UW Football PA Announcer Jack Nokes Retires After 41 Seasons

For the better part of 41 years, anyone who attended a football game at the University of Wyoming got used to hearing a familiar voice over the PA speakers before, during and after the game.

That will change next year.

Jack Nokes, who has been the public address announcer within War Memorial Stadium has announced he is putting the microphone down due to health reasons.

Before he started he had worked at K2 television for about 6-or-7 years and substituted doing the radio play-by-play, when the radio guys were doing the same job on TV.

He says when he was offered the PA position, he took it in hopes it would lead to a permanent position elsewhere.

“Keeps me involved with the University, I’d like a shot at the play-by-play job, so this at least keeps my talents in front of the University and I’d been going down to the games anyway every Saturday pretty much with a couple of friends of mine, so why not go there and do something that fits into kind of what my career is.”

Nokes’ last game as the PA announcer was about 1 month ago, when the Cowboys lost to Boise State.

UW is preparing for the upcoming Arizona Bowl in Tucson, which will be played on December 30th against Ohio University.

Although the Pokes will be considered to be the home team in the game, it won’t have a home game feel to it, both in terms of location and the person that will be the PA announcer.

Nokes says after seeing his share of great wins, heart-breaking losses and just about everything else there is to see, it’s time to pass the torch.

“It’s good that somebody else gets a shot at it. I always have felt like there’s always someone out there that’s better than you are and give them a chance to see. I think change is good and I think it will be good for the University.”

Kickoff on Friday (December 30th) for the Arizona Bowl is scheduled for 2:30pm.

You can hear the game LIVE on AM 1410 and on 106.9 FM.