Catching Up With the Voice ... of Toros Athletics
April 4, 2007

Contributed by Tiffany Bull, member of the CSUDH volleyball team

Dennis Lien was the type of kid who dreamed of one day announcing for the Dodgers, or even possibly the Lakers. With his unmistakable booming voice, Lien has volunteered his time to nearly every home Toros athletics event for the past 12 years.

Lien, 40, got his break in 1995 when Patrick Guillen, then the sports information director, heard his audition tape.

“A friend of mine was a secretary in the athletic department and he dropped my name to Pat,” says Lien.

Patrick Guillen, who now is the Toros Athletics Director, remains satisfied with his decision of bringing Lien into the Toro family.

“I heard Dennis’ audition tape, and I just knew we had to get him here,” says Guillen. “His voice is smooth, yet deep and reassuring,” he continues. “Dennis is a passionate guy, and I can count on one hand the number of times he has missed an event.”

Guillen also calls Dennis “One of the smartest men I have ever gotten the opportunity to meet. He is intelligent on many different levels and brings that to this Athletics Department.”

Lien feels that being a part of the sports here on campus is emotionally satisfying. He also gets to watch the teams develop over the years.

Some programs, such as soccer, have always been good, and others such as women’s basketball have been very consistent, says Lien. One sport that has really accelerated since Lien began to announce is softball.

“Coach Jim Maier has been outstanding,” says Lien.

There have been some adjustments Lien has had to make over his 12 years as “the voice” of Toros sports.

“I remember my first game I ever announced for the school was a volleyball match,” begins Lien. “I just remembered saying the word ‘spike’ and having everyone look at me not realizing it had gone out of vogue.”

You learn the technical lingo over time,” he submits, as ‘hit’ and ‘kill’ now replace ‘spike’.

Women’s basketball’s Ashley Johnson shows her support toward Lien and what he does for the sports here on campus.

“Dennis is one of a kind, and there’s no other announcer like him,” she says. “He is very supportive of everyone, and most of all me.”

Besides CSUDH, Lien has announced at the Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach for basketball tournaments and at the Home Depot Center for soccer games.

His most memorable sports announcing moment was the 1997 women’s soccer NCAA D-II Final Four game between the Toros and four-time defending national champions Franklin Pierce College, with a 4-3 final needing three sudden-death overtimes to decide the outcome.

“We lost, but man what a game,” reflects Lien.

Another thing Lien enjoys is the ability to cultivate friendships with the officials.

“Athletes come and go through the years, but the referees and coaches stick around, and you get to meet really cool people and I definitely have,” says Lien.

Although Lien did not become the announcer for the Lakers or Dodgers, he is satisfied with where he is now.

“I honestly just love the emotional high I get from these competitions. That’s all I really ever wanted.”