Saint Louis FC officially have a broadcast team. Bill McDermott and Bob Ramsey will be “The Voice” of STL FC for the 2015 season. The club also announced the signings of three St. Louis natives to the team’s 2015 roster: Jack Mathis, Mike Roach, and Chad Vandegriffe. This brings the club’s roster to 19 players.
McDermott and Ramsey will do play-by-play and color commentary for home games this season. All home matches can be heard on 500 KTRS radio. All USL matches, home or away, will be streamed live on Youtube. “We’re excited to have Bill and Bob on board this season. Their enthusiasm for the game will only bolster the experience of our fans,” said General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh.
McDermott made it onto the soccer broadcast scene in 1979 with ESPN. His first broadcast was a match between Saint Louis University and UCLA. With a 40 year career, he is currently the longest-serving soccer broadcaster in the United States. McDermott also serves as the public address announces for SLU succer. “It’s a real privilege for me to be involved,” McDermott said. “I’m looking forward to watching this new group of players re-establish St. Louis’ identity and place on the national soccer map.”
Ramsey serves as the voice of SLU basketball on 101.1 ESPN Radio and is one of the co-hosts on “The Drive Home Presented by GFI Digital” on CBS Sports 920. He said “I’m very excited about being involved with the return of professional soccer to St Louis. This is a big moment for the community, and getting the opportunity to work with Bill McDermott is big for me as well. I’m really looking forward to it.”
McDermott and Ramsey will have the call of Saturday’s preseason friendly between Saint Louis FC and Tulsa Roughnecks FC. Fans can listen to the match on 550 KTRS.
Mathis (midfielder, 22, 6′ 0”) is a Chesterfield, MO native and played college soccer at Drury University. He received First Team All-GLVC honors and First Team All-NSCAA Midwest Region honors in 2014. He made 74 starts and scored 17 goals for the Panthers, including nine game-winners. Mathis played prep soccer at DeSmet High School in St. Louis and was part of the 5A State Championship in 2010.
“The coaching staff is very excited to have Jack on the roster,” said Schilly. “He’s very technical, a good passer, and has a creative way of solving problems within a game. We are anxious to see how he continues to develop in a professional environment.”
Roach (forward, 26, 6′ 8”) was selected in the fourth round MLS Supplemental Draft in 2012 by the New England Revolution. He made ten appearances with the Revs. The St. Louis native played a year of college soccer at Indiana University, before playing three years at SLU. He finished his Billikens career with 14 goals and seven assists in 34 caps. He played with the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 2013-14 season.
“Mike has had a very solid preseason,” said Head Coach Dale Schilly. “Day in and day out, he has brought an admirable level of intensity to each training session. Mike has good feet, a high work ethic, and good attacking insight. Those attributes will allow him to help press and disrupt the flow of the opposition.”
Vandergriffe (defender, 25, 6′ 0”) plaed this past year with the St. Louis Ambush alongside Roach. The defender started playing college soccer at SMU, before transferring to SLU. He started 26 matches for the Billikens and earned an honorable mention All-Atlantic 10 Conference in 2010 and was a member of the A10 Conference All-Tournament team in 2012. A St. Louis native, Vandergriffe played high school soccer at Chaminade College Prep, leading them to the Missouri Class 3 State Championship in 2006. With his youth club team, Scott Gallagher, he was part of a Missouri State Championship three peat beginning in 2005.
Schilly said “Chad’s experience both as an indoor and outdoor player offers important insight to the team. [He] brings a voice to every training session and game. His communication skills are imperative to such a young team.”
