Joe Cook is the Sports Director for 16 WAPT Sports. His dream has always been to live and work in the sports arena.

In his last stop Joe was the weekend sports anchor/reporter at WLTX in Columbia, SC. While there, Joe reported on Clemson football’s national championships in 2016 and 2018, the South Carolina women’s basketball national championship in 2017, as well as other major league teams. Most recently, Joe traveled to Atlanta to cover Super Bowl LIII and Charlotte for the NBA All Star Weekend. Joe’s coverage also includes 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, 2 NCAA men’s tournaments and men’s Final Four and two Masters tournaments. He’s spent the last three years covering SEC and ACC sports.

Joe got his start in sports television in Fairbanks, Alaska. That gave him an experience many sportscasters only dream of or never thought they would dream of. He covered dog mushing events like the world-famous mile Iditarod sled dog race, the legendary Midnight Sun Baseball game, WCHA Division I hockey, GNAC Division II athletics and the unique high school and community sports scene in Alaska which has made him a well-rounded sports journalist.

Before Alaska, Joe was on the air in Omaha, Nebraska when the Norfolk State Spartans, his alma mater, upset the Missouri Tigers in the 2nd round of the 2012 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Joe was the radio color commentator for NSU men's basketball, the play by play voice for the women's basketball team and multimedia talent for the school's official athletic website NSUSpartans.com.

Joe continues to jump through hoops to get interviews with sports greats like former head football coach Marty Schottenheimer, basketball icon Magic Johnson, former pro football player Bruce Smith and 4-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion Lance Mackey.

When Joe is not watching his favorite teams, the San Francisco 49ers or the Atlanta Braves, he’s either on a basketball court or in the kitchen brushing up on his baking and chef skills.

If you know of any good places to play some pickup basketball or have any story ideas send him an email to joe.cook@hearst.com.