2 hours ago
By Eric Stann
March 16, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, [email protected]
Photos courtesy of John Anderson
Later this week, the sounds of March Madness return to the airwaves, including the familiar calls of play-by-play giants Kevin Harlan and Ian Eagle. At the University of Missouri School of Journalism, a small group of students will be listening closely — but for reasons far different from the average fan.
They’re listening to learn.
For these students, every call, cadence and moment between the action is part of a deliberate effort to build the skills behind one of sports media’s most demanding specialties: play-by-play announcing.
Earlier this month, the students met virtually with Sean McDonough, the longtime play-by-play voice on ESPN whose career spans iconic calls across college and professional sports. The nearly hourlong session offered students a rare, behind-the-scenes look at a profession they hope to enter one day.
And McDonough’s insights were just the beginning.
Next month, the students will meet with Gus Johnson, known for his unmistakable high-energy style and ability to elevate the biggest moments in sports. Dave Hunziker, BJ ’88, the longtime play-by-play voice at Oklahoma State University, is also on the schedule.
These visits are being organized by John Anderson, BJ ’87, the Leonard H. Goldenson Endowed Chair in Radio and Television Journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism.
Many know Anderson from his 25 years anchoring ESPN’s SportsCenter, but this semester, he’s opening doors for Mizzou students by connecting them with respected play-by-play voices in the industry.
“Play-by-play announcing is the art of turning unfolding chaos into coherent history — unscripted, immediate and alive,” Anderson said. “It demands a prepared mind, a disciplined voice and a storyteller’s instinct to feel the moment and capture it before it passes.”
A deeper understanding of the craft
For Mizzou senior Billy Jones, the opportunity gives students focused exposure to a specialized skill set. From the conversation with McDonough, Jones walked away with a renewed appreciation for the profession’s core: storytelling. The Nashville, Tennessee, native now sees that the real work stretches far beyond the hours spent on air — it’s the disciplined preparation that fills the rest of the week.
“I’ve started thinking of the week’s preparation as the homework and the live broadcast as the test,” he said. “The job isn’t just about what happens on Saturday. It’s everything I put in from Sunday through Friday that really makes the difference.”
Jones is already applying what he’s learning. Before calling Mizzou’s games for KCOU FM at last week’s SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, he reorganized his pregame research into targeted segments, balancing hard numbers with biographical and human-interest angles.
“I’m looking beyond the official media guides now — into local newspapers and podcasts — to find unique angles my regular research might miss,” he said.
Play ball
Junior Matthew Gustafson’s path to the broadcast booth began long before he arrived at Mizzou, but the School of Journalism quickly solidified his passion.
Growing up in Chicago, Gustafson once imagined becoming a baseball general manager. That changed in sixth grade when his father became the public address announcer for a minor league team in Joliet, Illinois.
The ballpark became his second home — a place where he tossed T-shirts, worked behind the scenes and spent hours in the broadcast booth. By the time he was in high school, he knew the booth was exactly where he belonged.
Gustafson chose Mizzou to build skills in TV reporting, radio and writing. Like Jones, he thought the discussion with McDonough underscored the power of a story.
“Storytelling is essential for keeping an audience engaged,” Gustafson said. “Whether it’s a quiet mid-inning stretch or a high-stakes moment, storylines hold everything together.”
He also learned the importance of developing a distinct personality without overshadowing the action.
“It’s a balance between authenticity and professionalism, and this session reinforced how being a well-rounded journalist — someone who can blend skill, personality and a proper understanding of what the moment needs — is what ultimately elevates a broadcast,” he said.
The experience strengthens the dream he first felt as a boy in Joliet — to call Major League Baseball games and bring the rhythm of summer to life for listeners. Now, Anderson and the School of Journalism are helping him build the tools to get there.
Finding a niche
For sophomore Tanner Coerr, the experience offers the kind of hands-on learning he’s come to expect at Mizzou.
Growing up in the Washington, D.C., area, Coerr studied the rhythm of longtime Washington Nationals voice Bob Carpenter, along with the electricity of Harlan and Eagle. Now, he’s learning how to bridge classroom lessons with the practical truths of the job.
Through the conversations with industry veterans, Coerr is discovering that success often depends as much on character as on technical skill.
“I’ve learned that being likable, humble and treating everyone well — whether it’s the producers or the bosses — matters more than delivering the perfect read,” he said. “People expect you to be yourself, and the audience connects with that authenticity.”
While Coerr is leaning toward a studio-focused career, he sees play-by-play as a valuable secondary skill that strengthens his versatility as a journalist. He’s also approaching the craft with renewed precision. Anderson often challenges students to write a sentence no one has ever heard before — a deceptively simple task that forces clarity, creativity and efficiency.
“Most sports segments last only a few minutes,” Coerr said. “Once the highlights and voice-overs run, I might get 30 seconds on camera. Instead of filling those moments with fluff, I’ve learned to craft one clean line that captures everything — information, tone and personality — all at once.”
As Anderson continues to bring some of the industry’s most respected voices into direct conversations with Mizzou students, the School of Journalism is shaping the next generation of storytellers who will call the biggest moments in sports. And for Jones, Gustafson and Coerr, each new lesson is another step toward a future where their own voices become part of the soundtrack of the games that fans love.
