After more than 35 years of broadcasting men’s hockey games for the University of Minnesota on television and radio, Frank Mazzocco has officially announced his retirement.
“In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have put this whole thing together,” Mazzocco said. “It’s just been a wild run and I am really lucky. Gopher Sports Properties helped renew the fun in broadcasting and I am very appreciative of the last 13 years. I often call Wally and I the “Odd Couple” but once we got on the air, we had the same ideas about how to do a game and that’s what made this job so much fun. The overriding best part was getting to know the players. You realize the quality of the recruits and the players, who are and have been in this Gophers’ program, are unbelievable.”
Mazzocco joined the radio booth as the analyst with Wally Shaver prior to the start of the 2011-12 campaign through Gopher Sports Properties and LEARFIELD. He previously served as the play-by-play voice for Gopher hockey on television for over 20 years with FOX Sports North and Midwest Sports Channel.
“I will surely miss working with Frank,” Shaver said. “He is the consummate pro – always prepared and I don’t think anyone has the historical notes and statistics that he keeps. We were just like a marriage – we knew what each other was going to say and had similar thought processes as we covered the live action. I know Gopher fans have enjoyed his expertise over the years. He’s been such a big part of the program and certainly had a substantial impact on building Gopher awareness over the years.”
With a passion for photography, Mazzocco will turn his attention to his business, Frank Mazzocco Photography. He will also enjoy spending more time with his wife of more than 50 years as well as their kids and grandkids.
