A Journey in Sports Analytics

This talk will revolve around my professional journey, detailing how I navigated my way to becoming a Sports Analytics Engineer at ESPN. I will share experiences from my career path and discuss the nuances of sports analytics roles at ESPN. Drawing from personal experience, I will explain how sports data is analyzed, interpreted, and utilized for both fan-facing and backstage processes. The objective of this talk is to explore the value of a career in multi-sport analytics, providing students with a real-world perspective on the industry's challenges and rewards.

Lauren Poe is an engineer on ESPN’s industry-leading Sports Analytics team. She and the team create analytical storytelling tools, like the Football and Basketball Power Index ratings used across collegiate and professional sports, and develop products and experiences to support insightful and innovative storytelling. Before moving to Connecticut to work at ESPN in 2013, the Oklahoma native and University of Oklahoma mathematics graduate started her career by blending her love of sports and numbers as a high school math teacher and coach. While at OU, she represented on the sidelines with the pom squad allowing her to experience memorable sports moments from the sidelines. Lauren and her husband, John, live in Connecticut with their dog, Watson. The Poe-Parolin family loves to spend their time celebrating Boston and Oklahoma sports – most notable being OU Softball’s NCAA Championships!