Hillgrove Wins Durham "Voice of College Sports" Award
01.21.2019
Winston-Salem, N.C. (January 22, 2019) – Bill Hillgrove, the longtime radio play-by-play announcer for University of Pittsburgh football and basketball, has been voted by the National Sports Media Association as the winner of the second Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award. Sponsored by Learfield IMG College and the University of North Carolina athletics department, the award will be presented during the 60th NSMA awards banquet in Winston-Salem, N.C., on June 24, 2019.
NSMA member play-by-play announcers, as well as representatives of the two sponsoring organizations vote for the award, which was won in its inaugural year by Indiana University play-by-play announcer Don Fischer, a 26-time winner of the NSMA’s Indiana Sportscaster of the Year award.
Hillgrove is a Pittsburgh native and Duquesne University graduate, who began his Pitt broadcast duties in 1969. The next season, he became the full-time color commentator, alongside football play-by-play announcer Ed Conway. When Conway died in 1974, Hillgrove took over as the play-by-play announcer, a job he has held ever since.
In 1978, Hillgrove added television sports anchor to his duties, serving as sports director for WTAE-TV.
And in 1994, Dan Rooney appointed Hillgrove as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ radio play-by-play announcer, working alongside legendary color commentator Myron Cope. He is one of a handful of play-by-play announcers who calls college football games on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays.
In 2007, the National Football Foundation honored Hillgrove with its Chris Schenkel Award, in recognition of his work as Pitt's football broadcaster. He just finished his 45th season broadcasting Panther football, and is in the middle of his 51st season broadcasting Pitt basketball.
Bill and his wife of 54 years, Rosette, live in the Pittsburgh area. They are the parents of one son (Bill) and one daughter (Leah), and proud grandparents of two grandchildren.
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About the Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award
Created in 2018, the Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award recognizes professional college broadcasters who fit the following criteria: preparation; association with his/her school; tenure at their school; efforts in the community; mentorship of young broadcasters; character. The award is sponsored by Learfield IMG College and the University of North Carolina athletics department.