Ella Zinken

Ella Zinken is a sports journalist based in the Tampa area. She earned her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Tampa in 2025 and will complete her M.A. in Professional Communication in August 2026. Since graduating, she has spent two years writing for the Tampa Bay Times, where she covers the Tampa Bay Sun, the area's first professional soccer team, on a dedicated soccer beat. As a first-generation college student, she is a member of the Tri Alpha Honor Society. Zinken developed her passion for sports journalism from watching football and baseball with her father and aims to provide a female voice in the field. She volunteers with the Humane Society and her church's food distribution efforts for the homeless. She attributes her success to her parents, who moved from Chicago to Florida to support her education and have always encouraged her without doubt. Among the career advice she values is to be kind to everyone and build connections, as opportunities often come full circle. She advises young women entering journalism to be themselves, put themselves out there, and remain confident, noting that everyone starts somewhere.