Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/608448
UNDER THE DOME Five Questions With … ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ASHLEY ALBERTSON Ashley Albertson is in her first year working at Notre Dame in the ath- letics communications department, coordinating efforts for the men's basketball, men's lacrosse and cross country/track and field programs. She graduated from Ohio State in 2013 and earned her master's degree from the same university in 2014. BGI: What brought you to Notre Dame? Albertson: "Through my first graduate year at Ohio State, I worked in the athletics communications office there before I was full time. I reached the point where I was ready for a new challenge, and when this position came open at Notre Dame I just had to jump on it. "To get to work with a program like the Irish, you can't ask for any- thing better than that." BGI: What's your favorite Notre Dame memory so far? Albertson: "The NCAA Cross Country Championships [Nov. 21]. [Senior] Molly Seidel blew away the competition to win the national championship. It was a neat thing to be at the finish line and see her come around the final turn; she was the only one in the field. "The crowd's reaction to that was just amazing, and the cheers of Notre Dame fans were very promi- nent as she crossed the finish line." BGI: What is your average day like? Albertson: "It's never what I expect it to be. You'll wake up in the morning and have this checklist planned for the day, but it's an ever-changing profession. "But that keeps me on my toes and keeps it exciting." BGI: Have you bumped into any Notre Dame legends when you're at work? Albertson: "I sit at the basketball games with Digger Phelps, which is an experience. He's someone that you're a little star-struck by when you meet him. He gets his box score every media timeout, and each time he's dissecting it and writing all over it. "He sees the game at a whole different level, so I try to pick up on little things that he says." BGI: What are some of the challenges that accompany your position? Albertson: "It's so great working in athletics. As a fan it is such a blessing that you never want to take for granted. It's certainly a lot of hours that go into it, though. Working with so many teams, you have to divide your attention among all those entities equally. "Additionally, there's so many media members covering a school like Notre Dame, not just locally but nationally, outlets like Track & Field News and Inside Lacrosse." — Jordan Wells ALBERTSON