Hi everyone,

My name is Isa Almeida, and I’m the former sports editor at The Daily Texan, UT Austin’s student newspaper. I graduated from UT in May with a degree in journalism, and now I’m headed to Oklahoma City to intern with The Oklahoman through SJI this summer.

I’m originally from Vitória, on the Brazilian coast, but I have lived in the Austin area since my junior year of high school in 2020.

I have always loved to write, and I have always loved sports, particularly soccer and basketball, but my passion for sports journalism didn’t come to be until 2019. Watching the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, I noticed the massive gap in coverage between men’s and women’s sports and decided I wanted to be part of this growth. Since then, I’ve seen an enormous increase in coverage, and I’m proud to have some hand in it, even if just a small one. At the Texan, I covered men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and softball.

I’m looking forward to doing more softball work in OKC, and much more!

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My name is Devon Henderson. This spring, I am graduating from Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication with my bachelor’s degree in sports journalism. I completed my undergraduate degree in just three years.
I was a digital sports reporter/writer for much of my time at Cronkite, whether through Cronkite News or Student Clubs. In my time art Cronkite I have been able to go on-site to cover live marquee sporting events such as the 2024 men's final four in Phoenix, the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinal Peach Bowl in Atlanta, 2025 MLB Spring Training from Phoenix, and the 2024 Summer Olympics on-site in Paris for the duration of the games.
At each of those events—along with my beat coverage of ASU football, men’s basketball, and women’s soccer—I wrote not only daily stories and game recaps but also in-depth profiles and features.
This summer, my Journalism Institute internship is with the Southern California News Group as a writer, where I will help write stories from around the Los Angeles area. One of my goals is to continue to expand my understanding of the art of sports writing and storytelling while using a rich sports market to do so
After my internship, I’m looking for a digital sports reporter position that will allow me to continue pursuing my passion for storytelling, especially in football, soccer, and basketball.
I was born and raised in Sacramento, California, and grew up a 49ers and Kings fan. I also loved watching sports documentaries and consuming sports media, and I quickly fell in love with the storytelling behind the games. I knew early on that I wanted to pursue sports journalism, and Arizona State stood out—not one of the best, but the only dedicated sports journalism program on the West Coast. That’s why I came to Cronkite.
My favorite moment so far was writing an in-depth profile on newly elected NFL Hall of Famer and ASU legend Eric Allen. He had previously distanced himself from the school, but after my story, he said he was open to reconnecting. Being able to help bring that joy back to ASU through my writing meant a lot.

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Hi, I'm Caulin Avery. I'm a recent graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in journalism and mass communications.

My short-term goal is to work in any sports field, whether as a writer, producer, reporter, or anything I've been involved in all my life. A long term goal to work specifically in college football is when I'm a big fan of college football. 
That's one of my favorite sports. So, in any field, such as being a reporter or anchor for College Game Day, Fox Sports, specifically in college football, I would love to have it as a long-term goal.

Most recently at North Carolina A&T, I earned the most outstanding senior for multimedia throughout the whole department. 
I was also the SCORE editor for the school newspaper, the A&T Register, for the past two years. Through SJI, I will be interning with Fox Sports in Los Angeles. I'm really excited to work in one of the major sports markets in the country. 
They have many sports teams, collegiate and professional, so I'm excited to see how they handle all of that in one market.

A unique fact about me is that I've been a Georgia Bulldogs fan my entire life, literally. All I can remember is being a Georgia Bulldogs fan. 
My cousin played there, so it's been one heck of a ride being a Georgia Bulldogs fan, recently winning two national championships. We're coming for a third for sure.

Also, my favorite thing I've done while being score editor at A&T is covering the LeBron James show, The Shop Uninterrupted, when they came here for the HBCU tour. 
It was the last stop, so we got the final scenes of everything. I interviewed Mav Carter and Paul Rivera, asked why they chose A&T, and went on this HBCU tour. Even though LeBron James didn't show up, I was still excited to cover it, so I'm excited about what else I can do for my journey.

