West Long Branch, NJ (January 19, 2012) Monmouth University football play by play announcer and basketball color analyst Matt Harmon (’96; ’04) has been named National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association New Jersey Sportscaster of the Year, the association announced last week.
Harmon, a 1996 graduate of the University, has served as MU’s play by play announcer for football on The Shore Sports Network (1160 AM/1310 AM) for the last three years and is the color analyst for the Hawks men’s basketball program. He also co-hosts of the Kevin Callahan MU Football Coaches Show, which runs on the SSN during the season.
“As the voice of Monmouth football, Matt Harmon has done an excellent job of promoting our program,” said MU Head Football Coach Kevin Callahan. “His preparation is outstanding, he is always thorough and well informed. He has a great feel for the sport.”
Harmon, who had served as an adjunct faculty member for 10+ years, was recently made a full-time faculty member in the Monmouth Communication Department, teaching classes such as Announcing, Sports Broadcasting, Media Ethics and Public Speaking. In the past he has also worked for various radio stations in New Jersey, including WGHT, WHTG and WADB, while also serving as an undergraduate sports director for WMCX, Monmouth’s campus student-radio station.
This year marks the second time that Harmon has won the award, with the Wall Township native winning in 2007. The first NSSA NJ Sportscaster of the Year was awarded to Bryan Field of CBS in 1959.
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 1959 in Salisbury, NC. Growing out of the North Carolina Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association that was started by Salisbury restaurant owner Pete DiMizio, NSSA is the only American organization that honors excellence in sportscasting and sportswriting. It also serves as the American arm of AIPS, the International Sports Press Association. For more information on NSSA, go to www.nssafame.com