Darren Headrick New Broadcaster for Carolina Mudcats and ECU Baseball

Darren Headrick in 2010. Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover

By Roger Hoover / Smokies Radio Network

A former Smokies Radio Network broadcaster will have a new home for the 2012 season.

Darren Headrick, who worked for the Smokies as a broadcasting assistant from 2008-09, has recently been named the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Carolina Mudcats, the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

In addition to his work with the Mudcats, Headrick will spend the spring broadcasting East Carolina University baseball on the Pirate IMG Sports Network.

“They are both terrific opportunities,” Headrick said. “East Carolina has one of the premiere programs in Conference USA. They have tremendous fan support and are coming off their third regional berth under Coach Billy Godwin. The Mudcats will be one of, if not, the top franchise in the Carolina League with Raleigh nearby and a great facility at Five County Stadium.

“Getting to broadcast a Major League team in back-to-back years (Indians play an exhibition against the Mudcats April 3), and working with a big league manager in Edwin Rodriguez is like a dream come true! I look forward to learning a lot about the game from him this summer. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.”

Headrick has worked in the greater Raleigh area before, as he served as the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Wilson Tobs of the Coastal Plains League in Wilson, N.C. during the 2010 season.

Following his season with Wilson, Headrick made the move to Triple-A in 2011, working as the Assistant Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting for the Oklahoma City Redhawks, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros in the Pacific Coast League.

Headrick interviewing Blake Lalli following a game in 2009. Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover

Headrick’s association with the Smokies began in 2006 when he began assisting in the press box before joining the Smokies Radio Network in 2008, teaming up with current Smokies voice Mick Gillispie.

“Darren has worked very hard and made scarifies to earn these opportunities,” Gillispie said. “I’m excited about supporting him and our old rivals in Carolina. I know the Mudcats fans will enjoy his call.”

A native of Maryville, Headrick’s voice has been heard on East Tennessee radios for the past several years. He has served as the voice Morristown Hamblen-West High School football and boys and girls basketball since 2005.

Headrick began working for the Vol Network while he was a student at the University of Tennessee in 2006, producing a weekly internet segment on utsports.com. Since graduating from UT, Headrick has continued working for the Vol Network at their master control studios. His jobs have included editing in-game highlights, screening telephone calls, and during the past two seasons worked on air, delivering scores and news from high school football games across Tennessee.

North Carolina baseball fans will have their first opportunity to listen to Headrick with ECU this weekend, as the Pirates open the season with a three-game series against UW-Milwaukee. Fans can listen to Headrick by visiting the ECU and Carolina Mudcats official websites and can follow him on Twitter.