For three decades, Mitch Strohman served as the broadcast voice for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, connecting fans across Phoenix, the United States, and beyond to university athletics. Through radio and television broadcasts, Strohman allowed families and alumni to follow games from afar as if they were present at venues like the Walkup Skydome.
Strohman recognized his role in bridging athletes with their loved ones. “Being the connection between the athletes that I see and describe what they’re doing, and their parents, families, friends…nothing is more gratifying,” Strohman said. “When I hear from the parents of a player and they say thank you for bringing my son or daughter home to me when I can’t be there…that’s the best part of what I’ve been able to do.”
He announced his retirement on January 14 after calling his final men’s basketball regular season game in Flagstaff. He will continue through the end of this basketball season.
Beginning with NAU football in 1991—apart from a hiatus from 1998-2004—Strohman has called over 1,180 games for Northern Arizona University (NAU) and hosted more than 100 athletic shows.
Strohman’s early life was marked by frequent moves due to his father’s job. This instability led him to seek a permanent home—a search that ended when he settled in Flagstaff. “I never had a homebase and I used to envy people…who grew up in one place,” he said.
Initially pursuing meteorology at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, Strohman’s career shifted after filling in as a play-by-play announcer for a campus baseball game. Inspired by broadcasters like Vin Scully and Chick Hearn during his youth in Los Angeles, he set out on a new path as a sportscaster.
After college stints in South Dakota and Iowa as an anchor and reporter, Strohman moved westward to Lake Havasu City before arriving at KAFF Radio in Flagstaff as news and sports director in 1988. Three years later he began calling NAU football games for local cable TV.
Even after moving briefly to Phoenix for work at KFYI Radio in 1992, Strohman continued traveling north on weekends to cover Lumberjack games until returning permanently when KAFF reacquired broadcasting rights two years later.
His tenure was interrupted again when KAFF lost those rights in 1998—a period he described as “soul crushing.” During this six-year break from broadcasting NAU games, he worked at KNAZ-TV Channel 2 (NBC affiliate), Flagstaff Unified School District’s public information office, and with the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce.
With support from then-Associate Athletic Director Kent Haslam—and encouragement from his wife Ana—Strohman returned ahead of the 2005 football season as an independent contractor covering NAU athletics full-time.
“Ana fully supported my returning to the role of Voice of the Lumberjacks in 2004,” Strohman said. “She wanted me to chase my dream…I will forever be grateful to her for letting me pursue my dream and for being there for our kids when I couldn’t be.”
As Voice of the Lumberjacks since then, Strohman missed some family events due to travel but credits Ana and their children Zach and Catalina with supporting his career ambitions.
Throughout his time broadcasting NAU sports—including coverage on Fox Sports Arizona, Pluto TV, CW Phoenix, ESPN+, among others—he partnered with various colleagues such as Mike Patrick, Dave Brown, James Malamas (basketball), Kelley Sliva McKee (volleyball), Cee Cee Odorfer (soccer), Greg Wyatt (football), Travis Brown (football), among others.
One key partnership stands out: Kevin Stephens has been alongside him for every football game over twenty-one seasons. “Kevin is someone that I value and treasure at a level beyond professionally,” said Strohman about Stephens’ influence both personally and professionally.
Stephens also commented: “Working with Mitch for the past 21+ years has been an absolute pleasure. His professionalism, preparation and perfect style has made it incredibly easy to be his color analyst for football…The entire NAU community is very fortunate to have had his energy and passion connected with Lumberjack Athletics for so long.”
Strohman’s career included memorable moments such as Archie Amerson’s seven-touchdown performance against Weber State (1996), NCAA Tournament appearances by men’s basketball against Cincinnati (1998) and women’s basketball against Baylor (2006), volleyball’s upset over No. 8 Florida (2018), and football’s win at Arizona (2021).
In addition to broadcasting achievements—and reflecting Northern Arizona Lumberjacks’ tradition which includes Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame alumni—Strohman contributed through teaching roles within NAU’s School of Communication during the ‘90s before becoming General Manager of NAU-TV in 2016: “A lot of my former students are big time in the biz…That’s the legacy.”
Facilities such as Walkup Skydome remain central venues for Northern Arizona Lumberjacks athletics. The university competes within the Big Sky Conference, supporting student-athlete development while earning academic honors including All-Academic Team placements as noted by its official website.
Looking back on making Flagstaff home through both personal relationships—with wife Ana; broadcast partner Stephens; colleagues across other universities—and professional milestones achieved alongside student-athletes who have won conference championships or national titles in cross country or track & field, Strohman reflected:
“From the very first moment I put on a headset…I was smitten by being Voice of Northern Arizona University Lumberjack football and basketball…There’s no way to articulate in words what that love has meant to me.”
When Strohman signs off after this season ends—delivering one last signature call—it will close out an era marked by dedication not only heard by listeners but felt throughout generations tied together by Northern Arizona University athletics.
