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CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID
This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CoSIDA membership during the celebration of CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week for 2020-21. See more features at CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID.
Ashley Steltenpohl – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Coordinator of Content Creation & Strategy/Assistant Communications Director
by Danielle Potts – CoSIDA Intern
“Take more time for yourself. In collegiate athletics, it can be easy to be “on the clock” all the time, but with each year passing, I’ve learned that setting (more) time aside for myself has benefited me both mentally and physically.”
- Ashley Steltenpohl, UW-Milwaukee Coordinator of Content Creation & Strategy
Ashley Steltenpohl brings varied experiences in college athletics to her current position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is in her fourth year in the Panthers’ athletics department and currently serves as the Coordinator of Content Creation and Strategy after holding the title of assistant athletic communications director at the Horizon League institution. Among her responsibilities, Steltenpohl is responsible for the creative digital and social content and strategies to support and promote UWM’s marketing and organizational branding. She also is the media relations contact for tennis and cross country.
Prior to shifting her focus to athletic communications and content creation and design, Steltenpohl came to UW-Milwaukee from NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point where she served in three roles, simultaneously from 2014-17: head softball coach, assistant SID and strength and conditioning coach.
Prior experience found Steltenpohl at Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin where she served in sports information and was Head Softball Coach. Steltenpohl was a four-year starter on the Wisconson Oshkosh softball team where she was a political science major and a 2010 graduate.
Steltenpohl on the softball diamond as the UW-Stevens Point softball coach.
As a former collegiate student-athlete and college softball coach, how did those experience prepare you for your transition to athletic communications?
AS: I’m proud to say that I am a former DIII athlete and fortunate to have worked in DIII athletics prior to my position here at Milwaukee. The experiences and skills I picked up along the way were and are immensely valuable and I credit my work ethic to those very experiences.
Working in Division III, you tend to wear multiple hats. In both institutions that I worked at, Marian and UW-Stevens Point, while coaching, I also helped in athletic communications amongst other job responsibilities. That being said, transitioning from coaching with multiple responsibilities to now, was a bit of a breeze!
What is your approach to content creation for digital media for your team's social media accounts? (And, as a side note to our readers, I noted that in your twitter bio, you refer to yourself as Content Creation & Strategy for @MKEPanthers AKA Pixel Pusher!)
AS: Going into every new academic year, we go over the previous year’s social analytics to gauge social interactions and impressions for all of our accounts. Similar to a business model of return on investment (ROI), we evaluate what works and what doesn’t work based on these analytics and overall feedback from our department.
In addition to the analytics, we set goals, expectations and project lists for each of our sports. At the end of the day, it’s about telling our story and the stories of our student-athletes while being our authentic and genuine selves.
What is unique about Milwaukee athletics, outside of myself, the content creation team that I manage are all students. They are super dedicated and take extreme pride in every project that we produce – and they make my job fun and easy.
Taking pregame photos from the sidelines at a UW-Milwaukee men's basketball game.
What is your most memorable moment in your athletics career?
AS: Considering I’ve only ever been in athletics, there are a lot of great memories and it’s hard to choose! However, the one that probably stands out the most was when I was named head softball coach at Marian University (Wisconsin) at the ripe age of 24.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
AS: Take more time for yourself. In collegiate athletics, it can be easy to be “on the clock” all the time, but with each year passing, I’ve learned that setting (more) time aside for myself has benefited me both mentally and physically.
When you’re finished with work for the day, what do you enjoy doing?
AS: Weather pending (because you know...it’s Wisconsin!), I enjoy being outside. If I can hit the links, that’s where you’ll find me. Otherwise it would be taking in a sporting event (pre-COVID-19), or taking a hike with my camera (always) in hand!
Pregame preparation: Steltenpohl taking photos before setting up Genius/NCAA LiveStats for a men's basketball game.