Jan 24, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; The Kohl Center is the home of the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team. The image was taken before the game with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Wisconsin defeated Penn State 82-55. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Longtime Wisconsin Badgers broadcaster Matt Lepay has been awarded a prestigious award.

The voice of the Badgers for many decades, Matt Lepay, was honored Wednesday afternoon with the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) Sportscaster of the Year Award for the state of Wisconsin.

Calling games for Wisconsin men’s basketball since 1988, Lepay has opened up his arsenal and has picked up Badgers’ football as well. Earning some recognition in past years, Lepay subbed in for FOX Sports’ Brian Anderson and called Milwaukee Brewers games as Anderson dealt with the NBA Playoffs.

Lepay joined Wisconsin State Journal’s very own Tom Oates as Wisconsin recipients of the award. Oates was named the state’s sportswriter of the year.

Congrats to two outstanding professionals – @TomOatesWSJ & @MattLepay – on being named Wisconsin Sportswriter/Sportscaster of the Year — Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 1, 2017

It is not the first time Lepay has won the award, but he has gone without it since 2011. He also won the honor in 1997, 2000 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009- making it eight total. In May 2012, Lepay was inducted into The Madison Hall of Fame Club.

On top of his radio gigs, you can also find Lepay on TV as he is the host of Badger Sports Report, a show on FOX Sports Wisconsin.

He shall now be referred to as "EIGHT-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year, Matt Lepay." Congrats @MattLepayhttps://t.co/ZmRlgw0eJQ — Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 1, 2017

He has been around for some great Badgers memories, through thick and thin and it is safe to assume Badgers fan are happy he migrated from small-town Ohio to Madison in the late 1980s.

“There was an ad for a basketball play-by-play job in Madison, Wisconsin, and a fill-in hockey announcer position, and you would also do some work, pregame, halftime, postgame with Badger football games. This was back in 1988,” Lepay told UW-Milwaukee Public Radio. “True confessions, I didn’t know a whole lot about Wisconsin basketball. I grew up in Big Ten country, but was not that familiar with Wisconsin basketball… but a Big Ten job at age 26 sounded pretty cool.”

Ever since, he has been the voice of Wisconsin and Badgers Nation has enjoyed every minute of having him on board.