In October, California Lutheran University’s Athletics Department launched its formal press room, located in a converted office in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center. Regals volleyball middle blockers, first-year Madeline Magnani and junior Aby Tibesar, along with Associate Head Coach Alec Bennett, were the first to be interviewed in the newly reimagined space, according to Sports Information Director Kieran Cantwell.
Cantwell said the idea for an athletic press room at Cal Lutheran first came about when he noticed other schools’ athletic departments doing something similar.
“I’ve seen some schools, whether they be Division III, Division I, you know, schools of all different types of coverage, I’ve seen some of them set things up like this,” Cantwell said. “Whenever we go to NCAA tournament games, this always happens, and it’s always really fun to get some coverage of the players and the coaches and try to get some quotes from them.”
According to Cantwell, after he located a space to convert into a press room, his plan’s path to fruition was “automatic.” Cantwell said he already had a backdrop and camera, and reached out to Campus Services for things like tables and chairs to complete the “simple” setup.
“I couldn’t believe how perfect it worked out,” Cantwell said. “I got a microphone and we just kind of went from there and just tried to start testing it out.”
Director of Athletics Howard Davis said the press room was completely Cantwell’s idea, one that he was instantly on board with.
“I loved it the minute he presented it to me,” Davis said. “I facilitated getting it cleared out and getting ready to set up, but that was all his idea, and it’s awesome. It really elevates experience for our student-athletes.”
According to Davis, Cal Lutheran student-athletes participate in press conferences when they compete in NCAA tournaments, but have not done so throughout their regular season.
In the past, when Cal Lutheran hosted NCAA tournament regionals, Davis said the Athletics Department set up a makeshift press room in the weight room, but now, will have a “readymade spot for it” when or if the time comes.
“This is going to get [the student-athletes] exposed to that much earlier and get them experience,” Davis said. “And so, they’ll be much more comfortable when they get to that at the NCAA level.”
Junior Regals volleyball captain and libero Keegan Corley, who was recently named Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Athlete of the Year, said she participated in a postgame press conference after the team’s Senior Night loss on Friday, Nov. 7.
“It was super exciting to kind of get to talk about … the behind the scenes of the team,” Corley said. “It was definitely a different experience, but it was fun.”
Cantwell said being asked questions in front of a camera after a loss “can be a little tricky,” but that it comes with the territory of being a collegiate student-athlete.
“I know sometimes it happens after a tough game, … but I think that the athletes and the coaches understand that,” Cantwell said. “It’s kind of part of the nature of being in sports. People are going to want to hear about what happened on the floor or on the field, and so I think that’s part of the process of being a student-athlete at … the collegiate level.”
Corley said participating in these press conferences “definitely feels professional,” and that she feels being behind the microphone will make student-athletes more well-rounded.
“It makes athletes think about the game more after and kind of verbalize their thoughts about it,” Corley said. “I think it’ll enhance, like, the other areas of being an athlete and not just, like, being on the court and playing.”
Since the launch of the press room, Davis said he has received positive feedback.
“One of the student-athletes just loved it. It just gives you a big-time feel,” Davis said. “It’s the essence of what we want to do in our athletic program—just constantly enhance the experience for student-athletes.”
Cantwell said he sees the new press room as an opportunity to gain new skills, not just for the student-athletes, but for aspiring sports journalists, as well.
“I think it’s really beneficial to not only the athletes, to help get some practice with public speaking and public relations,” Cantwell said. “I also think it’s a good skill for a student to go watch a game … and then ask questions about it after, and go in and with confidence and ask questions that are relevant, that are respectful, that are thought provoking.”
Davis said he is excited about the new press room and, in the future, sees the space being used more regularly for all sports, including individual sports like tennis and golf.
“I just love it. I’m just really excited. It’s really cool,” Davis said. “When you hire good people, they come up with great ideas, and this is a great idea.”
