SCSU Grad Named College Sportscaster of the Year

ST. CLOUD -- A recent St. Cloud State University graduate has earned the college sportscaster of the year award.

Katie Emmer is a 2018 graduate of SCSU majoring in mass communications. Emmer was one of 20 finalists and won the Jim Nantz Award. The 19 others were all men. Emmer says more women are going into sportscasting and she hopes her winning the award will inspire other women to pursue a sports broadcasting career.

"I think even at St. Cloud State a lot of people they hadn't heard of this award before but any other awards out there that women can be empowered by especially in the sports industry [are important]. We're starting to grow out there and anything I can do to help that and to inspire other girls that are coming up, is a big thing for me."

From a young age, Emmer got involved in sports. Having six brothers in her family, she says sports have always played a huge role in her life.

"Sports were always a part of our lives growing up and in high school, I was a three-sport athlete. So I think that's where I kind of fell in love with the sports dynamic."

Emmer is originally from Delano. She says after graduating high school she wanted to continue to focus on sports.

"I originally went to the University of Hawaii with the pursuit of still wanting to do sports broadcasting but I wanted to play sports instead. I had that a little bit more important to me at the time. I went out there to play softball, everything kind of fell through, there were different coaches and the plan rearranged itself. It got a little more expensive than I wanted it to be."

Emmer decided the best move for her would be to come back to central Minnesota and enroll in a different university. She says her dad, Congressman Tom Emmer, suggested she look into applying at St. Cloud State.

"I wanted to go coast to coast thinking I needed to go far away for broadcasting. But my dad actually brought it up one day and said you might as well look at St. Cloud State, I know it very well up there and that they have a good program and here I am, it's the best place to ever be."

At SCSU, Emmer says she had the chance to try out radio and television broadcasting, working at both KVSC - the campus radio station and UTVS - the campus TV station. Emmer mostly worked as a rink-side reporter and in-studio host for Husky Productions. Husky Productions is through UTVS. It broadcasts Huskies Athletics event such as men's and women's hockey games.

This summer, Emmer has a couple classes to finish and as part of winning the award, she will be going to the National Sports Media Association Convention, June 23-25 in North Carolina. Emmer says she hopes to have a job lined up this fall.

"I want to work for a team that's kind of my focus right now. But I understand that you need to keep an open mind in this industry. I'm looking to see anything I can get and anything that will help me learn more."

If you're interested in checking out Emmer's work follow the link below to her website.