UTM Skyhawk Athletics, Oldies 95.1 and WCMT are sponsoring a “Night with Pete Van Wieren” March 6.

Van Wieren is the primary voice of the Atlanta Braves radio network and telecasts. He will begin his 26th season as the play-by-play announcer for the Braves. He is an eight-time winner of the Georgia Sportscaster of the Year Award from the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. He also served as play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Hawks on TBS from 1991-94 and he has worked NBA games for TNT and TBS since 1986.

He will be visiting UTM in conjunction with Communications Career Day.

Van Wieren will speak and answer questions at 7:30 p.m. in the Boling University Center's Watkins Auditorium. Before this open meeting, a more personal “Dinner with Pete” will be held at 6 p.m., Room 206, Boling University Center.

“We are proud to co-sponsor this event,” said Paul Tinkle, president of Thunderbolt Broadcasting Company. “I have had a chance to meet with Pete, Don Sutton, Skip Caray and Joe Simpson every summer at the Braves' affiliates weekend and I can tell you Pete is a class act.”

“Oldies 95,” WCDZ 95.1 has Braves fans who listen in Northwest Tennessee, Southwest Kentucky and Southeast Missouri, so Pete's visit to UTM is really a great treat for Braves baseball fans in our area, Tinkle said.

“In my opinion Van Wieren is the most knowledgeable person in the country when it comes to professional baseball,” said Tinkle. “However, he also is knowledgeable in other areas having broadcasted professional football, college football (Big Ten) basketball and hockey during his career. This a great opportunity for fans to come hear and meet Pete talk sports and broadcasting. He really knows it all and since he’s worked with the Superstation (TBS) for so many years, this really allows fans to come and meet the man behind the microphone.”

In addition to Van Wieren's public appearances, he will be available March 7 to speak with UTM Communications majors about careers in Broadcasting and Public Relations.

“I'm pleased that Oldies 95.1 and WCMT are co-sponsoring this event, and their sponsorship fits great with Communications Career Day,” said Phil Dane, director of intercollegiate athletics at UTM.

“The Braves radio network and Superstation TBS have made Pete well-known throughout the nation, but I have followed the Braves for more than 20 years, long before it was cool to be a Braves fan, so I am extremely excited about his visit.”

Tickets for “Dinner with Pete” are $25 each and the reservation deadline is Feb. 28. Dinner reservations can be made by calling (731) 587-7685.