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Hi there! My name is Kathleen Ortiz. I’m a rising senior at Rice University in Houston, Texas. I am majoring in Social Policy Analysis and Sport Management with a concentration in sport law. I spent the past year as the sports editor of Rice’s student newspaper, The Rice Thresher. This upcoming school year, I will be the co-editor-in-chief.
I have covered every sport at Rice, which has fewer than 5,000 undergraduate students. I traveled to Austin to cover the football team’s preseason game against the University of Texas and to Baton Rouge to cover the women’s basketball team's game against Louisiana State University in the first round of March Madness.
Most of all, though, I enjoy feature writing. For example, through a feature lens, I covered the death of legendary Rice baseball coach Wayne Graham and Rice’s swim team winning the American Athletic Conference championship.
This summer, I will intern at The Dallas Morning News and look forward to growing as a writer and a professional. I cannot wait to cover all DFW sports, especially the Dallas Wings and the Texas Rangers.
Growing up with two sports journalists as parents, sports and writing were essential to my childhood. When my family moved from Texas to Missouri, I cheered for the Houston Astros, Texans, and St. Louis Blues. I’m also a fifth-generation Chicago Cubs fan and had the privilege of seeing one of the World Series games in 2016. However, college sports were often even more important at my house. I’ve cheered for my mom’s Iowa Hawkeyes and dad’s Texas A&M Aggies for as long as I can remember.
I have journals from when I was young, in which I would write “stories” while we watched the Olympics or World Cup on TV, and it’s hard to deny that I’ve always wanted to be a journalist. In high school, I found a knack for writing sports features, and I’ve never looked back.

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My name is Isaiah De Anda Delgado. This summer, I will represent the Sports Journalism Institute while interning at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

In 2021, I earned my associate's degree from the College of Central Florida, and recently, I graduated from the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication with a bachelor's degree in digital journalism and a minor in sociology.

My late grandfather, Eli De Anda, had a profound respect for Muhammad Ali, both as an athlete and a social activist. This respect inspired my degree and passion for telling stories in sports that go beyond the stats.

Thanks in part to my work as a benchwarmer, I learned how to watch sports from the sidelines at an early age. In an effort to keep the entire dugout entertained, I picked up storytelling along the way—a skill that has served me well in sports media.

During my time at UCF, I served as the Co-Sports Editor of the student paper The Charge, where I’d previously been the football beat reporter. I also joined a club called Hitting the Field, where I hosted one of our four student-produced weekly sports shows.

HTF helped me connect with some industry alumni, which ultimately led to my becoming the youngest beat reporter for the Orlando Magic while working for multiple Sports Illustrated sites and the youngest Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter while interning for Pewter Report.

I’m proud to have interviewed stars of today, such as Paolo Banchero and Jalen Carter, as well as legends like Gregg Popovich, Peyton Manning, and Terrell Owens. However, I’m even prouder to have become UCF’s second-ever SJI selection despite having to drop out of college multiple times after losing six loved ones and now be representing both my family and my hometown of Citrus County, a rural part of Central Florida that’s known chiefly for manatees and retirees.

After my internship, I’d like to continue building a name for myself in media and become known as one of the top interviewers in journalism.

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My name is Sofia Schwarzwalder, and I am a rising senior at the University of Washington, double majoring in Journalism and Ethics. I plan to graduate in December 2025. I am the current managing editor and former news editor at UW’s student newspaper, where I have covered sports and news for the past three years.
Following graduation, I want to work as a sports beat or breaking news reporter at a daily newspaper. My ultimate goal is to be in a role where I can cover topics at the intersection of news and sports.
My SJI internship is at the Kansas City Star this summer, where I hope to cover the Royals and Bobby Witt Jr.
I was born in Seattle but lived in Hong Kong for the first 14 years of my life, where I grew up as a competitive athlete. I come from a sports-fanatic family, but didn’t know I wanted to be a journalist, let alone a sports reporter, until I joined The Daily at UW.

