Student U Reunion

Three University of Maryland graduates and former Big Ten Network Student U program members worked simultaneously at XFINITY Center on Dec. 28. They worked in various roles for the Terps men's basketball game against Coppin State.

Joseph Malfa (Big Ten Network play-by-play), Brendan Hartlove (Maryland Sports Radio Network play-by-play), and Thomas Mason (TerpVision video board show producer) were all positioned for Maryland's 75-53 win. The three former classmates and colleagues reunited with one another that night after years of working together as students with a dream of making it in sports broadcasting.

Student U provides hands-on broadcasting experience to students at every Big Ten Conference institution. It allows those interested in a career in sports television to learn all facets of video production. However, it was Malfa, Hartlove, and Mason who helped build the program at Maryland into what it is today - a family that consistently breeds successful individuals and sends them into the workforce.

"It's the standard that the Student U program holds itself to at the University of Maryland," Hartlove said. "All the Big Ten schools have the program, but Maryland's especially is - I'm biased but - second to none, and it's because of the expectations that we have for ourselves. It is a student focus program, so we kind of set those standards for ourselves and that starts at the top with the people that you would have kind of in that producer role."

Mason was the first to join Student U in September 2016, and Malfa followed several months later in February 2017; both got involved during their freshman year. The program was small, considering Maryland had just transitioned to the Big Ten a few years prior. Mason says there were roughly 10 students involved with the program at the time. He added, "We probably had one of the worst shows in the Big Ten."

Hartlove later joined Student U In September 2018 to form the trio. He was a sophomore then, and others joined the program to more than double its size. Mason held the behind-the-scenes job of producing broadcasts while Malfa and Hartlove took on the role of providing commentary.

The three students would later work together to make history. Malfa, Hartlove, and Mason were part of the first Maryland men's soccer broadcast for Big Ten Plus, which students entirely ran. It was the Terps' Oct. 16, 2018, matchup against Denver at Ludwig Field. Malfa did play-by-play, Hartlove provided color commentary, and Mason produced the broadcast.

According to Mason, the trio broke out with soccer and manufactured one of the most entertaining shows among Student U programs. They began to build their broadcasts of other sports, and by the time all three graduated, they boasted one of the best, if not the best, crews in all of Student U's programs.

"They just cared about it," Mason said. "We treated it like every show was going to make our career or that we treated it seriously enough that it was our career. It was the best way to prepare them for the real life world of what they wanted to do [and] it was the best way for me. It's a program that gives you the opportunity to get hands on experience in a career field that people are interested in, and you really can't get that in college."

The three individuals share many other memories of working together and establishing a solid friendship.

Malfa and Hartlove shared a hotel room in Santa Barbara, California, two months after their historic soccer Big Ten Plus broadcast. This time, they were on the call for Maryland's College Cup run with WMUC Radio.

The two broadcasters used almost every form of transportation to create a memory both will remember. Malfa and Hartlove took turns doing play-by-play and color commentary for the Terps' semifinal against Indiana and the championship against Akron. Maryland won its fourth national championship, and both students were on the call to witness it.

"There's so many great sporting moments that I've had with the two of them when we've been on a broadcast or whatever," Hartlove said. "And you know, the sports have been fun, but it's the laughs that we have both on and off air that make it more memorable than anything else. I mean, those guys are two of my closest friends from here."

Malfa and Mason were even roommates for a year and a half while attending Maryland. Malfa recently married in November, and Mason was one of his groomsmen. During a rehearsal dinner, he gave a speech reflecting on their years together. Mason says the first game he gets to work with Malfa professionally will be the highlight of his career.

The interactions the three friends had at Student U also led to more significant opportunities and successes. Mason was the interim coordinator of the Student U program during just his junior year. Someone out of college typically holds the position, but Mason took over for four months as the department searched for a full-time staff member.

"Thomas was a producer for the vast majority of the games we did for Student U," Malfa said. "Produced, directed, kind of the utility man, did literally everything. Because we had him guiding us, we were able to do all that we did as students. We basically had a professional producer and director who was a student at the same time as us."

All three individuals worked in various roles since graduating. Currently, Malfa does soccer play-by-play coverage for the United Soccer League, National Women's Soccer League, CONCACAF Nations League, and radio coverage for Inter Miami. He even does freelance work for other sports.

Mason is a freelance producer and replay operator. However, he mainly works with IMG Media as a producer for MLS Season Pass. Locally, he freelances for Monumental, MASN, and Maryland, among many other teams and networks. 

Hartlove is the program coordinator of recruitment for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at Maryland. He's a broadcaster for Big Ten Network Plus, primarily calling Maryland men's soccer and women's lacrosse games. He also does play-by-play for women's basketball on Maryland Sports Radio Network. Hartlove occasionally fills in for Johnny Holliday and men's basketball, as he did on Dec. 28.

Malfa, Mason, and Hartlove agree that Student U helped them succeed in their respective career paths after college.

"That's a testament to how valuable the program is," Malfa said. "And also, to the diversity of it because we're calling the game, but Thomas is producing it from back there. So, like it's not just, hey, here's adults running it and students calling the game. No, you have people operating cameras who are students, you have people producing who are students."

Josh Clayton, assistant athletic director of broadcast and video operation at Maryland, had many interactions with each of the former students. He says he's very proud of the three professionals and their accomplishments in school and after graduation.

"[They have] been instrumental in helping us grow that program from one of the bottom Student U programs in the Big Ten to arguably one of the top programs," Clayton said. "They get to see each other across the table, like those guys cutting their teeth at the same time to the program doing so many shows together. Now seeing the fruits of their labor really paying off, I mean, it's just got to be super exciting for those guys and encouraging."