Though just in his third year as the UT Martin’s sports play-by-play announcer, Davis Gregory has already made a name for himself as one of the best in the business. Despite his young career, Gregory is as professional as it gets and continues to collect the accolades to prove it.  

As a kid who played Madden and NCAA Football, Gregory dreamed that he would one day be a football coach—while other kids’ aspired to be an astronaut. However, after he called a junior varsity volleyball game between his high school—Christian Academy of Knoxville—and Alcoa High School, everything changed. 

“I remember getting done and my broadcasting teacher, Mr. Blackwell, he was like, ‘That was the best first broadcast I’ve ever heard in my life.’ When I heard that in a sport I’ve never, ever, called before in my life, I knew nothing about, I just went in blind and just called it,” Gregory said. 

His work led him to be named a top-three finalist for best high school sportscaster in the nation and to the other side of the state to UT Martin and its acclaimed broadcasting program. 

Richard Robinson, a professor at UT Martin and faculty advisor at WUTM, recalled when he realized Gregory was special. 

“Once he got into about his junior year [of high school] I thought, ‘This young man has got talent, he’s got abilities, he’s dedicated to doing this, he wants to learn his craft and do well at it, and he’s got the potential to be very, very successful,” Robinson said. “I think—personal opinion—he can go about as far as he wants to go, as long as he keeps working hard.” 

Becoming a Skyhawk

Gregory’s first steps on campus were treated differently. As the stepson of UT Foundation president Kerry Witcher, and a highly touted broadcaster already, Gregory received VIP treatment from faculty and staff—especially Professor Robinson.  

“Davis was very eager,” Robinson said. “I recruited him like you might recruit a star running back.” 

From Gregory’s perspective, there was just one thing on his mind—call games. Stories of travel to call games as a student from Skyhawk alumni and previous WUTM sports director, John Thornton, closed the deal for good. Gregory was destined to become a Skyhawk. 

“I just had this feeling about—I love this place—This is awesome,” Gregory said. “It’s got a very home feel.” 

But after Gregory arrived on campus, his opinion shifted. 

“I mean, I hated it. I hated Martin so much,” Gregory said. “I remember telling friends, I was like, ‘I’m transferring. After this year, I am out. I am done.”

It was actually his relationships at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) that made Gregory warm up to Martin. 

“And I remember someone told me that a group of my friends from the BCM went to Sonic and it was four or five of them [that] went and prayed for me,” he said.  

By the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball tournament, everything finally came together. Gregory called the entire season for a UT Martin team that lost just two games in the conference that year. 

“They were so much fun to watch, and we were so good. We got to the tournament championship game and we lost and I was just heartbroken,” Gregory said. “I remember feeling that heartache of, ‘Oh my gosh, we lost.’ [but] I’m like, ‘Wait. You can only be that hurt about something if you love it.’ And I think that was the moment where I wasn’t just a fan, but [realized] I love Martin. This is my place. This isn’t just the team I root for, but this is my school. This is home.” 

Gregory recalled his favorite memory from his WUTM career—a game-winning shot from Jordan Sears in the 2024 OVC tournament.  

“It was like one of those movies where everything stood still and you see him pull up and the coaches…are like, ‘don’t shoot it, don’t shoot it, don’t shoot it’. And Jordan catches it, holds it for a second, pulls it, three, drained it,” Gregory said. “I’m getting chills right now thinking about it. That was the loudest I’ve ever heard that gym in my life.” 

A true professional

Gregory now serves as the lead play-by-play announcer of UT Martin and regularly broadcasts for ESPN+. He was hired into the position just two months after he graduated in 2023.  

In 2024, Gregory was a finalist for the Bill Shwanke Award-awarded to the top play-by-play announcer in FCS football. He was joined by three other announcers from around the country—each one with more than 10 years of professional experience in the field. 

In his role as play-by-play announcer, Gregory has continued to improve his craft through research and pointers from Tennessee broadcasting legends such as Mike Keith and Bob Kesling. Both have given Gregory the tips and tricks needed to continue his own development in his career, particularly with things such as pre-game research. 

“In school, you’ve got classes and you’ve got all this other stuff to get ready for. You have no time at all to make a card, but now it’s your job,” Gregory said. “You’re getting paid to be prepared and there’s another level to that and making your own cards.” 

Robinson noted Gregory’s hours of preparation pay off during fast-paced gameplay. 

“He studies and preps and I know John Hatler, who’s served as his color guy, has told me, ‘Somebody will make a play on the football field for the Skyhawks. I’m looking up the number. [Davis] already knows it.” 

Davis was allowed to reflect on his career so far, from high school junior varsity volleyball games to FCS playoff games. 

“I know, for somebody outside looking in, it’s like, ‘Dude, it’s UT Martin. Why do you care?’ But I feel like, for me growing up and calling those games when I was a kid on my Xbox and Nintendo GameCube and calling them as I’m playing them and stuff like that…I feel like you would just be, oh my gosh, like this is awesome,” Gregory said. “I’m getting to do all these things and being able to talk to people. I was starstruck when talking to Mike Keith on the phone. I was like, ‘What in the world. This is insane!’ 

Mike Keith is the current voice of the Tennessee Volunteers and spent 25 years as the voice of the Tennessee Titans. Davis’ career also reminded him every day that he does not have to be homesick anymore. Whether it is friends, coworkers or a family at church, home is in Martin. 

“It’s corny, but I think for me, Martin raised me from like this kid that wanted to leave within four days to someone who loves it here,” Gregory said. “Just thankful for everything every day…I wouldn’t change how anything happened, even though it’s been hard, but I wouldn’t change how anything happened.” 

Past the voice

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has a bad experience with Davis Gregory. Someone so ingrained in the community, Gregory’s reputation as a professional preceded him, but what does a peek behind the voice look like? 

“It’s just a follower of Jesus. If I’m not doing that then nothing else matters to me,” Gregory said. “I could make that call for a tournament championship or I could be on CBS calling the national championship, but people who see me as a broadcaster or anything but a follower of Jesus, then that doesn’t matter at the end of the day.” 

Despite his established love for Martin, he still misses things from his hometown. When asked what he could bring from Knoxville to Martin, he answered instantly, “Bojangles. Easy.” 

“Just picture it. Everybody gets a fried chicken biscuit in the morning going to a game. Skyhawks score, you get ‘pick one get one free’ at Bojangles today…I mean I could go on and on about Bojangles. Boberry biscuits, Cajun fillet biscuit, the two-piece leg and thigh dinner combo with double season fries. Sweat tea!” 

For anyone interested, he recommended the following meal for breakfast: Cajun fillet biscuits with Bo rounds and a sweet tea. 

Whether Gregory stays in Martin for another two years or two decades, those who knew him when he called high school volleyball know he has endless potential.

“Davis is special, he’s a special young man,” Robinson said. “I’m hopeful that the opportunities will arise and he’ll get to move on at some point and go higher. I know he can, and I think he will. I do.”