Related Content
•
Learn more about CSC Women at: CSCommunicators.com/CSCWomen
•
CSC Women to Watch Feature Archive
This is part of our 2025-26 CSC Women to Watch series, a series which spotlights a variety of female members in our association. CSC Women is a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Member Resource Community, dedicated to serving the women in the athletics communications and creative field. CSC Women aims to encourage, empower and educate, while providing a positive and united presence for women in our field, both veterans and newcomers, and serving as their collective voice.
CSC Women to Watch
Dani Pluchinsky
Virginia Tech Director of Athletic Communications and Social Strategy
by Colby Shannon, CSC Intern
September’s Women to Watch is Virginia Tech director of athletic communications and social strategy,
Dani Pluchinsky. Pluchinsky has been with VT for just over a year. Previously, she was an assistant director of athletics communications at TCU for one year after serving as TCU’s athletics communications graduate assistant for two. She was also a student worker at both Ithaca College and Colgate University.
Pluchinsky is pursuing her masters degree in liberal arts from TCU and did her undergraduate degree at Ithaca. She has attributed her undergraduate internship experiences as contributing to her love for sports information. Additionally, she is a Swiftie and self proclaimed, “Fantasy Sports Enthusiast.”
Pluchinsky is an emerging creative voice in CSC and has credited recent CSC Hall of Fame inductee, John Painter, as one of her mentors. The CSC Women Steering Committee is thrilled to spotlight Dani Pluchinsky for the month of September.
Pluchinsky’s last full day at TCU covering one of her favorite events – the 2024 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. (June 2024)
What inspired your love of sports growing up and led you to pursue a career in sports communications?
DP: My grandfather is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies fan, and we would go to games together when I was growing up. I was blown away by the atmosphere of a live game and knew I wanted to play a role, no matter how small, in giving fans that same experience.
You have experience in sports writing and information with multiple universities and organizations. What has been your favorite experience so far in your sports communications career?
DP: I have loved every place I have worked at, but my all-time favorite experience was working with the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team last season when they advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The team had a one-of-a-kind senior class and working with that team during an Elite Eight run was unbelievably special.
Pluchinsky along with her amazing interns Ali Campion and Emma Treptow after working a Top 25 Virginia Tech/Florida State series (May 2025)
Is there a female sports professional that you admire and has inspired you to be involved in collegiate athletics? Who? And what do you admire most about them?
DP: So many! The ones that have inspired me the most are Brandie Davidson, Jenna Jorgensen and Bridget McCann. All three are so wonderful at what they do and really take pride in being the best they can be. Brandie, Jenna and Bridget all taught me different skills and techniques that I still use every day, and all fueled my passion to want to continue in this field. I would not be where I am today without their guidance and support!
Do you have any advice for future sports writers, especially young women looking to enter a sports communication field?
DP: My advice would be to always take chances and say yes to as many opportunities as you can. You’ll never know how awesome something can be until you go for it.
Pluchinshky worked with women's ice hockey alongside Jenna Jorgensen at Colgate and this is her pictured holding the ECAC Hockey Tournament Champions Trophy (March 2021)
Your connection to CSC Hall of Famer John Painter is a meaningful one. Tell us what he’s done for your career and what you’ve learned from him.
DP: John Painter has been an incredible friend and mentor to me. From the first day of working with him at Colgate to now, he has been unbelievably supportive. The biggest thing he taught me is that it is so rewarding to take chances. He helped give me the courage to move from New York to Texas, and then again to move to Virginia. It is important to go out of your comfort zone and try new things and places, and I never would have never ended up in Texas if it had not been for him!
What aspirations do you have for your future in sports communications?
DP: Truthfully, I love the role that I am in now. Being a primary sport contact as well as running the main Hokie Sports account presents me with completely different challenges each and every day. I want to continue to help grow the Virginia Tech brand while continuing to work with amazing student-athletes!
What has been your favorite thing about Virginia Tech since you joined the university just over a year ago?
DP: My favorite thing about working at Virginia Tech is being able to mentor and work with so many amazing students! We have an incredible student intern program here and it is such a joy to see so many students grow and succeed.
Pluchinsky, along with Will Copeland and Mike Skovan, working a Virginia Tech women's soccer game as they hosted an NCAA Tournament First Round match against Tennessee (November 2024)
Quick Hitters with Dani:
What was your dream job as a kid? I love sharks and originally wanted to be a marine biologist.
Your dream destination for a vacation: Santorini.
What is your favorite Taylor Swift album? Folklore!
What is your favorite professional sports team? The Las Vegas Raiders
What is your favorite season? Summer, all the way!
One fun fact that not many people know about you: I love horror movies! When I was studying abroad, I went and saw the house that the Conjuring 2 is based off.
What is your favorite family tradition? Going to the Outer Banks every year with my mom and grandparents!
Pluchinsky, along with Brandie Davidson and Anthony Brandt, worked stats for the NCAA March Madness First and Second Rounds at Dickies Arena (March 2022)