Barrington native Alex McClelland ’28 chose the University of Rhode Island with his football career in mind. However, he was quickly drawn to the campus atmosphere and the opportunity to represent his home state. As a student-athlete, McClelland has developed a strong interest in sports media after seeing the preparation that goes into weekly coverage. Off the field, he connects with fans through TikTok, sharing insight into his daily life and offering advice to younger athletes.

Where are you from, and what made you choose URI?
I am from Barrington, RI. The reason I chose URI is that I knew that wherever I was going, I was going to play football there. After going over and weighing other options, I would say being able to play for my home state outweighed my other options. I loved the campus and the overall environment of the school in general. I had talks with my family, and they made it clear that for the school I pick, I have to be able to say I would go there even without football. After taking visits, meeting people and, along with the education, I knew this would be the right fit for me.

How has being a football player shaped the way you view sports media?
It has definitely changed my perspective. Being an athlete, you see how much goes on pregame and postgame so that the media can do their jobs. I definitely respect all journalists for being able to make stories every week.

What’s your favorite way to use social media as a player to connect with fans?
I think for me, something I really enjoy is when people reach out to me for help. Last year, I started a TikTok page. I post content about what I do every day as a college athlete and how I got here. Something I always enjoy is when a high schooler reaches out for tips on how to not only improve their games, but also how they can go about the recruiting process and get to where I got to.

Was there a specific moment, person, or class that got you interested in sports media?
I couldn’t narrow it down to a single person, but something that I was always interested in was broadcasting, especially the color commentators. Growing up and wanting to learn more and more about football, I started paying attention to what guys like Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Greg Olson were saying. I know people think they only got to where they are in broadcasting because of their names, but I think it is valuable to have a player’s perspective throughout a game. So yeah, I would say those guys.

How has being an athlete impacted your time at URI?
Being an athlete at URI has impacted my time greatly. I enjoy having a busy schedule because it makes me feel more productive. I enjoy the culture and all the new people I have met through the sport as well, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think coming to a new place and joining a new team where you’re just another name on the depth chart is a very humbling but also important experience. Especially coming from somewhere where you are used to being the so-called “star player,” arriving somewhere and not immediately getting what you want can challenge you mentally and shape who you become as a person.

This story was written by Sonie Zilian, intern for the Harrington School Social Media Agency.