David Jackson is the voice behind the Mountaineers.
Jackson graduated from Appalachian State with a bachelor of science in communication, and has been the radio play-by-play announcer for Appalachian State football, men’s basketball and baseball ever since.
“I’ve been to every Appalachian football game except for one since 1997,” Jackson said. “It’s been a long adventure, but luckily I’ve seen a lot of wins along the way.”
Jackson’s upbeat, fast-paced delivery and spontaneity brings Appalachian’s games right to the listener, making it easy for the listener to imagine what’s happening at Kidd Brewer Stadium or the Holmes Convocation Center.
And with great radio calls, such as the final call in the ASU-Michigan game, and the Miracle on the Mountain call, Jackson has become an important part of Appalachian State sports history.
His approach toward calling the games is focused on honesty. He said that his goal is to make sure fans listening to the games are given a realistic understanding about how the games are being played.
If an Appalachian State team isn’t playing its best, he will let the audience know.
But if ASU plays a solid game, he will make sure that the audience recognizes teams’ effort.
Despite the fact that he has called all three of Appalachian State football’s championship games, he said his favorite moment in the press box was when ASU baseball defeated Virginia in the NCAA tournament last spring.
“That was one I’d never thought I’d see because App has been so far behind in baseball for so long” Jackson said. “To watch them whip Oklahoma the night before and then beat Virginia, and then basically be on the brink of going to a super regional was one of those moments that I sat there and realized that this doesn’t happen all of the time. For that baseball team to have accomplished what they did last year and get to that stage, I have never enjoyed my job more than I did that week. That was like Michigan, except it lasted a week rather than just one afternoon.”
And with most of Appalachians’ sports games not being televised, Jackson has the opportunity to tap into world of ASU’s most passionate fans.
Ultimately, whether he’s screaming about Appalachian State defeating the Michigan Wolverines or delivering dismay about ASU’s recent playoff loss, Jackson provides a theatrical performance that is one of the best in the country.
Story: CHASE ERICKSON, Sports Reporter