For 45 years, one voice has been synonymous with University of North Dakota hockey. That voice belongs to Tim Hennessy.
An extraordinary play-by-play broadcaster, he has been awarded North Dakota Sports Broadcaster of the Year, a National Collegiate Hockey Conference Media Excellence winner, and is assuredly a future UND Athletics Hall of Fame inductee. More importantly, Hennessy is one of the kindest people you will ever meet.
I first met Tim after moving to Grand Forks in 1984. I was blessed to spend 18 years as the public address announcer at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Compared to Tim’s remarkable tenure, my time around the program was brief. Yet anyone fortunate enough to wear the UND sweater, coach behind the bench, work on the staff, or spend years around this legendary program understands something special happens there.
Relationships become family. Tradition. Honor. History. Character. Those are the values that built the greatest program in college hockey. Sadly, they don’t appear to be the values guiding today’s athletic department.
This week I learned Tim was fired by Athletic Director Bill Chaves during what amounted to a 5-minute meeting. It sounded hauntingly familiar to the way former head coach Brad Berry was dismissed after the 2024-25 season.
No one is entitled to a job forever. Leadership sometimes requires difficult decisions. But how you treat people during those moments says everything about your character.
According to Tim, he was told he didn’t do enough to justify his salary and benefits, despite earning just $41,058 annually.
Meanwhile, UND recently tore up a 1-year-old contract and awarded new head coach Dane Jackson a salary increase of roughly $220,000. Good coaches deserve good pay. Nobody argues with investing in UND hockey. But when public dollars are involved and contracts are rewritten after one season while a 45 year institution is shown the door over $40,000, people have every right to ask questions.
What hurts the most is that university officials knew Tim planned to return for one final season before retiring. He wasn’t asking for another decade. Just one last opportunity to say goodbye on his terms. Instead, he was denied that chance.
Listening to Tim reflect on his career, he didn’t dwell on championships. He talked about Troy Murray, Dean Blais, Mark Taylor, Doug Smail, Greg Johnson, Jonathan Toews, Eddie Belfour and lifelong friendships that extend far beyond hockey. That’s what made his broadcasts authentic. He loved the people as much as the game.
There may still be hope. Fighting Hawks Sports Properties, operated through Ralph Engelstad Arena, is discussing bringing Tim back to the microphone for one final season. General Manager Jody Hodgson told me he regrets how this unfolded and plans further discussions.
I hope they happen.
Every great institution is built on people who leave it better than they found it. Tim did exactly that for 45 years. Tradition matters. Loyalty matters. Gratitude matters.
One final season would not erase what happened.
But it would remind everyone what Fighting Sioux hockey has always been about.
Scott Hennen hosts the statewide radio program “What’s On Your Mind?” heard on AM 1100 “The Flag” in Fargo and on AM 1090 KTGO “The Flag” in Watford City/Williston. Email him at ScottH@FlagFamily.com.