ABILENE, Texas - Former McMurry athletics director and Texas High School Coaches Association hall of famer Jerry Larned will join Kit Kimbrell in the broadcast booth for home football games beginning in 2010. Kimbrell, who begins his 16th season, as play-by-play broadcaster for McMurry in 2010 will also be joined by McMurry's associate director of university relations for athletics, Kyle Robarts, on road football games as well as basketball and baseball contests.
"We are extremely excited to have Coach Larned step in the broadcast booth for McMurry football this fall,” said Kimbrell. “He is over-qualified as a hall-of-famer to help with our broadcasts, and I think his personality and wisdom will greatly enhance the listening experience in describing McMurry's exploits on the field. I am very honored to be able to work with Jerry, and hope our listeners will welcome him to the booth, as we transition to a new era with McMurry's broadcasts.”
Larned served as McMurry's athletic director from 2004-2006. He is the former superintendent of the Monahans-Wickett-Pyote School District and former head football coach at Monahans High School.
Larned was named the West Texas High School Football Coach of the Year in 1967, 1973, 1974 & 1976 and was inducted into the Texas Panhandle Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1992.
Robarts began play-by-play broadcasting in 2005 with Abilene Christian University baseball. He filled in for McMurry University as color analyst from 2006-2008 in football, basketball and baseball broadcasts. He served as primary broadcaster for Abilene Christian University softball in 2009 and filled in for men's and women's basketball as well as baseball. Last year, Robarts broadcasted select games for McMurry University men's and women's basketball and served as one of the primary broadcasters for McMurry baseball in 2010.
Larned and Robarts will replace Leon Rawlings Jr., who retired after McMurry's basketball season concluded in February of 2010 after 15 seasons of broadcasting alongside Kimbrell beginning in 1996.
"Leon Rawlings left a large void after 15 years of broadcasting McMurry sports. He meant a lot to the McMurry community and I think that we meant a lot to him,” said Robarts. “ I know that Jerry and I will do our best to make sure we carry on the quality of broadcasting that he did in joining Kit beginning next year."
McMurry will continue to broadcast the entire football season and all American Southwest Conference basketball broadcasts for the 2010-2011 season on KZQQ 1560 AM. However, McMurry's baseball broadcasts will move exclusively to the Internet with audio and video on mcmurrysports.com. In addition, McMurry will carry football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and selected soccer and volleyball matches next season with audio/video broadcasts. On the Internet, McMurry's fans on mcmurrysports.com can purchase game, monthly or yearly subscriptions for the second-straight year beginning in August.
