Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Longtime Tennessee Volunteers radio voice Bob Kesling will step aside from the broadcast booth, the school announced Thursday.
Kesling has been the lead play-by-play voice for the university since 1999, but has worked on the broadcasts since beginning his career as the spotter for John Ward on the Vol Network in 1976. He served as the women’s basketball radio voice from 1978 to 1999 and called six NCAA National Championships for the program before moving to football broadcast booth.
“Bob Kesling is a cornerstone in our proud 75-year history of the Vol Network,” Vol Network Vice President & General Manager Steve Early said. “It will be hard to imagine a football Saturday without the presence of such a skilled and dedicated storyteller. His unmatched versatility as both a radio and television personality has been an advantage Tennessee fans have enjoyed for 50 years. Nobody loves the Vol Network more than Bob.
“It’s fitting that an entire generation has grown up knowing only his voice. And the amount of people he has encouraged and influenced in this industry says all you need to know about his broadcasting legacy. To me, he personifies loyalty and what it means to be a big-time professional. The Vol Network is better because of Bob Kesling.”
“Bob’s influence has been remarkable, touching so many lives as the Voice of the Vols and through his heartfelt dedication as a mentor and leader in our Knoxville community for over 50 years,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White added. “He embodies the true spirit of someone who has given his all for Tennessee. As an icon in the broadcasting industry, we are deeply appreciative of the professionalism he brings to Tennessee Athletics each time he takes the microphone. His contributions resonate with all of us here on Rocky Top and we cannot thank him enough for everything he has done.”
Kesling will continue to call Volunteers broadcast through the end of the 2024-2025 men’s basketball season.
A 1977 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Bob Kesling was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame earlier this year. He is a four-time recipient of the Sportscaster of the Year award in Tennessee.
