Quinn Named New PA Announcer for NC State Football

RALEIGH, N.C. - Although the Wolfpack football squad boasts many familiar faces returning for the 2017 season, there will be a new voice ringing through Carter-Finley Stadium when the home schedule kicks off on September 9.

In that first home game versus Marshall, Travis Quinn will take the spot behind the microphone as the new public address announcer for NC State football. Quinn replaces long-time PA announcer Dr. Ed Funkhouser, who served in that role from 1999-2016. A member of the NC State faculty since 1977, Funkhouser will be recognized for his years of service during on-field ceremonies at the game.

Quinn was chosen from a pool of more than 90 applicants, who submitted resumes and voice samples. The finalists came to Carter-Finley earlier this summer and went through an in-person audition.

A Goldsboro native, Quinn has served as a PA announcer for high school football and basketball, as well as youth baseball. He was a 2006 graduate of UNC Wilmington with a degree in broadcast journalism.

"I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity," said Quinn. "NC State is fortunate to have had two legendary voices in the booth over the past 46 years in C.A. Dillon and Ed Funkhouser; having the chance to follow those two acts will be an exciting ride. I can't wait to get into the booth and be a part of one of the best game day atmospheres in college football."

Hear the new voice of Carter-Finley Stadium, Travis Quinn, on Mix 101.5's Two Men and a Mom show on Thursday morning between 8:30 and 9 a.m.

Get to know Travis Quinn:

What made you decide to apply for the position?
I started doing PA announcing when I was 10 years old, for local little league games in my hometown. I absolutely loved it, and I dreamed of having the opportunity to announce at an elite level one day. Positions like this, especially for a program like NC State, don't come available often, so when the casting call was announced I knew I had to apply.

How did you feel when you got the call saying you had won the job?
Pure elation. The audition process was a lengthy one, and there were a few times where I wasn't sure I was still in the running. To get that phone call and hear that I had been selected was truly a dream come true.

What are you most looking forward to about the job?
NC State has an incredible athletics tradition. No matter the team's record, the fans at Carter-Finley Stadium bring an almost unbelievable amount of passion and energy every single week. I'm looking forward to being a part of such an amazing atmosphere.

What is your history with NC State?
Growing up in North Carolina, you're almost required to have an allegiance to an ACC school's teams, because people are so passionate about ACC sports, especially football and basketball. My parents didn't attend ACC schools for college, so I sort of got to choose my own allegiance, and I had so many friends who were passionate about NC State that it was hard to not share that passion with them, so I grew up cheering for the Wolfpack.
I met my wife in 2007 while she was an undergraduate student at NC State, and although I had grown up pulling for the Pack and had been to a couple of neutral site football games, that year was the first time I had a chance to see a game at Carter-Finley, and the experience was incredible. I've been to several games since then, and I never get tired of seeing so many passionate and excited fans in that sea of red.

What do you think makes you unique as a PA announcer?
I think that every announcer has a call or a cadence that makes them unique, but most of the time we don't really think about that; we just want to call the game accurately and try to generate as much excitement as we can for the home team.
The unique aspects of each announcer are often things that happen organically during the game that are picked up by the fans. When Dr. Funkhouser created the "First Down" chant for NC State Football, he probably wasn't expecting it to become a call used by so many collegiate and professional teams. I'll consider myself fortunate if fans are still remembering something that I said during a game years from now.

What makes a good PA announcer?
I think first and foremost, a good announcer wants to provide accurate information to the fans in the stadium, but right behind that is the ability to feed off of the natural energy of the fans and use that to the team's advantage. A great announcer can really amplify the fan reaction to a crucial interception, a big third down stop or a Hail Mary pass to help create a tough home field advantage.

North Carolina State University Athletics

Quinn Named New PA Announcer for NC State Football

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