Roger Hoover is in his eighth season as the Director of Broadcasting and radio/television play-by-play announcer for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (previously Suns). The 2019 season marks his 12th year broadcasting professional baseball, and he was named the 2018 Southern League Radio Broadcaster of the Year.
Hoover’s experience in baseball also includes calling play-by-play for select Miami Marlins major league spring training games for the past four seasons, in broadcasts produced by the Marlins Radio Network for MLB.com and the MLB At-Bat app.
Hoover also recently finished his fifth season as the radio play-by-play broadcaster for University of Alabama women’s basketball on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, from Learfield IMG College. He also provides play-by-play for SEC Network+ broadcasts of basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, and soccer, with all games available to watch on the ESPN app. He also provided play-by-play for the 2017 & 2018 SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament Final for the SEC Radio Network on SiriusXM Radio.
Hoover has spent the past 11 seasons broadcasting baseball in the Southern League, starting as a broadcast assistant with the Tennessee Smokies in 2009 for three seasons before joining Jacksonville. In his Southern League time he provided play-by-play in four Southern League Championship Series and was part of radio coverage for three Southern League All-Star Games and two editions of the Rickwood Classic in Birmingham, Ala. Hoover began broadcasting professional baseball for his hometown Kingsport (Tenn.) Mets of the Appalachian League in 2008.
Hoover graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2010 and has served his alma mater as a broadcaster and reporter for numerous Volunteer sports since his broadcasting career began with the Vol Network in 2006. He previously provided play-by-play for Maryville College football and basketball (2010-12), Carson-Newman University basketball (2012-14), before starting his role with Alabama in 2014.
In addition to his play-by-play work, Hoover hosts “The Roger Hoover Podcast” which features interviews with newsworthy figures in sports, entertainment, and media. Notable guests include: Derek Jeter, Todd Helton, Derrick Henry, Jack McKeon, Brittany Wagner, and Marcus Dupree.
Hoover is a member of the Jacksonville Historical Society, and away from the ballpark enjoys playing golf and seeing live music.
