UW Broadcaster Dave Walsh to Receive NFF Chris Schenkel Award

University of Wyoming broadcaster Dave Walsh has been picked to receive the 2020 NFF Chris Schenkel Award. The announcement came today (December 10th) from the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.

The Chris Schenkel Award is traditionally given to those who have had long, distinguished careers while broadcasting college football and have ties to a specific university, such as the ties that Walsh has to the University of Wyoming.

NFF Vice Chairman Jack Ford had plenty of praise for Walsh in announcing the award:

Dave Walsh's voice has become synonymous with Wyoming football...Now in his 37th season as the Voice of the Cowboys, it is hard to imagine listening to a game in Laramie without him. We are honored to present him with the Chris Schenkel Award for his standout career in broadcasting.

Longtime ABC Sports broadcaster Chris Schenkel is who the award is named for. He was the initial recipient of the award and emceed the NFF Awards Dinner for 28 years straight. Walsh was honored to be named the recipient of the award this year as he explained:

I'm overwhelmed, and what an honor...I was a big fan of Chris Schenkel in my younger years, and I was actually hired here at Wyoming by a fella by the name of Curt Gowdy who was also in that group of great sportscasters…Having the honor to do University of Wyoming football and men's basketball over the last 37 years, it's just been a thrill. It's been a dream come true type thing…Wyoming has been very, very good to me and my family, that's for sure.

As Walsh mentions, the University of Wyoming Hall of Famer Curt Gowdy hired him back in 1984 and Walsh's voice has become synonymous with UW Athletics since as his resume consists of play-by-play, color analyst, and host of coaches' shows on television for both football and basketball.

Since the start of his time broadcasting for UW, Walsh has seen seasons that have included 10 bowl games and three conference titles. Walsh is also a member of the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters and the University of Wyoming Athletics halls of fame. He's been selected by his peers of the National Association of Sportswriters and Sportscasters as Wyoming Sportscaster of the Year nine times.

Walsh becomes the first recipient of the NFF Chris Schenkel Award to broadcast for a team in the Mountain West Conference. Congrats to Dave Walsh for winning this year's NFF Chris Schenkel Award!