I’ve always loved asking questions. I was a talkative kid — I guess I still am. I was curious about the world around me, eager to get to know those around me. No matter who it was, if they were near me, I struck up a conversation. I played sports my entire life, so I guess this was bound to happen at some point.

The whole journalism thing came to fruition after a brief high school stint on camera, working as host of my school’s weekly news broadcast. As head of the sports show, Hamped Up I spent two years covering my fellow athletes and peers, seeking new content and refreshing story lines week after week. While my time with the microphone did lead to a student Emmy win and a lifetime of memories, I traded in the mic for written journalism in college.

At UMass Amherst, I served two years as Sports Editor of The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, leading the section through my junior and senior years. My reporting included national tournaments, Division I playoffs, and high-level collegiate athletics. In addition to extensive beat coverage, I focused on building an inclusive newsroom culture and expanding coverage to elevate underrepresented voices, topics, and perspectives within college sports.

In May of my junior year, I began working part-time for The Boston Globe and gained reporting experience, bylines, and newsroom exposure while contributing to the high school sports desk, which led directly into my Summer 2022 internship.

From June 2022-August 2022, I was a fact checking intern with Sports Illustrated. I pitched and published two stories, working long days and late nights to ensure both would publish before my internship came to an end. My experience at SI shaped my career for the better and set me up to accomplish great things in my final year at UMass.

I officially graduated with my double major in May 2023 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a lifetime of memories and friendships. I worked as a Fact Checker for The Ringer for a year, learning, growing, appreciating this industry.

In April 2024, I was offered a reporting position with The Greenville News/USA Today Network in South Carolina, relocating to Columbia to cover the University of South Carolina. My coverage focuses primarily on Dawn Staley’s three-time national championship women’s basketball program, along with SEC football.

My skill set continues to expand, with experience in beat reporting, podcasting, editing, fact-checking, and both written and broadcast journalism. My storytelling is rooted in a human-interest approach, focused on the people, relationships, and moments that shape sports beyond the scoreboard.

I bring emotional insight and curiosity to my work, guided by a genuine belief in authenticity and meaningful human connection.

Lulu Kesin