Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University Department of Athletics mourns the loss of Ray Goss ('58), who passed away Tuesday. He was 89. The longest tenured NCAA Division I men's basketball play-by-play announcer, Goss spent 58 years as the Voice of the Dukes.
"We're deeply saddened to learn of Ray's passing," said Duquesne Interim Director of Athletics
John Henderson. "You would be hard-pressed to find a soul who loved Duquesne, and Duquesne basketball, more than Ray Goss. I spent many hours sitting near Ray on the bus traveling to and from road games. I often overheard him on his phone calling his children and sharing their life updates. It was evident Ray loved two things: his family and Duquesne basketball.
"Everyone who knew Ray understood how wonderful a person he was. He had an amazing voice that blessed Duquesne fans for 58 years and a smile that lit up the room when he greeted you. Ray narrated the story of the Dukes with all the highs and lows, and we're forever indebted to him for his passionate service and enthusiasm for his beloved Dukes. We share our condolences, love and support with his family during this difficult time."
Born Jan. 6, 1937, in Carnegie, Pa., Goss called his first Duquesne basketball game March 17, 1968, when the Dukes faced Fordham in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, N.Y., at the famed Madison Square Garden. He began his full-time tenure as play-by-play radio announcer at the beginning of the 1968-69 campaign and during his tenure missed just two games during his entire DU broadcasting career. The first came Jan. 7, 1978, at Penn State, when Goss auditioned for a regional play-by-play position with the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the other March 21, 2011, at Oregon, while mourning his wife, Dee, who passed away the evening of Duquesne's victory at Montana five days earlier in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
In his first season as the play-by-play voice of Duquesne basketball, Goss called a 75-72 victory over No. 8 St. John's in College Park, Md., in a consolation game in the East Regional of the 1969 NCAA Championship. His career came full circle in 2024, as the Dukes defeated No. 21 BYU, 71-67, in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Championship in Omaha, Neb., at the CHI Health Center as Duquesne was making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 47 years.
"Ray Goss was not only the voice of Duquesne basketball -- he was the heart of the Dukes for a wide audience," DU President
Ken Gormley, J.D., said. "For 58 years, he sat behind the microphone and called games as the voice of the team he loved, reaching thousands of fans over multiple generations with his unique style of play-by-play broadcasting. In 2023, Ray was inducted into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Radio Hall of Fame. At that time, I congratulated him for being the longest tenured NCAA Division I radio announcer in the United States. Ray just laughed and said "I have plenty of steam left!" He was honored just two weeks ago at the Chuck Cooper 100 Gala on campus. Even though he was in the hospital recovering from an auto accident, Ray wanted nothing more than to attend -- and ultimately he recorded remarks of thanks from his hospital room. Ray was a font of energy and positivity when it came to the Dukes. He loved his alma mater, having graduated from Duquesne in 1958 and spending much of his distinguished radio career here, starting with the 1969 season when the Dukes made the NCAA tournament under Coach Red Manning with Ray in the announcer's chair. He was forever a happy warrior, who loved each road trip with the team and fans, and brought joy to those around him. Every fan of Duquesne basketball will miss him tremendously. We offer our condolences and prayers to Ray's family, along with our gratitude for his many years of service. There will never be another Ray Goss; we are blessed that he was part of the Duquesne family for all these years."
The longest consecutive game streak for Goss spanned 977 games from Jan. 9, 1978, an 89-76 victory at West Virginia, to March 16, 2011, when the Dukes earned an 87-76 triumph at Montana in the first round of the 2011 CBI. Even with the onset of the global pandemic in 2020 due to COVID-19, Goss continued to call games remotely at Duquesne so fans of the program could continue to listen to his broadcast of the action.
A 1993 inductee into the Duquesne Athletics Hall of Fame, Goss is a 1958 graduate of DU, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and television journalism. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB) Hall of Fame in 2023 alongside Edgar Snyder, Bill Hillgrove and the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
In 2025, Goss was honored with a pair of awards. He received the 2025 Woody Durham
Voice of College Sports Award at the 65th National Sports Media Association (NSMA) Awards Banquet in Greensboro, N.C., at Grandover Resort, and also won the radio award from the Media Association of Pittsburgh (MAP) at the 36th annual Outstanding Achievement in Media Awards (OAMAs) at the National Aviary.
Earlier this month, Goss was also honored at the Chuck Cooper Centennial Gala at the Power Center on campus. Various former players, including Jarrett Durham, Moe Barr and B.B. Flenory honored Goss as "The Enduring Voice of Duquesne Basketball."
In 2008, Goss released "Misadventures in Broadcasting," detailing his unusual and incredible experiences throughout 60+ years in the field. In addition to his role at Duquesne, Goss owned an extensive history of sports radio experience, with over 3,000 events called during his career. He began at WDAD in Indiana, Pa., in 1959, and served as general manager of the station for 15 years until 1981, when he and Mark Harley co-founded WCCS, which used Homer City, Pa., as its base of operations.
In addition, Goss co-hosted "The First ABA Championship," alongside coach Vince Cazetta, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Pipers, in the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1968-69. Goss also worked extensively covering Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) sports with Jack Benedict, the Voice of IUP Athletics, in Indiana, Pa., as well as a stint with the Pittsburgh Piranhas of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in 1994-95.
Goss is survived by seven children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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