When you attend a Carolina sporting event, you may hear Olivia Mundorf ’23, ’25 (M.A.) on the loudspeaker. For the last year, the sports administration graduate student has emceed Carolina football, women’s basketball and gymnastics. Mundorf also does public address announcing for field hockey and women’s lacrosse.
Mundorf grew up around sports, with her dad working for the Louisville Cardinals for 30 years. When she was 5 years old, a chance encounter with sideline reporter Erin Andrews during the College World Series sparked Mundorf’s interest in sports broadcasting.
When Mundorf transferred to Carolina in 2021, her dream of being on camera in sports became a reality.
She got involved in a student-run sports show, “Sports Xtra,” through the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Mundorf held positions in the control room and as on-air women’s soccer analyst and anchor. She worked on two student-produced documentaries on Carolina field hockey’s national championship wins in 2022 and 2023.
The program also provided her an opportunity to be on ESPN’s “Countdown to GameDay” for a five-minute segment, letting her friends and family see her on television.
When Mundorf finished her bachelor’s degree a year early, she wanted more time at Carolina.
She had heard of the sports administration graduate program when she transferred and knew of the opportunities to work in athletics. She applied to the two-year program and was accepted with nine other students. The first year of the program allows students to teach lifetime fitness courses to undergraduates and work in event management across Carolina athletics. Mundorf appreciates the connections she’s been able to make with such a small cohort.
“I love the people. In a cohort of 10 people, you spend so much time together, especially the first year,” said Mundorf. “I live with three other girls in the program. We sit in class together, eat lunch together and teach classes at the same time.”
The program also allowed Mundorf to work closely with the field hockey team during their national championship run.
This year, she’s been working on her internship and thesis.
For her thesis, Mundorf researched how broadcasting and streaming college volleyball games impacts attendance, incorporating her background into the study. She found when the match is aired on a national broadcast or through a pay TV provider platform, there is an increase in viewing compared to matches aired on streaming platforms.
For her internship, she worked with GoHeels Production’s “Carolina Insider” podcast with Jones Angell and Adam Lucas, which runs twice-weekly interviews with Carolina athletes and coaches. Mundorf works in the control room, editing videos and creating teasers for new episodes. Her time in the internship has helped her network and connect with others in the industry.
As she became more involved in GoHeels Productions, Mundorf had the opportunity to be the football emcee at home games this past season. After football season, she emceed for women’s basketball and gymnastics, along with public address announcing for field hockey and women’s lacrosse. The experience reaffirmed Mundorf’s desire to work in sports broadcasting after graduation.
“This was a great experience getting comfortable in front of the camera and seeing what goes into it,” said Mundorf. “My favorite part was interacting with fans. It makes people’s days to see themselves on the screen or be chosen to play one of the games. That’s something they’ll never forget, and I love being part of the game day experience.”
She emcees Tar Heel sports – UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
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