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On Tuesday morning, ESPN paid tribute to veteran broadcaster Pam Ward with a heartfelt video, marking her retirement after nearly 30 years in the industry.
The tribute, lasting close to two and a half minutes, included accolades from WNBA icons such as Tamika Catchings and Rebecca Lobo, Fever coach Stephanie White, and fellow broadcaster Holly Rowe, among others.
“You’ve been an inspiration to me,” Rowe expressed in the tribute. “Your bravery in calling college football games has always impressed me. You’ve been incredible for so long, and I hope you reflect on your career with the joy and pride you’ve earned.”
Ward embarked on her ESPN journey in 1996 as an anchor for ESPNEWS. Most recently, she lent her voice as a play-by-play commentator for women’s college basketball, college softball, and WNBA games, according to her ESPN profile.
In a groundbreaking moment in 2000, Ward became the first woman to ever call a Division I college football game, covering the Bowling Green vs. Toledo match on ESPN2 on November 22nd.
The 2001 season marked her first full year calling college football after previously serving as a sideline reporter for ESPN2 broadcasts in 1996.
She earned the Jake Wade Award in 2010 from the College Sports Communicators, which is “presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the media to the field of intercollegiate athletics.”
During her time with the WorldWide Leader, she also appeared on shows like “WNBA Shootaround,” “NBA Today,” “NFL Tonight” and “NHL 2Night,” and hosted “The NFL on ESPN Radio” and pre- and postgame shows for MLB broadcasts on ESPN Radio.
“I’m going to miss sitting next to you calling WNBA games or college games,” Lobo said in the ESPN video. “The first college game I ever did as an analyst, you were my play-by-play. You took very good care of me that 25 years and you’ve taken very good care of me ever since.
“You’ve been awesome ever since I’ve known you, and I appreciate everything you helped me do throughout my time at ESPN.”
