Northwestern University Athletics
Megan O'Brien Focused On Future As Camera Focuses On Her
10/30/2015 11:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
By: Jocelyn Vinoya Serranilla
Though the season's final month is on the horizon and her cross country career is winding down, Wildcats senior Megan O'Brien is already well on her way to the next step, a career in broadcast journalism.
As an athlete, O'Brien and her teammates will showcase Northwestern, the city of Evanston and the city of Chicago this weekend at the 2015 Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Sunday, Nov. 1. With Lake Michigan and the breathtaking Chicago skyline as backdrop, the 'Cats welcome the top men's and women's cross country teams from 14 Big Ten schools to Sydney Marovitz Golf Course.
"I was getting texts from former high school teammates and friends about how they were going to come out and it got me really excited," says the Lockport High School graduate and Homer Glen, Illinois, native.
"To have people around me who have been there to support me since the beginning means the world. It will be an emotional weekend for me, but ultimately very exciting for our team and our program to host Big Tens."
Like so many other Wildcats nearing the end of undergraduate careers, O'Brien is focused on what lies ahead. "I hope to one day be a reporter on ESPN or some large sports network."
Despite the rigorous academic and athletic schedule of a Northwestern student-athlete, O'Brien has already built an impressive resume, including two summers as on-camera field reporter for the Cape Cod Baseball League in Wareham, Massachusetts. The 'Cape League' is regarded as the top summer circuit in the nation for college players, where future big leaguers hone their craft in front of small crowds on quaint diamonds on flawless summer nights.
"The CCBL gave me experience to be live on camera every single night and even host my own live TV show, reporting on games played on smaller dirt fields where folding chairs and blankets are the prime seats."
O'Brien came to Northwestern to compete at the highest level academically and athletically, and to prepare for the rest of her professional life. The resources provided by the university and the Department of Athletics & Recreation have been invaluable in that process.
"Unbelievable," she exclaims. "I have been involved in so many opportunities Northwestern has to offer."
Beginning as a freshman, she has been involved in various student-run radio and television sports broadcasts on campus. She has anchored Northwestern News Network's "SportsNght", has worked as a sideline reporter for WNUR across various sports and has interviewed countless student-athletes to sharpen her skills.
During the summer of 2013, O'Brien was a sports intern for WFLD-TV Fox 32 in Chicago and assisted in coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks during the second of their three recent Stanley Cup championships. The experience at Fox was exceptional. "But I did not get into camera at all," she said.
In search of that experience she heard about the Cape Cod Baseball League and how some of her Northwestern peers were working there as summer interns.
"I didn't know they (CCBL) had broadcast internships until I met a group of students at Northwestern who were interning there as play-by-play broadcasters."
"I asked, 'They are going to Cape Cod for summer? What are they doing on Cape Cod?'"
O'Brien inquired about opportunities to be a sideline reporter. "I looked into it and found out that some teams had field reporters. I applied around September of my sophomore year. I was hired in October."
"The baseball season started in June. I had to organize my finals so I could take them all early." The summer of 2014 following her sophomore year, O'Brien made the 1,000-plus mile trip to Wareham, a town on the north end of Buzzard's Bay in southeastern Massachusetts. She was a field reporter for the Wareham Gatemen, one of the 10 teams competing in the CCBL. There were 42 games plus playoffs to call.
"Everybody told me I was going to love it but I don't think they could tell me just how much I was going to love it," O'Brien exclaims of her experience. She made the same trip to intern for the Gatemen in 2015, the summer after her junior year. Some of her favorite memories were watching outfielder Andrew Calica of the UC-Santa Barbara bat over .400, and the University of Kentucky's six-foot-seven, 245-pound All-American pitcher Kyle Cody test the limits of the radar gun with his head-turning fastball.
"I would say I think about my CCBL memories every single day. Whether it was hosting the All-Star game, or getting to report on national television."
It also gave her front-row seat to observe highly motivated athletes.
"Working with the players every day was great for me because as a student- athlete, sometimes it's hard to stay motivated when things don't go the way you had hoped. It is hard to keep your eyes on your goals when things aren't going well. These players helped me to stay motivated in my sport because day-in and day-out I saw that passion and that dedication in them."
Construction of the foundation of her professional resume continues back in the Midwest. O'Brien has covered Northwestern home football games against Stanford and Iowa this year, and she will be on the sidelines of Soldier Field when the 'Cats play Illinois on Nov. 28.
Though indoor and outdoor track schedules are still ahead, Sunday's Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Chicago will bring Megan O'Brien's cross country career to a close. But the experiences earned in the classroom, in the community and in competition at Northwestern will resonate for years to come as she focuses on the future, and the camera focuses on her.
Though the season's final month is on the horizon and her cross country career is winding down, Wildcats senior Megan O'Brien is already well on her way to the next step, a career in broadcast journalism.
