He’s had a different employer for his entire 42-year sports journalism career, but for Bob Davidson, it might as well be called his personal homecoming.

Davidson starts his new role as Special Correspondent for Kansas Wesleyan University’s Coyote Sports Network beginning Oct. 23.

And while this will be his first stint as an employee, he probably is more familiar with Coyote sports teams, players and coaches than just about anybody on campus.

Davidson has spent the last 23 years as the Salina Journal sports editor. In all that time, he covered just about every sport played by both men’s and women’s Coyote teams.

In fact, he has been so involved with KWU Athletics that in 2017, he was inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame, an honor more typically reserved for players and coaches.

“This is a natural career progression after covering KWU for more than two decades at the Salina Journal,” Davidson said. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Coyotes coaches, athletes and administrators and am thrilled to have an opportunity to continue that endeavor for the university.

“There are many positive things happening at Kansas Wesleyan and it’s an exciting time to join the team,” Davidson said.

With a 1977 Journalism degree from Wichita State University, Davidson will continue to highlight the Coyote players and programs, said Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Hermann.

“We are fortunate to have Bob on our team in this exciting role, telling the story of the student-athletes and coaches at Kansas Wesleyan,” Hermann said.

“The way the community gets its news is changing, and we are fortunate to be on the cutting edge by engaging an experienced journalist with an outstanding reputation in Salina for this critical role,” he said. “The real beneficiaries will be the students who have a chance to have their stories told and the Kansas Wesleyan and Salina communities that will be able to follow our program more closely through Bob’s work.”

Davidson brings a wealth of sports writing experience to his new position on campus. His career includes stints at sports editor in Leavenworth, Hays, Hutchinson and in Vicksburg, Miss., and Clarksville, Tenn.

But Salina, he said, will always be special.

“My time at the Journal was the best of my 41-year newspaper career. I was truly blessed to be able to work with so many talented people the past 23 years and to have the opportunity to serve the readers in Salina, north central and northwest Kansas. I will forever be indebted,” he said.

KWU Sports Information Director David Toelle said he has had a long professional relationship with Davidson, and is ready to be working side-by-side.

“I have known Bob for a long time, and he has been an absolute asset to Kansas Wesleyan,” Toelle said. “Bob will be great for us, helping us tell the story of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, those stories that are worth telling because they are the fabric of our student-athletes and what makes each and every one of them special.”