Aspiring sports broadcaster from Latrobe wins inaugural Rick Starr Award

In the not too distant future, Hannah Mears envisions herself standing on the sideline at a packed professional stadium or arena, microphone in hand and dream realized, chiming in on what is happening in the big game.

The recent Penn State graduate already can’t wait for the first timeout so she can feverishly give an update on a key play or tide-turning injury.

It’s a rush only she can explain.

“Back to you guys upstairs …”

This is what the Latrobe native loves to do, and she has had plenty of practice as an in-game host at Penn State games and as a sideline reporter for GoPSUSports.com.

Rick Starr would have appreciated Mears’ style and enthusiasm as well as her ability to share someone’s story.

Mears did not know Starr, the late Pittsburgh sportswriter and editor who first made a name for himself while writing for The Collegian at Penn State.

But now she finds herself being mentioned with him in the same sentence.

You might say Mears just became an All-Starr.

Mears is one of the two inaugural recipients of the Rick Starr Award for Human-Centered Sports Journalism.

The award, chosen by faculty, will be given annually to students at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. Starr’s longtime friends, Bob and Cathy Buday, established the donation-driven award in 2019 to carry on his name and honor his contributions to sports journalism.

Starr had a gently rolling style to his prose and was well respected by colleagues and sources. He was fair and curious and enjoyed writing and editing human interest stories.

Mears, with her magnetic smile and warm personality, was recognized for her sideline television reporting that includes a number of in-depth interviews of star athletes and other special guests.

A broadcast journalism major who also has a certificate from the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism and a business certificate from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, Mears’ face and voice are well known around campus.

She hosted a webcast for the university’s student-run THON, a fundraiser that has swelled in popularity.

Mears, the daughter of Latrobe athletic director and wrestling coach Mark Mears, worked Super Bowl LIV in Miami as a multimedia reporter and was a production assistant at ESPN in 2016. She also was a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network for Penn State women’s volleyball, women’s basketball and wrestling.

She grew up a sports tagalong, following her father to wrestling matches since she can remember. She played soccer, basketball and ran track at Latrobe.

“My dad’s athletes were always training at my house, and I was getting lugged around to sporting events,” she said. “That definitely enhanced my interest in being involved in the sports world. When I was little, I was at wrestling matches so much that my mom nicknamed me ‘bleacher baby’ for a while.

“I grew up a tomboy who was very competitive with my brothers and cousins. We were always playing some sort of sport outside like wiffle ball, football or kickball. Sports have just always somehow been a part of my identity.”

Mark Mears knew his daughter enjoyed sports, but he really saw a glint in her eye a few years ago during Steelers training camp, another event she frequented.

“ESPN came to televise our ‘Friday Night Lights’ Steelers practice in 2016,” Mark Mears said. “They let her help out, and she fell in love with it.”

Shane Connelly, a digital print journalism major from New Jersey, also was a Starr recipient.

The mention of Starr’s name for longtime Penn State faithful will conjure memories of his celebrated Collegian write-up of Penn State running back John Cappelletti’s 1973 Heisman Trophy speech where he dedicated the award to his brother, Joey.

Mears called winning the award an honor and a blessing.

“From the conversations that I have had with the alumni behind the award, Rick was so beloved by all of his friends, family and co-workers,” she said. “He was very talented and (covered) the Pittsburgh Steelers, my favorite NFL team, so to have that connection makes winning the award even more meaningful. I cannot thank all of the alumni enough for thinking some of my work was worthy enough to be associated with Rick’s.”

Starr died in 2017 at age 64. He had recently retired after a long career at the Tribune-Review and Valley News Dispatch where he spent decades covering the Pittsburgh Steelers. He covered Super Bowls XIII, XIV and XL.

He also and had an affinity for writing about the local and pro golf scene, especially when the U.S. Open came to Oakmont, a place he used to call home. State College took on that designation later in his life. He simply loved the place.

“I hope to continue to make those that selected me proud and like Rick, eventually leave my mark in the world of journalism,” Mears said. “I have been working so hard to find where I will fit into the sports broadcasting world and can only hope it will pay off soon.”

Donations can be made to the Rick Starr Award here.

I am humbled and honored to have been selected as one of the first recipients of the Rick Starr Award for Human Centered Sports Journalism!
I will always be so thankful for @PSUBellisario and all of those behind this award! https://t.co/ya5cXFsaYc pic.twitter.com/gFtNewtvxe

— Hannah Mears (@hanmears_) May 25, 2020