University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Schnable Joins Pitt as Director of Storytelling and Multimedia Content
6/22/2026 3:45:00 PM | General
PITTSBURGH — In February 2023, I traded my seat in the press box for one in the Oakland Zoo.
At the time, I had only been covering college sports in Pittsburgh for about a month — I wasn't even technically on the Pitt beat. Every basketball game, I'd watch students pour into the Petersen Events Center, bringing an energy that seemed to ripple through the entire building.
From where I sat as a reporter, I could see it. But I wanted to understand it.
So for Pitt's game against Syracuse, I joined the student section.
For two hours, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with students who knew every chant, every tradition and every player on the roster. The noise never seemed to stop. When walk-on Aidan Fisch checked into the game and scored, the reaction around me felt as loud as any moment I'd covered. It was one of those experiences that reminded me sports are about much more than what happens on the court.
I wrote about that night because that's always been one of my favorite parts of this job: understanding what makes a community special and sharing that experience with others.
That curiosity lured me in and over the last three and a half years, it has taken me to places I never imagined.
It took me inside one of the nation's premier volleyball programs, where I had the privilege of chronicling the growth of a team that consistently competed on the sport's biggest stage. I was there when Olivia Babcock was named AVCA Freshman of the Year in 2023 plus both AVCA Player of the Year nods in 2024 and 2025.
It took me to Acrisure Stadium every Saturday, including when College GameDay was in town. It took me through championship runs, NCAA Tournament appearances, packed arenas and unforgettable moments.
It allowed me to tell the stories of athletes like Babcock, Mason Heintschel, Macari Moore and so many others whose journeys extended far beyond the accomplishments listed in a box score or media guide.
But more importantly, it introduced me to the people who make Pitt Athletics what it is.
The longer I spent on the beat, the more I came to believe that the best stories aren't always found in wins and losses. They're found in the people behind them. They're found in the early mornings, the setbacks, the sacrifices and the relationships that shape athletes and coaches long before game day arrives.
Along the way, I also found something else: a connection to the Pitt community.
When I arrived in Pittsburgh, I wasn't a Pitt alum. I wasn't a former student-athlete. I wasn't someone who had grown up attending games.
What I became was someone who grew to appreciate just how much Pitt Athletics means to so many people.
I saw it in the Oakland Zoo. I saw it in volleyball fans who followed the program's rise from the Fitzgerald Field House to Final Four appearances. I saw it in football and basketball supporters who showed up even when things looked grim. I saw it in the readers who followed my work, sent story ideas, shared their perspectives and trusted me to tell these stories.
Earlier this year, I thought that chapter of my career was ending.
What weighed on me most wasn't the loss of a beat. It was the thought that I might no longer get to tell the stories of the athletes, coaches and teams I had spent years covering. It was the possibility of losing the connection I had built with the people who cared so deeply about them.
That's why this opportunity means so much.
As Pitt Athletics' Director of Storytelling and Multimedia Content, I'll have the chance to continue doing what I've always loved most: telling stories.
You'll find features, behind-the-scenes content and conversations that go beyond the final score. You'll learn more about the people who represent Pitt every day, the paths that brought them here and the experiences that shape them along the way.
Because while championships, trophies and memorable moments matter, they're only part of the story.
The people are the story.
To those who followed my work over the years, thank you for reading, listening and supporting it. And to those who are discovering my work for the first time, welcome. I'm excited to share these stories with you.
I can't wait to get started. Hail to Pitt.
