University of Massachusets Athletics
Eleven Sports, UMass Announce Talent For Hockey And Basketball Telecasts
November 29, 2017 | General, Men's Basketball, Hockey, Women's Basketball, Athletics Department
First of 14 broadcasts set to begin this Friday with hockey hosting UConn.
North Haven, Conn. - Beginning Friday, December 1, Eleven Sports will continue its television broadcast partnership with the University of Massachusetts, building off the success of football season.  A total of 14 hockey and basketball games will be produced and distributed by Eleven in conjunction with multimedia rights holder Learfield's UMass Sports Properties. To bring fans the best coverage possible during the hockey and basketball broadcasts, Eleven Sports and UMass have assembled a talented group of announcers.
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Current radio voice of the Boston Red Sox, Tim Neverett, will call the play-by-play action for both the hockey and basketball broadcasts. Neverett has worked for The MountainWest Sports Network serving as a studio host and play-by-play announcer for a multitude of sports including college football, basketball, and baseball among others. In addition, he was the voice of University of Denver Hockey for five seasons.
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Joining Neverett for the first two hockey games will be UMass Hall of Famer, Thomas Poeck. Poeck is regarded as one of the most highly accomplished members of the UMass hockey program and was the Minutemen's first-ever Hobey Baker finalist and an All-America selection in 2004. In the NHL, Poeck played for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders while also playing in the AHL and Europe. For the remaining four UMass hockey games, Neverett will be joined in the booth by a familiar face to the Mullins Center, former head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon. Cahoon led his team to the only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007. He also helped produce several of the program's All-Americans including Thomas Poeck. Since retiring from coaching, Cahoon has served as a color analyst for a number of broadcasts on NESN as well as with other broadcast groups.
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Frank Sullivan will accompany Neverett for the basketball broadcasts this season. Sullivan is in his 14th year as an Associate Commissioner for the America East Conference. He serves as the league's primary administrator for basketball and oversees the men's and women's basketball officiating bureau.
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Eleven Sports is available on DIRECTV channel 623, Verizon Fios channel 597 and AT&T U-verse channel 1665. In addition, Eleven can be found on various other cable and OTT providers. Nearly all of the games will be available on a New England Sports Network (NESN) station with the exception for the February 3 Men's Basketball game against Dayton. This game will be available on NBC Sports Boston (formerly Comcast Sports New England).
All of the games will be streamed online through www.UMassAthletics.com or the Atlantic 10 Digital Network (Men's/Women's Basketball); however, black out restrictions will apply for those streams in New England. Games in the New England region will have an online presence both on web and mobile via NESNGo for games distributed on the NESN family of stations.
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For complete coverage of UMass Athletics, follow the Minutemen and Minutewomen on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at www.UMassAthletics.com.
About ELEVEN SPORTS:
ELEVEN SPORTS is available in 70 million homes worldwide in Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. Launched in the US in March 2017, ELEVEN SPORTS is dedicated to delivering world-class domestic and international sports and lifestyle entertainment "For The Fans." Sports fans will be treated to a unique mix of emerging and established sports combined to provide engaging and compelling LIVE entertainment, placing the viewer at the very heart of the action.
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Like us on Facebook: ElevenSportsUSA
Follow us on Twitter: @ElevenSportsUSA
Follow us on Instagram: @ElevenSportsUSA
 About Learfield
An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. In addition to UMass, it manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 125 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors' Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; licensing and trademark consulting; digital platform expertise; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies. For more about Learfield's history, businesses and career opportunities, visit http://www.learfield.com/.
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Broadcast Talent Thumbnails:
Tim Neverett -Â Current radio voice of the Boston Red Sox. Neverett began calling Red Sox games on WEEI for the 2016 season after a seven-year tenure as the play-by-play voice for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Neverett has also worked for FSN Rocky Mountain serving as a play-by-play announcer for a multitude of sports including college football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse among others. The Nashua, New Hampshire native also has four Olympic Games under his belt having called events during the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 games.
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Thomas Poeck - Will serve as color analyst for the first two hockey games to air (Dec. 1 vs. UConn and Jan. 19 vs. Northeastern). Member of the UMass Hall of Fame (Class of 2014). The Austrian native is regarded as one of the most highly accomplished members of the UMass hockey program. He was the Minutemen's first-ever Hobey Baker finalist and an All-America selection in 2004. That year, he helped UMass reach the Hockey East Championship game – one of the all-time great games in league history. In the NHL, Poeck played for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders while also playing in the AHL and Europe. He is currently the head coach of the Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League.
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Don "Toot" Cahoon - For the other four UMass hockey games, former head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon, who guided UMass to its only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, will join Neverett in the broadcast booth. Since retiring from coaching, Cahoon has served as a color analyst for a number of broadcasts on NESN as well as with other broadcast groups. Cahoon holds the most wins of any coach at UMass with 166 in 12 seasons at the helm. He was a head coach for 25 years with an overall record of 333-380-73 which included stints at Princeton, Norwich, and Lehigh. During his career at UMass, Cahoon helped produce four of the program's All-Americans including Poeck, Jonathan Quick, James Marcou and Justin Braun.
