NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University athletics announced that longtime Hampton Roads area sports broadcaster Matthew Hatfield has been hired as the play-by-play announcer for the ODU women's basketball team.
"I'm extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity," Hatfield said. "Old Dominion Women's Basketball has such a rich, storied tradition that stacks up with the very best in the country. Simply put, it's a program revered not just statewide and regionally, but well-known for its excellence and longevity nationwide. I grew up listening to and going to ODU games for several years. Getting to be courtside for them now to describe the action for one of the most loyal, passionate fan bases in the sport will be a real treat. I'm privileged and honored to join the Monarch family."
A native of Virginia Beach, Hatfield has been covering sports in the state for nearly two decades. He joined VirginiaPreps.com in December of 2004 and became the site's publisher in 2016. He has covered football and basketball statewide for the site, rated the top high school sports site on the Rivals.com network powered by Yahoo! Sports, and formed the VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic, a showcase event that has featured some of the top teams and players from across the state for over 12 years.
From 2011-16, Hatfield co-hosted the Sports Report on Cox TV and served as on-air broadcast talent for football and basketball broadcasts on the now-defunct Hampton Roads Sports Network. In 2010, was hired by Max Media and has been hosting a weekly or daily show on ESPN Radio 94.1 FM for 11 years, making him the longest-tenured active local sports radio host in the Tidewater market. He currently hosts the 757 Saturday Sports Talk from 10 a.m. to noon on ESPN Radio 94.1.
Periodically, Hatfield also contributes to various outlets in print and online, including the Suffolk News Herald, Tar Heel Illustrated, Cavs Corner and the ACC Sports Journal.
"I've known Matthew Hatfield for a long time," Voice of the Monarchs Ted Alexander said. "He's an energetic, hard-working team player who understands the importance of ODU Women's Basketball past, present and future. That combined with his broadcasting experience make him a wonderful addition to ODU Women's Basketball and ODU Sports Properties."
All ODU women's basketball games can be heard on ESPN Radio 94.1 FM and Money Talk 1310 AM. Joining Hatfield on the call will be former Monarch women's basketball assistant coach Susan Montgomery. Old Dominion opens the season at home on Nov. 9 against South Carolina State.
Matthew Hatfield to Serve as Voice of Old Dominion Women’s Basketball
