On a day when Northwest Missouri State University earned its 30th consecutive victory over Missouri Southern on the gridiron, another streak hit a milestone in the visiting radio booth at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
The voice of Bearcat Athletics, John Coffey, broadcasted his 500th consecutive Northwest football game.
Coffey began doing play-by-play for the team in 1985, and hasn't missed a game across four decades. The landmark moment was highlighted during the postgame show as head football coach John McMenamin congratulated Coffey on-air.
Coffey saw the rise of Northwest firsthand and has been a part of the program's most historic moments.
"(The Bearcats) were always competitive despite the record of some of those teams early on," Coffey said, "but just a lot of coaches I've had the chance to work with – it's been a lot of fun. They've all had very successful careers here at Northwest, and they make my job far easier than other schools in Division II or even major college football. I think we've got one of the best jobs in the country."
Over the course of the last 500 games with Coffey on the mic, the Bearcats are 364-136 (.728 win percentage) with 19 MIAA Championships and six NCAA Division II National Championships.
Coffey will be honored at Mel Tjeerdsma Field before Saturday's Family Weekend game against Central Oklahoma.