After deciding I was serious about a journalism career, I tried to say yes to every opportunity. This led to me being the UW Baseball beat reporter while I was also covering major campus protests in my sophomore year.

This winter, I stepped out of my comfort zone during a three-month legislative internship with The Seattle Times, where I covered politics.

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What’s up, SJI family — I’m Tarohn Finley, a recent graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast and digital journalism.

During my time at Syracuse, I was an active member of our NABJ chapter and served as treasurer this year. Most of my college work focused on writing scripts for TV and radio, but now I’m ready to grow as a print journalist. I’m excited to sharpen those skills this summer as part of the Sports Journalism Institute.

I’ll be heading home to Detroit to intern at The Detroit News, covering the teams I grew up watching. As a Detroit native, I’ve long noticed how negative stories often centered on the inner city while the suburbs got the spotlight. I want to change that narrative. My goal this summer is to highlight inner-city high school athletes and tell the stories of those often overlooked.

I also want to stretch myself by covering a variety of sports—not just the ones I’m most familiar with. Football has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember, and my long-term dream is to cover the sport as a college or NFL beat reporter. My ultimate goal? Writing for The Athletic or Andscape, where I can explore the intersection of race, culture, and sports. I also hope to one day host a podcast blending those same themes.

A couple of fun facts: Last summer, I co-hosted the morning show on Sports Rap Radio, the first-ever all-Black sports radio station—big shoutout to Rob Parker for that opportunity. I’m also launching a podcast called From the D to D1, spotlighting D1 athletes and top high school prospects from metro Detroit.

I can’t wait to begin my journey with SJI and become part of the family.

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Hi, my name is Alana Thompson. I recently graduated from Loyola University New Orleans, receiving my mass communication degree with a sociology minor. 

At Loyola, I was the sports editor of The Maroon and covered campus sports such as basketball, beach volleyball, and tennis. I was also a stringer for WGNO’s show, Friday Night Football, where we covered high school football in the greater New Orleans area. 

Now that I've graduated, I’m looking for a position in sports journalism that will allow me to cover the NFL or college football.

As a sideline reporter or analyst, I aim to cover college football and the NFL. 

During my time at Loyola, I was inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha. I was also one of 17 students selected to participate in the Super Bowl LIX Media Scholars Program, which allowed me to cover events such as Opening Night, NFL Play 60, and the Apple Music Halftime Show Press Conference with Kendrick Lamar. 

This summer, my Sports Journalism Institute internship will be with The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Growing up in Louisiana, I was a big Saints fan. My family is Saints season ticket holders, and I always went to Saints games. It’s sad to say, but I was in the Dome during the NFC Championship when the no-call happened, and I’m still mad about it to this day. 

When I was a freshman at Loyola, I knew I wanted to be a sports journalist, but I was unsure. I took a sports and politics class, and I really enjoyed it. That class made me sure that sports journalism was something that I wanted to do. 

My favorite moment as a sports journalist was attending Super Bowl LIX events. The last time the Super Bowl was in New Orleans, I was only 9 years old. It was so much fun being part of the atmosphere and interviewing athletes. 

I’m looking forward to boot camp and my internship. Thank you so much for watching!

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I’m Avery Hill, the football editor at The Daily Collegian at Penn State University, where I lead a team of writers covering Penn State football year-round. I’m also proud to serve as president of NABJ Penn State, helping foster community and opportunity for aspiring Black journalists on campus.

A rising senior majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in sport studies, I’ve shaped my path through hands-on experience—from covering the Fiesta and Orange Bowls to managing one of the most demanding beats in collegiate sports media. My love for storytelling took root during my early years on the football field and in English classes I never thought I’d enjoy. That unexpected blend of passion led me straight to the newsroom my first semester at Penn State.

