SKOR North and the Minnesota Broadcasters Association have launched a scholarship honoring the late Jessi Pierce. The annual fund will support young women pursuing careers in sports journalism.
What We Know: A Mahtomedi, Minnesota, native and Iowa State alum, Pierce spent a decade covering the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com. In 2019, she founded Bardown Beauties, a podcast she later co-hosted with Kirsten Krull. By 2022, she had also joined SKOR North, contributing to Purple Daily and Judd’s Hockey Show. Tragically, Pierce and her three children died in a house fire in White Bear Lake in March. Last month, the Minnesota Wild announced the launch of the Jessi Pierce Media Beauty Award, an award voted on by Wild media and presented annually to the player who exemplifies professionalism, accessibility, and respect in their engagement with the local media.
What They Said: Phil Mackey, Director of Content, SKOR North: “Jessi was such a big part of our team at SKOR North AND part of the heart and soul of the Minnesota sports and hockey communities… and one of her great passions was helping other young women who aspire to careers in sports media. This scholarship will honor that vision.”
What Remains Unclear: Application deadlines, detailed eligibility requirements, and the first award date remain unknown. It also remains unknown how many recipients organizers will select each year.
What It Means: Ultimately, the scholarship turns Pierce’s informal mentorship into a lasting program. Each year, it will award scholarships to high school and college-aged women pursuing sports journalism. As a result, her advocacy for women in sports media will keep opening doors. Moreover, for Minnesota’s sports media community, that may be the most fitting tribute.
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