David Stirt
Graduate Student, Broadcaster, Adjunct Faculty Member
Ring of Honor 2026
David Stirt was the founding publisher of Gator Bait newspaper (1980-98) and Fightin’ Gators magazine (2003-13). He developed and taught the CJC’s first sports reporting class (1980-1990), hosted Sportalk, Gainesville’s first weeknight radio sports talk show (1980-84), and produced/hosted 5-Live Sports on WUFT-TV (1982-88). He was also a founding member and president of the College Sports Publishers Association (1994-2003).
David Stirt was a pioneer in college sports publishing and sports journalism education during a 55-year career that included print, radio, television and teaching experiences.
After graduating from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1973, he worked at Sports Digest magazine in Miami, and his writing has appeared in The Columbia (Mo.) Missourian, The Milwaukee Journal, The Kansas City Star, The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press, The Miami News and The Gainesville Sun.
In 1978 he came to UF as a journalism graduate student. In 1980 he founded Gator Bait newspaper, which grew into one of the country’s most successful college sports publications and also began hosting Gainesville’s first weeknight radio sports talk show on WRUF.
In the fall of 1980, in addition to his publishing and radio efforts, he developed and taught the first sports reporting class offered at UF, the start of an 11-year teaching commitment which helped numerous students on their paths to sports journalism careers.
From 1982-88, he was producer-host of WUFT-TV’s weekly sports program 5-Live Sports, and served as a play-by-play announcer for SportsChannel Florida (1988-95), working SEC gymnastics championships, UF sports events and state high school football and basketball championships.
In 1992 he established the Florida High School Sports Awards program, which has honored more than 6,000 athletes and coaches in 30 high school sports in the state of Florida, and is the longest-running program of its kind in the country.
In 2004 he wrote the book Saturdays At The Swamp: An inside look at the pageantry tradition and spirit of game day at the University of Florida.