Since then, I’ve written for multiple sports—including hockey, softball, and women’s basketball—and stepped into leadership roles that have challenged me to grow as both a reporter and an editor. One of my proudest achievements came in September 2024, when I traveled to Paris to cover the Paralympic Games in partnership with the Associated Press. My feature on diversity in the Games was published in the AP Daily Digest.

This summer, I’m interning at the Providence Journal through the Sports Journalism Institute, where I’m gaining invaluable experience covering the New England Patriots.

Ultimately, I hope to begin my career as a beat writer at the collegiate or professional level and work my way toward becoming a national writer—someone who delivers in-depth, long-form storytelling across platforms and brings fans closer to the sports they love.

Alaina Morris is a rising senior at Lipscomb University majoring in sports media—and the first student from Lipscomb ever selected for the Sports Journalism Institute. Based in Nashville, she currently covers Vanderbilt women’s basketball as the beat writer for Vandy247 and works as an ESPN+ commentator, broadcasting women’s basketball at Tennessee State University and soccer and softball at Lipscomb.

This summer, she’s interning at The Tennessean, where she’ll cover the Tennessee Titans, Nashville SC, and more.

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Morris grew up cheering for the West Virginia Mountaineers and Pittsburgh Steelers. She discovered her passion for sports journalism during her freshman year, when she joined Lipscomb’s student media team—and hasn’t looked back since.

She’s served as sports editor of the student outlet, earned Storyteller of the Year and Broadcaster of the Year honors from Lipscomb’s communications department, and competed in SEJC journalism competitions. Her favorite reporting experiences so far include covering the SEC and NCAA Tournaments and attending SEC Media Day—twice.

After graduating in December 2025, Morris hopes to become a women’s basketball beat writer at the college or WNBA level.

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Liana Handler, a junior from the University of Florida, has pursued north central Florida sports stories for the last two years, including currently as the Independent Florida Alligator’s UF gymnastics and football beat reporter. She also had bylines in the Tampa Bay Times and WUFT News, the Gainesville NPR and PBS affiliate, and WRUF, the Gainesville ESPN affiliate.

While her journalism career has included trips to Paris to help NBC Sports with its 2025 Paris Paralympic coverage and Kentucky to cover a national girls' baseball tournament, her favorite stories focus on the intersection of sports, culture, and community.

She will work as a general assignment sports reporter at the Baltimore Banner, and her goal is to write a feature about a Baltimore Orioles player.

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Hey! I’m Sophia Vesely, the former sports editor of Swarthmore College’s time-honored newspaper, the Phoenix, which has been running since 1861. I managed over 10 sports writers during my two years at the helm. I also have two professional sports writing internships, working for the Orlando Sentinel in the summer of 2023 and the Dallas Morning News in the summer of ‘24.

Upon graduation, I’m looking for a sportswriting position at a regional newspaper or with a digital platform that will allow me to cover any college sport or professional soccer team. My long-term goals are to write biographies for professional athletes, start an athlete-centered podcast, and eventually re-enter the classroom as a professor, where I can pay it forward and teach college students the ethics of journalism.

I graduated this month from Swarthmore, a small, liberal arts college located just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I double majored in English Literature and Philosophy, both of which have honed my writing and critical research skills and enhanced my curiosity, which are imperative for journalists.

I graduated with Highest Honors and a 4.0 GPA. In recognition of my academic excellence, I was recently inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society.

My Sports Journalism Institute internship this summer is with the Seattle Times, where one of my goals is to cover Seattle Reign FC.

I love sports, but my deeper passion is for the athlete. I am an NCAA collegiate athlete, playing four seasons with Swarthmore’s women’s soccer team and captaining the squad in my junior and senior years. This year marks my 20th year playing soccer, so I know commitment and sacrifice. I am also a half-marathoner and a two-time Junior Olympian in track, so I know grit and pain. I am eager to report on the triumphs of teams and the challenges overcome by athletes.

