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GREENVILLE, N.C. – Jeff Charles, East Carolina’s long time “Voice of the Pirates” passed away unexpectedly Friday in New Orleans while accompanying the men’s basketball team.

Charles a former Washington resident, has been the Pirates broadcaster for 30-plus years. He called some of ECU’s most memorable games on the gridiron and hardwood, including 15 bowls and over 1,000 basketball contests.

He began his radio career at East Carolina in 1988 after previously serving in the same capacity at Virginia Tech, Illinois, and Furman. Charles earned North Carolina Sportscaster-of-the-Year honors from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 2000 and 2014, and most recently, was recognized as an honorary alumnus by ECU in the fall of 2015.

Charles also worked as sports director at WSB in Atlanta where he was the night-time host of a sports talk show heard throughout 38 states and Canada on the 50,000-watt clear channel station.

A Piqua, Ohio native, Charles is a graduate of the Career Academy of Broadcasting School of Columbus, Ohio and received a degree in speech communications from Goshen (Ind.) College in 1975.