Education

B.A., Sport Management, University of South Carolina
M.S., Sport Management, University of South Carolina
Ph.D., Sport Marketing/Management - Sport Sponsorships, University of South Carolina

Background

Previous employment: MSU Denver - associate professor
Lexington County Blowfish Baseball Club (intern, office manager, assistant manager, general manager)
Cumulus Media - account executive

Research

Kelly Grieshaber's research and professional interests focus on sport media, athlete branding and social media strategy. She is especially interested in how athletes and sport organizations use digital platforms to shape identity, engage fans, and drive revenue. Her work explores the intersection of branding, communication and evolving technologies in the sport industry. She also examines the role of public relations in sport, particularly how storytelling and media relations influence public perception. With a background in both academia and sport operations, she aims to produce research that’s practical, relevant and contributes to the ever-changing landscape of sport communication.

Teaching

Grieshaber's teaching style is energetic, student-centered and rooted in real-world application. She believes learning should be both practical and engaging, so she brings in current events, industry examples and interactive activities to bridge theory and practice. She aims to create an inclusive environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas and taking creative risks. She challenges students to think critically, collaborate effectively and connect what they’re learning to their future careers. Ultimately, she wants them to leave each class more confident, capable and ready to thrive in the field.

Recent Publications

Book Chapter - Evans, K., Shapiro, S. (2024). Sponsorship and Major U.S. Sporting Events. Research Handbook on Major Sporting Events In Harry Arne Solberg, Rasmus K. Storm, & Kamilla Swart (Ed.). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Book Chapter - McDowell, J., Amy, K., Evans, K. (2024). Professional Sport. Contemporary Sport Management In Paul Mark Pedersen (Ed.), (8th ed., pp. 235-265). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.

Journal Article - Evans, K., Shapiro, S. L. (2020). External Congruence Factors Contributing to Sport Sponsorship Recall in Pest Control, Pizza, and Apparel Categories. International Journal of Sport Management, 21(2), p. 1-20.

Journal Article - Reifurth, K. R., Evans, K., James, J. D., Ko, Y. J. (2019). The Rivalry Effect: The Potential to Foster (Lapsed) Donor Giving. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 11(4).

Presentation - Evans, K., Shapiro, S. L., North American Society for Sport Management Conference, "Finding the Perfect Match: Dimension Analysis and Development of the External Sponsorship Congruence Scale," North American Society for Sport Management. (June 2021)

Service

President - Denver Women’s Sports Collective (2023-2025)

Personal

Outside of work, Grieshaber enjoys spending time with husband, Jason, and their three cats — Macchiato, Latte, and Cappuccino. A big Gamecocks fan, she is a coffee enthusiast and an avid reader. When not working, you’ll find her with a good book, exploring new podcasts or cheering on USC.

Pronouns

she, her, hers, herself