April 26, 2007

Cleveland, Ohio - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced today that ESPN Play-by-Play Commentator Ron Franklin and College Sports Sideline Reporter Holly Rowe will be luncheon emcees at the 42nd annual NACDA Convention, which will be held June 7-10 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando (FL).

Franklin will emcee the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup Awards Luncheon sponsored by Collegiate Financial Services, Inc. on Saturday, June 9, while Rowe will emcee the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon presented by the Coca-Cola Company and the National Invitation Tournament on Friday, June 8.

Franklin, who joined ESPN in 1987, has become one of the network's primary college football and men's basketball play-by-play commentators. He has also provided ESPN with play-by-play for tennis, including three French Opens, college baseball and the U.S. Olympic Festival. In addition, Franklin has hosted The NCAA Today Sportsman's Challenge (since 1988). Other broadcasting credits for Franklin include basketball and football play-by-play for the University of Texas (1983-88), the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament for the NCAA Radio Network, the Houston Marathon, track and field and Virginia Slims and WCT tennis events for various syndicators. Franklin began his broadcasting career as sports director and sports anchor with KSWS-TV in Roswell (NM) from 1965-66. He moved to KVOO-TV in Tulsa (OK) from 1967-71, then to Houston (TX) where he was at KHOU-TV (1971-80) and KPRC-TV (1980-87), serving as the sports director and a sports anchor at each of those positions. He also was the radio voice of the Houston Oilers from 1971-82. He also operates "Ron Franklin Productions," an Austin, Texas-based production company producing various syndicated television and radio sports programs.

Rowe joined ESPN in August 1998 and has emerged as one of the top sideline reporters for numerous college sports, including football, men's and women's basketball, softball and other sports. She has also provided play-by-play of women's college basketball and women's college volleyball. She also called play-by-play on ESPN's coverage of the 1998 Women's World Cup. In addition, Rowe has hosted ESPN's coverage of the Running of the Bulls, swimming and track and field. Rowe began her career as a sportswriter for the Daily Utah Chronicle and the Davis County Clipper, and anchored the campus TV station news. Following college, she interned at CBS Sports under then-VP of Programming Len DeLuca (now ESPN's Senior VP, Programming Development) in 1991-92. Rowe graduated from the University of Utah where she earned a broadcast journalism degree in 1991.

About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 42nd year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,100 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,000 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 10 professional associations for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics director. - nacda -