MEDIA COVERAGE

• Illini Sports Network Station List
• The 2011-2012 Illini Sports Radio Network
• The Ron Zook Radio Call-In Show
• The Bruce Weber Radio Call-In Show
• Fighting Illini Insider

Illinois enjoys extensive coverage by the media, both print and electronic. The Big Ten Conference boasts one of the best television packages in college football, especially with the creation of the Big Ten Network. Every conference game, and the vast majority of non-conference games, that each Big Ten team plays is broadcast nationally through such partners as ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and the Big Ten Network. Click here to check out the Big Ten football television schedule.

The 2011-2012 Illini Sports Radio Network Station List

Aledo, WRMJ-FM 102.3 Alton, WBGZ-AM 1570 Bloomington, WJBC-FM 93.7 Bloomington, WGLO-FM 95.5 Canton, WBYS-AM 1560 Carlyle, WCXO-FM 96.7 Champaign, WDWS-AM 1400 Champaign, WHMS-FM 97.5 Chicago, WIND-AM 560 Danville, WDAN-AM 1490 Danville, WDNL-FM, 102.1 Davenport, IA, WFXN-AM 1230 Decatur, WSOY-AM 1340 DuQuoin, WDQN-AM 1580 Dwight, WJEZ-FM 98.9

Effingham, WCRC-FM 95.7 Fairfield, WFIW-AM 1390 Galesburg, WGIL-AM 1400 Jacksonville, WJIL-AM 1550 Jerseyville, WJBM-AM 1480 Kankakee, WGFA-FM 94.1 Kewanee, WKEI-AM 1450 LaSalle-Peru, WLPO-AM 1220 Litchfield, WSMI-FM 106.1 Macomb, WKXQ-FM 92.5 Mattoon, WCRC-FM 95.7 Mt. Carmel, WSJD-FM 100.5 Murphysboro, WINI-AM 1440 Olney, WSEI-FM 92.9 Paxton, WPXN-FM 104.9

Peoria, WGLO-FM 95.5 Pittsfield, WBBA-FM 97.5 Pontiac, WJBC-FM 93.7 Quincy, WTAD-AM 930 Robinson, WTAY-AM 1570 Robinson, WTYE-FM 101.7 Rockford, WROK-AM 1440 Salem, WJBD-AM 1350 Salem, WJBD-FM 100.1 Sparta, WHCO-AM 1230 St. Louis, KFNS-AM 590 Springfield, WTAX-AM 1240 Taylorville, WTIM-FM 97.3 Watseka, WGFA-FM 94.1

The 2011-12 Illini Sports Radio Network

The 41-station statewide Illini Sports Network is managed by the UI Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, including distribution, sales operations, affiliate relations and programming. ISN programming includes Illinois football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball and baseball, along with the "Illini Today" series.

Brian Barnhart BRIAN BARNHART, football and men's basketball play-by-play Barnhart begins his 10th season as the "Voice of the Illini" after a long stint in professional baseball, including two years as the play-by-play voice of the Anaheim Angels. Barnhart serves as the voice of the Illini Sports Network, providing play-by-play coverage of football and men's basketball, and as the host of the statewide "Ron Zook Show" and "Bruce Weber Show" call-in programs. A native of nearby Tolono, Barnhart graduated from Unity High School and Liberty University before beginning a 15-year career in professional baseball in 1986. He served as the play-by-play voice of the Lynchburg Mets and Salem Buccaneers before moving up to the Oklahoma City 89ers, the Class AAA affiliate of the Texas Rangers, from 1988-94. Barnhart did high school football and other sport play-by-play for 11 years and was also the voice for Oklahoma Baptist basketball from 1992-94 and Oklahoma City Blazers minor league hockey in 1993. From 1996-98, he handled news, sports and play-by-play at WWLS in Oklahoma City. In 1998, Barnhart was named the play-by-play announcer for the Angels and spent two full seasons with the American League club before returning to the Champaign-Urbana area in 2000. He currently is a news and sports announcer at WDWS-AM 1400 in Champaign. During the 2007 season, Barnhart was honored by the Illinois Broadcasters Association with the "Silver Dome Award for Best Sports Play-by-Play" for his call of Illinois' football upset of No. 1 Ohio State.

