Wade Bates joined the Marian University athletic staff as the primary play-by-play announcer prior to the 2016-17 academic year.
Bates comes to Marian University after spending nearly 22-years at News-Talk 1450 KFIZ radio in Fond du Lac, Wis. as program director, talk show host and sports reporter.
Bates has extensive play-by-play experience calling nearly 1,500 high school and college games on KFIZ and other stations across the Badger state over the past 20 years. He has also broadcast state high school football championship games on the WIAA State Radio Network. Bates has also worked part time for Learfield Communications and the Wisconsin Radio Network.
Wade was a regular in the press box and in the locker room at all major events involving the Packers, Badgers, Brewers, and Bucks both in Wisconsin and across the country. Bates has won multiple awards from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and Associated Press for his reporting and radio work.
The Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin native graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Radio/TV/Film and a Minor in History.
Wade, his wife Crystal and three daughters, Julia, Claire and Olivia reside in Beaver Dam, Wis..
