IRVING, Texas (May 5, 2016) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that University of Washington play-by-play announcer Bob Rondeau will be the 2016 recipient of the NFF Chris Schenkel Award. Presented annually since 1996, the award recognizes individuals who have had long, distinguished careers broadcasting college football with direct ties to a specific university. Rondeau will be honored Dec. 6 during the 59^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the historic Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

“Bob Rondeau has had an exceptional broadcasting career as the Voice of the Huskies, spanning more than 35 years, and during that time, his voice has become synonymous with one of the greatest college football traditions in the country,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are pleased to honor him with the 2016 NFF Chris Schenkel Award in recognition of his distinguished career.”

Rondeau begins his 36^th season as the play-by-play voice of Washington football this fall (1980-2016). He began broadcasting games for the Huskies in 1978 as an analyst alongside legendary Seattle sportscaster Bruce King before taking over the main play-by-play duties in 1981. Rondeau has also served as the voice of Husky basketball for 30 years.

After graduating from the University of Colorado, Rondeau bounced around different news stations in Denver and Phoenix. He launched his sportscasting career in 1977 by recording himself calling horse races from the roof of the press box at Turf Paradise Race Course, a horse racing track in Phoenix. Discouraged and about to discontinue his sportscasting dream, he received two offers from Seattle radio stations, accepting the sports director job at KOMO.

The following year, KOMO landed the broadcast rights for Washington football and basketball games. The station hired King and paired him with Rondeau, who had never called football play-by-play, to cover the Huskies. When King left two years later, Rondeau assumed the lead role as the Voice of the Huskies.

During his three-decade career in Seattle, Rondeau has covered some of Washington’s greatest coaches and student-athletes, including College Football Hall of Famers Steve Emtman, Lincoln Kennedy and coach Don James, and NFF National Scholar Athletes Dan Eernissee, Hugh Millen, David Rill and Jim Nevelle. His time at Washington has included the 1991 national championship, seven Pac-10 championships, four Heisman Trophy finalists and countless legendary calls.

Rondeau represents the fourth Schenkel Award recipient with ties to the Pac-12 Conference, joining broadcasters Bob Robertson (Washington State, 2004), Larry Zimmer (Colorado, 2009) and Joe Starkey (California, 2010).

Rondeau will be honored Dec. 6 during the 59^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the historic Waldorf Astoria in New York City. He will accept his award alongside the recipients of the other NFF Major Awards, including College Football Hall of Fame coach and AFCA Executive Director Emeritus Grant Teaff (the recipient of the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award) and the yet-to-be announced recipients of the NFF Gold Medal, the NFF Distinguished American Award and the NFF John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration.

In addition to the presentation of the NFF Major Awards, the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner will provide the stage for the induction of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the presentation of the 2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments; and the bestowing of the 27^th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and displayed at its official home inside the New York Athletic Club, to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete.

This year’s College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Marlin Briscoe (Nebraska Omaha), Derrick Brooks (Florida State), Tom Cousineau (Ohio State), Randall Cunningham (UNLV), Troy Davis (Iowa State), William Fuller (North Carolina), Bert Jones (LSU), Tim Krumrie (Wisconsin), Pat McInally (Harvard), Herb Orvis (Colorado), Bill Royce (Ashland [Ohio]), Mike Utley (Washington State), Scott Woerner (Georgia), Rod Woodson (Purdue) and coaches Bill Bowes (New Hampshire) and Frank Girardi (Lycoming [Pa.]). The 2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class will be announced in late October, and the winner of the Campbell Trophy will be announced live at the event on Dec. 6.

For ticket information regarding the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact NFF Director of External Relations Will Rudd at 972.556.1000 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

NFF Chris Schenkel Award Recipients:

1996 — Chris Schenkel (ABC Sports)
1997 — Jack Cristil (Mississippi State)
1998 — Max Falkenstein (Kansas)
1999 — Jack Fleming (West Virginia)
2000 — Ray Christensen (Minnesota)
2001 — Frank Fallon (Baylor)
2002 — Bob Brooks (Iowa)
2003 — Larry Munson (Georgia)
2004 — Bob Robertson (Washington State)
2005 — Tony Roberts (Notre Dame)
2006 — Johnny Holiday (Maryland)
2007 — Bill Hillgrove (Pittsburgh)
2008 — Bob Curtis (Idaho) and Dick Galiette (Yale)
2009 — Larry Zimmer (Colorado)
2010 — Joe Starkey (California)
2011 — Woody Durham (North Carolina)
2012 — Bob Barry, Sr. (Oklahoma)
2013 — Gene Deckerhoff (Florida State)
2014 — Frank Beckmann (Michigan)
2015 — Jim Hawthorne (LSU)
2016 — Bob Rondeau (Washington)


About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include FootballMatters.org, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.