University of Miami students working behind the scenes on “SportsDesk.”
April 5, 2025
The University of Miami is celebrating an impressive achievement, with 32 students nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards. The university garnered a total of three nominations—one in the News category and two in Sports—selected from over 200 entries nationwide. The awards aim to emulate the Emmy® Awards, with student entries judged by members of the Television Academy against high industry standards.
The annual award ceremony recognizes excellence in student-produced programs from colleges across the country. Winners will be announced at a red-carpet event on April 5, 2025, at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California.
UMTV’s award-winning campus news program, NewsVision, received a nomination for its broadcast on Oct. 19, 2023, which covered the community’s response to the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The nominated students behind this impactful segment include Katelyn Kucharski, Maddie Bassalik, Finn Wilson, Quinn Davidson, Simone Werner, Darrel Creary, Wyatt Kopelman, Derryl Barnes, Harvey Duplock, Regina Potenza, Andrew Klein, and Melanie Lowe.
In the Sports category, the university received two nominations. The first is for the March 29 episode of SportsDesk, UMTV’s live weekly sports show focusing on Miami Hurricanes athletics. This episode featured a pitching lesson from Canes pitcher Rafe Schlesinger, an interview with former women’s basketball head coach Katie Meier, and a story highlighting the Karen Peterson Dancers, an inclusive organization for dancers with disabilities. The nominated students for this episode are Morgan Champey, Delanie Haddad, Taryn Jacobs, Wrigley Kordt, Jake Baum, Andrew Klein, Mia Housman, Derryl Barnes, Annie Watson, Billie Brightman, and Jadyn Cohee.
The second nomination in the Sports category is for SportsDesk: The Magazine Edition, which aired in 2023. This program delved into longer, in-depth stories about athletes and pressing issues in sports, including a look at air vest safety technology in equestrian sports and a feature on 7-year-old go-kart racer Harper Gage. Students nominated for this edition include Morgan Champey, Delanie Haddad, Taryn Jacobs, Olivia Howell, Manny Naccarato, Ryan Marshall, Daniel Toll, Jake Baum, and Ethan Gany.
Nominees attending the awards will also engage in two days of professional development with media and industry leaders, culminating in a special screening of their projects for Television Academy members prior to the ceremony.
Tickets to the awards ceremony are $25 for students with ID and $50 for general admission. To purchase tickets, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/cta/