Montana State Northern Lights & Skylights Athletics

Dan Shepherd, KOJM/KPQX radio broadcaster, and Barry Zanto have been the “Voice of the Lights and Skylights” for the last 30 years. They not only broadcast the University games, but the whole gamut of local sports contests and are also known as the voice of Blue Pony Sports having broadcast thousands of games for Class AA, A B and C high school and college sports, playoffs and championships. They will receive the Hall of Fame Meritorious Service Award for their contributions to Northern Athletics and all Montana sports.

Shepherd, a native of Chester, Montana was hired by KOJM in 1975 and volunteered for broadcast a football game in Malta. Appointed Sports Director in 1976, he asked his friend Barry Zanto to assist him with the stats in 1977. His community service includes Havre Youth Baseball, Boy Scouts, Past Vice President of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce where he formed and was the first chairman of the Havre Athletic Committee, Past President of Havre Hill County Crimestoppers, and for about 10 years, with Barry Zanto, the duo were the auctioneers for the Northern Alumni Scholarship Social and Auction. He was recognized at the United Press International Sports Journalist of the Year in 1980 and was awarded the E.B. Craney Broadcasting Award recognizing excellence in Montana Broadcasting in 1989, 1992 and 1993 for Radio News Enterprise and the 2006 award for Sports Enterprise in June. Shepherd is currently an Account Executive with New Media Broadcasters.