Penn State and its Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, along with the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, have produced many successful alumnae who have gone on to build careers across the sports industry.

In honor of National Women’s History Month, here are 10 Bellisario alumni who have broken into sports and made names for themselves.

Lisa Salters

Lisa Salters graduated from Penn State in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. She played two seasons for the Lady Lions after joining the team as a walk-on in 1985.

Salters began her ESPN career in 2000 and now serves as a sideline reporter for the NFL’s Monday Night Football and NBA games on ESPN and ABC. She is also a co-host of the documentary series “E:60.”

Salters is the longest-serving sideline reporter in Monday Night Football history and was part of the first all-woman broadcast team for an NBA game in 2022. She won her first Sports Emmy in 2023 in the Outstanding Personality/Reporter category.

Melanie Collins

Melanie Collins graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. The State College native began her career as a Penn State football reporter for the Big Ten Network.

In 2013, she joined Yahoo Sports, covering major global events including the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Collins later worked as a sideline reporter for college football and basketball on CBS Sports Network before becoming an NFL reporter for CBS Sports in 2018.

Emily Kaplan

Emily Kaplan is an NHL insider and reporter for ESPN and contributes to ESPN.com as a national hockey writer. The 2013 journalism graduate provides rinkside coverage for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and other major events.

Before joining ESPN in 2017, Kaplan worked at Sports Illustrated, the Boston Globe, the Associated Press, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kimberly Jones

Kimberly Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in exercise and sports science from Penn State. She worked as a sportswriter at the Newark Star-Ledger and the Centre Daily Times before spending seven years as the New York Yankees clubhouse reporter for YES Network.

Jones joined NFL Network and NFL.com as a reporter in 2012 and also hosted sports talk radio on WFAN in New York. She joined Newsday in 2022 to cover the New York Giants and has since moved on to new opportunities.

Kalyn Flockhart 

Kalyn Flockhart graduated in 2004 with a degree in film. She joined ESPN the same year and has held roles including videotape librarian, graphics operator, associate director, and, since 2015, director.

She has directed shows such as “Outside the Lines,” “E:60,” “First Take,” and “Get Up.” Flockhart has earned three Sports Emmys and a Peabody Award for her work.

Alyson Cohen

Alyson Cohen, a 2011 journalism graduate, is the public relations coordinator for the Chicago Cubs. She joined the organization in 2014, coordinating events and working with the social media and marketing teams.

She helped brand the team’s “Fly the W” postseason campaign. While at Penn State, Cohen interned with CBS Sports, the Florida Panthers, the Boston Celtics, Penn State Athletics, and the State College Spikes. She also worked for the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins before joining the Cubs.

Brooke Steach

Brooke Steach graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism and was hired by ESPN through its ESPN Next program. She began as a production assistant working on shows such as SportsCenter and NFL Countdown.

Steach was later promoted to digital video content associate, creating specialty video content for ESPN and its social media platforms. At Penn State, she worked as a video board production intern and co-hosted the Penn State Unrivaled pregame show.

Kendall Skalicky

Kendall Skalicky, a 2025 broadcast journalism graduate, is a rinkside reporter for the Philadelphia Flyers. She provides interviews and gameday content across her social media platforms and appears on the “Flyers Daily” podcast.

Before being hired full-time, she interned with the Flyers during the summer of 2024. As a student, she worked Super Bowl LIX through the John Curley Center and served as president of the Association for Women in Sports Media.

Katie Feeney 

Katie Feeney, a 2025 journalism graduate, was recently named a sports and lifestyle creator at ESPN. With more than 14 million followers across her social media platforms, she produces segments and behind-the-scenes content for shows such as Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, and College GameDay.

She also travels nationwide to capture content at major sporting events. As a freshman, she served as a social media correspondent for the Washington Commanders.

Anna Witte

Anna Witte, a former Penn State soccer player, earned a degree in broadcast journalism. She is an analyst for the NWSL and the Big Ten Network, a reporter for college football and basketball on ESPN+, and the host of “Straight from the Pitch,” a podcast covering MLS and the NWSL.

She also creates social media content from the perspective of a sports broadcaster.