MOSCOW, Idaho – University of Idaho alum Tom Purvis has been named the Vandals’ new voice for women’s basketball, effective this 2013-’14 athletic season. The announcement was made today by Learfield Sports’ Idaho Vandals Sports Properties, the multimedia rights holder for University of Idaho Athletics.
Purvis most recently served as sports reporter and anchor for KTBB-TV, the ABC/FOX affiliate in Great Falls, Mont. Before that, he was with Salt Lake City’s KUTV-CBS as a freelance sports and news producer. Additionally, Purvis was the first sports director for University of Idaho’s KUOI-FM 89.3 and for two years handled play-by-play duties for football and men’s and women’s basketball.
“It’s an exciting time for Vandal women’s basketball,” said Purvis. “The program did something last year that they haven’t done since 1985, in winning a conference championship and being a part of the NCAA tournament. Essentially the entire team is back this year, and it’s a privilege to be a part of that.”
“Tom is a great choice to call our women’s games,” said Ann Brett Strickland, general manager for Idaho Vandals Sports Properties, which also oversees all management and operations for Idaho Vandals Sports Network as part of the rights relationship. “He’s already proven his talent and professionalism, and now he’ll have the opportunity to share his passion and affinity for his alma mater with the fan base.”
Purvis added, “I’m extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to return to my alma mater and call Vandals women’s basketball. To be back at my alma mater as a play-by-play broadcaster is pretty special.”
In addition to Idaho, Learfield Sports manages multimedia rights and sponsorship for more than 50 collegiate institutions and associations and titles the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with award co-founders NACDA and USA Today. The company’s multimedia rights encompass numerous content distribution platforms to deliver the passion of college athletics across radio, television and digital networks to fans globally. For more about the company’s 40-year history and complete collegiate portfolio, visit www.learfieldsports.com.