Voice of the Sooners, Toby Rowland, Agrees to 5-Year Extension
By Chip Rouse
The man who is often referred to as the Voice of the Oklahoma Sooners, Toby Rowland, has agreed to another 5-year contract to serve as play-by-play announcer for the Sooner Sports Network.
An Oklahoma native, Rowland took over for longtime Sooner announcer Bob Barry, Jr., in 2011. Since that time, he has done the play-by-play for OU football, men’s basketball and baseball, along with other weekly radio programs for University of Oklahoma athletics.
In addition to working for the Sooner Sports Network, Rowland is the host of a highly popular radio program, “T-Row in the Morning Show” on local station KREF 1400 AM.
Before his affiliation with the OU athletic department six years ago, Rowland spent 12 years working in local television as an anchor, producer and reporter for KWTV, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. He has been doing his radio program on KREF for 13 years.
Rowland has won two Emmy Awards for his television work.
“His love for our athletic teams and their love for him are evident in every broadcast.” —Joe Castiglione, OU athletic director
“I continue to be honored and humbled to be entrusted with this responsibility, which is absolutely the love of my professional life,” Rowland said in a news release posted on the OU athletic website.
OU athletic director Joe Castiglione has nothing but praise for the current voice of Sooner sports:
“Toby has been simply outstanding in every facet of the important work he does for Oklahoma…His genuine enthusiasm, dedication, creativity, versatility and delivery are just some of the reasons why he has quickly become a fan favorite.
“His love for our athletic teams and their love for him is evident in every broadcast.”
Rowland grew up in Mustang, Okla., and he is a 1995 graduate of Southern Nazarene University.