Kurt Kittner KURT KITTNER, football color analyst Former Illini quarterback All-American Kurt Kittner is in his fifth season as expert analyst. Kittner lettered at Illinois from 1998-2001, leading the Illini to a the Big Ten title, a 10-win season and a trip to the BCS in 2001. The three-time team MVP was the signal caller for the most proficient offenses in school history. During his time under center, Illinois posted the two highest scoring seasons at the time with 32.5 ppg in 2001 and 32.3 in 1999. Kittner still holds school records for single-season (27) and career (70) touchdown passes thrown and is second in career total offense (8,880). Kittner was the starting quarterback as a sophomore for the Illini in 1999 when the Illini mounted two upset road victories at ninth-ranked Michigan and at Ohio State. That season, Illinois went on to romp Virginia 63-21 in the Micronpc.com Bowl, where the squad broke 22 records. Kittner was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, won 24 games in an Illinois jersey, finished 12th in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2001 and was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas National Quarterback Award. The Schaumburg, Ill. native was a fifth-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons and started four games during the 2003 season.

Jerry Hester JERRY HESTER, men's basketball color analyst Jerry Hester is now in his seventh season serving as the expert analyst on Illini Sports Network men's basketball broadcasts. Hester started at Illinois from 1994-98 and was a key member of the UI's 1998 Big Ten Championship team. Following graduation, he played professionally in Poland, England and Italy. Hester is currently a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual.

Steve Kelly STEVE KELLY, football pregame, halftime and postgame Along with Barnhart and Kittner on the broadcast again this fall is Kelly, a veteran Illini sportscaster who handles pregame, halftime and postgame host duties. Kelly has covered Illini athletics for over two decades on television and radio. He hosts the popular "Sports Talk" show on WDWS-AM 1400 in Champaign and also hosts "Gameday" extended coverage of Illini athletics on WDWS and Lite Rock 97.5.

Loren Tate LOREN TATE, men's basketball pregame, halftime and postgame Joining Barnhart and Hester on the broadcast again this year is Loren Tate, who will handle pregame, halftime and postgame host duties. Tate, now in his 57th year covering the Fighting Illini, is a longtime sports columnist and former sports editor of The News-Gazette in Champaign. He also has covered Illinois for decades as a radio and television broadcaster.

Dave Loane DAVE LOANE, women's basketball, volleyball and baseball play-by-play Dave Loane is in his 23rd season as the play-by-play voice for Fighting Illini women's basketball, volleyball and baseball. Loane is the sports director at NewsTalk 1400 WDWS-AM in Champaign-Urbana, where he anchors the daily morning show sportscasts and produces the daily feature "Illini Today," which airs on the Illini Sports Network statewide. He also serves as the host of the Fighting Illini Insider show in the spring. In 2005, Loane was named the winner of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Mel Greenberg Media Award for displaying a commitment to Women's basketball and to advancing the role of the media in the women's game.

The Ron Zook Radio Show

The "Ron Zook Show" airs Thursday evenings from 7:05-8 on the Illini Sports Network. The live call-in show originates from the WDWS Radio (Champaign) studio, at various campus locations such as dorms and restaurants, or at the Colonnades Club in Memorial Stadium when the Quarterback Club hosts the program. The show, emceed by Brian Barnhart, the play-by-play voice of Fighting Illini football, is also available through Illini All-Access on the official UI Athletics website, www.fightingillini.com.

The Bruce Weber Radio Show

The "Bruce Weber Show" is a weekly call-in radio show aired statewide on the Illini Sports Network. The show is hosted by Illini play-by-play announcer Brian Barnhart and airs Mondays from 7-8 p.m., beginning Nov. 29. In addition to the studio shows, the radio show will occasionally move to different location on the UI campus and in the Champaign-Urbana community. A complete schedule of the show will be listed in the weekly game notes update.

Fighting Illini Insider

The 2011-12 season of the Fighting Illini Insider debuts Aug. 23 on local outlets throughout Illinois and nationally on the Big Ten Network. Illini Productions will produce 37 weekly 30-minute shows covering primarily football in the fall, men's and women's basketball starting in early December, and spring sports through the end of May. Illinois radio voice Brian Barnhart will host the majority of the fall shows, which will include game highlights, in-studio interviews with Illini head coaches, special features and Olympic sports reviews in a 30-minute magazine style format. Many individual segments will be archived at fightingillini.com.

• Nationwide: Big Ten Network: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. CT
• Champaign/Springfield/Decatur: Central Illinois' CW (WBUI), Tuesdays, 5 p.m. CT
• Champaign/Springfield/Decatur: MeTV (55.2 and 27.2 Digital), Tuesdays, 8 p.m. CT
• Champaign/Springfield/Decatur: Fox 55/27 (WRSP/WCCU), Tuesdays, 11 p.m. CT
• Central Illinois:This TV Illinois (23.2), Wed/Thu/Fri, 8:30 a.m. CT