Alumnus Josh Ward (’07) was recently inducted into the Volunteer 40 Under 40 Class of 2024, which recognizes alumni under the age of forty who have excelled personally and professionally since completing their degree.
Play No. 1.
Several Tennessee Vols fans can recall this iconic play from the 1995 game at Neyland Stadium when Peyton Manning threw a touchdown pass to Joey Kent for eighty yards.
But what made this play even more iconic for alumnus Josh Ward (‘07) and other fans was legendary sports broadcaster John Ward’s play calling in the moment.
From a very young age, Ward knew he wanted to do something in sports, but figured out early on he wasn’t destined to be a professional athlete. However, his fascination with sports broadcasters like John Ward, John Wilkerson, Jimmy Hyams, and Mike Keith inspired him to throw his hat in the ring as a potential career.
At 16 years old, he reached out to Knoxville’s WNML-FM to shadow their on-air talents and learn more about the sports radio industry. That decision kickstarted a two-decade career with Ward’s voice being heard in homes across East Tennessee and the country today.
His success in the industry earned him a spot on the Volunteer 40 Under 40 Class of 2024, which recognizes alumni under the age of forty who have excelled personally and professionally since completing their degree.
“It’s a really cool honor,” Ward said. “I have a hard time believing that I should have been chosen when I look at the other people that are so accomplished and have done so much. University of Tennessee has meant a lot to me and I appreciate being chosen for this honor.”
Growing up in Knoxville, Ward said attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was always the plan, but the chance to work at the radio station and go to UT at the same time made it a no brainer.
While his interest was in radio, Ward said UT allowed him to learn about different areas of media, such as writing and broadcasting, that continues to benefit him decades later. In addition to working at WNML, he also wrote for the Knoxville News Sentinel as a college student covering Vol football recruiting, games, and, on occasion, NASCAR racing.
Ward said UT alumnus Dave Hooker (‘98) played a huge part in him getting his start in radio. Hooker produced SportsTalk, one of Knoxville’s longest running and popular sports talk shows, when Ward started in the industry. Radio talk show host Hallerin Hilton Hill was also someone who has been important to Ward’s development.
“I’m lucky to be able to call him a friend now having known him for more than 20 years,” Ward said. “I’ve sought his advice several times and it’s always been valuable.”
Ward can be heard on the Josh & Swain show which airs from noon to 3 p.m. on WNML and covers breaking sports news. Ward said he is proud to work alongside VFL Jayson Swain, a former NFL and Tennessee Vols football wide receiver.
Connecting with the community
Ward said while it is fun to talk about sports every day, and that was where his passion to get involved in the industry came from, he is also fortunate to use his platform to help his community.
Throughout his career, Ward has worked with a number of local organizations making a difference in the Knoxville community such as Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Ward has served on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society leadership team and in 2015 took part in their Man and Woman of the Year campaign, now called Visionaries of the Year, and continues to be involved in different events the society does.
He also had the chance to work with Second Harvest as part of similar campaigns such as Hunger Action Hero.
“The chance to give back is really a great opportunity for me,” Ward said. “I can’t imagine being in the position that we’re in, when I talk about all the people at my station or people in the media where we have a public voice, not using that to try to make a difference for important causes.”
Ward also finds time to help students looking to break into the industry, as well.
Ward said it’s a very different media landscape for students today compared to when he attended UT. He encourages students to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them, adding part of that is learning something new on the fly.
“I’m always happy to help if I can,” Ward said. “My story of being able to work here at this station doesn’t happen if somebody didn’t help me. So, if I have a chance to help a UT student that is in a similar position to me, I’m always going to do that.”