I'm a Florida-based contributing writer for Sports Illustrated, where I've been on contract since 2019. I have a wealth of experience covering sports, business and higher ed for national publications, specializing in immersive narrative stories and detailed explanatory pieces. (And I'm not as stuffy in person as that sounded.) In addition to SI, stops along the way have included BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report, the NCAA's magazine and Turner Sports.
Here's the requisite shameless self-promotion: I am a three-time Livingston Awards finalist, have won a pair of National Headliner Awards for magazine feature writing, have garnered "notable" recognition three times in The Year's Best Sports Writing book series and was a finalist for the 2023 Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting.
My work has also been honored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Indiana Society of Professional Journalists, TABPI and, intermittently, by my wife. Our shiba inu remains indifferent.
PORTFOLIO
A sampling of my work.
THE HARDEST SEASON
Sports Illustrated -- Nov. 19, 2020
For Black teenagers in a region shaped by centuries of suffering, high school football can be both escapism and an escape route. This is what happened when the coronavirus came to southwest Georgia, endangering players’ families and challenging their dreams. The piece was the cover story for SI's Fall 2020 issue.
ACCOLADES
JENKINS MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPORTSWRITING
Finalist
2023
LIVINGSTON AWARDS
Finalist: National Reporting
2019, 2018, 2015
NATIONAL HEADLINER AWARDS
Magazine Feature Writing
2023 (First place), 2022 (Third place), 2016 (First place)
Magazine Coverage of a Major News Event
2023 (Second place); 2019 (Third place)
DEADLINE CLUB
Finalist: Magazine Profile
2021
ASSOCIATED PRESS SPORTS EDITORS
First Place: Video Feature
2020
THE YEAR'S BEST SPORTS WRITING
Notable Selection
2023, 2016, 2015
U.S. BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
Third Place: Magazine-Length Feature
2015
TABPI
Awards for Profile Writing, Feature Article and How-To Article
2018, 2017, 2015, 2013
INDIANA SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
First-place awards for Sports Reporting, Profile Writing, Coverage of Minority Issues, and Medical/Science Reporting
2017, 2015, 2013
WORK EXPERIENCE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Contributing Writer
June 2017-Present
STORYTERRACE
U.S. Editorial Team Lead
Dec. 2021-Jan. 2024
NCAA
Associate Director, Editorial Development
Jan. 2013-Dec. 2019
TURNER SPORTS
Contributing Writer and Columnist
Mar. 2012-Dec. 2012
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Education Reporter
Feb. 2010-Aug. 2011
BUSINESSWEEK
Editorial Assistant/Intern
May 2007-Dec. 2009
INDIANA UNIVERSITY (INDIANAPOLIS)
M.A., Sports Journalism
EMORY UNIVERSITY
B.A., Journalism and Creative Writing
MEDIA APPEARANCES
A sampling of TV, radio and podcast interviews about my work.
CONTACT
Want to learn more? Interested in having me join or contribute to your publication or organization? Don't hesitate to reach out.
