Jay Jacobs will be on the radio call one final time on Saturday night, ending an illustrious career behind the microphone for the West Virginia broadcaster.
Jacobs was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame this past fall, and he will be honored one final time as he officially meets retirement following WVU’s game against BYU on Saturday night.
Nearly 50 years of breaking down West Virginia basketball will come to a close for Jacobs. The longtime radio broadcaster started in 1977, and would be on the call for some of the greatest games in Mountaineer history.
Jacobs, a Morgantown native, was hired by Paul Miller as a basketball analyst for television in 1977. He would transition to radio in the 1990’s, taming with Tony Caridi in the 1996-1997 season.
“Jay’s love and passion for Mountaineer basketball will never be matched,” Caridi said when Jacobs first announced his retirement.. “He grew up following some of WVU’s all-time great players and then became a Mountaineer player. He was part of the ‘Golden Era’ of West Virginia basketball. Jay then used that passion and knowledge as a broadcaster for half a century. He had an absolutely amazing career and will always be part of West Virginia basketball.”
Jacobs saw in total 20 NCAA Tournament runs, and was part of what’s considered to be the “Golden Era” of West Virginia basketball, involving Jerry West.
“I want to congratulate Jay on an outstanding career with the Mountaineer Sports Network,” WVU Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said, “As a player and announcer, he has been a part of some of the biggest and greatest moments in West Virginia basketball history. I know how much it meant to him to be inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in September, and I thank him for his analysis and service for parts of six decades to Mountaineer basketball.”
Jacobs had always been a fan, and was lucky enough to be up close and personal with the team he was the biggest fan of.
Jacobs will be on the microphone with Caridi for the call of West Virginia vs No. 22 BYU on Saturday night at the WVU Coliseum. Jacobs will be honored then as well, marking the official end to the legendary career of Jacobs.
“I want to thank West Virginia University for allowing me to be part of Mountaineer Athletics for nearly five decades,” Jacobs said. “To the fans who follow the Mountaineers, I just want to say, ‘I was a fan just like you, but I had a microphone in my hand.’”