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Frank Sullivan - Currently in his 14th year as an Associate Commissioner for the America East Conference. Sullivan serves as the league's primary administrator for basketball and oversees the men's and women's basketball officiating bureau. The Lexington, Massachusetts, native brings 33 years of collegiate basketball coaching experience to the broadcasts. For 16 years, he was head coach at Harvard and another seven years as the head coach at Bentley College. He began his coaching career in 1974 as an assistant at Villanova where he worked for the legendary Rollie Massimino.
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Current radio voice of the Boston Red Sox, Tim Neverett, will call the play-by-play action for both the hockey and basketball broadcasts. Neverett has worked for The MountainWest Sports Network serving as a studio host and play-by-play announcer for a multitude of sports including college football, basketball, and baseball among others. In addition, he was the voice of University of Denver Hockey for five seasons.
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Joining Neverett for the first two hockey games will be UMass Hall of Famer, Thomas Poeck. Poeck is regarded as one of the most highly accomplished members of the UMass hockey program and was the Minutemen's first-ever Hobey Baker finalist and an All-America selection in 2004. In the NHL, Poeck played for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders while also playing in the AHL and Europe. For the remaining four UMass hockey games, Neverett will be joined in the booth by a familiar face to the Mullins Center, former head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon. Cahoon led his team to the only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007. He also helped produce several of the program's All-Americans including Thomas Poeck. Since retiring from coaching, Cahoon has served as a color analyst for a number of broadcasts on NESN as well as with other broadcast groups.
Â
Frank Sullivan will accompany Neverett for the basketball broadcasts this season. Sullivan is in his 14th year as an Associate Commissioner for the America East Conference. He serves as the league's primary administrator for basketball and oversees the men's and women's basketball officiating bureau.
Â
Eleven Sports is available on DIRECTV channel 623, Verizon Fios channel 597 and AT&T U-verse channel 1665. In addition, Eleven can be found on various other cable and OTT providers. Nearly all of the games will be available on a New England Sports Network (NESN) station with the exception for the February 3 Men's Basketball game against Dayton. This game will be available on NBC Sports Boston (formerly Comcast Sports New England).
All of the games will be streamed online through www.UMassAthletics.com or the Atlantic 10 Digital Network (Men's/Women's Basketball); however, black out restrictions will apply for those streams in New England. Games in the New England region will have an online presence both on web and mobile via NESNGo for games distributed on the NESN family of stations.
Â
For complete coverage of UMass Athletics, follow the Minutemen and Minutewomen on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at www.UMassAthletics.com.
About ELEVEN SPORTS:
ELEVEN SPORTS is available in 70 million homes worldwide in Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. Launched in the US in March 2017, ELEVEN SPORTS is dedicated to delivering world-class domestic and international sports and lifestyle entertainment "For The Fans." Sports fans will be treated to a unique mix of emerging and established sports combined to provide engaging and compelling LIVE entertainment, placing the viewer at the very heart of the action.
Â
Like us on Facebook: ElevenSportsUSA
Follow us on Twitter: @ElevenSportsUSA
Follow us on Instagram: @ElevenSportsUSA
 About Learfield
An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. In addition to UMass, it manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 125 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors' Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; licensing and trademark consulting; digital platform expertise; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies. For more about Learfield's history, businesses and career opportunities, visit http://www.learfield.com/.
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Broadcast Talent Thumbnails:
Tim Neverett -Â Current radio voice of the Boston Red Sox. Neverett began calling Red Sox games on WEEI for the 2016 season after a seven-year tenure as the play-by-play voice for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Neverett has also worked for FSN Rocky Mountain serving as a play-by-play announcer for a multitude of sports including college football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse among others. The Nashua, New Hampshire native also has four Olympic Games under his belt having called events during the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 games.
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Thomas Poeck - Will serve as color analyst for the first two hockey games to air (Dec. 1 vs. UConn and Jan. 19 vs. Northeastern). Member of the UMass Hall of Fame (Class of 2014). The Austrian native is regarded as one of the most highly accomplished members of the UMass hockey program. He was the Minutemen's first-ever Hobey Baker finalist and an All-America selection in 2004. That year, he helped UMass reach the Hockey East Championship game – one of the all-time great games in league history. In the NHL, Poeck played for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders while also playing in the AHL and Europe. He is currently the head coach of the Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League.
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Don "Toot" Cahoon - For the other four UMass hockey games, former head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon, who guided UMass to its only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, will join Neverett in the broadcast booth. Since retiring from coaching, Cahoon has served as a color analyst for a number of broadcasts on NESN as well as with other broadcast groups. Cahoon holds the most wins of any coach at UMass with 166 in 12 seasons at the helm. He was a head coach for 25 years with an overall record of 333-380-73 which included stints at Princeton, Norwich, and Lehigh. During his career at UMass, Cahoon helped produce four of the program's All-Americans including Poeck, Jonathan Quick, James Marcou and Justin Braun.
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Frank Sullivan - Currently in his 14th year as an Associate Commissioner for the America East Conference. Sullivan serves as the league's primary administrator for basketball and oversees the men's and women's basketball officiating bureau. The Lexington, Massachusetts, native brings 33 years of collegiate basketball coaching experience to the broadcasts. For 16 years, he was head coach at Harvard and another seven years as the head coach at Bentley College. He began his coaching career in 1974 as an assistant at Villanova where he worked for the legendary Rollie Massimino.
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