Sports were always a big part of Aeriel Frey’s life. But when a concussion at home took her off the court, she found a new passion on the sidelines.
“Sports media definitely wasn't exactly where I was envisioning my future, but I'm glad that my life has headed in that direction,” Frey said.
Arriving on campus as a freshman, Frey — a 2024 broadcasting alumna — quickly dove into hands-on experiences, gaining the skills needed to work in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. From working Volleyball Day in Nebraska for the Big Ten Network to collaborating on live productions, her time in the college set her up well for a recent once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: traveling to Cortina, Italy, to work as a broadcast runner at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
From Lincoln to Cortina
For months, from April to September 2025, Frey went through a lengthy application process. By the time she got the call, she had already prepared herself for the eventuality that she might not make the cut. That’s why she took a breath of relief when she finally heard, knowing that her six years in the industry had paid off in a big way.
“I immediately texted my then-boyfriend, now fiancé, and I called my parents, my biggest supporters,” Frey said. “I told them about my initial doubt and my dad immediately said, ‘I knew you were going to get it as soon as you applied for it.’"
Landing in Italy a week before opening ceremonies, Frey took some time to relax before her first day of work the following morning. As the games got started, her workdays filled up as she covered everything from technical checks to snack restocks.
“I was constantly moving — hauling gear, relaying last-minute changes, helping people get where they needed to go, grabbing meals, whatever was needed in the moment,” Frey said. “What made things interesting was doing it in another country, being around people who spoke little English, working with a crew you're unfamiliar with, walking over 20,000 steps a day up and down a mountain, and getting to know all of the intricacies that go into a production of that scale and the best ways to support that effort.”
Finding Husker connections
Before the games started, Frey quickly saw just how information-heavy and fast-paced the games were, an overwhelming realization as she had never worked an event on this scale. As she navigated the experience, she leaned on her Husker background.
The speed and variety of Frey’s work in Italy mirrored her classroom lessons. Learning to stick to tight deadlines, the ins and outs of live production and collaborating on projects are all things that helped prepare her for what sports broadcasting is really like, even on the world stage. She was surprised by how comfortable she felt jumping into a role that required communicating with a lot of different people and departments.
“That’s something I developed through hands-on experience in school and through the opportunities (the College of Journalism and Mass Communications) gave me to actually work in production settings before graduating,” Frey said. “It made the transition into an environment as big as the Olympics feel a lot less intimidating."
More than 4,000 miles from home, she also saw a familiar face. After winning gold in bobsledding at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Curtis Tomasevicz, assistant professor of practice in biological systems engineering, visited Frey’s elementary school and sparked her love for the games. After being assigned to sliding sports in Italy, she reconnected with the sports that started it all — and even met Tomasevicz again at the airport on the way home.
Looking forward
This experience taught Frey much more than she had expected, including reinforcing her career choice. She said this is just the tip of the iceberg of what she will be doing in the future and that she wants to continue learning and growing. That way, maybe in 2028 she’ll be back at the Olympics, working in a different position.
To other Husker students who think of following a similar path in sports media, Frey recommended taking opportunities even if you don’t think you’re ready for them.
“A lot of this industry is built on showing up, working hard, and being someone people can rely on — especially in roles where you are not always in the spotlight,” Frey said. “It’s also important not to compare your path to everyone else’s, especially right after graduating. Some people will have everything lined up, and others won’t, and that’s OK.”
