No matter what the sport, getting to the major leagues is a daunting task. But that’s precisely what four Seattle Pacific graduates have done in various capacities around the country.
“During my time at SPU, I realized that a passion and love for sports could actually become a full-time career,” said Rawnie Hoover ’23, now the ballpark entertainment coordinator for the Oakland A’s. “At SPU, I realized that working in Major League Baseball was what I wanted to do.”
Kyle Morrison ’23, a former sports editor and news editor of The Falcon student newspaper, is now a broadcast assistant for the Minnesota Twins. “SPU is a fantastic place, and I enjoyed all my time there,” Morrison said. “I’m very happy for the career it set me up for and the person it made me today.”
MEET SOME SPU ALL-STARS
RAWNIE HOOVER ’23
Hometown: Etna, California
Degree: Communications & Political Science
Job: Ballpark Entertainment Coordinator for the Oakland Athletics
Duties: Video board graphics, field productions, and contact for National Anthem singers and first pitch honorees.
How she got there: After working in a similar position for the Seattle Mariners in 2023, Rawnie believed it was time for the next step. “I saw the opportunity for more of a full-time, career-growth position. It was just a random job application that I filled out online. Next thing I knew, I was moving to Oakland,” Hoover said.
Favorite SPU memory: “Going to SPU was probably one of the best decisions I made because of the close community that I was able to build there. I made some lifelong friends and some lasting connections with faculty and professors that were definitely valuable in my education and further now in my career.”
Rawnie says: “At this moment, this is the best organization I could be with, in the best type of role. I work with incredible people every single day. I get a lot of freedom and creative ideas that I can create to give back to the fan base. Right now, I’m pretty much taking every day one homestand at a time and loving every minute of it.”
AMANDA KENNING ’05
Hometown: Brea, California
Degree: Communications
Job: Account Executive Suites & Hospitality Sales for the Seattle Mariners
Duties: Works with companies on corporate packages and hospitality spaces at the ballpark. Works with single-game ticket buyers for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or reunions.
How she got there: Came to the Mariners three years ago after working in similar positions at different hotels.
Favorite SPU memory: Working in the concession stands at Falcon home events and being around the various teams; also worked in and coached in the intramural program.
Amanda says: “I was the concessions stand manager [for the Mariners] while I was at SPU, and that kind of started my role in sports back then. There were a few years in between [that role in the early 2000s and the current one with the Mariners], but we got there. I love hospitality. I did 15 years in hotels then transferred over to sports, and I love sports.”
SOPHIE KUEHL ’18
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Degree: Communications
Job: Senior Manager of Partnership Marketing for the Seattle Kraken
Duties: Point of contact for numerous aspects of the team’s relationships with corporate sponsors, making sure contracts are executed and fulfilled.
How she got there: Joined the Krakens just before the start of their first season in 2021 after spending three years with the Seattle Mariners. “It was just networking, and I got in touch with them. They were growing their team, and I got a call to see if I would be interested in joining.”
Favorite SPU memory: “For our Halloween volleyball matches, we would have practices where the team would dress up on Halloween and practice in our costumes. We would dress up as our coaches. It was so much fun dressing up as them. That’s what sticks out in my mind.”
Sophie says: “I thought I would go into sports broadcasting at first, but I quickly shifted to community relations teams. I interned with the Mariners in community relations and found a passion in that, something where my relationship skills were seen as a good fit for corporate partnerships. I never really knew about corporate partnerships until I was in the sports field. Then I quickly realized that it was something I could learn and excel in and potentially grow my career.”
KYLE MORRISON ’23
Hometown: Dublin, California
Degree: Communications, with a journalism focus
Job: Broadcast assistant for the Minnesota Twins
Duties: Interviews players, puts together stories for pre-game and post-game shows, and researches stats and interesting facts for the broadcast team
How he got there: “I basically applied to every open position I could find last fall. I was working for the Everett AquaSox [a minor league affiliate of the Seattle Mariners] and basically spent all my time freelance broadcasting. I was applying to as many jobs as I could every single day, and I got this one.”
Favorite SPU memory: Forming relationships with friends and professors; breaking a story about SPU assistant nursing professor Jeaux Rinedahl.
Kyle says: “As far as a first job out of college in broadcasting, I can’t complain. I think it’s a step toward my dream job to be a play-by-play broadcaster, but I’m very happy I have this opportunity. There are aspects [of this job] I’ve always dreamed of, like getting to interview players in a major league clubhouse and getting to be part of a Major League Baseball organization.”
