The Texas Tech basketball program has a new radio voice.
Brian Hanni will begin his role as the new play-by-play radio broadcaster for the Red Raiders this upcoming season, Tech announced Wednesday. Hanni replaces Mark Finkner, who stepped down in April after 18 years with Tech athletics to spend more time with his wife and two children.
Hanni joins the Red Raider broadcast team from Kansas, where he spent the last 10 seasons broadcasting Jayhawks athletics. He was the play-by-play voice for the Kansas baseball team during his entire tenure and spent eight seasons broadcasting for the women’s basketball team.
Through his association with Kansas coach Bill Self, Hanni said he has always head a great respect for Tech coach Billy Gillispie and is eager to be at the call for a program he believes will be on the rise in the immediate future.
“It’s been a life dream to broadcast Division I basketball,” Hanni said, “and to do it in a great conference like the Big 12, at a program like Texas Tech, is something I’m very excited about.”
Hanni, a two-time winner of the Oscar Stauffer Award presented by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, also served as the primary backup for men’s basketball the past eight seasons.
Hanni becomes the fifth voice of the Tech basketball program since 1953, joining the likes of Jack Dale (1953-2003), John Harris (2003-06), Steve Dale (2006-07) and Finkner (2007-12).
Hanni called it a “tremendous honor” to replace Finkner, whom Hanni said he counts as a close friend.
“Those will be big shoes to fill,” Hanni said. “It’s a great challenge but one I’m very much looking forward to taking on.”
In addition to broadcasting games, Hanni said he wants to become involved with efforts in the Lubbock community. He founded the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic, a celebrity basketball game featuring former Kansas players that helped raise money for children with cancer.
Hanni said he would like to create a similar event at Tech.
“I already have the dream in mind to have the Red Raider Roundball Classic,” he said.
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Comments (6)
Add commentLubbock and Texas Tech have
Lubbock and Texas Tech have gotten themselves a great find in Brian Hanni. He will shine in his new role and will be a great asset to the community as well.
Welcome, Mr. Hanni
Brian Hanni becomes a part of what is about to become a gigantic turnaround in a program. I give credit to Gerald Myers for attracting the great Billy Clyde Gillespie to restore our program.
The results will begin RIGHT AWAY, and are something we can all look forward to.
A few of you (all of you) don't recall the play-by-play reports of the astonishingly talented Jack Dale when he began his career calling Tech games from the 2nd row of the Old Barn. (Are you still with me?) Jack's "Jumps, shoots--and scores" reflections are irreplaceable in Raider lore. Jack later called the first game at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum in 1956, on a night when Polk Robison decided to insert his sophomores including Gerald Myers to pull away with a victory.
Jack called the games of Del Ray Mounts, Harold Hudgeons, Norman Reuther, Harold Denney, Dub Malaise and went on to call the games of Rick Bullock, Bubba Jennings, and many more.
Jack was there the day Darvin Ham ripped down the backboard and jammed it down Dean Smith's throat. Eliminated North Carolina--the highlight of the program.
And don't leave out Ronald Ross, who came closest to bringing us to the Great Eight.
I won't bore you with more.
Welcome, Mr. Hanni. You'll like it here.
Exactly
Everybody around here grew up with Jack. I remember when he passed, they played some replays of games he called and it brought back great memories. Sure wish I could have recorded them. He could describe paint drying and make it interesting. Welcome, Mr Hanni.
FactsRFacts
This is probably the first time I've ever agreed with you, but in this instance I am proud to do so. I have such great memories of Jack Dale doing not only Tech basketball, but football as well. And as you stated, his signature was the way he said "HE scores"---accentuating the work "he". Mark Finkner (who just happens to be a former student of mine when he was in elementary school) did a great job as well, but no Tech broadcaster will ever compare to Jack.
Welcome, Mr. Hanni!
Gotta Be a Good Hire and @Facts
Billy Clyde knew about Hanni and that's how we got the scent.
Looking forward to his calls.
Facts, I give you credit. A few of the readers did not have the privilege of watching Jack Dale call the games of Jim Reed and Carl Ince, or see the likes of Jim Krebs, Jo Jo White, or Akeem Olajuwon play in Lubbock. Of course, the list is endless.
Jumps, shoots, AND scores. Or Jumps, shoots, HE scores.
God bless Jack Dale.
Good luck to Mr. Hanni.