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Meet the High Point University student broadcasters who went viral during March Madness first round upset originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
March Madness isn’t only about the players. Sometimes, the most electric moments happen just a few feet off the court, where the raw emotion of the tournament finds its voice.
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This year, High Point University student broadcasters Jimmy Rosselli and Griffin Wright have become the unexpected breakout stars of the opening round, capturing the hearts of millions with their unfiltered, high-octane call of the Panthers’ historic 83–82 upset over fifth-seeded Wisconsin.
As 12th-seeded High Point secured the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in Portland, Rosselli and Wright — the duo behind “The Jimmy and Griff Show” — shed any semblance of professional restraint. When Owen Aquino delivered a game-sealing block in the final seconds, Rosselli’s voice reached a fever pitch, famously shouting, “Throw on the glass slipper! It’s a Cinderella story in Portland, Oregon!”
The viral clip has resonated far beyond the High Point campus, serving as a poignant reminder of why college sports remain so beloved. For Rosselli and Wright, the moment was the culmination of a partnership built on genuine friendship. Their ability to translate the sheer “magic of March” into a soundscape of pure joy has turned them into household names overnight, proving that in the NCAA Tournament, anyone — even the people behind the microphone — can have their “shining moment.”
Meet the two broadcasters who have caught college basketball fans hearts.
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Who are the High Point University student broadcasters?
The viral voices behind High Point University’s moment are junior Jimmy Rosselli and senior Griffin Wright. The duo, who host “The Jimmy and Griff Show on the university’s student radio station, HPUR “The Sound,” have become the face of student media this March. Rosselli, a 20-year-old from Huntington, N.Y., handles the play-by-play duties, while Wright, a 22-year-old from Richmond, Va., provides the color commentary.
Their rise to national fame began last year when a video of them calling the Panthers’ Big South Championship victory went viral, eventually leading to an appearance on Good Morning America. However, their 2026 encore has reached an even higher level of electricity. As the 12th-seeded Panthers pulled off a stunning 83–82 upset over Wisconsin in Portland, the pair’s raw, unbridled passion captured the exact essence of the tournament’s “madness.”
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HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5
High Point viral radio call
Rosselli and Wright let it all out on Thursday afternoon, when High Point came back to defeat Wisconsin.
MORE: High Point, Chase Johnston upset Wisconsin
Where is High Point basketball team from?
The High Point University Panthers are based in High Point, N.C., located in the state’s Piedmont Triad region. The city is famously known as the “Home Furnishings Capital of the World,” a title that the university has embraced as its campus continues to expand alongside the local community.
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The team plays its home games at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2021. The arena is part of a larger $170 million complex that includes a conference center and a boutique hotel, reflecting the school’s unique “Life Skills” mission. On game days, the atmosphere is defined by the university’s signature royal purple and white colors, with the court itself named in honor of former player and coach Tubby Smith and his wife, Donna.
While the university is private and draws about 80% of its student body from outside of North Carolina, the basketball team has become a major source of local pride.
MORE: Who is High Point’s Chase Johnston?
High Point University enrollment
High Point’s student body totals approximately 6,550 students for the 2025–2026 academic year. This population includes 5,301 undergraduates and 1,249 graduate students pursuing degrees across various disciplines. The university has experienced unprecedented growth over the past two decades, nearly quadrupling its enrollment since 2005 through aggressive campus expansion and the addition of several new professional schools
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The current freshman class is the largest in the institution’s 101-year history, totaling 1,671 first-year students. This represents a nearly 10% increase over the previous year’s record-breaking class, signaling a sustained upward trend in the university’s national profile. Including transfer students, the university welcomed 1,780 new undergraduate faces to its North Carolina campus this past fall
A notable characteristic of the student body is that roughly 80% of students come from outside North Carolina. This growth has been supported by the construction of more than 100 new or renovated buildings, including specialized facilities for the university’s expanding medical and law programs.
MORE: Chase Johnston’s High Point stats
