Oct. 14, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Local radio personality Mike Wright has been selected as the play-by-play announcer for the nationally-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball program replacing veteran broadcaster Tom Turbiville, who retired last season after 12 years behind the mike for the Aggies.
"Mike Wright has been a recognizable voice of radio in the College Station area for a number of years," Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair said. "I've listened to his broadcasts on numerous occasions and he really brings the game to life. Mike is very professional and he is going to be great addition to what Tom Turbiville has provided us over the last 12 years. When you can go from Tom Turbiville to Mike Wright, it is like going from Joe DiMaggio to Mickey Mantle."
Wright is currently the vice president and general manager of CBS affiliate KBTX-TV in Bryan-College Station, a position he has held since October of 2003. He has been a longtime employee of KBTX since 1991 including work as co-anchor and executive producer of Brazos Valley This Morning.
"To be part of this program and this process is a great responsibility," Wright said. "The biggest contribution I can make to this program is to adequately describe the excitement on the court, so that people listening will decide they need to be there every time the Aggie women play. Hopefully, my dedication to the sport and to play-by-play will engage listeners, transforming everyday fans to passionate fans of women's basketball at Texas A&M."
He also serves as the play-by-play voice of A&M Consolidated High School Tiger Football on WTAW-Radio, a position he has held for the last 17 years. Wright's radio background also includes football and basketball play-by-play radio stints in Mexia and Temple, Texas.
An accomplished broadcaster and an active member in the community, Wright has received numerous awards from The Associated Press and Texas Association of Broadcasters for play-by play including four-time honors for Play-by-Play of the Year (Medium market). He is president of the Blinn College Community Advisory Board and serves as emcee at various local events throughout the year.
"With his business background, Mike will be able to add a lot of insight to our program, particularly on the marketing end and how to put the women's basketball team in the best media spotlight possible. I believe Mike's expertise in marketing and exposure will be very beneficial to our program."
Born and raised in Mexia, Texas, Wright is a graduate of Baylor University with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. He is married to Bethany Corley Wright (A&M Class of '93) and the couple has twin eight-year-olds, Macy and Mason.
"My family and I have closely followed the growth of this program, behind Coach Blair's leadership, as avid A&M fans," Wright said. "Sports play-by-play has long been a passion of mine. I'm blessed to now have the opportunity to work with an incredibly talented group of players, coaches and staff."
Wright joins an experienced radio broadcast crew which also includes former Texas A&M women's basketball assistant coach and College Station Outback Steakhouse proprietor Tap Bentz, who enters his sixth season providing color analysis for all Aggie home games. Former women's basketball player and current athletic assistant Katy Pounds will serve as color analyst for all road games for the second year in a row, while Turbiville will fill-in as play-by-play announcer twice during the 2008-09 season.