Evan Hughes, the host of the Tech Sideline Podcast and an integral part of the organization’s operation for three years, has accepted a job as the Voice of Virginia Tech women’s basketball and baseball.
Hughes joined Tech Sideline in August of 2018 and hosted 144 episodes of the TSL Podcast, from Episode 40: “The Relaunch” to Episode 184 with Virginia Tech football head coach Justin Fuente. Hughes led insightful conversations about Hokies football’s overtime win over UVa, Mekhi Lewis’s National Championship, Tech basketball’s run to the Sweet 16, the epic six-overtime win over UNC and all topics in between.
The Rockville, Va. native graduated from Virginia Tech’s School of Communications in May with a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism. Hughes also won the 2021 Jim Nantz Award in May, an accolade presented to the top collegiate broadcaster in the country by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America.
As a student, Hughes was essential in founding 3304 Sports, the multimedia online platform for student sports journalism at Virginia Tech. He was the organization’s Sports Director for two years and provided students with countless of broadcasting and writing opportunities.
As a freshman in 2018, Hughes was the Voice of Tech softball, which included hosting a monthly Tech Softball Podcast with then-head coach Scott Thomas. He’s continued hosting that podcast with current head coach Pete D’Amour over the past few years. In addition to those responsibilities, Hughes broadcasted games on ACC Network Extra as a play-by-play voice and as a sideline reporter.
Away from Blacksburg, Hughes was the Voice of the St. Cloud Rox in St. Cloud, Minn. for three seasons, where he was named the 2018 Northwoods League Broadcaster of the Year. He called 186 games in his time as a Minnesota resident.
In his new role as the Assistant Director of Broadcast Services at Virginia Tech, Hughes will call all women’s basketball and baseball games while continuing to broadcast events on ACC Network Extra. He will also host Hokie Sports Insider, a Virginia Tech Sports Network podcast that will focus on all Tech sports. He will be joined weekly by Hokies coaches and student-athletes. The podcast will be available for download on Wednesdays.
“I’d like to thank Will and Chris for giving me so many opportunities at Tech Sideline over the years,” Hughes said. “I am not the broadcaster I am today if it weren’t for my time at Tech Sideline. I can’t wait to continue to listen to the podcast and I can’t thank the Tech Sideline fanbase enough for supporting the podcast like they have over the past few years.”
Note from Tech Sideline founder Will Stewart:
It’s a bittersweet day here at Tech Sideline. We are beyond excited for Evan Hughes, who has the talent and has worked hard to develop himself and earn this opportunity. He’s going to do a great job, and we are thrilled that he is staying here in the Virginia Tech community. But we’re losing our podcast host, an immense talent who helped grow the Tech Sideline Podcast into what it is today.
Evan will not just succeed in this new role, he will thrive. Yes, Evan is a talented play-by-play announcer, but he’s also a great person, a continual fount of energy and positivity that benefits any place he chooses to call home. We’ve always thought that being a play-by-play guy who jets in, calls a game, and then jets out – while Evan would be good at that – isn’t where his true value lies. His true value lies in what he brings to a community over time, in the relationships he builds, and the effect he has on people.
It begins with Evan’s parents, his mother Lynne and his father Kelly. They run Comfort Zone Camp, a nonprofit bereavement organization that transforms the lives of children who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. Evan grew up watching Lynne and Kelly help others, and he grew up watching them make a difference in the lives of many. So for Evan, it comes naturally to be out front and be a positive force in the world.
It’s those qualities that will make him great at this new opportunity he’s earned. We’ll miss him at Tech Sideline, but he has left us in much better shape than he found us, and that’s all you can ask.
Virginia Tech is allowing Evan to do one more podcast with us, and we have scheduled it for the morning of Tuesday, August 3rd, at 9:30 AM. We won’t just be saying goodbye to Evan; we’ll also be saying farewell to our long-time producer (and someone I know well), Malcolm Stewart. Watch it live on our YouTube channel, and we’ll see you then!
