Meet Network Sports Broadcasting Star Melissa Stark

“Fourth year at UVA, I was lucky enough to get an internship on the coaches’ show. So, it was Jeff Jones … the basketball coach, George Welsh for football, and I interviewed the football players and basketball players,” Stark said. “So, when I graduated, that was my tape. I took it to all the local news stations.”

There were very few women reporting on sports at the time. Within a year after starting her career at a regional sports network, Stark had landed a job at ESPN. “I was very fortunate, right?” she said. “I think if you knew sports, if you were smart, if you had good interviewing skills – I quickly rose to the top.”

Stark’s ascent has continued. Tune in to “Inside UVA” to hear more about her career, brushes with people like Bill Clinton, John Madden and Al Michaels, and how, after having four children in three years – the last two twin girls – the UVA alumna has continued to thrive in the upper echelons of sports reporting.

You can listen to Ryan and Stark’s full discussion on apps including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Music.