Meredith Student Experiences March Madness Tournament Up Close

When the early rounds of the 2025 men’s and women’s March Madness basketball tournaments were held in Raleigh, Meredith College student Cambria Chandler, ’26, got to experience these major athletic events up close. 

While working with NC State Athletics, Chandler served in different roles for both tournaments.

During the men’s March Madness tournament, Chandler was part of media day and the open practice, assisting with credential distribution.

“For the men’s second-round games, I had the incredible opportunity to watch the game from the sidelines while also observing and learning about the media operations happening behind the scenes,” Chandler said.

Her job during the women’s tournament was as a locker room steward.

“During their practice day, I ensured media members adhered to the designated 30-minute interview period for teams,” Chandler said. “On the women’s first-round matchups, I served as a stat runner, distributing updated statistics to the teams, media, and officials during media timeouts.”

Experiencing March Madness in person was a valuable and fun experience.

“My favorite part was simply being there, having the privilege to experience the high-energy environment and learn from professionals in the industry,” Chandler said. “It was inspiring to see how everything operates behind the scenes at such a high level.”

The opportunity was not without challenges.

“One of the biggest challenges was stepping into this environment alone and having to build new connections in a fast-paced, high-stress setting,” Chandler said. “However, pushing myself to network and adapt was a valuable learning experience.”

The path to this opportunity began during Chandler’s first year at Meredith, when she started working for Meredith’s Athletics Department. 

“I quickly realized that I loved working in sports,” she said. “Our Assistant Athletic Director connected me with an Assistant Athletics Communications Director at NC State, which led to me shadowing and gaining hands-on experience in their department.”

Her Meredith Athletics experience helped her feel prepared to support March Madness. 

“Working with Meredith Athletics, especially game-day operations, helped me develop the ability to stay calm under pressure and manage tasks efficiently in a fast-paced environment,” Chandler said. “It prepared me for the time-sensitive nature of sports communication, where multiple people rely on you for even the smallest details.”

Originally from California, Chandler was recruited to play field hockey at Meredith and initially majored in interior design.

“After taking a job in Athletics, I realized my true passion was working in sports. I took a big leap and changed my major halfway through my time at Meredith, and I’m so thankful I did,” Chandler said. “I’m especially grateful to my coach, Samantha Keating, for allowing me to create content for our team’s Instagram. That experience opened my eyes to this career path, and I couldn’t be happier with where I’m headed.”

Now, with her degree in Communication with a focus on sports management through Meredith’s customizable track, Chandler aims to build a career in athletics.

“I hope to become a Sports Information Director at a Division I college,” she said. “However, I also love content creation and learning new skills, so as long as I’m working in athletics, I’ll be excited and eager to grow in the field.”