Hometown: Lawrenceville, NJ
Major: Telecommunications
Years at IU: 2011-2015
What he did at IU: I started off with WIUX Sports, doing play-by-play, co-hosting weekly talk shows, and reporting for the website. As a sophomore and junior, I served as Co-Sports Director and a senior, I was the station’s Programming Director. I broadcasted the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments. Additionally, I was part of the Big Ten StudentU program for all 4 years broadcasting a variety of sports, and served as the official voice of IU Women’s Soccer in 2014. I was fortunate enough to be selected as the analyst for Indiana’s first ever live student-produced broadcast on Big Ten Network, covering an exhibition men’s basketball game. During my senior year, I also held the position of Technical Producer for IUSTV News.
What he does now: I am a Broadcast Associate for CBS Sports, based out of New York City. I produce graphics for live telecasts of the NFL, NCAA basketball/football, and the PGA TOUR. Throughout the year, I travel around the country to be a part of the production for these events. I work closely with our announce crew and producers to create graphics that help tell the story of the game/event. I’ve worked on broadcasts such as Super Bowl LIII, the AFC Playoffs, The Masters, PGA Championship, and NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. I’ve won 5 National Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Sports Special and Outstanding Playoff Coverage. I started this position in the summer of 2015 after graduation, and I’m very grateful for these experiences.
Advice for sports media students: Work hard! There is no shortcut to achieving your goals in the sports media industry. Indiana offers so much, but it’s up to you to take advantage and make things happen. Commit to an organization and seek out leadership positions. If you become a trusted commodity, your amount of opportunities will go up and you’ll be able to start surrounding yourself with experienced professionals in the industry. Don’t burn bridges and don’t take yourself too seriously while you’re in college. Get experience doing a variety of things and try to get internships. The more you try, the more you’ll find out what you do or don’t like to do. You’ll even find out about opportunities you didn’t know existed. (I never considered behind-the-scenes sports production until I started shadowing others). And of course, networking and relationship-building will be necessary to getting the jobs you want. Submitting a resume blindly somewhere will not help you as much as being in contact with someone who works there. Remain patient and gracious. Stay on the lookout for people to get to know. Fortunately, the IU sports media alumni base is a great place to start!
