, and a two time NCAA national champion at Penn State, Kristen Carpenter Steadman.

Up I-190 and across Grand Island, I have returned to Niagara University for my second year as the voice of Purple Eagles Women's Volleyball on ESPN+, working under Kyle Barker, alongside WKBW's Brianna Aldridge, and Charlie Brittain.

Remaining involved in the local youth sports scene, I've returned to WNY Athletics to cover HS football as the radio play by play voice of Friday Night Lights, which is simulcast on

WBFO FM Radio (88.7 in Buffalo). Making my football radio debut, I'm joined by former longtime Hamburg High School Athletic Director PJ Cauley.

YEAR FOUR OF PXP; A NEW ROLE ON RADIO (2024-25)

So many lessons learned in the last twelve months, the 24-25 sport season is the most promising at the onset.

After spending seven months at WBFO as a Board Op, hosting 'All Things Considered' and learned all of the ins and outs of the newsroom, I've been promoted to Junior Multimedia Reporter to cover local professional, collegiate, and high school sports in WNY and Southern Ontario. With the addition of 'The Scoreboard,' sports reports airing Monday/Wednesday/Friday on WBFO, I am creating a sports presence at the station that has not been present for decades. As host, writer, editor, and producer of 'The Scoreboard,' I look forward to growing with the product that continues to improve with each new episode.

Friday Night Lights has grown, now simulcast on WBFO and WNED Create for a television audience across WNY. PJ and I continue to cater toward our radio listeners, being sure to describe the football and basketball action for those without the visuals as we did last year.

Year two working with UB Soccer as their play-by-play voice is encouraging, as we continue to build a department from the ground up. Now airing live on campus cable, our audiences show continual growth, with an average watch time over 30 minutes throughout our full broadcasts.

With my added assignments, I split time at Niagara University with two other play-by-play announcers for their 2024 Volleyball season.

Once the winter rolls around, I am returning for my third year as the voice of UB Women's Basketball on the radio, traveling with the team and covering every game on The BET 1520AM.