After more than a decade of the same crew broadcasting Minnesota men’s hockey over the airwaves of the Gopher Radio Network, the 2024-25 season brings a change following the retirement of longtime analyst Frank Mazzocco.
This year, play-by-play broadcaster Wally Shaver, who has been calling Gopher men’s hockey games on the radio since the 2001-02 season, will be joined in the booth by a variety of former players and local talent as every regular season and postseason contest can be heard live on the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
“You don’t simply replace a legend in Frank Mazzocco, so we’ve decided to take the unique approach to this season as a way to involve many different personalities surrounding Gopher men’s hockey,” said Greg Gerlach, Vice President and General Manager of Gopher Sports Properties. “I’m excited to listen to that group all bring their own flavor, history, and experiences to the broadcast team with Wally Shaver. They’re all excited for the opportunity and care deeply about our tradition and passion Gopher fans have for Coach Motzko and this program.”
When the Maroon and Gold hit the road this season, a familiar voice joins the call as former Gophers’ All-American Pat Micheletti will serve as the broadcast’s analyst. Hailing from Hibbing, Minn., Micheletti was a 1985 First Team All-American at Minnesota and is the program’s second all-time leading scorer with 269 career points in 162 games. He has spent a decade with the Gopher Radio Network and works as a TV analyst for the Big Ten Network and FOX9.
During home games at 3M Arena at Mariucci, a rotating committee of Jack Ramsey, Sam Rossini, Eric Schierhorn, and Tanner Hoops will don a headset and provide commentary for Minnesota.
Ramsey was a four-year letter winner with the Maroon and Gold and made 143 career appearances between 2015-19. He served as an assistant captain during his senior season and helped Minnesota capture two-straight Big Ten Conference regular-season championships in 2016 and 2017. A native of Chanhassen, Minn., Ramsey closed his tenure with 24 points behind eight goals and 16 assists as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Rossini became the Gophers’ first five-time letter winner in program history after he skated in 52 career games from 2017-22 with 14 points (three goals, 11 assists). The product of Burnsville, Minn., was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team four times and won both a B1G regular season championship (2021-22) and a B1G Tournament title (2020-21), reaching the NCAA Tournament twice.
Two-time B1G Goaltender of the Year, Schierhorn put together one of the best careers between the pipes in Minnesota history as he ranks near the top 10 for shutouts (12), wins (59), save percentage (.905) and goals against average (2.65). An Anchorage, Alaska, native, Schierhorn backstopped Minnesota to two-straight B1G regular-season titles in 2016 and 2017 during his four-year career.
Hoops started working with the Gopher Radio Network in the fall of 2021 and is the play-by-play voice of Minnesota volleyball, while serving as a studio host for football. No stranger to the rink, he spent two years as the sports director at ESPN Radio Upper Peninsula in Marquette, Mich., and closely covered Northern Michigan hockey. Originally from Storm Lake, Iowa, Hoops also is the voice of the Sioux Falls Canaries in the American Association of Professional Baseball for each of the last three summers.
The Gopher Radio Network and Learfield will administer all production for the broadcasts and manage the on-air talent, in addition to the sales for all broadcasts. Learfield partners with the Minnesota News Network (MNN) for network distribution to all our greater Minnesota Affiliate Network.
(info courtesy of Gopher Sports)
