A “wild ride” makes Matt Chazanow the voice of NC State football

Before his very first professional college broadcast Matt Chazanow He was sweating in the High Point women’s basketball team’s charter bus. The Panthers were on their way to Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh to play Kay Yows wolf pack, but they got stuck in a traffic jam.

Chazanow, then an aspiring 21-year-old broadcaster, was in full gear and excited to begin his broadcasting career. Eventually, the bus pulled into the NC State parking lot and he made the play on the sidelines.

It was his first taste of broadcasting. He overcame his nerves and made the broadcast – a 78-48 Wolfpack victory over the Panthers to open the 2006 season.

“I had no idea who was listening – if anyone,” Chazanow told TheWolfpacker.com. “I couldn’t have been more excited. Nervous, sweating – the whole thing. It was just great.”

That November night may have been the right time for Chazanow to break into the college commentating scene. Today, 17 years and four jobs later, he has climbed the career ladder to become NC States’ leading commentator for men’s football and basketball.

The Wolf Pack appointed Chazanow as the university’s fifth voice in June, replacing Gary Hahn After 34 years in the radio booth, it’s been a tumultuous month for the station. Chazanow, a Syracuse graduate from New Jersey, moved with his family back to the Tar Heel State from Pullman, Washington, where he was the voice of Washington state.

It’s the latest chapter in Chazanow’s professional career, which has seen him live in North Carolina except for one stint – the last nine years in Washington state. He spent his freshman year in High Point before spending nearly two years at UNC Greensboro and nine years at IMG Media’s headquarters in Winston-Salem.

“It was a wild ride,” Chazanow said of his career. “It was an adventure.”

Chazanow has come a long way since his days on the bus at High Point and is grateful for the opportunity to follow in Hahn’s footsteps. The Wolfpack’s three previous announcers each spent more than a decade in the booth before Hahn spent more than 30 years behind the microphone.

While this is not a major challenge for Chazanow, he said, there will be some pressure for him to follow a well-known Raleigh representative.

“There’s definitely pressure and you’re trying to make everyone happy,” Chazanow said. “I want everyone to be really happy with all of this – with this living, breathing show. I think trust is something you have to earn and it’s not a process you can rush.”

Chazanow embraces his new role with “great gratitude” after moving to NC State. As a new voice, he knew listeners would have to go through a learning curve to get used to a new person on the radio.

But at the same time, he likes that the Pack’s fans are passionate about the music they listen to.

“If your work is important and you’re in it, what else can you ask for?” Chazanow said. “This is an opportunity to make your work important. … I think with that comes a certain level of understanding that you’re coming into this after 34 years and I’m the new guy.”

Although it certainly takes some getting used to being the “new guy,” Chazanow has taken a quote from Maya Angelou to heart: “People don’t remember what you say, they remember how you make them feel.”

That quote sums up Chazanow’s attitude toward his work behind the microphone, and that won’t change at NC State. In fact, he hopes he can continue to serve as the eyes and ears for as many Wolfpack fans as they prefer to tune in to the radio broadcast during the season when the Pack is on the football field or the hardwood floor.

“I think humility is important, so I’m very grateful for these opportunities because I get to do something I love,” Chazanow said. “Ultimately, the older I’ve gotten with it, the more I appreciate the ability to bring this cause to Wolfpack fans that means so much to so many people. I have the gift and the opportunity to carry on what Gary Hahn accomplished.”

This trait seemed to be a major reason why NC State decided to hire Chazanow

“Chaz understands that this role is not just about commentating on games, but also about creating special moments and memories for Wolfpack fans of all ages,” said NC State Athletic Director Boo Corrigan said in a statement. “Not only is he a very talented broadcaster, but he will be a great representative of our university, our brand and our culture.”

Chazanow is looking forward to commentating games this fall with Johnny Evans And Tony Haynes by his side. He doesn’t take this job lightly and Chazanow’s winding path led him back to North Carolina.

The commentator is brimming with confidence and enthusiasm – both things he hopes to convey on the radio when NC State opens the 2024 season against Western Carolina on August 29 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

“I’m thrilled,” Chazanow said. “I couldn’t be more excited. It’s an incredible opportunity. It’s the best place – NC State is incredible. I’ve always admired it. … I can’t wait to dive in.”