JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — For the past 38 years, Wyoming Cowboy football and basketball fans have been able to turn on their radios and hear the iconic voice of play-by-play announcer Dave Walsh. Now that era, that began in 1984, is coming to an end as Walsh is announcing his retirement as “Voice of the Cowboys.”
Fortunately, for Wyoming fans, they will hear another familiar voice step into the role as “Voice of the Cowboys” as Reece Monaco takes over the play-by-play duties for both Cowboy football and basketball. The announcement was made jointly on Friday by the University of Wyoming Athletics Department and LEARFIELD, the multimedia rights holder for University of Wyoming Athletics.
Only three individuals have held the title of “Voice of the Cowboys” on a consistent basis from 1947 to today. From 1947 until 1985, Larry Birleffi described the play-by-play action for the Cowboys.
Walsh was originally hired by broadcasting legend and Wyoming alumnus Curt Gowdy in 1984. Walsh began his Wyoming career as the color analyst for Cowboy football games and took over the play-by-play duties for Wyoming basketball in 1984. In 1985, Walsh took over as the play-by-play voice of Cowboy football and continued in that role through the 2021 football season.
In 2020, Monaco moved into the chair as play-by-play announcer for Cowboy basketball, while Walsh continued to call Wyoming football games. Now Monaco becomes the third individual to hold the full-time title of “Voice of the Cowboys” for both sports.
“Seeing Dave step away completely is difficult for someone like me who grew up listening to Dave tell the great stories of Wyoming football and basketball,” said Tom Burman, University of Wyoming Athletics Director. “On behalf of our athletics department and as a fan myself, I want to thank Dave for his outstanding work for the past 38 years. He has been a great ambassador of UW Athletics, and we will be forever grateful.”
“It has been a privilege to be the ‘Voice of the Cowboys’ for 38 years,” Walsh said. “I truly feel like I’ve had the best play-by-play job in America. The people of Wyoming have been fantastic to me and my family. I feel truly blessed to have enjoyed so many wonderful relationships with fans, players, coaches and athletic support staff through the years, as well as sharing great relationships with other broadcasters around our state and around the country. Thanks to the people of Wyoming and all the best to Reece (Monaco), who has already proven what an outstanding broadcaster he is.”
As for Monaco, he was humbled by the promotion and the chance to take over for a legend.
“I am incredibly honored,” Monaco said. “My first experience with Wyoming football and basketball was listening to Dave Walsh and Kevin McKinney. Dave is and will always be the ‘Voice of the Cowboys’ to an entire generation of Cowboys fans and will be greatly missed by me and the fans who have grown to love his amazing voice”
