Illinois introduces new basketball announcer for upcoming season

Local radio personality Mike Cation will be the new voice of Illini basketball, the University confirmed this week.

“I’m pretty overwhelmed by it,” Cation said Tuesday. “It’s an incredible honor to be associated with a program like Illinois.”

Cation is a native of Urbana and a 1999 graduate of the University’s College of Communications.

Last season he was the marketing and promotions announcer at basketball games, introducing the Orange Krush and fan contests during TV time outs. Since 2001 he has announced Illini tennis matches, and in 2003 he began announcing Illini soccer games.

He is also the news director for the Illini Radio Group. Cation says he expects to continue in all positions while adding the basketball announcer responsibilities.

“There will be a couple of nights where I announce basketball at night and then am on the radio with a sore voice in the morning,” Cation said.

Time announced for football home opener against Western Illinois

The Illinois football team’s home opener for the 2007 season against Western Illinois has been announced to kickoff at 6 p.m. CT on Sept. 8.

The game will be nationally televised by The Big Ten Network and is the first of two home night games scheduled for the Illini next season.

Illinois now has six of its 12 game times announced for the 2007 season, all slotted for television broadcasts, including three games on the new Big Ten Network.

The remaining football games will be scheduled by the television stations two weeks prior to the games.

Davis continues to earn postseason accolades

Former Illinois baseball catcher Lars Davis continues to rake in postseason awards. On Tuesday Davis was named to the All-Ping! First-Team and the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Division I All-America Third-Team.

The honors given to Davis on Tuesday give him three national honors this season, making him the most decorated Illini baseball player since three-time All-American Jason Anderson in 2000.

Davis recently signed a contract with the Colorado Rockies after being selected by the Rockies in the third-round with the 102nd pick of the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Canadian catcher became the 22nd Illinois player to hit .400 school history this past season.

The Illini’s backstop for the past two seasons began his professional career Tuesday night in Vancouver, playing for the Rockies’ short-season single-A affiliate, the Tri-City Dust Devils.

Compiled by Courtney Linehan and Jason Grodsky