As an athlete, O'Brien and her teammates will showcase Northwestern, the city of Evanston and the city of Chicago this weekend at the 2015 Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Sunday, Nov. 1. With Lake Michigan and the breathtaking Chicago skyline as backdrop, the 'Cats welcome the top men's and women's cross country teams from 14 Big Ten schools to Sydney Marovitz Golf Course.
"I was getting texts from former high school teammates and friends about how they were going to come out and it got me really excited," says the Lockport High School graduate and Homer Glen, Illinois, native.
"To have people around me who have been there to support me since the beginning means the world. It will be an emotional weekend for me, but ultimately very exciting for our team and our program to host Big Tens."
Like so many other Wildcats nearing the end of undergraduate careers, O'Brien is focused on what lies ahead. "I hope to one day be a reporter on ESPN or some large sports network."
Despite the rigorous academic and athletic schedule of a Northwestern student-athlete, O'Brien has already built an impressive resume, including two summers as on-camera field reporter for the Cape Cod Baseball League in Wareham, Massachusetts. The 'Cape League' is regarded as the top summer circuit in the nation for college players, where future big leaguers hone their craft in front of small crowds on quaint diamonds on flawless summer nights.
"The CCBL gave me experience to be live on camera every single night and even host my own live TV show, reporting on games played on smaller dirt fields where folding chairs and blankets are the prime seats."
O'Brien came to Northwestern to compete at the highest level academically and athletically, and to prepare for the rest of her professional life. The resources provided by the university and the Department of Athletics & Recreation have been invaluable in that process.
"Unbelievable," she exclaims. "I have been involved in so many opportunities Northwestern has to offer."
Beginning as a freshman, she has been involved in various student-run radio and television sports broadcasts on campus. She has anchored Northwestern News Network's "SportsNght", has worked as a sideline reporter for WNUR across various sports and has interviewed countless student-athletes to sharpen her skills.
During the summer of 2013, O'Brien was a sports intern for WFLD-TV Fox 32 in Chicago and assisted in coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks during the second of their three recent Stanley Cup championships. The experience at Fox was exceptional. "But I did not get into camera at all," she said.
In search of that experience she heard about the Cape Cod Baseball League and how some of her Northwestern peers were working there as summer interns.
"I didn't know they (CCBL) had broadcast internships until I met a group of students at Northwestern who were interning there as play-by-play broadcasters."
"I asked, 'They are going to Cape Cod for summer? What are they doing on Cape Cod?'"
O'Brien inquired about opportunities to be a sideline reporter. "I looked into it and found out that some teams had field reporters. I applied around September of my sophomore year. I was hired in October."
"The baseball season started in June. I had to organize my finals so I could take them all early." The summer of 2014 following her sophomore year, O'Brien made the 1,000-plus mile trip to Wareham, a town on the north end of Buzzard's Bay in southeastern Massachusetts. She was a field reporter for the Wareham Gatemen, one of the 10 teams competing in the CCBL. There were 42 games plus playoffs to call.
"Everybody told me I was going to love it but I don't think they could tell me just how much I was going to love it," O'Brien exclaims of her experience. She made the same trip to intern for the Gatemen in 2015, the summer after her junior year. Some of her favorite memories were watching outfielder Andrew Calica of the UC-Santa Barbara bat over .400, and the University of Kentucky's six-foot-seven, 245-pound All-American pitcher Kyle Cody test the limits of the radar gun with his head-turning fastball.
"I would say I think about my CCBL memories every single day. Whether it was hosting the All-Star game, or getting to report on national television."
It also gave her front-row seat to observe highly motivated athletes.
"Working with the players every day was great for me because as a student- athlete, sometimes it's hard to stay motivated when things don't go the way you had hoped. It is hard to keep your eyes on your goals when things aren't going well. These players helped me to stay motivated in my sport because day-in and day-out I saw that passion and that dedication in them."
Construction of the foundation of her professional resume continues back in the Midwest. O'Brien has covered Northwestern home football games against Stanford and Iowa this year, and she will be on the sidelines of Soldier Field when the 'Cats play Illinois on Nov. 28.
Though indoor and outdoor track schedules are still ahead, Sunday's Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Chicago will bring Megan O'Brien's cross country career to a close. But the experiences earned in the classroom, in the community and in competition at Northwestern will resonate for years to come as she focuses on the future, and the camera focuses on her.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To interact directly with the #B1GCats, visit our Social Media page!
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
New Season, Fresh Fits 🔥
Tuesday, August 19
David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program - 2025 Video
Tuesday, August 19
This is Northwestern Athletics | 2024-25 Recap
Tuesday, August 19
Northwestern - Wildcat Women: 2019
Wednesday, February 03
