The program was developed for major athletic departments with a proven commitment to women athletes and designed to prepare student athletes for success working after graduation through panel discussions and breakout sessions with accomplished university alumnae and ESPN Talent.

“The University of Louisville fosters a unique environment to host this event. We promote and support women’s sports and develop women leaders. There is a need for more women in leadership positions. These panelists know how to attack the opportunities and that is why we have put them in front of our athletes,” said UofL AD Vince Tyra. “There is no better place in the ACC to showcase women’s sports than the University of Louisville.”

The panel was moderated by ESPN’s��Sarah Spain, from ESPN radio, Spain and Company, columnist and author, who said, “When you realize when you are in a school environment it feels very good to fit in. But when you get into the real world, the things that make you unique, even things you are insecure about are what makes you thrive and make you stand out as different and interesting.”
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One of the panelists was UofL field hockey’s��Jenna Ahern��, founder and CEO of Guardian Owl Digital.

“My best advice is to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Be curious and get to know everyone around you,” she said.��
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UofL’s volleyball/track’s��Dr. Lecia Brown, who is a research and developer for GSK – a multinational pharmaceutical company, and also runs the LAMB foundation that awards scholarships to further girls’ education around the world, encouraged attendees to give back.

“Any time you can spare even five minutes to help someone and to give of your time and talent it not only benefits them but you as well,” she said. “So don’t forget you can give back at any stage of your life. It makes a difference.”

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN have partnered to launch the comprehensive linear and digital ACC Network in 2019. With the network launch approaching, UofL built a television production facility to house all the equipment and personnel that is necessary to originate live programming. Until the linear network launch, live programming will continue to be produced by UofL for ESPN networks or ACC Network Extra, a digital television platform.

The 7,850-square-foot production facility was completed in September 2018 and is connected by fiber to UofL athletic venues and to ESPN. ��Instead of mobile trucks covering sporting events, live programming will be originated from the new centralized production facility.

The $8 million project included construction, equipment and integration, and fiber connection to UofL venues. The broadcast center includes two full video control rooms for linear telecasts which will air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or the ACC Network. Those two control rooms and three additional scaled back control rooms allow for live telecasts of multiple events that may either overlap, or are concurrently played, to air on multiple television platforms. Within the facility, over 2,500 wires with a total length of 38.6 miles are installed to connect the comprehensive electronic equipment used to produce the events. There are 82 television monitors throughout the facility. A total of 28 cameras available for field use: 10 primary, including four with 80x lenses; nine robotic; three POV; and six within the mobile production trailer.

With 576 strands of fiber connecting the broadcast center to venues, the center will also produce live, in-game content for UofL venue video boards such as those in Cardinal Stadium, Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium, KFC Yum! Center, Jim Patterson Stadium, Ulmer Field and other venues. The UofL Athletics Broadcast Center is connected by fiber to ESPN.

The production facility will include a bureau studio, which will allow coaches and players to do live interviews on any ESPN platform or broadcast channels. ��

Also included in the center is a versatile studio with variable sets and a full green screen wall, as well as work space for personnel. The Cardinals also maintain a television production mobile unit for venues that are not connected by fiber to the broadcast center.

The broadcast center is staffed by a full-time crew of four and nearly 100 freelance and student workers that contribute throughout the course of the year. Two additional full-time staff members will be added next year before the launch of the ACC Network.

Through ESPN’s sponsorship, UofL and Special Olympics Kentucky partnered together to host the first ever Unified Intramural Championship in basketball this year at the Student Recreational Center. Hayden Redmond, a Special Olympian, commented on the partnership saying that “UofL teaming with Special Olympics is awesome and it’s amazing.”��

Due to the tremendous amount of support the event received from the UofL students and the Special Olympians, this program plans to continue annual 5-on-5 basketball championships. Eventually they hope to include other intramural sports and expand outreach to other college campuses in Kentucky.

Learn more:��

If the Cardinals advance past Sunday, another UofL team will also be dancing. The Quiz Bowl team — which includes Ramapriya Rangaraju, Olivia Muncie, Clayton Truman and Mohammed Hindi — is on standby for their shot at Bracket Genius, a quiz show that features bracket-style academic competition and offers college students the chance to share the $100,000 prize. Teams are picked for the Bracket Genius competition only if their basketball team advances to the Sweet 16.

Though the quiz bowl members won’t know their fate until the basketball team plays its first two games, they’re ready and confident should they get the call to fly to Chicago Monday and start the competition.��

“I like our chances. I trust all of my teammates,” said Muncie, a junior history major from Indianapolis. “I think this is a great idea because it highlights that we’re more than just a sports school. Some of the smartest people I know are on this quiz bowl team.”��

The UofL Quiz Bowl team is coached by Matt Church, A&S advisor.��

Bracket Genius is sponsored by College Ave Student Loans, Intersport and ESPN. Follow along on and .��

Below, check��out the students’ reaction to finding out they could compete in Bracket Genius:��

Winners of the annual ESPY Awards are selected through online fan balloting conducted from among candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. The public can vote online now until 5 p.m. EDT, July 13, on

“I’m thrilled to see Oksana recognized for her talent and incredible hard work as an athlete.��The ESPY nomination itself��is already a win,” Gay Masters said.��“We both appreciate your votes and support.”

Born in the Ukraine in 1989, Oksana Masters was brought to the United States by her adoptive mother when she was 7. She was born with several radiation-induced birth defects, including tibial hemimelia (resulting in different leg lengths), missing weight-bearing shinbones in her calves, webbed fingers with no thumbs, and six toes on each foot.

After moving to the United States in 1997, both of Oksana’s legs were eventually amputated above the knee —her left leg at age eight and her right leg at age 13 — as they became increasingly painful and unable to support her weight. Oksana also had surgery to modify her innermost fingers on each hand so they could function as thumbs.

Oksana first made a name for herself as she won a bronze medal in rowing with partner Rob Jones at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the first-ever United States medal in trunk and arms mixed double sculls with a final time of 4:05.56. She then transitioned her talents to the snow and won silver and bronze at the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Winter Games in cross-country skiing.

When issues with her back prevented her return to the water for the 2016 Summer Games, Masters decided to give the sport of cycling a try. She has qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 7-18, in paracycling, her fourth competitive sport.

ESPY winners will be announced in a telecast at 8 p.m. EDT, July 13, on ABC-TV hosted by WWE wrestler John Cena. For more information, go to the