Florida State announces new Voice of the Seminoles for football, basketball

Following the retirement of longtime announcer Gene Deckerhoff, Florida State has a new Voice of the Seminoles. LEARFIELD’s Seminole Sports Properties hired Jeff Culhane as the new director of broadcasting and voice of Seminoles football and basketball.

“Jeff Culhane is an exciting hire for our department and fans,” AD Michael Alford said. “He is a talented, experienced play-by-play voice who has called many postseason games across multiple sports while also creating content for the programs he has worked with and their affiliate radio networks. This position attracted nationwide interest, and Jeff’s unique abilities continued to rise to the top. I look forward to how Jeff will help tell the stories of our student-athletes, coaches and department through this expanded role.”

“It is truly an honor to be named play-by-play voice for the Florida State Seminoles,” Culhane said. “To follow in the footsteps of a legend like Gene Deckerhoff is an opportunity and a challenge I will look to live up to every single day. My family and I can’t wait to get to Tallahassee and immerse ourselves in all the traditions of Florida State. Go Noles!”

Culhane begins his new role on July 1 and he will call his first FSU game on Aug. 27 – the football team’s season opener against Duquesne.

Former Voice of the Seminoles, Gene Deckerhoff retired after 43 years on the mic this spring.

More about Jeff Culhane

“For the past six years, Culhane has been the voice of North Dakota State football, men’s basketball and baseball,” Florida State shared in a press release. “In his role at NDSU, Culhane was the play-by-play announcer for four FCS National Championship Games, two men’s basketball NCAA Tournament appearances and one NCAA Baseball Regional appearance. He also coordinated affiliate relations for the Bison Radio Network while developing a sports radio station in Fargo and hosting a daily show on the network.

“Culhane handled play-by-play duties for West Virginia women’s basketball and baseball from 2013-16 while also hosting the Mountaineer Tailgate Show and 5th Quarter Show for football as well as the Mountaineer Insider Podcast, a weekly feature for WVU’s official athletics website. At Nebraska from 2007-13, he produced and served as the studio host for football, men’s basketball and baseball broadcasts. In addition, he hosted Sports Nightly and The Nebraska High School Scoreboard Show.

“Prior to his time at Nebraska, Culhane was the play-by-play voice for South Dakota women’s basketball and held multiple broadcasting roles throughout the state from 2001-2007.”