The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525890
TRACKING THE PACK 16 ■ THE WOLFPACKER B efore his very first profes- sional collegiate broad- cast, Matt Chazanow found himself sweating bullets on the High Point University women's basketball char- ter bus. The Panthers were headed to Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh to take on Kay Yow's Wolfpack, but they found themselves in traffic. C h a za n ow, a b u d d i n g 21-year-old broadcaster at the time, was in full suit, eager to begin his professional jour- ney in broadcasting. Eventu- ally, the bus pulled into the NC State parking lot, and he did the game courtside. It was his introduction to the life of a broadcaster. He pushed through the nerves and did the broadcast — a 78-48 Wolfpack win over the Panthers to open the 2006 campaign. "I had no idea who was listening — if anybody," Chazanow said. "I couldn't have been more excited. Jittery, sweat- ing — the full deal. It was just awesome." That November night may have been a fitting way for Chazanow to break into college play-by-play broadcast- ing. Now, 17 years and four jobs later, he has climbed the ladder to become NC State's lead play-by-play broad- caster for football and men's basketball. T h e Wo l f p a c k named Chazanow the fifth voice of the university in June. He succeeds Gary Hahn, who spent 34 years in the radio booth. It's been a whirl- wind two months for the broadcaster. Chazanow, a New Jersey native and Syr- acuse graduate, moved his family from Pullman, Wash., where he was the voice of Washington State, back to the East Coast. Chazanow has lived in North Carolina for all but one of his career stops — his most recent nine-year stint in the Pa- cific Northwest. He spent his first year at High Point before nearly two years at UNC Greensboro and nine years at IMG Media's headquarters in Winston-Salem. "It's been a wild ride," Chazanow said. "An adventure is what it's been." Chazanow is appreciative of the op- portunity to follow in Hahn's footsteps. The Wolfpack's previous three broad- casters all spent at least a decade in the booth, with Hahn behind the micro- phone for more than 30 years. While that is not intimidating for Chazanow, he did note the importance of upholding the standard that his pre- decessors established. "There's definitely pressure, and you're putting yourself out there to try to make everybody happy," he said. "I want everybody to be really happy with all of it — this living, breathing thing that is a broadcast. I think trust is earned, and that's not a process you can speed up." Chazanow takes his new role with "a great deal of gratitude." Being the new voice, he recognized there will be a learning process for listeners to adjust to a dif- ferent person over the air- waves. But at the same time, he loves that Pack fans are passionate about who they are listening to. "When your work matters and you're in it, what else could you ask for?" Cha- zanow said. "This is an op- portunity to have your work matter. … I think with that comes a certain degree of understanding that you're coming into this thing on the back of a 34-year run, and I'm the new guy." While being the "new guy" is sure to come with an ad- justment period, Chazanow has embraced a Maya An- gelou quote: "People don't remember what you say, they remember how you make them feel." That quote encapsulates how Cha- zanow approaches his job behind the microphone, and his approach will not change at NC State. "I think humility is important, so I feel very grateful to have these opportuni- ties because I get to do something I love," Chazanow said. "In the end, as I've got- ten older in doing this, the thing I value the most is the ability to be a vessel to Wolfpack fans for this thing that means so much to so many people. I have the gift and the opportunity to keep what Gary Hahn has had going." T h a t t ra i t a p - peared to be a key reason why NC State decided to hire Chazanow. "Chaz understands that this role isn't only about calling games, but about bringing special moments and memories to Wolfpack fans of all ages," NC State athletics director Boo Cor- rigan said in a statement. "While he is a very talented radio announcer, he will also be a great representative of our uni- versity, our brand, and our culture." —Noah Fleischman Matt Chazanow Excited To Serve As Voice Of The Wolfpack After nine years at Washington State, Chazanow has returned to North Carolina, where he's spent most of his career. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS " I want everybody to be really happy with all of it — this living, breathing thing that is a broadcast. I think trust is earned, and that's not a process you can speed up. Chazanow