KELLY JO
FREICHELS
Sports Broadcaster, Public Address Announcer & Deejay
About Me
Born and raised in the State of Hockey, this Minnesota girl has lived the dream!
When I was a little girl, my dream job was to be a sports broadcaster. My mom and I rarely missed listening to the Minnesota Twins radio broadcasts. She was the biggest influence on my love of sports. We spent many winter nights watching North Stars hockey games, and I never missed a Minnesota High School Boys Hockey Tournament game on TV. Of course, my dad and I never missed a Vikings game on TV either. He was always the football fan in our house.
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I have worked in radio broadcasting since 2000 for legendary broadcast companies like Hubbard Radio, RP Broadcasting, and Salem Media Group.
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In 2007, I became the radio play-by-play voice of Bemidji State University women's college hockey on the Beaver Radio Network. My audio was streamed over the video webcast of BSU's home games on BIG+. In 2014, I had the honor of doing the play-by-play for the WCHA Final Face-Off webcast.
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On Sunday, October 6, 2018, my dream became a reality when I broadcast my first National Women's Hockey League game as the "Voice of the Minnesota Whitecaps." I was the Whitecaps' home play-by-play announcer during their inaugural and second seasons in the NWHL. After the pandemic, the NWHL transitioned into the Premier Hockey Federation, and we made the shift from in-person broadcasts to remote studio broadcasts on ESPN+. I joined their broadcast crew during the 2021-22 season and am currently working with the PHF as a freelance announcer through VISTA Worldlink in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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On March 8, 2022, my ultimate dream became a reality when I was asked to do the play-by-play for the New Jersey Devils' special all-female digital broadcast in honor of International Women's Day. Not only did I get to call my first NHL game, but the game was also very memorable as a very young Devils team rallied from a 3-goal deficit to upset the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche 5-3.
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Outside of my sports broadcast duties, I hosted middays on Babe Country 98.3 WBJI-FM from Noon to 3:00 p.m. from the time the station flipped from its original Real Country format in 2016 until February 28th, 2023, when I left to move to Music City for a bigger dream of working in Nashville, Tennessee.
I love country music! During my time at R.P. Broadcasting, I also worked as their Traffic Director for 6 radio stations and a Media Consultant for both radio and digital marketing.
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During the BSU sports season, I also co-hosted a weekly coaches show every Wednesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on WMIS-FM 92.1 The River. I also recorded weekly interviews with Bemidji State's female athletes for our Beaver Fever Friday segments on WMIS-FM 92.1 The River.​​
Work Experience
During my 25+ years in broadcasting, I have worked in many roles: sports play-by-play and analyst, deejay, on-air announcer, sports anchor, weather anchor, event emcee, in-game arena host, public address announcer, show co-host, producer, commercial production, production team lead, voiceover, programming, assistant music director, traffic/continuity director, advertising sales, digital marketing consultant, administrative assistant, and receptionist.
I was employed by RP Broadcasting, Paskvan Digital and The Beaver Radio Network in Bemidji, Minnesota from 2004-2007, and again from 2009-2023. I went back to college from 2007 to 2009 to finish my bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from Bemidji State University.
On February 25, 2023, I wrapped up my 16th season as the radio play-by-play voice for Bemidji State University DI Women's Hockey during the 2022-23 WCHA season. Until then, I was the longest tenured women’s college hockey broadcaster in the WCHA & all of women’s college hockey.
In 2022, I was the play-by-play announcer for the inaugural season of MN Aurora FC of the USL W League on WCCO/CBS News Minnesota. I only worked for Aurora for that single year.
On March 8, 2022, I had the honor of doing the play-by-play for the NHL's New Jersey Devils digital broadcast on International Women's Day.
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I am currently employed part-time as a board operator at Hubbard Broadcasting's AM 1500 ESPN in the Twin Cities.
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My experience also includes:
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Fill-in Public Address Announcer for University of Minnesota Gopher Women's Hockey vs. MSU at Ridder Arena, Minneapolis, MN on November 21, 2025.
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Public Address Announcer for USWNT vs. People's Republic of China at Allianz Field, St. Paul, MN on May 31, 2025.
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TV Color Analyst for the NCAA DIII Women's Hockey Semifinals & Championship at Hunt Arena in River Falls, WI on March 29-30, 2025.
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Public Address Announcer for the PWHL’s Minnesota Frost at Xcel Energy Center during the 2024-25 regular season.
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Programming, Production Team Lead for Salem Media Group in Eagan, MN. My role included voice tracking for 980 AM The Mission, AM 1280 The Patriot, Freedom 1570 & The Biz AM 1440. (2024)
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Play-by-play on Fox 9+ & B1G+ broadcast of Bemidji State University DI women’s hockey vs. University of Minnesota (1/21/23, 1/20/24 & 11/2/24) and vs. Ohio State (9/28/24).
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Play-by-play for CONCACAF U20 Women’s Soccer Tournament in May-June 2023 on VISTA Worldlink.
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Play-by-play for MLS NEXT Pro & NWSL on VISTA Worldlink (2023-24)
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Fill-in radio play-by-play for Bemidji State men's DI hockey at Northern Michigan (Oct. 30-31, 2015), at MSU Mankato (Feb. 18-19, 2022), vs University of Minnesota (12/31/22)
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Play-by-play & Analyst for Premier Hockey Federation women's hockey games on ESPN+ (2021-2023)
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Play-by-play for the NWHL Minnesota Whitecaps (2018-2020)
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Play-by-play for National Women's Hockey League All Star Game (2019 & 2020)
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Rinkside Reporter for the National Women's Hockey League All Star Game webcast (2018)
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Produced "This Week in Women's WCHA" vignette for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (2016-19)
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Play-by-play for 14 CCM High Performance Tier 1 Youth Hockey games for FastHockey.com (Sept. 9-11, 2016)
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Play-by-play for the WCHA Women's Hockey Final Face-Off webcast (2014)
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Play-by-play for the Paul Bunyan International PeeWee A Hockey Tournament on paulbunyanhockey.com (2012, 2016-2022)
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Host of "Pepsi's Lunchtime Cafe" middays on Minnesota's Babe Country 98.3 WBJI (2016-2023)
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Radio play-by-play for Bemidji High School Boys & Girls Soccer for RP Broadcasting (2010-2013)
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Co-host weekly Bemidji State University coaches radio show, “Sports in the Round” & “Go Green Mill Coaches Show” (2009-2023)
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Play-by-play announcer for Bemidji State University women’s DII soccer (2007-09, 2016-22)
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Play-by-play announcer for Cass Lake-Bena High School boys basketball postseason (2007-10) on RP Broadcasting in Bemidji, Minnesota.
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Producer for Bemidji State University sports on KBSU TV (2004-05)
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In-Game Radio Host for Bemidji State University men’s DI hockey on RP Broadcasting (2005-07)
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Sports & Weather Fill-in Anchor on Lakeland Public Television in Bemidji (2006-08)
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Sideline reporter for Bemidji State University DII football radio broadcasts (2004-21)
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Sideline reporter for Brainerd High School football (2002-03)
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Host of “The Warrior Way” a production of the Brainerd High School TV Department (2003-04)
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Weekend deejay on The Power Loon 107.5 KLIZ FM in Brainerd (2002-04)
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Producer of “This Week in High School Sports” on the Hubbard Radio Network (2001-02)
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Producer of “The High School Football Scoreboard Show” on the Hubbard Radio Network (2001-02)
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Weekend board operator AM 1500 KSTP (2000-02)
