DALLAS (NCBWA) – Mike Patrick, whose solid play-by-play
expertise has delighted millions of college baseball fans on ESPN
at the NCAA World Series and other venues, is the 34th recipient
of the Wilbur Snypp Award, presented annually by the National
Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for outstanding contributions
to college baseball.
"To think that I would be recognized for doing something that
I truly love, I am grateful beyond belief," Patrick said. "It is
such an honor to be mentioned along with some of the outstanding
professionals and media members that have worked hard and have dedicated
themselves to the advancement of college baseball. I would like
to thank the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association and
the previous Wilbur Snypp Award recipients for selecting me for
this prestigious award."
"Mike Patrick and college baseball are a tremendous combination,"
said NCBWA executive director Bo Carter. "His enthusiasm and broadcast
skills have taken the NCAA World Series to another level, and he
has been a great proponent of baseball, as well as all college sports,
through the worldwide stage of ESPN and its family of networks."
"Mike has been a real pro and great advocate for the game of
college baseball," said NCBWA assistant executive director Mike
Montoro. "He is a superb broadcaster in dealing with the coaches,
student-athletes and support personnel and brings great enthusiasm
and aplomb to each broadcast – especially in the College World Series."
Patrick, noted for his trademark broadcast opening "It's great
to have you with us," has worked dozens of NCAA World Series contests
and most of the best two-of-three championship round games from
Omaha. He has been a television sports director/anchor in the Jacksonville,
Fla., and Washington, D.C., areas, along with numerous assignments
in televised sports for ESPN and Jefferson-Pilot Sports.
A veteran of four decades in the broadcast business, he has handled
assignments for baseball, college football, men’s and women’s basketball,
and NFL national telecasts and playoffs. He has added to his nationwide
following as three-year play-by-play man for ESPN College Football
Primetime with Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe. He serves as the
animated voice for popular college baseball computer games NCAA
Baseball MVP 06 and MVP 07. His association with the NCAA World
Series dates back to 1995, and he also has ample experience in Atlantic
Coast Conference regional broadcasts from the 1970s-2000s. He has
provided coverage for Washington Redskins’ preseason games and also
worked for WUSA-TV and SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.
The Clarksburg, W.Va., native is a graduate of George Washington
University, Patrick lives in Virginia with his wife, Janet.
The ESPN legend joins an illustrious group of College Sports
Information Directors of America Hall of Famers, noted national
journalists and others in receiving the award. The plaque memorializes
longtime Ohio State sports information director and NCBWA founder
the late Wilbur (Bill) Snypp. Snypp was a noted contributor to the
writers' organization, which was initiated in 1962 (and celebrating
its 47th year in 2008), as well as an officer in the group. The
NCBWA/Wilbur Snypp Award yearly honors a professional for contributions
to the sport of collegiate baseball. Voting is done by a panel of
previous winners, who include past NCAA World Series officials,
SIDs, award-winning media members, and college athletics administrators.
ALL-TIME WILBUR SNYPP AWARD
WINNERS |
1975 Wilbur
Snypp, Ohio State 1976 Bill Esposito, St. John's 1977 Phil Langan,
Cornell 1978 John Geis, Southern Conference 1979 Hank Schomber, Georgia
Southern 1980 Bob Culp, Western Michigan 1981 Lou Pavlovich Sr., Collegiate
Baseball 1982 Tom Price, South Carolina 1983 Bob Bradley, Clemson
1984 Robert Williams, Omaha World-Herald 1985 Jerry Miles, NCAA 1986
Larry Keefe, Seton Hall 1987 Tom Rowen, San Jose Mercury-News 1988
Fred Gerardi, KESY Radio, Omaha 1989 Jim Wright, NCAA 1990 Steve Weller,
SIU-Edwardsville 1991 Bill Little, Texas 1992 Kirk Bohls,
Austin American-Statesman 1993 Bo Carter, Southwest Conference 1994 Lou Pavlovich
Jr., Collegiate Baseball 1995 Steve Pivovar, Omaha World-Herald 1996
Gary Johnson, NCAA |
1997 Dave Wohlhueter, Cornell 1998 Allen Simpson,
Baseball America 1999 Alan Cannon, Texas A&M 2000 Jim
Callis, Baseball America 2001
Dick Case, USA Baseball 2002
Russ Anderson, Conference USA
2003 John Manuel, Baseball America
2004 Dana Heiss Grodin, USA Today
Sports Weekly 2005 Dennis
Poppe, NCAA 2006 Mike Montoro,
Southern Miss 2007 Barry
Allen, Alabama 2008 Mike
Patrick, ESPN 2009 Al Chase,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2010
Lou Spry, NCAA 2011 Jeremy
Mills, ESPN/D1Baseball.com
2012 Eric Olson, Omaha World Herald
2013 J.D. Hamilton, NCAA
2014 John Sullivan, Rice
2015 David Feaster, Dick Howser Trophy
2016 Ralph Zobell, BYU
2017 Aaron Fitt, D1Baseball.com |
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