When the K-State Wildcat football team kicks off one of its most anticipated seasons Saturday night, the beginning of what fans hope could be a dream season, a Salina broadcaster will be living his dream. James Westling will provide the play by play on the ESPN TV Broadcast.

Westling, a K-State alum, is the operations manager for the Meridian Media group of radio stations in Salina.

After graduating from K-State, Westling began his broadcasting career in Garden City covering high school sports on the radio. He moved to Salina in 2010 where he continued to broadcast high school sports, and also became the radio voice of the Bethany Swedes.

In the last couple of years Westling has provided some freelance play by play for several networks, both on the radio and online. He has provided play by play for ESPN +, which is the online platform of ESPN.

Saturday night will be Westling’s first ever linear ESPN broadcast, meaning that it’s a game actually produced by ESPN TV. He is thrilled that it will be his alma mater he is covering. Westling will be joined in the booth by former West Texas Wide Receiver LaDarrin McLane and sideline reporter Tori Petry.

“Being part of a broadcast like this is something I’ve dreamt about for a long time,” Westling said. “I couldn’t be more excited to work alongside some incredible people, and hopefully put together a great show for the football fans watching”.

Westling will cover a select number of games for ESPN this fall. After Saturday night’s home opener in Manhattan he will cover a couple of ESPN games for the American Athletic Conference. On September 24th he will be in Oregon for the radio call of USC at Oregon State.

Westling’s broadcast on ESPN Saturday night starts at 6:00, as K-State will kickoff the season in front of one of the largest home crowds in several years.