General | October 24
DeKALB, Ill. – Andy Garcia, a veteran member of the Northern Illinois University Athletics broadcast team, will step into the role as the play-by-play voice of NIU men's basketball and football beginning with the 2023-24 basketball season, NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier announced Tuesday (October 24) during the Huskies' annual Basketball Media Day.
Garcia will be on the call for NIU men's basketball radio broadcasts as he takes over for 44-year veteran "Voice of the Huskies" Bill Baker. Baker announced in August that the 2023 football season would be his last. He was on hand in the NIU Convocation Center Tuesday to formally introduce Garcia.
"Andy's dedication to NIU Athletics, his professionalism and his passion for this job and all of our programs made him the perfect choice to be our new play-by-play voice," Frazier said. "He knows our teams, our coaches and our staff, he brings energy and enthusiasm to every broadcast, and we are excited to have him lead our men's basketball and football broadcasts."
Garcia, a 1999 graduate of the University of Central Florida, began working with NIU Athletics in 2006 as co-host of "NIU Weekly," a 30-minute radio show that aired on WSCR AM 670 The Score throughout the football season. The sports director, producer and host at The Score at the time, Garcia teamed up with Huskie athletic directors to promote the teams and events, interview coaches and relay all the latest news about NIU Athletics.
In 2011, Garcia added duties as the Huskie women's basketball play-by-play announcer, calling both home and away games, and filled in as the sideline reporter on the NIU football radio broadcasts in 2012. A year later, he became the Huskies' permanent sideline reporter, where he has joined Baker and analyst Mark Lindo on the Huskie Sports Network broadcasts for the past 11 seasons.
Garcia is also a play-by-play announcer for basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and more on NIU's ESPN3 and ESPN+ school production broadcasts and has continued to host NIU Weekly since the show moved to a video interview format, which is now available on the NIU Athletics Official YouTube Channel. He took over as host of the Inside Huskie Football and Inside Huskie Basketball Coaches radio shows beginning in 2022.
"I am honored and excited to be the next play-by-play voice of the Huskies," Garcia said. "I can't wait to bring the passion and excitement of NIU athletics to Huskie fans that tune in to each and every broadcast."
In addition to his Huskie duties, Garcia works for Westwood One Radio Sports where he is a broadcast producer and handles affiliate sales. In those roles, he has worked multiple Super Bowls as well as at the NCAA Final Four, NCAA Frozen Four, College World Series and Women's College World Series.
Garcia will be on the call for NIU men's basketball radio broadcasts beginning with the 2023-24 regular season opener at Marquette on November 6 and will be joined by returning color analyst and Huskie Hall of Famer Rodney Davis. Mike Haase, associate director of strategic communications and marketing who also serves as the NIU women's basketball communications contact, will add duties as the women's basketball radio play-by-play announcer in 2023-24.
Listen to all NIU men's basketball broadcasts on 94-9 WDKB FM in DeKalb, or on the NIU Huskies or The Varsity Network app. Tickets for the 2023-24 NIU men's and women's basketball seasons are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).
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