SHU Pioneers Are Behind the Scenes of 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

Sacred Heart communication students and alumni work in Italy and Stamford to produce global coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University students and alumni work behind the scenes on the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
• From Italy to Connecticut, Pioneers are contributing to technical operations, studio management and live broadcast production for one of the world’s largest sporting events
• SHU’s hands-on media training programs and industry immersion experiences continue to prepare students for careers at the highest levels of sports broadcasting

As millions of viewers stay riveted to the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Sacred Heart University students and alumni are working behind the scenes to bring them the coverage they crave.

From Italy to Stamford, Pioneers are helping power Olympic news at the highest level of sports media—proving that hands-on experience in SHU’s School of Communication, Media & the Arts (SCMA) can lead to the global stage.

“NBC Sports has been a great friend to SHU and the SCMA over the years,” said Paul Pabst, assistant professor in the sports communication & media graduate program and executive producer on The Dan Patrick Show. “To think that the world is watching the work of our current and former students is really something special. Many people in sports media never get the opportunity to work the Olympics. Our grads have built up their skills to the point where they are doing so in their 20s ... it's very cool.”

Jordan Greene ’25: From the classroom to Italy

For Jordan Greene ’25, a sports communication & media major from East Orange, NJ, the journey to the Olympics began in the classroom.

Greene was selected for NBC Sports’ prestigious immersion program supporting coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. After spending a year as an NBC content editorial production intern, he is now in Italy serving as a runner for the Games.

In his role, Greene supports production operations on the ground, assisting crews and ensuring broadcasts run smoothly during one of the largest sporting events in the world.

“I’ve always aspired to work at the highest level of the industry, and this opportunity feels like a major step in turning that goal into reality,” Greene said.

He credits SHU and his professional experience for honing the industry skills that helped shape his confidence and preparation for this role.

Jayden Hunter ’27: Producing the Games from Stamford while competing on the track team

While Greene is overseas, Jayden Hunter ’27 is working stateside at NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford.

A sports communication & media major from South Plainfield, NJ, with a concentration in broadcast media, Hunter secured his Olympic role after interning with YES Network covering the New York Yankees, where he built strong industry connections.

For the Milan Cortina Games, Hunter serves as an assistant producer logger. In his role, he logs everything that happens during the Olympic broadcasts—tracking highlights, key plays and storylines—reporting essential information to producers to support live coverage.

What makes the opportunity even more impressive is that Hunter is balancing Olympic production work with a full academic course load and his responsibilities as a Division I track & field athlete. In the middle of his indoor season, he continues to train and compete while supporting coverage of this major sporting event.

“As an undergraduate, having the opportunity to contribute to Olympic coverage is incredible. Balancing school, track and this experience has been challenging, but it’s exactly the kind of hands-on opportunity I came to Sacred Heart for,” said Hunter.

Ian Baron ’18: Working his third Olympics

For alum Ian Baron ’18, this marks his third Olympic Games.

A communication major from Breezy Point, NY, with a focus in sports media and broadcasting, Baron previously worked on the Tokyo Olympics and the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. He now works professionally as a floor director at CNN, but for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, he serves as a stage manager in Stamford.

In that role, he oversees studio operations, coordinates technical elements and ensures on-air talent and crew are aligned during live broadcasts.

Baron said his start in television began at SHU, where he participated in numerous student-run productions that gave him hands-on experience in live television, rotating through multiple roles—experience that helped him transition smoothly into his professional career.

“Working my third Olympic Games is incredibly meaningful,” Baron said. “Sacred Heart gave me my first real experience in live television and that foundation continues to shape the way I approach every production.”

Shannon Torres ’21, ’23: Leading Olympic highlights in Stamford

For alum Shannon Torres ’21,’23, working the Winter Games is both a professional milestone and a full-circle moment.

Torres, a sports communication & media alum, serves as a digital production shot selector supervisor for the Olympic coverage with NBC Sports. There she supervises a team of shot selectors who monitor assigned events and clip key highlights, viral moments and standout performances which are distributed to NBC’s social media teams for potential publication across Olympic platforms.

“This has been an experience of a lifetime,” said Torres. “Working the Olympics is truly a marathon, but it's important to remember that those athletes out there in Milan and Cortina have worked their whole lives to compete in this moment and we need to take the time to respect that and do them justice.”

Additional alumni who work for NBC Sports: