Behind every thrilling finish, every record-breaking performance and every moment of triumph in Virginia Athletics, there is a team of dedicated professionals working to highlight and share those stories. From capturing game-defining moments through a lens to shaping written narratives, a group of talented and determined women are proving that gender is no barrier to success in sports journalism.
Across Grounds, women inhabit various roles in sports journalism. Whether it be as a writer, manager, photographer or editor, women are integral for the shaping of Virginia sports media.
Among them are Melissa Dudek and Jen Dietrich, the two female Sports Information Directors for Virginia Athletics. SIDs provide information throughout their team’s entire season, and are a crucial yet often underappreciated part of Virginia Athletics. Their work goes beyond scores and statistics, giving life to the experiences, challenges and victories of student-athletes.
Dudek, a seasoned SID, has witnessed firsthand how the industry has evolved over the years. When she first entered the field, women in sports media were rare. In fact, she herself was part of sports media history at the beginning of her career working in minor league baseball. As an assistant general manager for a minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies — one of the first across all of minor league baseball — she was able to creatively promote her career.
“I hired myself as the color commentator for radio,” Dudek said. “I was the third ever woman to call a game.”
While Dudek’s journey skyrocketed through minor league baseball, Dietrich’s began in the classroom. This journey was the result of a nudge from her freshman year creative writing professor, who noticed that Dietrich, who was a runner at Auburn, centered many of her assignments around sports. One suggestion was all it took to send her down a new path, leading her through media relations internships at Auburn and Villanova before arriving at Virginia just over a year ago, where she now primarily works with track and field, cross country and field hockey.
For Dudek, telling an athlete’s story means capturing not only their performances but also their personalities. Whether it is highlighting a historic championship run, like the 2015 College World Series title for the baseball program, or arranging interviews for player features, she works hard to bridge the gap between the teams and the public.
The excitement of live sports never fades for those who cover it, and Dietrich remembers the moment she knew she had chosen the right career. It was during the men’s track and field team’s ACC Championship victory in 2024, a competition that came down to the final relay.
“To get to cover that and not only be there for that success, but know all of the hard work and everything that went into that, being in a support staff role, I think is really cool,” Dietrich said. “I was once in their position, I remember lining up, the meet coming down to [the 4×400-meter event], and all the people that were there to support me, so it’s cool to now be on the support staff.”
Through a different lens, third-year College student Grace Landini, a student photographer for Virginia Athletics, also plays a pivotal role.
While sports media, for Dudek and Dietrich, is about telling broader stories, for Landini, storytelling happens in split seconds. Originally a student photographer for The Cavalier Daily through the spring of 2023, she first picked up a camera at the men’s basketball 2023 ACC Tournament, and from that moment on, she was hooked.
“It’s made me more aware of the emotion behind [playing at a D1 level],” Landini said. “That’s definitely something we’re looking for that I’m not necessarily [otherwise] paying attention to.”
The thrill of capturing raw emotion on the court led her to pursue sports photography more seriously — something that proved difficult. Determined to gain experience, she emailed Virginia Athletics repeatedly, sending three new sets of photos until she finally got a response.
Now a regular presence on the sidelines while also working closely with the softball team, Landini has had the chance to learn from top-tier photography professionals such as Matt Riley, Jamie Holt and Olivia McLucas. While she knows the rarity of seeing female photographers in sports, she has found a supportive network through those mentors as well as her peers at Virginia Athletics.
“I’m very aware of how limited the female representation [in sports photography] is,” Landini said. “But I think because I have that support, I don’t necessarily feel limited in what I can do.”
Despite the challenges of working in a historically male-dominated space, all three women agree that things are changing. More women are entering the industry, and their presence is reshaping the landscape of sports media.
For Dudek, Dietrich and Landini, the work is not just about covering games — it’s about preserving the stories of Virginia Athletics for generations to come. Whether it is a perfectly framed photograph, a well-crafted press release or an in-depth feature, they are ensuring that the athletes they cover are seen, heard and remembered.
The stories of these talented women serve as a testament to the growing presence and impact of women in sports media, and an inspiration for the next generation of aspiring professionals.
“[To women interested in sports media] I would say don’t be discouraged and don’t give up,” Dietrich said. “Find and know the people in your corner and don’t be afraid to lean on them … you can do hard things, so believe in yourself.”
With Ron Sanchez’s dismissal, the program awaits the dawn of a new era.
Virginia experimented a bit with its lineups against two weaker opponents.
Leading the team throughout the weekend was sophomore infielder Macee Eaton.
Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded on Feb. 17, so some celebratory events mentioned in the podcast have already passed.
Hashim O. Davis, the assistant dean of the OAAA and director of the Luther Porter Jackson Black Cultural Center, discusses the relevance and importance of “Celebrating Resilience,” OAAA’s theme for this year’s Black History Month celebration.
