Bob Kesling is retiring as the Voice of the Vols after 26 years, Tennessee announced on Thursday. Kesling will continue on his duties until the end of basketball season before someone new steps into the role ahead of the 2025 football season.
“Bob’s influence has been remarkable, touching so many lives as the Voice of the Vols and through his heartfelt dedication as a mentor and leader in our Knoxville community for over 50 years,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said is a statement. “He embodies the true spirit of someone who has given his all for Tennessee. As an icon in the broadcasting industry, we are deeply appreciative of the professionalism he brings to Tennessee Athletics each time he takes the microphone. His contributions resonate with all of us here on Rocky Top and we cannot thank him enough for everything he has done.”
Kesling took over as Tennessee football and men’s basketball radio play-by-play man in 1999 after the legendary John Ward held the position for the first 35 years of the Vol Network. He is holding a press conference at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon to discuss his retirement.
While Kesling didn’t call a ton of success for Tennessee on the football field, he was the Vols’ radio play-by-play announcer for the best era in Tennessee basketball history. He called 15 NCAA Tournament teams including eight Sweet 16 runs and the only two Elite Eight runs in Tennessee men’s basketball history. He also was the announcer for four SEC Regular-Season Champions and Tennessee’s only SEC Tournament Championship in the last 40 years.
A 1976 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Kesling is no stranger to calling success on the hardwood. Before his time as the Voice of the Vols, Kesling spent 22 years as the play-by-play announcer of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team where he was on the call for Pat Summitt’s first six National Championships.
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“Bob Kesling has been the soundtrack to the memories of generations of Vols fans,” Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement. “From his calls of Pat Summitt’s six national championships to the 2022 football win over Alabama, he has cemented his place in Tennessee Athletics history.”
Kesling worked under John Ward for 15 seasons at the beginning of his professional career. He went on to serve as the Sports Director at WIVK radio in Knoxville for four years and WBIR-TV for 19 years before accepting the position to be the Voice of the Vols in 1999.
In addition to his roles with WBIR, Kesling worked as a basketball television announcer for Jefferson-Pilot Sports for 11 years and as a football announcer for Jefferson-Pilot Sports for seven years.
Kesling is also a member of the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.
While Tennessee football’s 2024 season wanes down, Kesling has the opportunity to call success on the football field for Tennessee that he hasn’t for most of his career.
“Bob Kesling is a cornerstone in our proud 75-year history of the Vol Network,” Vol Network Vice President and General Manager Steve Early said in a statement. “It will be hard to imagine a football Saturday without the presence of such a skilled and dedicated story-teller. … To me, he personifies loyalty and what it means to be a big-time professional. The Vol Network is better because of Bob Kesling.”
Tennessee has yet to name Bob Kesling’s replacement but two obvious options would be Voice of the Titans Mike Keith and legendary Vol baseball radio announcer John Wilkerson. Both are University of Tennessee graduates.
