By UNI Athletics
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Bob Justis, longtime public address (PA) announcer for UNI football and men’s basketball, was named the 2025 recipient of the Missouri Valley Conference’s (MVC) John Sanders Memorial Spirit of the Valley Award on Sunday afternoon during UNI’s home men’s basketball game against Bradley.
The award, named in memory of former MVC Assistant Commissioner for Operations John Sanders, honors a student-athlete, coach or university administrator or contributor who exemplifies the spirit of Sanders, who passed away in 2003. Criteria includes, but is not limited to, passion for the conference, a strong work ethic and sense of humor.
“Bob Justis epitomizes the definition of this award,” said MVC Commissioner Jeff Jackson. “Bob and his wife Nancy have been synonymous with Panther athletics for nearly 50 years, and he leaves behind a lasting legacy.”
Prior to the start of the 2024-25 athletic season, Justis announced his retirement as UNI’s public address announcer for football and men’s basketball, bringing to a close a remarkable career of service to Panther Athletics that spanned five decades. Justis called his final season of Panther football this past fall and completed his 49th and final season announcing men’s basketball last year.
Since first taking a seat at the announcers’ chair in 1975, Justis called over 900 Panther football and men’s basketball games in numerous on-campus venues, including the West Gym, UNI-Dome and McLeod Center.
Known for his vigor on the microphone, Justis has coined many phrases that have become familiar to longtime Panther fans, including his introduction of the home team with a long-winded “heeeeere come the Panthers!” Others note his traditional announcements in football as UNI players prepare to take the gridiron, warning opposing teams and fans that “a ferrous predator has been seen stalking the nation,” as well as a weather report highlighting the UNI-Dome’s features of “no wind and no snow.”
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Justis was raised in Cedar Falls and graduated from UNI in 1974 with a degree in speech along with a business minor. After initially getting his start at UNI helping fundraise for the new UNI-Dome project, he became the public address announcer for Panther men’s basketball in 1975 and later football in 1977 on a volunteer basis.
An active member of his community and the entire Cedar Valley area, Justis served in many different roles outside of his position as the Voice of the Panthers. He worked as an Assistant Director of Development with the UNI Foundation, and later Director of Corporate Relations and Development at Allen Hospital in Waterloo. Later in his career, he served as chairman of the Cedar Valley United Way and President of the Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce. In 1988, he was recognized as a recipient of the UNI Alumni Association’s Service Award.
Part of a family of passionate and longstanding Panther fans, Justis spent several years working UNI events alongside his wife, Nancy, who spent 30 years in the athletic communications department, including 26 years as UNI’s Director of Athletic Media Relations. Justis’ daughter, Nicole also worked in athletic communications as a student assistant, while his son-in-law, Cody, served several years as his spotter in the football press box.