Holly Rowe Returns to the University of Utah

Fresh off the “Caitlin Clark beat” for ESPN, Holly Rowe, three-time Emmy winner and recipient of the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Curt Gowdy Award, will speak at the University of Utah, Friday, April 19, in Red Butte Garden’s Richard K. Hemingway Orangerie at 6 p.m. Presented by the College of Humanities, Rowe will give the 2024 Parry D. Sorensen Distinguished Lecture titled, “Working with Joy and Passion: Keys to a Successful Career.” Rowe will also host a workshop with students interested in learning from her multifaceted career, Friday, April 19, in the Enda Anderson Communication Institute inside the Languages and Communication Building (LNCO 2910) on the U campus at 4 p.m.

After receiving a degree in communication from the U, Rowe joined ESPN and ABC Sports in 1995 and has served as one of the lead reporters on ESPN Saturday Night Prime College Football, Men’s College Basketball, Women’s College Basketball and Final Four, Women’s World Series, NCAA Volleyball Indoor and Beach National Championships, NCAA Gymnastics, and lead WNBA announce team. 

“As an alumna and former writer for the Daily Utah Chronicle, it’s been very exciting to see how Holly’s career has thrived,” said Avery Holton, chair of the Department of Communication. “In the Department of Communication, we prepare our journalism students to be resourceful, flexible, and to find their unique storytelling identities. Holly is a great example of how skills, passion, perseverance, and vision can combine for an incredible career.”

As one of sports most versatile announcers, Rowe has also covered soccer, swimming, track & field and the Little League World Series of baseball and softball for ESPN. She was named the first female analyst in Utah Jazz history in 2021. 

Rowe is a producer and writer of documentaries and features that have aired on KBYU TV, ESPN and Fox 13 TV in Salt Lake City. After a five-year battle with stage IV metastatic melanoma, Rowe has become a tireless advocate for cancer research and prevention. 

The Parry and Margaret Sorensen Endowment in the Department of Communication was established to honor the life, legacy, and ongoing impact of Parry D. Sorensen, prolific writer, university leader, beloved journalism professor, and passionate “Utah Man.” Created by students and the Sorensen family in 1997, this endowed fund creates opportunities for students, faculty, alumni, and community members alike to learn from leading journalists through the annual Parry D. Sorensen Distinguished Lecture. 

“We are grateful to the Sorensen family for establishing this lecture so our students and our community can connect with, learn from, and flourish alongside such influential journalists,” said Holton.