Katie Emmer wins sportscaster of the year award

Katie Emmer has earned the Jim Nantz Award as the college sportscaster of the year.

The mass communications senior received hotel accommodations and admission to the National Sports Media Association convention June 23-25 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At the June 25 award ceremony she shared remarks with the audience and then watched a taped congratulatory message from Nantz.

“Your reporting skills, your anchoring skills, your knowledge of hockey — all of these things coming together — there’s no question a big career is blossoming,” Nantz said.

The Jim Nantz Award is named for the veteran CBS sportscaster, who has worked national sporting events, including NFL Football and PGA Tour golf, for more than three decades.

Another taped congratulatory message featured the broadcast team at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City: Beth Mowins, Holly Rowe, Jessica Mendoza and Michele Smith.

A panel of judges selected by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America (STAA) chose Emmer for the award. She is the first women to earn the award in its 10-year history, according to Jon Chelesnik, CEO of STAA.

Meet the 19 college sportscasters — all men — who competed with Emmer. Among her competitors were sportscasters from Arizona State, Syracuse University and Northwestern University.

Katie Emmer

Emmer is a veteran of Husky Productions (HP), the UTVS TV division that manages broadcasts of Huskies Athletics events, including men’s and women’s Huskies Hockey.

Among her duties: In-studio host and rink-side reporter.

Huskies Hockey games are broadcast on Minnesota cable channels and sometimes on regional and national networks.

Brian Stanley ’93 is executive producer of Husky Productions. Derrick Silvestri ’06 is the UTVS advisor and studio manager.

Emmer is the daughter of Jacquie and U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., Delano.