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Hello, my name is Niles Garrison. I am a rising senior, a Sports journalism major, and a Spanish minor from Baltimore. I attend Morehouse College. I want to become a sports reporter or analyst in the future. The sport I will cover in the future does not matter to me as long as I have abundant knowledge of that particular sport.
I currently serve as the managing editor in print for Morehouse's student newspaper, the Maroon Tiger. While contributing to the student newspaper, I have covered many sports events, including the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
This summer, I will be in Jacksonville, Florida, where I'll be working for the Florida Times-Union. For this internship, I look forward to learning the ways of the newsroom and continuing to work on my writing craft. I look forward to covering the sports in Jacksonville.
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, so my fandom for the Chicago Bulls began there. My love for the Pittsburgh Steelers is due to my dad's fandom for the team. My favorite soccer club is Arsenal Football Club.
I decided to attend Morehouse College because I knew I wanted to go to an HBCU. Morehouse's Sports journalism program had a very strong backing, with opportunities like the NBA All-Star weekend. I knew that I would be able to launch myself into the career that I wanted for myself by coming here.
My favorite story or memory is the chance to go to All-Star weekend and write a story about philanthropy. I had the opportunity to talk to NBA players and ask them questions in scrum interviews about what community service meant to them.

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My name is Allexus Killian, and I’m a spring 2025 graduate from North Carolina Central University at just 19 years old. I achieved a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in broadcast media. I was the sports editor of the Campus Echo, North Carolina Central’s student newspaper, covering football and basketball. I was also an editor for NCCU’s television news production, Central News, and co-host of the sports show I created, Fly Eagle Sports, with the university’s radio station.

At the Southern Regional Press Institute in Savannah State, I won best overall sports story two years in a row. With the highest GPA in my concentration, I accomplished the Award of Excellence in Broadcast Media.

I am the first NCCU student to be selected for an internship with the Sports Journalism Institute. As an SJI intern, I will work with the Knoxville News Sentinel as a sports reporter covering teams around the area. I hope to hone my journalism skills and write fresh stories from Tennessee to share with the world.

After this experience, I want to be a sports writer with a specific football team, in college or the NFL.

I grew up in Durham, NC, loving the Kansas City Chiefs and Golden State Warriors. I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue this career path, and I’m looking forward to all the new experiences to come.

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Hi there! My name is Matthew Richards, and I am a recent graduate of Loyola University New Orleans (Go Wolfpack!). I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in Black Studies.
During my time at Loyola, I had a chance to cover sports around campus like men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and baseball for our award-winning student publication, The Maroon. For the Spring 2025 semester, I had the honor of serving as Editor in Chief of the magazine and guiding our coverage of events like the Super Bowl, the terrorist attack in the French Quarter on New Year’s Day, a record-breaking snowfall in New Orleans, and lead a team to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Trump.
My Sports Journalism Institute Internship this summer will be at the Houston Chronicle in Houston, Texas. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible and sharpening my skills in a major sports market like Houston, which has a wealth of opportunities and stories to tell.
I started writing about sports in high school to stay involved with my friends on the team, and fell in love with it soon after. Fortunately for me, it was a good choice as throughout high school I got to cover all the sports we had at our school, whether good or bad, and even cover a couple of state championship runs. That love carried me to Loyola, where I got the chance to cover our men’s basketball team’s run to its first national title in 77 years, intern on Radio Row at the NCAA Men’s Final Four, be a part of the first ever class of Media Scholars for Super Bowl LIX, and so many other wonderful and amazing things. I’m a native New Orleansian and love talking and writing about many sports. I’m a big fan of Formula 1 as well, and I attended my first Grand Prix in Austin at the age of 15, which was a surreal experience. I’m also a diehard fan of the Cars franchise.
I’m so grateful and honored to be a part of SJI and its illustrious legacy. I can’t wait for boot camp and my internship!

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