GameDay Ready: Courtney Clawson ’21 Finds Her Place in the World of College Football
May 18, 2026
- Author
- Caroline Roy '20
Growing up, Courtney Clawson ’21 spent nearly every weekend at a college football game. Her father, Dave, pursued coaching positions around the country before becoming the head football coach at Wake Forest University, and the family often accompanied him to away games and media appearances.
Clawson once tagged along on a visit to the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. This was an easy way to spend time with her dad on the road, but it also gave her an early look at the world of sports journalism.
This March, she returned to ESPN as the communications manager responsible for the pre-game broadcast College GameDay.
A few months ago, Clawson was working as a publicist at NBC News. She had just relocated to New York City when she stumbled across the ESPN role on social media.
“It was a perfect marriage of my professional experience and my personal life,” she said. “I live and breathe college football, and I knew I had to at least apply.”
College football season doesn’t start until August, but Clawson got first-hand experience at the NFL draft in April, working alongside reporters she once admired from a distance. She’s already building connections with producers, security staff, players and their families. It’s a brand new role within a familiar world.
“College football is so much about relationships,” she said. “Everyone has a personal connection to their school, and the energy is infectious. It’s an intricate sport that combines so many types of people and skills. The level of planning and prepwork is unlike anything else.”
Clawson majored in history at Davidson and spent over a year researching and writing her thesis as part of the Kendrick Kelley Honors Program. Entitled “Gridiron Girls: Women and American Football,” her final paper examined the role of women in the football industry, from reporters to staff members to cheerleaders.
When she landed a role at The Washington Post as a public relations coordinator after graduating, she found working in communications to be a perfect fit. Her childhood had prepared her for a life of meeting new people and working within a fast-paced environment, and Davidson had sharpened her writing skills. The rest, she learned on the job.
“Now, I am one of the gridiron girls,” Clawson said. “Women are certainly outnumbered in this industry, but I am never the only woman in the room. On every level, women are producers, coordinators and leaders. I’m learning and benefitting from the generations who came before me.”
When College GameDay airs in the fall, Clawson will act as the liaison between the inner world of college football and its outside audience. She’ll coordinate with players behind the scenes, accompany them to TV and radio appearances, facilitate relations with outside organizations and make sure the machine runs smoothly.
Her father stepped down as head football coach at Wake Forest in 2024, and Clawson’s job gives her a new perspective on the sport their family loves. When she introduces herself at work, she’s proud to share his name.
“Davidson me would be ecstatic to know this is where I ended up,” she said. “Sports bring people together during divisive times, and it’s so refreshing to get to tell those stories.”
