A native of Woods Cross, Holly has built an award-winning career spanning more than three decades, becoming a fixture on ESPN’s coverage of college football, softball, basketball, volleyball, and the Women’s College World Series. Known for her storytelling, preparation, and ability to connect with athletes and coaches, she has become one of the most trusted reporters in sports media.
A graduate of the University of Utah, Rowe has covered some of the biggest events in sports, including the College Football Playoff, NCAA Championships, WNBA Finals, and Olympic competitions. Her work has elevated women’s sports coverage nationwide, and she is widely regarded as one of the industry’s premier sideline reporters and storytellers.
A cancer survivor, Holly has become a tireless advocate for cancer research and prevention following her diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic melanoma. Her experience deepened her commitment to using her platform for others, while she continued telling the stories that make sports meaningful. She is also a proud mother to her son, McKylin, who was 12 weeks old when she got her first major break with ESPN.
That personal journey inspired Holly to found the Joy+Us Foundation, a nonprofit created to spark joy in the lives of those who need it most. During her experience with cancer, she began keeping a daily joy journal, recording the small moments that brought her happiness even on difficult days. Joy+Us carries that same idea into the lives of others: meaningful moments of connection, celebration, and hope can matter deeply when life feels overwhelming.
Through the foundation, Holly helps turn that mission into memorable experiences for individuals, families, and communities. Joy+Us has shared stories of bringing guests to the Women’s Final Four and the Heisman Trophy Ceremony, and helping the Umpqua Community College softball team experience the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. These experiences reflect her belief in the power of sports to bring people together and create memories that reach far beyond the final score.
Joy+Us also supports the Alex Wilcox Memorial Scholarship Fund, an annual scholarship Holly established to honor the Mississippi State softball player whose courageous experience with ovarian cancer inspired the softball community before her passing in 2018. Created with her parents’ permission, the fund helps carry Alex’s legacy forward on the softball field. Through experiences, scholarship support, community projects, and opportunities to get involved, Holly’s foundation extends her life’s work beyond broadcasting—inviting others to seek joy, share it, and make a difference together.
Explore the Joy+Us Foundation
