9:00 AM

Registration

10:00 AM

Orientation

Welcome Remarks

Presentations of Hod Humiston Award and Dr. Ian Punnett Award

10:30 AM

Keynote Address

From Sports Broadcast to the National Women’s Soccer League with Dani Welniak

Dani Welniak is the Vice President of Communications for the Kansas City Current of the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League). She joined the team in July of 2022. Prior to that, she spent six years as the Sports Director at KCTV5 (CBS) in Kansas City, hosting the Locker Room Show on KSMO-TV.

Welniak started her news career in Dodge City, KS covering high school sports for Catch It Kansas. After two years, she moved up to Wichita’s main station, KWCH 12, before moving to Kansas City in 2016 to join KCTV5, where she became the Sports Director in 2017. She was also the sideline analyst for the Chiefs Radio Network from 2016 through 2020. 

She made history in 2019 as a color analyst for the Cure Bowl when she became part of the first all-female radio crew to call a Division I college football bowl game. 

Welniak is a retired wide receiver for the Dallas Diamonds professional football team. During her time on the team, she was the 2007 Rookie of the Year, a 2008 Women’s Super Bowl champion, a three-time All-Pro member and a member of the gold medal-winning USA national team in 2010. In 2022 she earned an Emmy Award for her sports anchoring and producing.

Welniak graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2011 Welniak graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2011 double majoring in Broadcast Journalism and Audio & Video Production.

Dani and her husband, Brad, have a 5-year-old daughter, Cameron. They love to travel, spend time with family, play sports, workout, rock climb and compete in extreme obstacle course races.

11:30 AM 

Have a table at the Career Fair? 

Head to Tower Club West during the Activities Fair to talk to prospective students about your organization! 

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Networking Luncheon

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

Royals Affiliate Talk with Mike Rodgers

Mike Rodgers from the Kansas City Royals will lead a discussion on afflilate relationships and marketing the Royals to your audience. 

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Live Sports Streaming 2.0: Making Your Stream a Valuable Asset

with Justin Fluke and Wade Gerstner, MSC Radio Group

At MSC Radio Group, what started with one camera, a handful of A/V cables, and more questions than answers quickly turned into something much bigger. The goal wasn’t to build a TV network—it was simply to better serve local schools and communities. But as streaming grew, so did its impact.

Advertisers didn’t just hear their message—they saw it. Schools promoted it, parents shared it, and sponsors placed greater value on it. What began as a service evolved into a meaningful revenue stream, creating new inventory, new partnerships, and new growth opportunities.

In this session, attendees will learn how to start and scale live sports streaming with limited resources, turn streams into revenue-generating assets, and build stronger connections with schools, sponsors, and audiences through engaging digital content.

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM

From Play-by-Play to Content Creator: Calling the Game in a Multi-Platform World

Today’s broadcasters do more than describe the action—they create content, build audiences, and extend the life of every game beyond the final whistle. Featuring Jake Eisenberg (Royals), Brian Hanni (KU Jayhawks), and Wyatt Thompson (K-State Wildcats), this session explores how play-by-play voices are evolving in a digital-first landscape.

Attendees will learn how to blend traditional broadcasting skills with social media, storytelling, and real-time content creation to better engage modern audiences. Discover how to turn game coverage into shareable moments, build your personal brand, and connect with fans across multiple platforms.

4:00 PM – 4:50 PM

Happy Hour Social/Student Awards Presentation

4:55 PM

Closing Remarks

6:40 PM

Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox