Whether calling NSAA championships or Nebraska Volleyball, Larry Punteney brings deep research and passion to every Nebraska Public Media broadcast.
Larry Punteney’s parents had him knocking down pins when he was 3 years old. In high school, he bowled his way to a single’s title in the Iowa State Championship and earned a scholarship to the University of Nebraska.
After three years, an ankle injury cut his college career short, so he poured his time into learning about broadcasting. In 1999, he took his first sports play-by-play job for Nebraska Public Media, hosting the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational Track Meet.
“I didn’t know much about track and field, but I said I’d give it a try,” said Punteney.
Since then, he’s called countless NSAA State Championship broadcasts for Nebraska Public Media. “These are the biggest and most important games most of these athletes will ever play in, so I’m not doing them justice if I haven’t done my research,” he said.
Along with his day job leading a health care sales team, coaching the Lincoln Pius X bowling team and spending time with his family (he coached his three sons and daughter to state championships at Pius X), Punteney spends hours preparing for each broadcast.
“I go to bed at about 4 a.m. the night before swimming and diving, basketball and volleyball. It’s a tight turnaround because I don’t find out who is in the finals until the night before,” he explained. “The NSAA does a great job of getting historical and current information to us.”
Punteney also keeps his own detailed records, including a fi le he found from his very first job at Nebraska Public Media.
“It’s so fun! Being around youth sports keeps me young and the kids are so exciting,” he said. Punteney also does play-by-play for collegiate sports on the network, including Nebraska Volleyball, baseball and men’s and women’s basketball.