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CoSIDA.com/WoSIDA
Earlier this year, the long-time CoSIDA group Female Athletic Media Relations Executive (FAME) re-branded and will now be known as WoSIDA (Women Sports Information Directors of America/Women of CoSIDA). As part of the recent rebrand, the group has introduced a Woman of the Month feature series. For more information on WoSIDA including the updated mission statement, goals and value statement, go to
CoSIDA.com/WoSIDA.
All members of CoSIDA - female and male - are invited to join WoSIDA. Contact Chevonne Mansfield or any of the steering committee members listed on the WoSIDA page above.
WoSIDA Woman of the Month: November 2017
Jenna Willhoit, Assistant Director of Athletics Communication – University of Dayton
by Chevonne Mansfield, Director of Communications – American Athletic Conference
2017-18 WoSIDA Chair
Jenna Willhoit has served as Assistant Director of Athletics Communication at University of Dayton since March 2013. Originally from Cynthiana, Ky., she got her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Kentucky in December 2003, and then a master's in sport administration from the University of Louisville in May 2006. It was at Louisville where she got her start in sports information during the 2005-06 school year as an intern.
Following her time at Louisville, Willhoit spent one year at Tennessee Tech and then six years at Xavier. In addition to covering several sports, she served as the host site media coorrdinator for the 2010 Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament First and Second Round games played at Cintas Center.
Currently at Dayton, Willhoit serves as the primary contact for women's volleyball, softball, men's golf and women's golf while also coordinating all internal efforts for
DaytonFlyers.com.
What got you into athletic communications/how did you get started?
I got started in a little bit of a round-about way. I went to graduate school with the notion "I like sports." I had no idea what I wanted to do but, fortunately, in my first semester a professor of mine suggested sports information. My bachelor's degree is in English and Dr. Greenwell thought my writing background made me a perfect match for an internship in Louisville SID office. The rest is history ... so, thank Kenny Kline and his crew.
What is the best part of the profession?
For me, the best part of this profession is being a positive part of the student-athlete experience. It's a great opportunity to see young men and women grow and mature and anything I can do to improve their experience as a student-athlete is so fulfilling. Another great part? Travel! Before I started working in athletics communication, I had never been farther west than St. Louis.
What is your best piece of advice for being a woman in the profession?
My best piece of advice for a woman in this profession is to surround yourself with other strong, uplifting women. Whether that be remotely through professional organizations like WoSIDA, Women Leaders and AWSM or within your athletics' division if you're on a campus, having other women supporting you is essential to your growth and, frankly, your sanity. Having a support system can be invaluable.
You are active outside of your work at Dayton with AWSM (Association for Women in Sports Media) and Women Leaders in College Sports. What do you do to balance work/personal life?
Balance is a constant struggle for me. I started and still moderate an Athletics Communication Circle for Women Leaders and am now a board member for AWSM as the organization's digital coordinator in addition to serving on the CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee. I am also on the planning committee for the Mission Based Staff Retreat sponsored by Dayton's Office of Mission and Rector and I volunteer on the event planning committee for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. Whew, when I type it all out it seems like a lot. I make time for the things that matter to me. But, I'm single, no kids, no pets and I have a lot of No Guilt - feeling guilty when I say no. Even though it can be tough, I have to say no sometimes in order to maintain my sanity.
You travel frequently with your teams. What are the three top three travel tips you have?
This year? Volleyball didn't have any "exotic" trips on its schedule this season. But, if the team makes the NCAA Tournament, that could be a fun trip. The upcoming softball season has a trip to San Diego which I am very much looking forward to. In the past I would say Seattle, Palo Alto, Calif., and the first time I went to NYC and got to walk around Manhattan.
What do you hope your student-athletes remember most about you?
I hope my student-athletes remember that I cared. That I cared about them as people in addition to their success as student-athletes. And, I also hope when they think of me they laugh because they have a fun memory of me.
Who is the most memorable/well known student-athlete you’ve worked with?
I would have to say Amber Harris and Ta'Shia Phillips would be the most well-known student-athletes I've worked with. They were both All-American basketball players at Xavier on a team that was ranked as high as No. 4 in 2010-11. Harris was drafted fourth, Phillips eighth in the 2011 WNBA draft and Harris went on to win two WNBA Championships with the Lynx.