Al Randall, the play-by-play voice of the Michigan hockey team, is in his 15th season on the job. (Mark Bialek for AnnArbor.com)

Randall is in his 15th season as the play-by-play voice of the University of Michigan hockey team. The games air locally on WTKA-AM (1050). He drives more than 70 miles each way from DeWitt to call the games in Ann Arbor, but it used to be much worse.

When Randall started the job in 1995, he lived in Alpena. He would drive 240 miles each way to call games on weekends, and do it again on Tuesdays to host the Red Berenson Show.

Oh, and he has a real job.

“I used to get home at 11-11:15 at night (after hosting the Red Berenson Show), then I couldn’t sleep, and I’d have to be at work at 6:30 the next morning. I was a pretty dedicated son of a gun, and I never hit a deer or anything,” he said. “It was worth it to me, because I’m doing something I’ve always wanted to do.”

In recent years, Randall has reduced his driving burden from insane to manageably annoying, and has quit hosting the Red Berenson Show. But it’s still a heavy load to carry in addition to working for Guardian Industries Inc.

But, Randall said, he would do whatever it takes to keep calling Michigan’s games.

“I’m committed to it, and I’m gonna do it,” he said. “At one time, I thought I’m gonna do this for five years and see where it goes, but I was having so much fun after five years that it got to be routine, driving down and stuff like that.”

With Michigan opening the season on the road for five of its first six games, Randall’s voice has been the only link to the team for some fans. Randall has become part of the Michigan hockey culture.

“To know the players throughout the years has been a lot of fun, as well as the parents, too,” he said. “They never forget you. It’s a family atmosphere, the Michigan hockey program.”

Before joining Michigan, Randall paid his dues by calling 19 years of high-school hockey Up North. While some of those years might have seemed long, Randall said his 15 years with the Michigan hockey team have flown by.

“It doesn’t feel like I’ve been there 15 years; it feels like I’ve just started,” he said. “That’s how much fun I’m having. Some people can’t do the same thing for 15 years, but this isn’t like working. It’s fun.”

Of course, winning always makes things fun. Randall has called two national championships, and Michigan has never missed the NCAA tournament during his time as a broadcaster.

“If Michigan had been losing all these years, would it still be as fun? I can’t answer that,” Randall said. “I can’t imagine what that would be like.”

But if Michigan ever does have another losing season, Randall likely will be there to describe it.

“I don’t foresee an end for me broadcasting,” Randall said. “I will do this for many years to come, if they’ll have me.”

James Briggs covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at 734.623.2557 or jamesbriggs@annarbor.com.