August 12, 2013

Golden Voice: Roger Ealey receives 2013 OVC Media Award

The voice of Golden Eagle football and basketball on the Golden Eagle Sports Network for more than 20 years, Tennessee Tech broadcaster Roger Ealey has received the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Media Award.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- The Ohio Valley Conference has announced that Roger Ealey, voice of the Golden Eagle Sports Network for Tennessee Tech University, has been named the winner of the 2012-13 OVC Media Award, which is given to a media member who exhibits the highest commitment to covering the OVC.

The awards were established in 2010 as a way to recognize the media members who provide publicity for the Conference, its member institutions and intercollegiate athletics, perform their jobs in a fair, consistent and accurate manner, provide all-around coverage for a variety of sports and demonstrate the ability to go above and beyond their normal beat or job description.

Ealey earned the award given to current media members covering the league; the OVC Media Lifetime Achievement Award (given to someone who formerly covered the OVC) was not awarded this year.

“The OVC has a lot of great stories to tell and we are fortunate to have an outstanding group of media covering our schools, which was evident in the great candidates we had for the awards again this year,” said Kyle Schwartz, OVC Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations. “It is great to have an award that recognizes media members who have made significant contributions in covering the OVC and its member institutions.”

Ealey has covered Tennessee Tech sports for over 25 years, providing a fair and balanced voice during that time period. In his tenure he has covered nearly every football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball game while also covering baseball, softball and volleyball contests over the years.

“This award really means a lot coming from our peers around the league,” Ealey said. “It is a real honor and a pleasure to be considered alongside people like Brian Nielsen, Neal Bradley and Mike Parris, who have won the award. We have such a great repertoire around the league, not only with the radio guys, but with the print and TV media, as well. It seems that everybody has been doing this a long time, they are all hard-working and that is what makes it such an honor.”

Ealey began his career as a color commentator alongside play-by-play veteran Gene Davidson, replacing Hall of Fame sideman Eldon Burgess. He quickly worked into being the play-by-play voice for women’s basketball before eventually taking over all play-by-play duties.

Ealey’s ability to describe the action earned him the opportunity to call play-by-play for several TSSAA State Championship football games on the statewide radio and television network. Ealey, who is employed full-time by WLIV Radio, has also the voice for Livingston Academy broadcasts for football and basketball for more than 30 years and also contributes stories and columns to area newspapers.

Ealey and his wife, Pam, have two daughters.

“I can’t think of anyone around the league who does not like Roger Ealey,” said Rob Schabert, Tennessee Tech assistant athletic director for sports information and broadcasting. “He calls games fairly and honestly, and he always exhibits class and sportsmanship, win or lose. Like a lot of the media people around the OVC, he tries to tell the story of the players, the teams and the conference in a positive and upbeat manner. He is a tremendous asset to Tennessee Tech Athletics, and to the Ohio Valley Conference, and we are all thrilled that he has received this recognition. He certainly deserves it.”

The OVC Media Awards are determined in a nomination process and vote that included the media relations staffs at OVC member institutions as well as the Conference office. Winners are presented their awards in the fall during to be determined athletic contests on the campus of the school whose beat they cover/have covered.