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Congratulations Evan!
just when you get someone trained, well-oiled and productive … … …
the best thing happens, they get a better position.
…
and that means TSL gets to get better, too!
that’s no slight to @TSL, @WS, @CC or @Evan Hughes,
or any of the wonderful things they have accomplished.
this is a fact in life: when changes happen, it’s always an opportunity to get better.
the dreaded/beloved Brent said: “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
Evan Hughes will grow and get better. TSL will grow get better.
because of you, including all of TSL, VT has grown and gotten better.
“We are Virginia Tech! We will prevail!” (Nikki Giovanni, April 2007)
congratulations, Evan, on the new jobs. you will be near, so we can check on you
as well as enjoy your broadcasts.
thank you Evan for all you have done to enrich VT, TSL, and all of us
who have had the privilege to enjoy your hard work, reporting and broadcasting.
i wish you well and continued Blessings – Prov 3:5,6.
and to your parents (wow! i had not heard this) and their labor of concern:
such an amazing ministry – touching precious young lives to give them hope,
security, tools to live and thrive, and a relationship with the One from Whose love
they cannot be separated – “well done! 70x 7.”
Go Hokies! Reach for Excellence.
I can only wish that someone would say something so nice about my son one day. Hopefully it isn’t his parole officer.
Best of Luck and continue the great work! He is very talented and I’ll miss him on the podcast.
This and more are just inevitable for Evan. Great work by Will to get him on and then as with all we’ve seen from Evan, he took the ball and ran! Congratulations!!
Congratulations Evan. You will be missed on the sideline podcast but it comes to no surprise because of your tireless contribution. Also hats off to Will Stewart for recognizing the raw talent and nurturing Evans growth. Filling Evans shoes will be difficult.
I suspect Bill Roth may have had a little something to do with this. Thanks to Will for letting him hone his skills. Good job Evan and good luck!
Awesome and congrats!
He certainly has the flare/x factor for the job…
Congrats Evan. You brought a level of professionalism to the podcast that enabled it to grow as it has. High bar set for the next student to take the stage at TSL HQ!
Wow, Congrats, while we hate to lose you on the Podcasts, many of us will now excitedly bring our radios for Women’s Basketball and Baseball. Hopefully this is the beginning of a great Hokies Brodcasting Career…Go Hokies!!!
Will, thanks for giving Evan a platform to excel and show his skills and passion for VT!
Great for Evan…..please tell Mr. Cunningham that Virginia Tech has a Ladies softball team, not baseball. Come on, where has he been…
I don’t understand.
Women’s basketball and (men’s) baseball. Where have you been…?
I’ll predict it now, one day in the future many years down the road, Evan Hughes, will induct Will Stewart into the Virginia Tech Hall Of Fame! Congratulations Evans, well deserved! You’ll do a great job.
Congratulations 🍾 to Evan and to the VT Communications Dept.
Worked on his signature expression yet?
“It’s HO-kee Spooorts News with Evan Huuuuughes!
OK, don’t have to use that one. Just wondering.
(Congrats!!!)
I manage money so being tied up during the day is reason enough for not listening to many podcasts. However, Evan’s rendition of the Tech Sideline show while also managing Will and Chris, is something that I do find time for at night or on occasional weekends.
Evan, thank you for the tireless energy and untold hours you’ve offered to make the show what it is today. You will be missed.
Go Hokies!
Congrats Evan & Malcolm! onward and upward!
Awesome! Hokies living their dreams!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!
Another one lost to the portal.
Congratulations to Evan! It’s been fun following him through his growth in the industry.
Portal Very good!
Wow! This is so awesome! Congratulations Evan! The entire TSL community should be so proud!
Congratulations Evan. The start of a great career.
Congrats to Evan, well deserved. What a great system Techsideline has in place, Enabling those that are interested in broadcasting to sharping their skills on the podcast.