The man behind Athletics’ in-stadium voice
PHOTO COURTESY KRISTELLA CRUZ
Those who have been to any university athletics event have most likely heard Tony Forina, the voice behind games at UTRGV and legacy institution University of Texas-Pan American.
Forina has been a public address announcer at the university’s athletics venues for 31 years and has witnessed many standout moments in the history of several athletics programs.
He began his career at the age of 19 as a public address announcer for youth baseball games in Alamo.
As a student at the legacy institution, Forina was visiting the Fieldhouse when Doug Duff, former marketing director for UTPA athletics, offered him an opportunity to announce at basketball games.
“[Duff] saw me and said … ‘Hey, you’re that kid that’s announcing the baseball tournaments,’” Forina said. “He said ‘Well, how would you like to announce our basketball games?’ and I just kinda looked at him like, ‘Sure.’”
He has voiced a lot of history at UTRGV’s sports venues, including game winners and walk-offs.
Forina said he is at a point in his career where it is more “fun” to see former student athletes that he has announced.
“I’ve had the opportunity to announce so many different players,” Forina said. “And I’m kind of thrilled because now I’m getting to announce their kids and see these former players come back.”
His favorite memory was when the UTPA Men’s Basketball Team upset ranked Air Force Academy (No. 27 ESPN) at a packed Fieldhouse in 2004. The Broncs defeated the Falcons 37-35.
“It was an incredible game,” Forina said. “Really, to watch the Fieldhouse come to life the way it did. Obviously, the other games that are so historic and monumental, [such as] Texas coming to play men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball … those have all been great memories there.”
Forina said he looks up to late New York Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard as an example.
“One of the takeaways I took from Bob Sheppard of the Yankees when he would announce a player, he would always come back and announce it a second time,” he said. “I do it for the opposing team so we can work our fans into it.”
He used Sheppard’s repeating of player names and places his own spin on it to engage crowds at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium for the “who … cares” chants.
Forina said the opportunity to announce games for the Broncs and, now, the Vaqueros “means the world” to him.
“When other teams have told me not to come back, the university was always there for me,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to give back to the community and give back to the school I attended, and it’s just something I really enjoy.”
Sara Hernandez, the associate athletic director for Marketing and Strategic Initiatives for UTRGV Athletics, has worked alongside Forina for almost 10 years and said working with him has been “great.”
“One of the best things working with him is he’s also taught me a lot,” Hernandez said. “Not only do I get to lead him on the department side, but he also gets to teach me a lot.”
Valerie Castillo, a graduate of UTRGV’s Class of 2023, has attended several UTRGV games and has heard Forina over the mic.
“[Forina] makes it exciting,” Castillo said. “I like how he announced the games, he does a good job.”
