Beninati, the veteran and versatile play-by-play announcer with Long Island lacrosse-playing roots of his own, sees how Ohlmiller’s strengths on the field translate to a broadcast position.
“Great players have to have great timing,” Beninati said. “In the first six games we did last weekend, I thought we meshed together very quickly. I love hearing her commentary off of Courtney; oftentimes Courtney will take a defensive approach and Kylie will take an offensive-minded approach. You get that point-counterpoint.”
It helps to know who you’re talking about, too.
“She has such a good relationship with the players,” Beninati said. “The players she’s been around for four years, those are her peers. The rookies, they all admire her and look up to her. When she approaches them from an interview perspective, they’re ready to give her some good insight.”
Ohlmiller’s proficiency on air is no surprise to those around her. With a profound knowledge of today’s game and a personality that invites the grittiest of competitors into conversation, the dual analyst/interviewer role fits her well.
“She’s been amazing,” said Sam Apuzzo, Ohlmiller’s AU and U.S. teammate. “She’s such an inspiration to so many people. She is such a hard worker, loves the game, and loves the community so much. So, to see her transition to being on the sideline, I’m so excited for her. She does such a good job. She’s very good at it. She’s very good.”
Ohlmiller’s focus after graduation was coaching, spending time on Joe Spallina’s staff while the Seawolves continued their run of conference titles. It’s a familiar path for many recent graduates, but the boom in women’s sports television opportunities has paved another opportunity.
“I think that is another positive outcome around the general bigger platform for women’s sports, right?” said Abi Jackson, the Athletes Unlimited director of sport for lacrosse. “Like, Charlotte [North] was calling ACC games, and Kylie’s a staple on Long Island and Stony Brook for games, so you get used to that. We would never have even known that that was something that they could do unless we're seeing them on TV.”
The increased exposure for women’s sports isn’t lost on Ohlmiller, either.
“Looking back from when I graduated to today, there are so many more games being televised,” she said. “That means there are so many more seats to be filled by us players. Times are changing, which is fantastic for women’s sports in general, and with more games to watch comes more opportunities for former players and coaches to be involved in the broadcasts.”
This new experience is not the closing of a chapter in Kylie Ohlmiller’s lacrosse career; think of it more as jotting down some good ideas for a future one. When the time comes to hang up the cleats, she has found a passion and a skill to keep her around the sport for years to come.
A decade after that prophetic yearbook quote, with her trademark determination, Kylie Ohlmiller has still found a way to be on television this summer — not with a stick, but with a mic.