In the fast-paced and competitive world of sports broadcasting, where competition is fierce, one Madison College journalism student, Sam Nagin, took a unique and unconventional approach to make a mark — sprinting around the baseball diamond as one of the iconic Milwaukee Brewers’ Racing Sausages.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ famous Racing Sausages are popular mascots that race during the sixth inning of home games. Featuring the Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage, Hot Dog and Chorizo, they add liveliness and excitement to the game.
“I just love that — the energy, interacting with the fans and storytelling — being able to make people feel like they’re at the game, even if they’re not. That’s all fun,” Nagin said.
The Milwaukee Racing Sausages are part of the Brewers Hype Squad. After applying to be part of the Hype Squad, Nagin doubted her chances when two months passed without a response. After she finally heard that she was hired, she found the role to be exciting and exhilarating. While the large, top-heavy and cumbersome costumes limited visibility, it didn’t deter her from having fun.
“It’s very claustrophobic, though. Oh my goodness. It’s very hard to run in,” said Nagin, laughing as she recalled her experience. “I was very happy that I did not fall because that happens sometimes.”
In addition to being a racing sausage, Nagin brought energy to other fan-engagement activities during the game, including the brat toss and T-shirt throws. She also helped manage the kids’ zone and made appearances at community events.

Despite the demanding and swift nature of the work, she never had a concern about staying motivated or becoming tired.
“You feed off the energy of the crowd, like thousands of people. When you’re in the moment, it’s super exciting. So, I don’t really get tired, which is why I want to do sports reporting,” Nagin said.
How did somebody who majored in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison find herself dashing around the bases, donning an epic sausage costume and pursuing a career in sports broadcasting?
Nagin had always dreamed of being a sports broadcaster. As a former varsity high school tennis player, she was always drawn to the competitive nature and electric energy. She remembered that adrenaline from her days as an athlete.
“It’s so high-paced and something is going on every moment — the adrenaline. I like competitiveness because I grew up with sports. It’s exciting,” she said.
However, she was discouraged by others about its competitiveness. After graduation, she initially chose a more conventional path in teaching instead.
She taught for a short time and also took roles in the health and fitness industry and recruiting.
There was no doubt she enjoyed these jobs, but she realized she needed more variety and opportunity to tackle challenges and connect with people.
“Finally, this year I was like, ‘I’m going to go back to the reporting thing and go back to school for that.’ And I had heard Madison College had great reviews,” Nagin said.
When she knew she had a lack of experience, she decided to get to work and build a real-world experience. After she decided that this was the year she would commit to sports reporting, she joined LinkedIn and began searching for work, where she came across the Hype Squad job listing.
Her approach of taking every opportunity has paid off. After the Hype Squad ended, she landed a job at ESPN Madison a few weeks later. At ESPN, she sets up broadcast equipment for the Barry Alvarez show and makes sure everything runs smoothly during the live broadcast. In addition to the live show, she also represents ESPN at promotional events, such as beer pong tournaments and Badger Tailgate parties.
Without a lot of free time, Nagin relies on time management skills she learned from tennis, such as dedicating specific time blocks, like two hours for homework each day, while also fitting in social activities.
However, this commitment comes with sacrifices, leaving her with limited free time.
“Does it mean I have less free time? Yes. But as an athlete, you realize that if you want to reach a goal, you have to make sacrifices,” she said.
While her work ethic is rooted in time management, she encourages others to take their time in figuring out their career paths.
“It’s never too late to change careers. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do. It took me the longest time to decide. Don’t be rushed, just take every opportunity,” Nagin said.
Nagin embraces every opportunity and trusts that every moment, regardless of its size, is a stepping stone toward her goal of becoming a successful sports broadcaster.
“No matter how big or small you think it is, it’s a very competitive field. Anything that you can do to make yourself stand out is really going to help,” she said.