“ESPN has been my home for a long time and I’m grateful for the opportunities presented to me to remain part of the team,” said Punch. “I love the passion of college sports and look forward to helping bring those stories to our viewers and to reconnecting with the college coaches and staffs I’ve enjoyed relationships with over the years.”
Punch has worked with ESPN since 1984 and was a pit reporter and play-by-play announcer on ESPN's NASCAR coverage over the years. ESPN recently completed its final season of live NASCAR race coverage.
Punch's first game will be Jan. 15 as he calls the Ohio Valley Conference match-up between Murray State
and Belmont (Tenn.) on ESPNU.
In his on-air work, the native of Newton, N.C., has sometimes called on knowledge
from his first career as an emergency room physician to explain injuries. He
spent 14 years as the director of emergency room services at a Florida hospital
and served two terms as chief of staff there. He remains active in the medical
profession today.
After working as a track announcer at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway, Punch made his broadcasting debut on radio
for Motor Racing Network at the 1980 Daytona 500. He branched into
television in 1982. He is ESPN’s sixth longest-tenured announcer, following Bob
Ley, Cliff Drysdale, Chris Berman, Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick.
