The son of a Lutheran pastor, Verne Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and graduated from Austin High School, before attending Texas Lutheran University from 1958-62.
He began his professional career in sports broadcasting at KTBC in Austin before moving to Dallas, where he was sports director at WFAA for 16 years. During his tenure in Dallas, Lundquist won seven consecutive Texas Sportscaster of the Year awards from 1977 to 1983. He also became known as the “Voice of the Dallas Cowboys,” announcing the team’s play-by-play radio broadcasts from 1972 to 1984. Lundquist’s career then moved to the national stage, working for ABC, TNT, and CBS.
In 2005, Lundquist was elected to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of sportscasters. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame. Lundquist served as the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports’ coverage of college football from 2000-2016, and for CBS Sports’ coverage of NCAA basketball for 33 years (1982-95, 1999-2017). In May 2016, he was honored with the Sports Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Sports Emmy Awards ceremony.
He currently serves as a CBS announcer for the Masters, in addition to several other PGA tournaments. Lundquist earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from TLU in 1962 and is a recipient of TLU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and a previous member of the TLU Board of Regents. He is also host of the annual Front Row fundraising gala benefiting TLU’s 19 NCAA Division III teams. Since its inception in 2004, the event has raised more than
$1 million and has featured special guests like Charles Barkley, Roger Staubach, Scott Hamilton, and David Feherty—all of whom have a personal connection to Lundquist. In April 2024, Lundquist and friends will gather for the 20th annual Front Row in San Antonio.
To honor his legendary career and longstanding support for TLU, the university announced a major project in 2022—the Verne Lundquist Student Athletic Center.
Aside from his namesake, the athletic center will house an extensive collection of Lundquist’s personal sports memorabilia from his nearly six decades in broadcasting. This modern athletics complex will create an outstanding experience for student-athletes. Focused on strength and conditioning, the facility will provide improved training space while also creating more capacity for all students in the current fitness center.
Once the Lundquist Student Athletic Center is complete, TLU will be the home of a true athletic complex that will enhance the experience of the university’s 19 sports teams.