KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 8, 2026

In preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kennesaw State University alumna Maddie Crews ’24 marked her calendar for 49 consecutive days of covering the competition for multiple media outlets.

The  Wellstar College of Health and Human Services graduate and lifelong soccer enthusiast played the sport until she was 14 and, along with her family, was a founding member of Atlanta United FC. Crews now works as a journalist for Soccer Down Here, a premier soccer news outlet in the Southeast, while also serving as a reporter for Atlanta’s 92.9 The Game.

“The beauty of soccer is that it's a universal language,” said Crews, who holds a degree in sport management. “There are so many parts of the world where people play soccer. For the World Cup, you get to experience different cultures, you get to experience different styles of play, and you just get to embrace the fan culture of soccer.”

During the World Cup, Crews has proved to be a preeminent source for all things soccer by attending matches and press conferences, writing and creating videos, appearing on the radio, and hosting watch parties.

“It's been a tiring couple of weeks,” Crews said. “But you know, it's what I love most about it, so I wouldn't trade anything else for it.”

Crews is no stranger to big sporting events, having started her broadcasting career with the KSU Owl Network, working in every aspect of the game day experience, including the 2023 ASUN Men’s Basketball Championship game. Since then, she has covered everything from high school football to the U.S. Women’s National Team and now the World Cup.

“Maddie came in with big dreams as a talented student,” said KSU Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Broadcasting Nolan Alexander. “She seized opportunities, took coaching well, and began to hone her craft. The KSU Owl Network is proud of her success with the World Cup.”

Crews’ experience with the KSU Owl Network encompassed all aspects of production, including operating cameras, working on graphics, updating the score bug, and eventually on-camera talent.

“The KSU Owl Network helped me tremendously,” Crews said. “Nolan always had us do small stand-ups on social, and I think that was a huge part of my success. It helped me build connections professionally. Before joining the KSU Owl Network, I didn't think broadcasting would be where I would end up, but broadcasters are storytellers, and I love storytelling.”

Crews is part of the KSU Owl Network’s history of propelling students to careers in sports media. Students present broadcasts of KSU athletics in a professional environment with industry-standard equipment.

“Our motto is ‘yOUR story’ — our story fits into your story,” Alexander said. “When you tell your story, you tell ours. As we’ve developed our program, we can enjoy these alumni success stories. We have alumni with the Braves, ESPN, and many professional organizations.”  

Soccer Down Here reached out to Crews and ultimately offered her a full-time position after seeing her covering KSU women’s soccer on television and social media.

“There were a lot of people at KSU who helped further my career and put me on the right path to meet the right people to get me to where I am today,” Crews said. “The beauty of social media now is you can create your own content and put it out there because you never know who's going to see it.”

As a mainstay in Atlanta sports media, Crews has seen the city embrace soccer over the last few years. The World Cup has proved no different with hundreds of thousands of fans attending the FIFA Fan Fest and the matches at Atlanta Stadium.

Crews said one of her favorite moments of the World Cup so far has been watching fans from different cultures descend on Centennial Olympic Park to passionately cheer on their countries.

“I saw a video from the fan fest, and I thought, ‘The scenes in Mexico City Stadium look so great,’” Crews said. “Then I realized, it wasn’t Mexico City; it was Atlanta. Then obviously you have the USA match against Paraguay, and to see how many Cape Verde fans that were here, it was a lot bigger than I thought.”

As soccer continues to unite Atlantans and fans from different countries, Crews is ecstatic to have a hand in covering the sport she’s loved for so long.

“It was always me and my dad going to games and that was something we bonded over,” Crews said. “The emotion hit me like a ton of bricks when I walked into Atlanta Stadium and saw everything all decked out. It made me emotional, and I got goosebumps.”

Story by Kyle Dawson

Photos provided

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.