Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year is Zimmerman.
Arkansas’s FAYETTEVILLEThe National Sports Media Association (NSMA) has selected Matt Zimmerman, co-host of The Razorback Daily and commentator for Arkansas men’s basketball, as the Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year.
Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek congratulated “our own Matt Zimmerman on being chosen as the Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year.” “Coach Z offers our supporters a unique broadcasting style that combines his historical perspective on Arkansas Athletics with his in-depth understanding of the game.” Above all, his enthusiasm for our state and our program is evident
as he assists in connecting Arkansans with their cherished Razorbacks.
In 2015, Zimmerman started his career in broadcasting as the radio show’s analyst with the Razorbacks’ voice, Chuck Barrett, while he was still a member of the coaching staff. The broadcasts from Arkansas are highly recommended due to Zimmerman’s dynamic personality and accurate basketball analysis. In 2020, he started contributing to the team’s football broadcast on the Razorback Sports Network, and he currently works on the pregame show. When he and former Razorback quarterback Quinn Grovey took over The Razorback Daily podcast in 2021, he added co-hosting to his list of responsibilities. The pair has developed
the podcast into one of the most well-liked in college athletics and among Razorback supporters, with regular appearances by Arkansas coaches and student-athletes on the daily show. Zimmerman is also an analyst for Razorback women’s basketball games that air on SEC Network+.
Native of St. Vincent, Arkansas, Zimmerman rejoined head coach Mike Anderson’s men’s basketball staff at his alma mater in 2011. In 2020, he moved to the Razorback Foundation after serving as a coach and support staff member for eight seasons. His first exposure to basketball came while he was a student at the University of Arkansas, where he was the manager of Hall of Fame coach Nolan Richardson. Before making the move to the university ranks and coaching at UAB and Missouri, Zimmerman started his coaching career as a high school coach, making stops at Plainview-Rover High School and Dardanelle High School. He then returned to the hill.
In addition to his broadcast colleague Barrett, who has won the award three times, Zimmerman joins a distinguished group of Razorback announcers who have received the accolade. The Hogs’ play-by-play baseball and women’s basketball commentator The most recent University of Arkansas champion was Phil Elson, who took home the trophy for the third time in 2018. Over the course of his illustrious four decades as the Voice of the Razorbacks and his famous career at KATV, the late, great Paul Eells received the award thirteen times. Eight-time winner Bud Campbell and six-time winner Bob Cheyne dominated the early years of the award, taking home 14 of the first 15 titles beginning in 1959. Campbell worked at KARK and then KATV, where he called football plays-by-play. Cheyne was the school’s director of sports information for 22 seasons (1948–1969) and called football and basketball games.
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