NC State’s magical run to the Final Four fell short of a storybook ending on Saturday night.
However, their Cinderella run extended the career of longtime NC State radio play-by-play broadcaster Gary Hahn, who announced in October that he would retire following the Wolfpack’s men’s basketball season.
But Saturday’s 63-50 loss to Purdue ended Hahn’s career as a broadcaster.
“My time is up, and I thank you for yours.”
The 34 year career as the voice of @PackAthletics comes to an end. Thank you Gary for the many memorable moments on @PackRadio pic.twitter.com/Rw9b5SJG0h
— Jeff Gravley (@JGravleySPORTS) April 7, 2024
Hahn, who joined the Wolfpack Sports Network before the 1990-91 athletic year, was named North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year in 2011 and 2020, though he’s also weathered some recent controversy.
It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that NC State (17-14, 9-11 Atlantic Coastal Conference), which entered the 2024 ACC Tournament as a 10-seed, would see its season end in Greensboro. Any loss between now and its Final Four run would’ve eliminated the Wolfpack, but Kevin Keatts’ team was able to rifle off nine straight wins before having that streak snapped on Saturday.
After the Wolfpack earned an automatic bid for the 2024 NCAA Tournament, they knocked off No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 14 Oakland, No. 2 Marquette and No. 4 Duke. NC State was able to run through the South region, but a dance with Zach Edey and Purdue proved to be just too much.
And as time ran out on NC State’s season, it also ran out on Hahn’s illustrious radio career. After 34 years in the booth, he signed off.
“So as this broadcast comes to a close, so does my 34-year career as the radio play-by-play voice of NC State basketball and football,” Hahn began. “And I’d just like to take a few minutes — if you don’t mind — to say a couple of words that we don’t say enough in our culture, and that’s ‘Thank you,’ before I leave the air tonight.”
Last night, Gary Hahn’s 34-year career as the Voice of @PackAthletics came to an end after a sensational run to the Final Four.
After the game, in the postgame show, Gary offered his farewell… pic.twitter.com/06z8mZRfsB
— LEARFIELD Audio (@LEARFIELDAudio) April 7, 2024
While Hahn’s thank you speech was lengthy, his most heartfelt words went to the audience.
“I want to thank you, listeners, because you’re the real VIPs,” Hahn added. “Without you, I’d have no job. And your support and kindness has been incredible, as I mentioned earlier. And it’s been incredible, especially over the past 15 months. And I just want you to know that everything I tried to do in the 34 years that I’ve been at NC State, everything that’s come out of that speaker, has been designed to serve you and represent our advertisers and NC State at the most professional level possible.
“Thank you for listening. Thank you for all the feedback over the years. You’re wonderful. I’ll never forget the big roar of approval and the standing ovation you gave me during the last home basketball game on March 3. I just wished my mother could’ve either heard it or witnessed it…Thank you for all that tribute on March 3rd.”
Before the NCAA Tournament, Hahn told WXII he could go six more games and a national championship “real easy.”
Their dream run ended after five games, one short of facing UConn in the national title game. It wasn’t in the cards, but Hahn didn’t seem to mind. He likely envisioned his farewell without such a thrilling — and unexpected — tournament performance.
“In Pittsburgh, and then in Dallas, and then here in Phoenix, I’ve had so many people come up to me and say so many nice things and so many kind words,” said Hahn. “‘I’ve been listening to you all my life’ and ‘We’re gonna miss you
and ‘Thank you for 34 years of wonderful service.’ And it’s just been great. I couldn’t go through the hotel lobby (Saturday) without 5 or 6 people wanting pictures. I was floored. I couldn’t believe it.”
With a bittersweet farewell, Hahn signed off, his voice forever etched in the memories of Wolfpack fans.
“Just about every broadcast for the last 20 years, I prayed to God I’d be glorified, and I’d be forgotten,” said the now-former voice of NC State athletics. “Well, now it’s time for me to be forgotten. My time is up, and I thank you for yours for the last 34 years.”
[Jeff Gravley, Learfield Audio on X]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.