Cardidi

Tony Caridi has been selected the winner of the 2026 Morehouse Award by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Caridi has been the play-by-play announcer for West Virginia University football and men’s basketball since 1997.

The award is given for contributions to journalism and named for the late Marshall University sports information director Gene Morehouse, who died in the 1970 airplane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall football players, coaches, staff and fans. The award has been given since 1971.

Caridi will be presented the Morehouse Award at the 79th Victory Awards, Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Charleston Town Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

Caridi is known by his catchphrase following a WVU victory, “It’s a great night to be a Mountaineer, wherever you may be!”

That resounding statement along with the longevity of his bringing the pageantry and atmosphere of WVU games into Mountaineers fans’ homes secured the Lockport, New York native’s place in their hearts.

“It’s an honor to do the job that I do because of the significance that it has for people who listen,” said Caridi. “The play-by-play job is only as good as the passion of the fan base. Every time West Virginia plays, there are people who are locked in emotionally. That’s what give this job such great value, knowing that it means so much.”

Caridi’s career in West Virginia began in 1984 as a reporter with WAJR-AM in Morgantown.

“When you have your first job out of college become the place where you stay for the rest of your career, I could never have believed it,” Caridi said. “But that’s what happened. There’s always been reasons to stay, for positive reasons. It’s been nothing but a blessing that this opportunity came to me and has continued to grow over the course of time.”

He became an instrumental part of the MetroNews Radio Network in its beginning, as its sports director and host of the statewide radio program, Sportsline.

He has also broadcast games for the Atlantic 10 Television Network, ESPN and the Mutual Radio Network.

A graduate of Syracuse University, he has been inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2022 and Syracuse University’s WAER Hall of Fame in 2023.

Caridi and his wife Joan have three sons, Michael, Andrew and Matthew. They also have two grandchildren, Luca and Noah.

Past Recipients

The Morehouse Award is given for contributions to journalism and named for the late Marshall University sports information director Gene Morehouse, who died in the 1970 airplane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall football players, coaches, staff and fans. The award has been given by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association since 1971.

2026 – Tony Caridi, Mountaineer Sports Network

2025 – John Antonik, WVU

2024 – Bob Hertzel, Morgantown

2023 – Frank Giardina, Charleston

2022 – Mark Martin, Jackson Herald/WCHS-TV

2021 – Chris Johnson, Clarksburg

2020 – Rich Stevens, Wheeling/Charleston

2019 – Dan Stillwell, Beckley Register-Herald

2018 – Dave Morrison, Beckley

2017 – Jim Butta, Parkersburg News and Sentinel

2016 – Jack Bogaczyk, Charleston Daily Mail/Marshall

2015 – Rick Kozlowski, Martinsburg Journal

2014 – Rick McCann, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

2013 – Greg Talkington, Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram

2012 – Randy Payton, Wayne County News

2011 – Rick Ryan, Charleston Gazette

2010 – Dave Poe, Parkersburg News

2009 – Dave Walsh, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

2008 – Cliff Nichols, Fairmont Times-West Virginian

2007 – Mitch Vingle, Charleston Gazette

2006 – Robert Ours, Morgantown

2005 – Norman Julian, Morgantown

2004 – Jim Warner, Buckhannon

2003 – Eddie Barrett, Huntington

2002 – George Holbrook, Charleston

2001 – Mike Whiteford, Charleston Gazette

2000 – Jim Cochran, Wheeling News-Register

1999 – Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette

1998 – Chuck Landon, Charleston Daily Mail

1997 – Scott Brown, Beckley Register-Herald

1996 – Jack Fleming, Mountaineer Sports Network

1995 – Bob Staats, Ravenswood Star News

1994 – Carroll Jett, Parkersburg News and Sentinel

1993 – John Veasey, Fairmont Times-Virginian

1992 – Doug Huff, Wheeling Intelligencer

1991 – Bob Fretwell, Charleston Gazette

1990 – Nick Bedway, Wheeling News-Register

1989 – Skip Johnson, Charleston Gazette

1988 – Lowell Cade, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

1987 – Jim Mearns, Clarksburg Exponent

1986 – Al Babcock, Fairmont Times

1985 – Jack Rogers, Point Pleasant Register

1984 – Frank Lee, WMMN radio, Fairmont

1983 – Bob Baker, Charleston Gazette

1982 – Jim Van Zant, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

1981 – Don Hager, Charleston Daily Mail

1980 – Dan Hose, United Press International Charleston

1979 – Bill Van Horne, Wheeling News-Register

1978 – Bill Smith, Charleston Daily Mail

1977 – Ernie Salvatore, Huntington Herald-Dispatch; Bus Williams, St. Albans Advertiser

1976 – Brad Kincaid, Parkersburg Sentinel; Neil Shreve, Fairmont Times

1975 – Charles Hylton, Logan Banner; Jim Snyder, Parkersburg News

1974 – John Faulconer, Hinton Daily News; Mickey Furfari, Morgantown Dominion-News

1973 – Dick Hudson, Charleston Daily Mail; Tony Constantine, Morgantown Post

1972 – George W. Springer, Beckley Post-Herald; Fred Burns, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

1971 – A.L. “Shorty” Hardman, Charleston Gazette; Virgil “Stubby” Currence, Bluefield.