Aug. 18, 2017
THE FLATS – Wiley Ballard, Georgia Tech baseball’s radio play-by-play announcer for the past three seasons, will serve as sideline reporter for Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network football radio broadcasts in 2017, Tech announced on Friday.
Ballard will hold down the role in `17 for longtime Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network personality Randy Waters, who has elected to step aside for the 2017 football season while tending to a family medical issue. Waters, who has been the network’s football sideline reporter for four seasons and men’s basketball analyst for 23 seasons, will return to the mic for the 2017-18 basketball season.
“While I’m looking forward to my 24th season on the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network’s men’s basketball crew, travel would be problematic during the first couple months of football season,” Waters said. “My stepping away from football this season is best for the broadcast to maintain consistency, home and away. Don’t rule out seeing me tailgating and in the stands at Bobby Dodd once things are back to normal!”
Ballard graduated from Georgia Tech in May with a degree in business administration. During his time as an undergraduate, he not only served as the play-by-play announcer for Yellow Jackets’ baseball broadcasts from 2015-17, but was also the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network’s football sideline reporter for last season’s opening win over Boston College in Dublin, Ireland and TaxSlayer Bowl victory over Kentucky.
Behind the scenes, the Atlanta native was a member of the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Marketing and Yellow Jackets’ communications and public relations staffs.
“My first introduction to Georgia Tech athletics came when I was eight years old, listening to Wes Durham and Randy Waters call Georgia Tech basketball on the radio” Ballard said. “Now 15 later, as a Georgia Tech graduate, the Institute has done more for me professionally and personally than I could ever imagine. This is a special opportunity and I can’t wait for Sept. 4.”
In addition to his role as sideline reporter, Ballard will serve as host of the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network football pregame and postgame shows in 2017. He will join the Yellow Jackets’ football radio broadcast team of second-year play-by-play announcer Andy Demetra and third-year analyst Sean Bedford.
The first Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network broadcast of 2017-18 is set for Monday, Aug. 28 when Demetra hosts the season’s first Paul Johnson Radio Show, live from Three Dollar Café in West Midtown Atlanta. Air time is set for 7-8 p.m.
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