Hoover returns as Suns broadcaster
Hoover was the Suns broadcaster during the 2011 season, and enters his sixth season of professional baseball broadcasting.
"I am excited for this opportunity to work with the Suns," Hoover said. "I really enjoyed my time in Jacksonville in 2011, and it will be a pleasure to connect with Suns fans once again. The Bragans continue to run a great baseball franchise, and I'm proud to be a part of their team at Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville."
Hoover has spent the past four seasons broadcasting baseball in the Southern League, working for the Suns in 2011 and as a broadcasting assistant with the Tennessee Smokies, for three of the past four years dating back to 2009. His experience in the Southern League includes: providing play-by-play in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Southern League Championship Series, working with baseball Hall of Famer and 2009 Smokies manager Ryne Sandberg, being a part of the radio coverage for the 2010 and 2012 Southern League All-Star Games, as well as the Smokies Radio Network's coverage of the 2010 Rickwood Classic in Birmingham, Ala.
The 2013 Southern League All-Star Game presented by State Farm on Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville will be Hoover's third Southern League All-Star Game broadcast in the past four seasons.
Hoover is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and served his alma mater as the color analyst for Tennessee Baseball on the Vol Network in 2012. He currently works as the assistant director of athletic communications for Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., where he is also the color analyst for Carson-Newman football and the broadcaster for Lady Eagles basketball.
Hoover, a native of Kingsport, Tenn., spent his first season broadcasting professional baseball in his hometown with the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2008. Hoover began his broadcasting career in 2006 with the Vol Network at the University of Tennessee.
The 2013 Suns season begins on April 4 against the Jackson Generals on Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville at 7:05 p.m.