13 WREX announces new sports director and weekend sports anchor/reporter, both Illinois natives | Top Stories
ROCKFORD (WREX) – 13 WREX Weekend Sports Anchor and Illinois native, Eric Graver, will join Brittany Hardaway, Derek Bayne and Chief Meteorologist Alex Kirchner as the station’s new Sports Director during the weekday 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.
Graver joined 13 WREX in May of 2022 after more than a year as a Sports Anchor and Multi-Media Journalist at KOMU – TV, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri.
“My goal was always to come back to my home state and work in a community I’m passionate about,” said Graver. “I’ve loved building relationships with all the coaches and athletes, and I can’t wait to keep growing within this community.”
Graver is originally from Geneva, Illinois and graduated in 2022 from University of Missouri with a degree in Sports Broadcasting.
Since joining 13 WREX, Eric has produced and anchor weekend coverage of sports events and news from around the Stateline and contributed to many news broadcasts as a fill-in news anchor.
He was also an important part of the Friday Night Football high school football coverage this past season.
Graver takes over the Sports Director duties from Derek Bayne, a 10-year 13 WREX veteran and Illinois native, who recently transitioned from the sports desk to the news desk.
Bayne now co-anchors 13 News at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. newscasts with Brittany Hardaway.
“Our sports department is in good hands,” said Bayne. “I’ll still be close by to offer my support, but I know Eric cares about this community and I’m excited to see the direction he takes our sports coverage.”
Taking over Weekend Sports Anchor duties is Ethan Wiles, a news producer at 13 WREX since May of 2021.
Wiles joined 13 WREX as an intern and quickly advanced to photojournalist, then to a senior news producer position.
Wiles, who is from West Dundee, Illinois, graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2021.
He has also been a public address announcer for color guard and marching band competitions as well as high school football and basketball games for his alma mater, Dundee-Crown High School.
He announced his first baseball game for little league when he was 9 years old.
“I love the Stateline area and I’m so honored to be able to tell the stories of athletes whether it be football, baseball or even the marching band,” said Wiles. “I look forward to meeting all of the areas athletes, coaches and administrators.”
The changes and promotions will continue to allow 13 WREX to offer the sports coverage our community has come to expect.
“For the past ten years, Derek Bayne has set the standard for storytelling in our sports community,” said 13 WREX News Director, Greg Deffenbaugh. “To have Eric and Ethan pick up that torch and carry it on is a win, not only for our station, but for our local athletes.”
13 WREX (WREX – TV) is owned by Allen Media Broadcasting and is the NBC affiliate for the Rockford market (DMA 139).