Tributes, thanks and well wishes have been delivered in abundance over the past three weeks as longtime KVOE Sports Director and Emporia State play-by-play voice Greg Rahe begins a new chapter in his life.
Rahe and his wife, Bernie, are moving to Lawrence, meaning Rahe will end his career at KVOE after nearly 36 years of broadcasting.
KVOE’s On-Air Chat Wednesday became an on-air tribute to Rahe’s work and the impact he has had, both on local sports and the people involved. The work ethic is what jumped immediately to mind for former Emporia State athletics director Kent Weiser.
Coaches on the program included Emporia State softball coach April Rosales, former women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider, former men’s basketball coaches David Moe and Shaun Vandiver, former baseball coach Bob Fornelli, current soccer coach Bryan Sailer and current men’s basketball coach Craig Doty — who called Rahe the “Johnny Carson” of local sports.
Former women’s basketball coach Jory Collins says Rahe was the right person for the job.
Current football coach Garin Higgins says Rahe has had a bigger impact on local sports than many people realize.
Emporia High Athletics Director Beau Welch says Rahe has “meant the world” to Emporia sports.
Mitch Holthus, the voice of the Kansas City Chiefs, was part of the tribute.
Broadcasting colleagues also included Fort Hays State broadcaster Gerard Wellbrock, Washburn broadcaster Jake Lebahn and Pittsburg State voice Eddie Lomshek.
Rahe started the program by thanking Emporia’s Radio Stations owner Steve Sauder and others.
Sauder says Rahe’s effort and reliability are unmatched.
Emporia State Associate Athletics Director and Head of Media Relations Don Weast says Rahe has called an estimated 330 football games, 1,500 basketball games, 100 baseball and softball games, 700-plus episodes of Hornet Talk and a volleyball game for ESU. Weast also says Rahe has traveled “conservatively” around 250,000 miles to cover Emporia State athletics, or enough to travel around the globe at the Equator over 10 times.
A nine-time winner of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ top honors for play-by-play, sports features and sportscasts, Rahe won the KAB’s Hod Humiston award in 2018 for his contributions to sports broadcasting and his community work. He was inducted into the ESU Hall of Honor last year, becoming the first person inducted who didn’t play, coach, work for or attend the university.
Blake Cripps, the voice of Newman University Jets athletics the last 10 years, will begin as the voice of Emporia State athletics and KVOE’s operations manager Aug. 7.
