Stacy Paetz, a 1996 Ball State graduate, was recently selected to front Scholastic Sports America. The weekly program presents the best high school student-athletes in the country.

"I look at this as an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of high school student-athletes," said the 25-year-old Jamestown native. "High school athletics is the purest form of sports as we know it. There are no egos like in professional sports.

"These athletes are genuinely excited that we tell their stories and I think we can tell some really great stories," she said. "This should give these student-athletes something to remember for the rest of their lives. And, I will always remember them, too."

Scholastic Sports America is produced for ESPN, the nation's largest sports news and programming cable operation, by Indianapolis-based Lingner Group Productions, which Paetz calls home.

Paetz first had an inkling to try sports reporting when watching ESPN's Sports Center in her mid-teens. Only a few years later at 19, she made her first on-air appearance on ESPN2. After receiving a bachelor's degree in 1996, she became a production assistant at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.

She continued to work for ESPN as a production assistant for the Summer X Games and the Sunday Night NFL show for two seasons.

Paetz became the featured reporter and co-producer of the Star/News High School Sports Show on the Indianapolis NBC affiliate, WTHR. After two years, she was named host of Scholastic Sports America and is only the third female host in the program's 15-year history.

It is no longer a big deal for a woman to host a sports show, she said.

"When I was 15 I wanted to be one of the first, but women are very common today," Paetz said. "I hope I have been able to make a difference in the lives of young women. Several female coaches and athletes have asked me to come to their classes or groups and speak. That's very special and important to me."

Despite the high visibility, Paetz admits she is somewhat taken aback when people recognize her on the street.

"I am a low-key type of person, and it always amazes when someone recognizes me," she said. "I am just a regular person blessed with a tremendous opportunity."

Chris Taylor, Ball State's assistant director of athletics communications, has watched Paetz evolve professionally. The two were undergraduate classmates and then worked the 1999-2000 basketball season together sideline reporting for the Ball State Sports Network.

"I have known Stacy for four or five years in school when we had had several telecommunications classes together and worked on a few class projects as students," Taylor said. "She also worked with me during our junior and senior years in the athletics communications office. We even did a couple of TV and radio broadcasts together.

"Last year, Stacy and I had the chance to work together for the first time professionally on some Ball State Sports Network telecasts," he said. "We continue to keep in touch as time allows to talk about each other's careers and exchange ideas. I have always admired Stacy's work and enthusiasm."

Paetz hopes the next time ESPN viewers see her, she'll be a correspondent for Sports Center, the nation's top-rated sports news program.

Until then, Paetz will also host the 2000 Women's NCAA Division I selection shows for soccer, volleyball and softball. She's also been asked to be a part of a pre-game Indianapolis Colts show produced by Lingner.

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Paetz by e-mail at stacypaetz@yahoo.com.)