
Syracuse University Promotes Diversity With All-Female Production Team The production highlights the school's open-door' policy, strong ties with alumni By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Thursday, January 16, 2020 - 11:58 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
In the sports-video-production industry, Syracuse University ranks among other major collegiate institutions. The university is lauded for its stellar achievements, including once being the home of industry notables Bob Costas, Marv Albert, and Ian Eagle. Today, another feather will go in the school's cap when an all-female broadcast team, led by on-air talent Beth Mowins (Class of 1990) and Isis Young (2019), produces a Syracuse -. Georgia Tech women's basketball game on ACC Network Extra.
[This game] continues to strengthen the reputation that [S.I.] Newhouse [School of Public Communications] has in terms of being strong in the sports-production industry, and that's both in front of and behind the camera, says Kristin Hennessey, producer, Syracuse. It gives the next generation that's going to go out into the workforce a chance to talk about the incredible experience they had as an undergraduate at the university.
A No-Brainer: Women's Basketball Schedule Generates an Idea
Prior circumstances and the right timing made this special event possible. The crew already houses a good number of female staffers at the front bench and in other behind-the-scenes roles, but Hennessey saw an opening in the women's basketball schedule to pull this off.
Tonight's Syracuse - Georgia Tech women's basketball game will have an all-female production crew of 17.
[Laura Bailey, director, Syracuse, and I] were sitting around in the office and talking about scheduling, and we identified that there would be one more non-linear game that I was producing and she was directing, she says. We talked about how great it would be to have a female play-by-play announcer and analyst since we already had [an all-female front bench.
When names started swirling around in the ether, the pair found a mixture of old and new voices.
I reached out to Isis and Beth, and they immediately responded and said, We'd love to be a part of it,' she says. This seemed like an organic opportunity that presented itself, and we saw how we could maximize it.
This isn't a first-time occurrence for Syracuse, but adding a marquee name to the on-air talent turned the event into a collaborative experience showcasing the school's strong ties to its alumni.
When it comes to famous alumni, Syracuse University, and Newhouse, it doesn't get much better than [ESPN and CBS sports journalist] Beth Mowins. She has really been a leader for women in sports, says Hennessey. For her to come to the university and do something where students are involved in the production, it's something students can take with them in their professional careers and know this was a one-of-a-kind moment that's going to define what they go on to do. If they have this experience as a student, who says where they can or can't go in the future?
A Steady Backing: Athletics, Academics Give the Green Light
The administration in both the athletic and academic sides at Syracuse have offered their support by promoting the game's significance. Syracuse University Athletic Director John Wildhack has been an enthusiastic advocate of this and other monumental ideas that the production staff has had during his tenure, which began in July 2016. After a distinguished career at ESPN spanning more than 30 years, the industry veteran is accustomed to innovative projects like this.
He completely understands the messaging, and we've received his fullest support for these kinds of projects that Kristin and I come up with, says Scott Hecht, senior producer, Syracuse, who also worked at ESPN. When we presented this to John, he didn't blink an eye and said, Let's do this.'
The university's academic and marketing teams have joined in to help spread the word. The university is very excited because they're doing all sorts of PR work on their own as well to promote it, Hecht adds. It's an initiative they're very supportive about.
The Day's Leadup: The Tasks of the 17-Person Staff
Although this is another pivotal moment in raising awareness for equal opportunities in the industry, the crew will have a relatively normal schedule leading up to tipoff. After arriving at the Carrier Dome at 3:30 p.m., the crew will memorialize the night with a group photo on the court. At 6:00 p.m., meetings and rehearsal with the on-air talent will commence, and the broadcast will go live at 7:10 p.m. from the pregame studio before the start of the game at 7:30 p.m.
Besides Mowins and Young on the call, commentators will include feature reporter Michelle Knezovic, host Nicole Weaving (Class of 2020), and analyst Jenna Fink (2021) will be in the studio. Their crew will comprise Newhouse Sports Media Center director Olivia Stomski (2001), producer Mackenzie Pearce (2021), director Maria Trivelpiece (2020), associate director Jenna Elique (2022), technical director Jillian O'Mitchell (2018), and engineer Roxanne Niezabytowski.
In the control room will be Hennessey, Bailey, technical director Ally Heath (2020), associate director Kara Hitt (2020), audio technician Summer Stubbmann (2023), Xpression operator Melissa Thorne, stage manager Samantha Rothman (2020), and Alyssa Lyons (2020).
The Strength of Syracuse: Lasting Memories, More Career Possibilities
Besides the history awaiting this group inside one of the university's iconic venues, the broadcast will also represent an example for any university student interested in sports-video production.
We've had a lot of success in regard to bringing in wom
North America Stories
09/09/2026
Italy launch follows UK and Germany as Nielsen expands product across EMEA
Milan, Italy, September 9, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, ...
09/09/2026
Planned solutions tackle accuracy, cost and latency barriers to deploying AI at ...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, introduces its new Model 791 Control Console at IBC 2026 (N...
09/09/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects and visualization, is headin...
09/09/2026
NUGEN Audio unveils DialogCheck v1.2, the latest evolution of its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at IBC 2026 (Pod P27). With a sharpene...
