North Carolina Tar Heels: Broadcaster NSMA Award Finalist

The North Carolina Tar Heels play-by-play radio announcer Jones Angell has been named as a 2023 National Sports Media Awards Finalist for North Carolina.

The National Sports Media Association has released its 2023 NSMA Awards Finalists for each state, and the North Carolina Tar Heels have a familiar name on the list. The 2023 Award Finalists consist of two different categories: Sportscaster of the Year and Sportswriter of the Year.

North Carolina Tar Heels’ very own play-by-play radio announcer for football and men’s basketball, Jones Angell, made the cut to the final eleven.

The ballot will remain open until December 31st for NSMA Members to make their selections for the state category, and the winners will be notified during the first week of January. To learn more about the NSMA and voting process, you can visit their website here.

Angell is a familiar voice among Tar Heel fans across the state of North Carolina and beyond. What once began as a tradition for UNC Athletics under long-time play-by-play announcer Woody Durham, Angell has continued with North Carolina fans continuing to “Turn Down the Sound” and listen to the Tar Heel Sports Network before, during, and after games.

Of course, turning down the sound refers to turning down the TV commentators and listening to the friendly and welcoming voice of Angell. Angell was the baseball play-by-play announcer from 2000 until 2011 before taking over for Durham following his retirement. Since then, he has had some memorable calls for the Tar Heels, both on the football field and hardwood.

“No, he’s not, yes he is… Gio is gonna take it for a touchdown. Are you kidding me?” 

On the basketball side, there have been some memorable calls, including the 2017 National Championship and Caleb Love’s dagger three-pointer to beat Duke in the 2022 Final Four.

Angell would become the third Tar Heel Sports Network broadcaster to win the award for the state of North Carolina. Durham won the award five times as a member of the THSN (1993, 1996, 2002, 2005, and 2009). While his color commentator Mick Mixon won it twice (1999 and 2004).

Durham also won it eight other times with various networks, including the Village Companies, WPTF Raleigh, and WFMY Greensboro. You can view the list of North Carolina NMSA Winners here. You can listen to the Tar Heel Sports Network throughout the UNC Athletics season on the GoHeels App or one of your local affiliates found here.

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