Thai Floyd, an African American woman from Huntsville, Alabama, has made history as the first full-time female play-by-play announcer for Alabama A&M University’s football team. She will call the Bulldogs’ games throughout the 2025 season, marking a major milestone in HBCU sports media.
Alabama A&M, an HBCU, plays in the SWAC conference. The school chose Floyd to be the voice of its football team this season, making her not only a trailblazer for the university but also one of the few women to hold this role at any Black college or university, according to HBCU Gameday.
Floyd is a graduate of Florida A&M University, another HBCU, and has built a solid career in sports broadcasting. She most recently worked as a digital media specialist for Alabama A&M athletics and has covered sports at all levels, from high school to professional.
Her work has appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN’s Andscape, and Sports Illustrated’s HBCU Legends. She’s also served as a sideline reporter and play-by-play commentator for ESPN+ and ESPNU, including assignments for FBS bowl games and the Celebration Bowl.
Floyd expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “This opportunity is a dream realized, and I’m deeply grateful to be trusted with it. To be the first woman to serve as the full-time voice of Alabama A&M football — and possibly the first to hold this role at any HBCU — is bigger than me. It’s about legacy, representation, and reminding young Black girls that we belong in every room, every booth, every broadcast.”
SOURCE: blacknews.com