Major / Program: Sports Media

Chelsea Groves is the poster child for the importance of paying attention, showing up, and doing your best work.

In early September of her first year at Butler, she and the other Sports Media majors received an email from Creative Media and Entertainment Professor Christine Taylor asking them to contribute to the Bulldog Blitz, a weekly show spotlighting Butler sports. Groves jumped at the chance. She set up an interview with Volleyball Coach Sharon Clark, “and it just started to expand through that.”

Her work on the Blitz, which aired during halftime of games that aired on butlersports.com, led to work with Butler Athletics, where she reported stories about Butler Baseball, the men’s and women’s golf teams, and several other sports.

“I put myself out there and responded to that email,” she said. “It was a big deal for me.”

Now in her sophomore year, “I just want to get better,” she said. “I want to be my absolute best and watch myself grow in other areas. I want to be better in the broadcast area and be prominent and be known for doing a great job.”

Groves came to Butler from Walkerton, Indiana, where her dad was the high school varsity football coach and also coached eighth-grade boy’s basketball. She remembers bringing her stuffed animals and American Girl doll to games when she was little and learning to keep score as she got older.

“I had one of the rosters, I got a pen from my grandma’s purse, and I would put a tally mark next to all the people who scored,” she said. “I just became enthralled with it. My dad was a big reason why I fell into sports.”

Her plan now is to develop her skills in school and ultimately become either a sideline reporter or analyst for men’s college basketball or baseball.

She said Butler is making her better.

“So many people around me—basically everyone—pushes you to be your absolute best all the time,” she said. “They critique me, tell me what to do—and what to do better—and I listen to them because they know what they’re doing and I trust them and I want to step up my game all the time. Butler is an amazing place, and I’m so glad I’m here.”