FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas men’s basketball analyst and co-host of The Razorback Daily Matt Zimmerman has been named the Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association (NSMA).
“Congratulations to our own Matt Zimmerman on being recognized as the Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “Coach Z brings a unique broadcasting style to our fans that blends his knowledge for the game with his historical perspective of Arkansas Athletics. Most of all, it is his passion for our state and our program that shines through as he helps link Arkansans to their beloved Razorbacks.”
Zimmerman began his broadcasting career while still serving on the Razorbacks’ coaching staff in 2015 as the radio broadcast’s analyst alongside the Voice of the Razorbacks Chuck Barrett. Zimmerman’s spot-on basketball analysis paired with his high-energy personality make Arkansas broadcasts a must listen. His duties with the Razorback Sports Network grew in 2020 when he began working with the team’s football broadcast and is now a part of the pregame show. He added co-hosting duties to his list in 2021 when he and former Razorback quarterback Quinn Grovey took over The Razorback Daily podcast. The duo has grown the podcast into one of the most popular among Razorback fans and in all of college athletics with Arkansas coaches and student-athletes regularly featured on the daily program. Zimmerman also serves as an analyst on SEC Network+ broadcasts of Razorback women’s basketball.
An St. Vincent, Arkansas native, Zimmerman returned to his alma mater in 2011 as a part of head coach Mike Anderson’s men’s basketball staff. He spent eight seasons as a coach and support staff member before moving to the Razorback Foundation in 2020. His basketball knowledge began as a University of Arkansas student working as a manager for Hall of Fame coach Nolan Richardson. Zimmerman began his coaching career as a high school coach with stops at Dardanelle High School and Plainview-Rover High school before jumping to the collegiate level with stops at UAB and Missouri before his return to The Hill.
Zimmerman joins a long line of Razorback announcers to earn the honor, including his broadcast teammate Barrett, who has won the award three times. The Hogs play-by-play announcer for women’s basketball and baseball Phil Elson was the most recent University of Arkansas winner, having won the award for the third time in 2018. The late, great Paul Eells won the award 13 times during a legendary career at KATV and as the Voice of the Razorbacks across four decades. Bud Campbell (eight-time winner) and Bob Cheyne (six-time winner) dominated during the early years of the award winning 14 of the first 15 starting in 1959. Campbell served as the football play-by-play announcer while working at KARK and later KATV. Cheyne announced football and basketball games for 22 seasons (1948-69) while also serving as the school’s sports information director.