ESPN broadcaster Beth Mowins visits Syracuse

Beth Mowins has called a lot of games during her career as a broadcaster, but one stands out more than any other.

She can vividly recall every detail of the night she met NBA legend Michael Jordan while working for NBA Radio.

"Michael walked over and shook my hand," Mowins said with a smile. "This is the most famous person in the world, and then to be able to sit courtside and Michael's running up and down the floor... that was one of my ultimate highlights."

Mowins shared that story and many others with students in Newhouse III on Monday night. During the lecture, which was presented by the Newhouse Sports Media Center, the 1990 SU graduate and current ESPN broadcaster spoke about her own rise to broadcasting fame and the ever-changing landscape of boradcast media in sports.

Mowins grew up in Syracuse and kickstarted her career by working for campus media outlets and local television and radio stations. She was eventually hired by ESPN in 1994, where she now works today as a play-by-play voice for college football and other sports.

Mowins answered a variety of questions, many of which were related to her weekly preparation and personal experiences. She also shared her thoughts on why males still dominate the air waves in the play-by-play realm.

"It certainly doesn't help when some women in the profession act a certain way," she said. "For anybody new that shows up on the scene, you just have to prove yourself. It's important to be as professional as possible in that environment."

Ultimately, Mowins said the most important steps for an aspiring broadcaster are building relationships with other professionals and always volunterring to work, with or without compensation.

The only way to get better is to keep practicing.

"The important thing is not necessarily to worry about the road, but just to keep moving forward and working hard," Mowins said. "Keep pressing on for those opportunities and make yourself available to them."