University Park, PA — Before his voice bellowed through Rec Hall above thousands of screaming fans, a young Jeff Byers once sat in those very stands – anxiously awaiting a Nittany Lion victory.
He grew up an athlete, trying to mimic the charisma and talent of the past Penn State greats. Though Byers knew he lacked the skills needed to step on the collegiate mat, he realized that instead of being the face of Penn State wrestling, he'd have to be the voice.
"I followed Penn State wrestling very closely from the time I was 7 or 8 years old. I loved the sport, but just wasn't very good at it," Byers laughed. "I did get an appreciation of it through my dad."
His passion for athletics remained at the forefront as he began his freshman year at Penn State. Even with an unsuccessful attempt of trying to walk onto the Penn State football team, Byers never let his dreams go out of sight.
"Since I developed a love for wrestling at a very early age, I knew I wanted to get into a medium of some sort – whether it be radio, television, or newspaper writing," Byers said. "I knew I wanted to do something along those lines and always had this idea of possibly covering sports."
Though he now stands as the longest-tenured wrestling broadcaster in the nation, Byer's success didn't always come easy.
The Penn State alum started off at the campus radio station, tirelessly learning to write for newscasts. He then jumped at the opportunity to work for WRSC radio station to learn the basics of board operations – all while making a few bucks to fuel his college needs. But while one second he's learning the basics of broadcasting, soon after, Byers was met with a career-changing opportunity: a chance to broadcast the Penn State versus Iowa match.
"Of course, I jumped at the opportunity," Byers said. "By my senior year, I was doing all of the matches and have done them since. Part of it was just being in the right place at the right time, but the other part of it was knowing that I wanted to get that type of opportunity and peruse it. Radio became my passion very early on at Penn State."
Not only does he have 30 years of play-by-play under his belt, but Byers also boasts a multi-time national wrestling voice-of-the-year title. During his time with the Lions, he watched Penn State grow into the powerhouse dynasty it's considered today.
"It gets exciting to see the new faces coming in each year, and to see the same faces as they go along," Byers said. "I love to see how these kids grow and mature – not only as an athlete but also as members of the community. I think I draw some energy from the kids themselves and obviously the coaches, as well."
Rec Hall regulars are no stranger to Byers' fanatical commentary sprinkled with astonished and comedic ad-libs. He's in tune with the match, but draws his emotion from the fan's reactions, making him one of the most compelling, interactive storytellers.
"I have a connection with the fans, and I think for me, that's probably one of the most rewarding things about my job," Byers said. "Knowing that fans are relying on me for accurate information, an honest assessment of what I'm seeing and what is happening in the bout as the match unfolds. I have a passion for the sport and a passion for the school."
Even as a seasoned broadcast veteran, Byers never takes a match for granted. He uses each as an opportunity to learn from his peers and better his broadcasts. And being in a work environment surrounded by national champions, trained Olympians and famous coaches only fuels his drive and passion.
"Just being surrounded by people that want to excel and succeed at the highest level rubs off on you a little bit," Byers said. "You want to improve your game. You want to look at ways to become better at what you're doing. So, I think that's a tremendous benefit from being around this program."
As one of the most well-versed commentators, his fanbase grows with every broadcast but Byers made it his main goal to use his platform and voice to further the national reach and exposure of collegiate wrestling.
"Another rewarding thing for me is hearing of people who aren't wrestling fans until they started listening to my broadcast," Byers said. "That is exceptionally gratifying because what I'm wanting to do with the broadcast is to promote the sport, promote the program, and build the fanbase, which is unrivaled."
While he may never step on the collegiate mat in a singlet, Byers took a childhood passion and turned himself into one of the most well-recognized figures of Penn State wrestling. Because behind every takedown, pin, or victory, Byers has always been the team's number one fan.
"There really have been a lot of great moments and great memories for me – going back to that very first match. That will always be very special getting to call a Penn State-Iowa match to a sold-out crowd at Rec Hall and all of the excitement that comes with it," Byers said. "That's certainly a memory I'll take to my grave."