FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS — Five students from the Sports Capital Journalism Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis are covering the NCAA men’s and women’s Final Four basketball games in an unprecedented series of opportunities for sports journalism students.
This will be the sixth year that IUPUI students have covered the men’s Final Four, the most of any sports journalism program. In the past two seasons, a total of 18 IUPUI students have covered postseason basketball, including the Big Ten men’s and women’s tournaments, early-round games in Louisville, and regional games in Cleveland and Chicago.
Jay Smith, a graduate student in the Department of Journalism and Public Relations, and Cameron Stewart, a senior, will cover the men’s Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston and events surrounding the games. The two will post their articles on the sports journalism program’s website.
Rebecca Harris, a senior, and Frank Gogola, a student in the M.A. program, will cover the women’s Final Four at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the website NCAA.com as well as post to the Sports Capital Journalism Program website. Jenna Spencer, a senior, will produce broadcast content for NCAA.com.
Malcolm Moran, director of the Sports Capital Journalism Program, and Pamela Laucella, the academic director of the program, are supervising the students. Moran is attending his 36th Final Four.
“Our neighbors at the NCAA have created remarkable opportunities that have challenged the reporting ability, creativity and stamina of our students,” Moran said. “By the end of each experience, IUPUI students know they can compete with experienced professionals from across the country, because they just did. We are always grateful for that chance.”
The Sports Capital Journalism Program, in association with the United States Basketball Writers Association, also organized “Full Court Press,” a seminar and scholarship competition for college and high school students to take place on Friday at the men’s Final Four.
The Sports Capital Journalism Program is part of the Department of Journalism and Public Relations in the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. The department is the home to the nation’s first graduate program in sports journalism.
At IUPUI, sports journalism students cover a wide variety of major sporting events, including the College Football Playoffs, the National Football League Scouting Combine and the Indianapolis 500. Through campus events, students also connect with leaders in sports journalism and professional and amateur sports industries.