The UC Sports Network received a fresh start this semester, thanks to two Ursinus seniors. Erin Ewing ‘26 and Kylie Ruggiero ‘26, both Media and Communications majors, decided to revive the student-run sports show, after it disappeared back in 2023.
“It’s been around for a while, but it was kind of inconsistent,” Ewing said. “So this semester, me and my friend Kylie… decided to basically bring back the program.”
What they created is a weekly show called Bear With Us, a roughly 10-minute video program covering Ursinus athletics, while also providing some professional sports talk. The episodes are uploaded to YouTube every week, giving the campus a regular source of sports coverage that it had been missing.
The process behind each episode is more involved than it may seem. Ewing said they typically spend two to three hours in the studio every week preparing and filming.
“What we do first is we write scripts beforehand,” she explained. “We try to write at least four scripts, like a sports recap, highlighting players, and even a segment on sports outside Ursinus.”
In addition to those structured segments, the show includes a more relaxed, creative piece each week. Sometimes that means going out on campus for informal interviews with their “Bears on the Street” series. Other times it’s a simple in-studio discussion, or even a sports quiz between the two hosts.
“We try to do at least one fun segment in the show,” Ewing said.
While the show may look polished, Ewing emphasized that it’s been a learning experience from every angle. With just the two of them running the production, they’ve had to take on every role themselves, from hosting on-camera to directing and editing behind the scenes.
“It’s not just about getting good at speaking in front of the camera,” she said. “You have to know how to set up all the equipment… how to be a good director.”
That challenge, however, has also been one of the most rewarding parts. Ewing noted that the hands-on experience has helped her grow quickly in a short amount of time.
“You just learn so many skills that you can’t learn in a textbook,” she said. “You have to be doing it… and every week we’re getting better.”
Beyond personal growth, Ewing believes the UC Sports Network can play a bigger role on campus. With so many student athletes at Ursinus, she sees the show as a way to connect different teams and build a stronger sports culture.
“You have to cover all the sports,” she said. “It keeps you updated, and I think it brings people together.”
Despite the progress, there is still uncertainty about the future of the program. Both Ewing and Ruggiero are set to graduate this May, and there is currently no clear group ready to take over. To address that, they are planning to introduce the network to younger students during Apex Day, where they will teach others how to produce a show.
“The goal is that when we graduate… we can have people to take it over,” Ewing said. “Or at least people be aware that this is an option.”
Ewing added that many students don’t even realize the opportunity exists, including the fact that the project can be done for academic credit as an independent study.
“When I transferred here… this wasn’t really promoted,” she said. “I had never even heard of it.”
Students can check out Erin and Kylie’s work on Youtube by searching up @UCSPORTSNET2026 on Youtube. On the channel you can watch the previous weekly episodes that the two have posted throughout this semester.
For now, Ewing and Ruggiero are focused on finishing the semester strong, having already produced multiple episodes, and built a solid foundation for the network. Their hope is that UC Sports Network doesn’t fade away again, with others adding to their strong work this semester.