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USF alum Duemig ready to make Homecoming football history

2007 grad will be the second woman to announce a major college game
Jessica Duemig USF 2
Jessica Duemig USF 1
USF Scoreboard Raymond James
Posted at 10:04 PM, Nov 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-06 11:38:20-04

TAMPA — To say Jessica Duemig is excited to be the public address announcer for USF's homecoming football game against Houston would be an understatement.

"Oh, it’s so cool, I’m like a little kid!" she said Friday. "I don’t even have words. And for someone who speaks for a living, it’s not the best show. But it’s just… it’s such an honor."

Duemig, a 2007 USF alum, will the be the second woman to call a major college football game. Current Philadelphia 76ers TV play-by-play announcer Kate Scott called the PAC-12 championship game when she worked in the Bay Area. USF's regular PA Announcer, John Magrino, is in China getting ready for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Jessica's worked on the Bulls football gameday production staff for three years. She was also a member of the Herd of Thunder band, so she knows Raymond James Stadium inside and out.

Duemig's also the head of client services for Campus Legends, a marketplace for digital collegiate sports memorabilia. She talks about sports every day, and she has previous PA experience calling other college sports. But she joked that she's still going to have a few nerves when the mic comes on.

"I had a nightmare last night that I suddenly forgot how to read," she said. "But once you get over the jitters and the shakes early on, it just flows."

Her flow is going to reach an audience of young women who've never heard a woman call a football game before. Jessica even got a tweet from a mother who is excited to bring her daughter to the game.

"It’s really, really exciting," Duemig said. "And I’m hoping there are people who hear this, and they’re like 'Oh, I never thought about this because it’s never been there before. But yeah, that makes sense.' You know, we’ve seen it in every other part of the game at this point. So, to now hear it, live, in-person. Oh, I can’t wait."

Duemig used her voice in a different way after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 32. Her book "Warrior" is a real-talk description of her survival story. She said she wanted to share her story so she could help others who are fighting the same battle.

"The responses I’ve gotten are like, 'You’ve made it so much better. I’m not even worried about it after reading this. Obviously, I’ll get through it, too.' It chokes me up a little bit because it really is so powerful."

Jessica's outlook applies 100% to life and to being on the mic in the announcer's chair.

"You just have to work hard, perfect your craft- not saying I’m perfect. Get it as close to perfect as you can. And then just do it."

Kickoff for the USF homecoming game against Houston is set for Saturday at 7:30 P.M. at Raymond James Stadium. It will be televised on ESPN U.