Minot and Kenosha announcers take home honors
Rochester, Minn. – The Northwoods League has announced Owen Patterson of the Minot Hot Tots and Dominick Liacone of the Kenosha Kingfish have been named the 2026 Northwoods League Baseball TV Announcers of the Year. Patterson was also named the 2026 Northwoods League Softball TV Announcer of the Year for his work on the Minot Honeybees broadcasts.
“The Northwoods League is experiencing an incredible ascension in broadcasting and media talent every season, marking ourselves as the premiere League for aspiring broadcasters to begin their careers. The League is proud to watch our TV announcers showcase their talents on Northwoods League broadcasts and immediately move onto Minor League Baseball and other Professional League broadcasts. I want to thank Owen and Dominick for returning to the Northwoods League as celebrated veterans, as well as congratulating them on their terrific summers. Both men displayed an incredible work ethic and showcased their impressive talent throughout every broadcast,” said Dominic Etue, Northwoods League Director of Business Development.
Patterson, a senior at Minot State University, returned to the Northwoods League for his third season as Minot’s TV announcer. He has been on the call for over 150 Northwoods League broadcasts in the last three seasons, as the main play-by-play announcer for both the Minot Honeybees and the Minot Hot Tots. Liacone, a graduate assistant at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, returned to the Northwoods League to Kenosha after being the TV announcer for the Bismarck Larks in 2023. Both Patterson and Liacone were selected to be part of the broadcast team for the 2026 Northwoods League Home Run Challenge and Northwoods League All-Star Game at the Field of Dreams.
“I am thankful to the Northwoods League and Minot organization for the opportunity to grow as a broadcaster and enjoy some unforgettable experiences. The team in Minot has made these past three seasons an absolute thrill to be a part of. Our work in the Northwoods League is held to a high standard and I appreciate all involved who strive to meet and exceed that standard each night,” stated Patterson.
Liacone commented, “I am incredibly humbled and honored to receive this award in a League filled with so many talented broadcasters. My summer with the Kingfish was an unforgettable experience, and I will forever be grateful to have been part of this first-class organization. This award also reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire broadcast crew in Kenosha, who put so much into producing top-tier broadcasts. I am grateful to Ryne Goralski, Justin Dade, the entire Kingfish organization, and the Northwoods League for the opportunity to do what I love. To my family, friends, and Kingfish fans, thank you for your encouragement and support all season long.”
Overseeing the Kenosha Kingfish video production team, Kenosha’s Marketing Manager, Justin Dade, noted, “We couldn’t have been more fortunate to have Dominick this summer, who joined us from just down the road at UW-Parkside, where we got to hear him call games at Historic Simmons Field in the spring. Not only did he put together a professional broadcast for our team, but he also was a help with our everyday operations around the stadium – and that’s what really set him apart for me. We can’t wait to see what he does in the upcoming years to come.
The Northwoods League began its 1st season streaming with FloSports, becoming the first Summer Collegiate League to receive an exclusive media rights deal, streaming over 1,000 games on the platform this season. The League totaled over 16 million minutes watched on the FloSports platform in 2026.
Fans can watch Northwoods League games on their own televisions using Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Android TV, in addition to being able to watch them on their PC, mobile device, or tablet.
Northwoods League teams recruit talented individuals for their video production teams every season, many of whom are in excellent college broadcasting programs at top-level colleges. These webcasting teams consist of directors, announcers, producers, and camera operators, all of whom must work together to produce and stream quality games for the viewers.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 33rd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 435 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (BAL) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (NYM). League games are viewable live on Flosports.tv.
Leveraging the 33-year success of the Northwoods League, the first for-profit Summer Collegiate Baseball League, Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) is the first for-profit Women’s Summer Collegiate Softball League which began play in the Upper Midwest in the summer of 2024. The purpose of the League will be to develop players for their college, Olympic and future professional play. Teams will be promoted similar to minor league baseball teams, playing games in front of fans in a fun, friendly, family-oriented environment.