WVU Sports Hall of Famer Jay Jacobs to Retire from Broadcasting

WVU Sports Hall of Famer and long-time broadcaster Jay Jacobs has announced he will retire from Mountaineer Sports Network, per release. Jacobs, who has been analyzing the basketball program for over four decades, will be on the call for the final time during the West Virginia-St. John’s broadcast on Dec. 1.

“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.’”

Jacobs will be honored during the WVU-St. John’s game and there will be a search for a replacement.

Jacobs, a Morgantown native, was recently recognized for the WVU Sports Hall of Fame this past class. Jacobs has called Mountaineer games beginning in 1977 and has worked with play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi since 1996.

“Jay’s love and passion for Mountaineer basketball will never be matched,” Caridi said. “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.”