Finding her voice at UNC Hussman: Bethany Pryor’s journey to the Olympic Games 

Bethany Pryor ’26 is in Italy for her second Olympic Games as a multimedia journalist – something she never anticipated when she arrived at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue her love of storytelling through musical theater.  

However, during her first year at Carolina, a chance connection revealed a way to blend her love of storytelling with the world of sports.  

A friend from theater camp, whose father works for ESPN, reached out when ESPN’s “College Gameday” was coming to Boone, North Carolina. To know Pryor is to know how much she loves her hometown of Boone. She knows the curve of every mountain and is the first to volunteer to show someone around the beautiful town. It came as no surprise that her theater camp friend asked Pryor for a restaurant recommendation when ESPN came to town. In return, Pryor and her brother were offered VIP tickets to the show.  

The experience was a turning point.  

“I realized I could combine my love for performing and storytelling with sports,” Pryor said. “That was something I didn’t even know was an option.” 

The next day, Pryor applied to the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.  

Now as a “Sports Xtra” executive producer and anchor, Pryor credits the school’s student-run broadcast with shaping her growth and helping her discover what sports journalism could be. She joined “Sports Xtra” during her sophomore year, initially unsure of what broadcast journalism entailed or how expansive the industry was.  

“Sports Xtra” covers Carolina athletic events, with student journalists attending every home game to gather videos and interviews. Pryor described how the team works together to prepare for and produce a live show every Monday at 11:30 a.m., covering the weekend sporting events.  

Pryor’s work with “Sports Xtra” opened the door to an international opportunity.  

During her second semester in “Sports Xtra,” Pryor applied to cover the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Pryor submitted two of her strongest stories and soon found out she was selected to attend.  

As a multimedia journalist, Pryor was responsible for planning and executing one story every day she was in Paris. Each piece was a 90-second package focused on a person or event — sometimes a superfan, sometimes an athlete or a moment happening outside of official venues. All the student multimedia journalists were paired with a professional news outlet back home. These news outlets were connections made through UNC Hussman’s Media Hub capstone course.  

Without official credentials, Pryor learned to find stories independently, striking up conversations with people on trains and in public spaces.

Pryor said the experience reshaped her confidence and ambition.  

“Paris really set the tone for the rest of my college career,” she said. “It showed me that I belong in these spaces.” 

She said representing Carolina and UNC Hussman on an international stage was both humbling and empowering.  

“There’s a level of confidence that comes from being a UNC student,” Pryor said. “I know I can do good work because of what I’ve learned in my journalism classes.” 

Pryor intends to lean on the confidence she has built since her last Olympic Games as she covers stories at the Winter Games. She is no longer afraid of approaching someone and asking them to be the subject of a story.  

“You can’t assume a story is too big or that people won’t talk to you,” Pryor said.  

Beyond broadcast journalism, Pryor has also embraced long-form storytelling through a podcast she co-hosts with her brother. Inspired by class conversations with Visiting Professor of the Practice Tyler Hansborough and fellow students, the podcast focuses on the personal stories of athletes beyond their statistics.  

“I want to show people who the athletes are behind their numbers,” Pryor said. 

Growing up around collegiate athletes, including her parents and brother, shaped her perspective on the importance of telling those deeper stories.  

Pryor encourages UNC Hussman students to take advantage of every opportunity available to them.  

“Jump at things,” she said. “Get to know your professors. They want you to succeed, and they know people in the industry.” 

Pryor credits her professors for opening doors and encouraging students to pitch ideas, ask questions and use the school’s alumni network.  

“Don’t be afraid of someone saying no,” Pryor said. “I wouldn’t be going to the Olympics for the second time if I was afraid of that.” 

For Pryor, that message has become more than advice – it’s a reflection of her own growth. Through “Sports Xtra,” the support of her professors and the opportunity to report on events as large as the Olympic Games, she has found her voice as a sports journalist. At UNC Hussman, Pryor isn’t just learning how to tell stories – she’s learning she belongs in the rooms where they’re made.