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Mike Cation to replace Jim Sheppard behind the mic

Posted by: Paul Klee

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:54 AM

Two words came to mind when Mike Cation described his new position as public address announcer for University of Illinois home basketball games.

"Overwhelmed and honored," Cation said Tuesday.

A 1999 UI graduate, Cation will replace Jim Sheppard, who announced Illini games for 22 years before being told by the DIA the 2006-07 season would be his last.

The news director for the Illini Radio Network, Cation said, "It's an incredible honor to be associated with Illinois basketball."

"With what coach (Bruce) Weber has been able to do the last few years, I think it has a great future," said Cation, 30. "The most important thing for me is that I'm coming from out of the limelight a little bit. I am hoping the focus is on basketball, not on me.

"I'm still a basketball fan myself," he said. "I know there's a different level when you're announcing the game. I hope people will not focus on whether Mike Cation is calling the game, but the game itself. I just want to be part of the experience overall. It's quite an honor."

Cation's first event is Midnight Madness, the unofficial start of the season, in October. Sheppard will continue to announce home football games, though the DIA is expected to hire his football successor at a later date.

-Klee