09/09/2026
Trusted Partner Network Launches Fix It or Risk It to Help the Entertainment Industry Tackle Everyday Security Risks
Industry-Wide Campaign Launches at IBC2...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
AI has moved firmly beyond experimentation in UK advertising, with more than eight in ten marketers (83%) now actively using or piloting AI in production, accor...
09/09/2026
IBC2026 - Stand 7.D22
At IBC2026, Pixitmedia by DataCore will showcase its latest capabilities designed to simplify distributed production, accelerate workflow...
09/09/2026
Stockholm, Sweden September 9th, 2026 At IBC2026, on booth 1.B47, Net Insight will showcase Open Live Media, its architecture for delivering resilient live ...
09/09/2026
Net Insight today announced that DMC Production Norway is continuing the use of its Open Live Media technology for premium European football, deploying Nimbra 5...
09/09/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud platform for unified broadcast, streaming, and monetization, will showcase four new AI-native capabilities at IBC2026, Hall 5, S...
09/09/2026
Limecraft today announces version 2026.6 of its AI-powered production platform, extending capabilities for connected media operations. An AI-assisted approach t...
09/09/2026
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, today announced the next evolution of its Practical AI strategy, evolving its comprehensive portfoli...
09/09/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the appointment of Brian Doheny as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
09/09/2026
LiveU is now a Clarus Integrated Reseller, bringing Starlink's fast, reliable broadband directly into LiveU's cellular bonding EcoSystem through a singl...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Wisycom is showcasing the latest additions to its ecosystem of professional RF technologies at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.D60). This includes its new MATF Wideband Anten...
09/09/2026
AMSTERDAM, IBC2026 VisualOn, Inc. and Cires21 today released an updated joint whitepaper at IBC 2026 demonstrating measurable, high-impact improvements in visu...
09/09/2026
Sony Electronics Introduces Its First Fisheye Zoom G Lens
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Compact, lightweight SEL814G Full-frame lens deliv...
09/09/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 21.1
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Major update adds AI assistant integration, expanded camera...
09/09/2026
Cuez Integrates AI into a Unified Broadcast Production Workflow
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Cuez announces the expansion of its cloud-ba...
09/09/2026
At the IBC conference, running Sept. 11-14 in Amsterdam, the creative, technology and business communities are coming together to turn ideas into action and dis...
08/09/2026
Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) has announced a multi-year agreement with A E...
08/09/2026
Spectra Logic today announced the availability of Media Insight, a new capabilit...
08/09/2026
Rogers Communications and Quebecor have announced a 12-year sublicensing agreement for French-language national NHL games beginning with the 2026-27 season. TVA...
08/09/2026
Skyline Communications and Bridge Technologies will demonstrate two integrations...
08/09/2026
Boland Communications will make the European debut of its 4K55HDR7SNB 55-inch super-narrow-bezel monitor at IBC2026 (Stand 12.C57, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-1...
08/09/2026
Ateme and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) have announced a collaboration comb...
08/09/2026
Haivision has joined the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme as part of t...
08/09/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced price reductions on its PYXIS 6K and Cinema Camera 6K models, effective immediately through Blackmagic Design resellers worldwid...
08/09/2026
AI-Media will demonstrate its LEXI Suite at IBC2026 (Booth 5.C34, September 11-1...
08/09/2026
Bitmovin and Ad Insertion Platform (AIP) have announced the first live deploymen...
08/09/2026
Grass Valley will demonstrate story-centric media workflows at IBC2026 (Booth 9.A01, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), connecting newsroom production, content ma...
08/09/2026
M2A Media and Ateme have announced a partnership integrating Ateme's video processing solutions into M2A Media's MediaToAnywhere platform for live sport...
08/09/2026
Ikegami will exhibit at IBC2026 (Stand 12.A31, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), including a Day 1 introduction of new cameras in the UNICAM XE series. Additiona...
08/09/2026
Broadcast industry analysts will be gathering plenty of insights at the 2026 IBC Show this weekend in Amsterdam, but Caretta Research has offered up some though...
08/09/2026
SENSHI and DAZN have announced a global broadcast partnership that will bring SENSHI's live events free to viewers in more than 200 markets. The partnership...
08/09/2026
New architecture built with Evertz will bring 4K HDR to Monday Night Football, N...
08/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/09/2026
Mo-Sys, the world-leading developer of virtual production, camera robotics and image tracking technology, has completed a business restructuring, which has incl...
08/09/2026
New York, September 8, 2026 The TSAmediaHUB audiovisual contribution and distribution infrastructure developed by Telef nica's Audiovisual Services area re...
08/09/2026
Expanded Riyadh operation brings Asharq and Thmanyah services together on a resilient on-premises Pebble platform.
Pebble, the leading automation, content mana...
08/09/2026
Techex, a pioneering leader in live video workflows, will showcase its broadest software feature set to date at IBC 2026 (Stand 2.B45), extending its lead in so...
08/09/2026
Visitors to Grass Valley's booth at IBC2026 will be introduced to new Framelight X capabilities that connect content acquisition, management, editing and pu...