The Association for Women in Sports Media is thrilled to announce its 2022-23 AWSM Champions class.

Cora Hall covers Tennessee women’s athletics for the Knoxville News Sentinel. She previously interned at the Kansas City Star through the Sports Journalism Institute and is a 2021 graduate of Ferris State University.

‍Victoria Hernandez is a freelance journalist based in Miami whose recent work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and Urban Pitch. She is a 2015 graduate of the University of Miami.

‍Sarah Kelly is a copy editor at Sports Illustrated. She has also worked for the Washington Post, SB Nation, the Iowa City Press-Citizen and the Bryan-College Station Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas.

‍Katelyn Rowe is a sports designer and page editor at the USA Today Network Design Center, where she is the lead sports designer at the Cincinnati Enquirer and Louisville Courier Journal. She is a 2016 graduate of Indiana University.

‍Maggie Vanoni is the University of Connecticut women’s basketball beat reporter for Hearst. She previously covered UCLA athletics for the Southern California News Group and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Oregon.  

“We are so excited to welcome our newest AWSM Champions class,” said Gina Mizell, AWSM VP/Professional Programming. “We have all craved personal and professional connection, guidance and support during the past two years, especially with continued uncertainty facing our industry. AWSM takes pride in facilitating relationships that often last well beyond the Champion’s and mentor’s year in the program. For the first time, we have an alumnae of the program, Alicia Del Gallo, now serving as a mentor, which exemplifies the program’s long-lasting impact and our members’ desire to assist their peers.”

The AWSM Champions mentorship program matches professional members with sports media veterans for one year. Additionally, AWSM sets up virtual and in-person sessions with a variety of industry veterans and past participants in the Champions program. The Champions are provided assistance to attend AWSM's national convention at the conclusion of the program.

Mentors for the 2022-23 class are: Rachel Axon (sports investigative reporter for USA Today), Alicia Del Gallo (managing editor at USA TODAY Sports+), Chantel Jennings (senior writer at The Athletic), Amanda Kaschube (sports editor and director of audience strategy at the Chicago Tribune) and Tanya Ramirez (deputy sports editor at The Advocate and Times Picayune).

AWSM thanks veteran broadcaster Ann Liguori, the inaugural benefactor of AWSM Champions, who also will serve as a speaker for the group during the upcoming year.

Applications for the next AWSM Champions class will be accepted in the spring of 2023. The program is open to professional AWSM members who have been employed in sports media roles at any point during the past calendar year. For more information, contact AWSM board members Gina Mizell or Iliana Limón Romero.