College sports reporter--USA Today

Any updates on this? I have heard some rumblings about two finalists.

 

I'm a little less than enthused over this hire given some of the names I'd heard were interviewed/interested.

 

agreed. who is this guy? and who did he beat out?

 

Marlen Garcia covered the Bulls this past season.

 

and "he" is a she

 

Marlen was a long-time prep writer who finally got a shot at the U of I beat a few years ago. Yes, she was on the Bulls beat this year, but I think it was more so by default when K.C. Johnson was moved over to do the Bears.

I'm willing to bet that geography played a big part of USAT's decision, as Malcolm Moran -- the previous college/enterprise writer who went to Penn State earlier this year to chair its Knight Sports Journalism Fellowship -- also lived in Chicago, as does Marlen. I don't see her relocating to Virginia.

 

marlen garcia is talented, and dan mcgrath wouldn't promote someone to the bulls' beat just for the sake of doing so. she's staying in chicago. she's a local.

 

Really nice hire. She's good, will be good. Love it.

 

Marlen is good people. And she's made quite a meteoric rise in the last 3-4 years from covering the state girls golf tournament to becoming USA Today's college writer. Good for her. Anybody know if that leaves the Trib needing another body?

 

The Tribune is on a hiring freeze.

 

Aren't they all?