ESPN Announcing Teams for NCAA Tournament

[UConnCat]

First and Second Round Commentator Teams:

• Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck (Columbia, S.C.)
• Beth Mowins, Stephanie White and Holly Rowe (Iowa City, Iowa)
• Elise Woodward and Mary Murphy (Los Angeles – USC)
• Tiffany Greene and Jimmy Dykes (Austin, Texas)
• Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod (Palo Alto, Calif.)
• Matt Schumacker and Meghan McKeown (Columbus, Ohio)
• Kevin Fitzgerald and Kim Adams (Los Angeles – UCLA)
• Sam Gore and Tamika Catchings (South Bend, Ind.)
• Jason Ross Jr. and Aja Ellison (Corvallis, Ore.)
• Dave O’Brien and Christy Thomaskutty (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Pam Ward and Christy Winters-Scott (Storrs, Conn.)
• Eric Frede and Steffi Sorensen (Raleigh, N.C.)
• Ann Schatz and Mike Thibault (Spokane, Wash.)
• Jay Alter and Kelly Gramlich (Blacksburg, Va.)
• Brenda VanLengen and Holly Warlick (Manhattan, Kan.)
• Angel Gray and Andrea Lloyd (Bloomington, Ind.)

Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Commentator Teams

• Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe (Albany Regional)
• Pam Ward, Stephanie White and Holly Rowe (Albany Regional)
• Courtney Lyle, Carolyn Peck and Brooke Weisbrod (Portland Regional)
• Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray (Portland Regional)

 

[UConnCat]

Apparently Holly Rowe is assigned to Caitlin Clark. Her own personal beat writer so to speak.

There's that.

 

[Plebe]

I find Pam Ward very meh, but Christy Winters-Scott is one of my favorites.

Surprised they broke up the fabulous duo of Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty, whom I've greatly enjoyed this season. Both true professionals on the mic, and in my book far better than some of those assigned to the later rounds.

 

[UConnCat]

Lyle, Peck and Weisbrod are tough on the ears, not that Mowins and Antonelli are much better.

There's always the mute button and listening to Bob and Debbie on radio.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

, who is I find Pam Ward very meh, but Christy Winters-Scott is one of my favorites.

Surprised they broke up the fabulous duo of Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty, whom I've greatly enjoyed this season. Both true professionals on the mic, and in my book far better than some of those assigned to the later rounds.

I actually like Pam Ward, very professional. As female play by play folks go, her and Mowins have been doing it for a long while.

Christy Thomaskutty is very good, I've enjoyed her all year.

Comments on 3 of the teams -

1 - I like Ann Schatz a lot, and she is based in the NW, so I get it, but Mike Thibaut as her partner? Not sure how that will go, he is pretty good - and not as technical as some coaches - but it is an odd combo.

2 - I also like Brenda VanLengen (based in KC) who is one of the few folks that do both play-by-play and color commentary. But I'm not crazy about Holly Warlick - and not sure how that pair will go.

3 - At least Andrea Lloyd is not in Texas. She is - in my opinion - one of the worst, and a huge Texas homer to boot. Her commentating on the Longhorn Network is almost unbearable.

 

[Boreifs]

I find Pam Ward very meh, but Christy Winters-Scott is one of my favorites.

Surprised they broke up the fabulous duo of Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty, whom I've greatly enjoyed this season. Both true professionals on the mic, and in my book far better than some of those assigned to the later rounds.

Christy Winters-Scott’s daughter is the player who was injured late in the Georgetown-Creighton semi final of the Big East tournament. Let’s hope she is OK; it appeared to be very serious.

 

[Centerstream]

I find Pam Ward very meh, but Christy Winters-Scott is one of my favorites.

Surprised they broke up the fabulous duo of Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty, whom I've greatly enjoyed this season. Both true professionals on the mic, and in my book far better than some of those assigned to the later rounds.

Agree 100%.
I believe that they were announcing the Ivy League Championship and I really enjoyed that they announced what was happening on the court.
But I have to admit, when Eric would say "Christy" during the early parts of the game, I thought she was Christy Winters-Scott, another favorite.

 

[HuskyNan]

No Julianne Viani?

 

[JoePgh]

No Julianne Viani?

Wrong network, I think. Julianne does FOX basketball broadcasts.

 

[Centerstream]

No Julianne Viani?

Maybe ESPN doesn't like her doing broadcasts for CBS and Peacock?
I really don't know how that works...

 

[MSGRET]

Wrong network, I think. Julianne does FOX basketball broadcasts.

Actually Julianne is a freelance sportscaster for ESPN, CBS Sports, SNY and other regional networks, but not FOX.

 

[Bigboote]

I find Pam Ward very meh, but Christy Winters-Scott is one of my favorites.

Surprised they broke up the fabulous duo of Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty, whom I've greatly enjoyed this season. Both true professionals on the mic, and in my book far better than some of those assigned to the later rounds.

I also like Eric and Christy T. I happen to think Eric Frede is the best play-by-play announcer in WBB today. I still miss him doing the UConn SNY broadcasts, but am very glad he does lots of games on the ACC Network.

 

[Centerstream]

I also like Eric and Christy T. I happen to think Eric Frede is the best play-by-play announcer in WBB today. I still miss him doing the UConn SNY broadcasts, but am very glad he does lots of games on the ACC Network.

He also does/did SECN games.

 

[skidroe]

I'm watching the LSU-Rice game and for the second time in the game, I hear Dave O'Brien claim that LSU is trying to win back to back championships; something no one has done since UConn won......wait for it.......THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Are you kidding me?! Who in the women's college basketball world doesn't know that Stewie, Moriah and Morgan won 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW???

 

[Centerstream]

I'm watching the LSU-Rice game and for the second time in the game, I hear Dave O'Brien claim that LSU is trying to win back to back championships; something no one has done since UConn won......wait for it.......THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Are you kidding me?! Who in the women's college basketball world doesn't know that Stewie, Moriah and Morgan won 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW???

Fact! He's only counting the 3 consecutive Championship games that he announced the play by play for - 2013, 2014 and 2015.