University of New Hampshire Athletics
Elaina Grenz’s Impact Beyond the Field
5/14/2026 4:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
For Elaina Grenz, soccer was never meant to be her only outlet at UNH.
After four years with the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team, Grenz leaves behind more than just her role on the field. Through internships, leadership and a growing presence in front of the camera, she has built an identity that stretches far beyond the game she has played since she was three years old.
"I was a forward, and recently as of junior year I was an outside back, so I can do both," Grenz said. "I started playing soccer when I was three years old because my dad was a high school soccer coach."
Like many athletes, soccer first served as an outlet. For Grenz, it was also a way to find connections.
"Soccer was a way to make friends, get outside, be energetic," Grenz said. "I'm an only child, so it helped me be more social and not as quiet."
However, over time, that relationship began to evolve. When Grenz arrived at UNH, she faced a new level of adversity, something she admitted she had not experienced before.
"I definitely didn't have adversity until I got here," Grenz said. "It helped me actually deal with problems and figure out how to get over them."
The shift not only changed her relationship with soccer but also pushed her to explore who she could become beyond the sport.
Grenz realized she wanted to stay in sports during her senior year of high school, even after recognizing a professional playing career was unlikely.
"I knew I wanted to be in sports," Grenz said. "I'm too loud and energetic to be working behind a desk from 9 to 5."
Initially, event management piqued her interest, but her perspective changed as she explored the sport management field.
"There's so much more to it," Grenz said. "So many different routes."
That realization led her to sports media and broadcasting, where her creativity and personality began to take shape.
The turning point came during a class sophomore year, Sports Media Production.
"This is where I first started talking with a microphone and hearing players' stories, and I really enjoyed it," Grenz said.
From there, everything accelerated.
Grenz quickly immersed herself in hands on opportunities through the Wildcat Internship Program. Through her communications internship with UNH Athletics, she contributed to social media content, focusing on increasing visibility for women's soccer.
"I've been a big advocate for promoting women's soccer," Elaina said. "Just being able to pitch ideas and be creative has been my favorite part."
Around the same time, she stepped into a production role, working behind the scenes at multiple sporting events, contributing to camera work before eventually moving in front of the camera.
By her senior year, Grenz became a rinkside reporter for the UNH men's hockey team, a role where she had big shoes to fill and required extensive preparation.
"It's like a full-time job," Grenz said. "You're studying rosters, stats, past games, there's a lot that people don't see."
Grenz had her first on camera experience after shadowing mentor and UNH alum Natalie Noury for a year, eventually stepping into the role herself during last game of the 2024-25 season.
"I was so nervous," she said. "My first game was a full 180 from where I am now."
Beyond internships, Grenz also made her mark through leadership roles on campus.
As the Social Media Chair for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), she played a key role in promoting events, building engagement and connecting student-athletes.
"I run the Instagram, do live updates and create content for events," Grenz said.
Her involvement in SAAC not only expanded her professional skills but also strengthened her sense of community.
"I've made so many different relationships with people in the field house," she said. "The events are so fun, and I like being able to have input."
Grenz noted that she wouldn't have been involved with SAAC if it weren't for former teammates Sally Rainey and Ande Allison, who encouraged her to participate as a freshman.
That commitment to involvement did not go unnoticed.
Grenz was nominated for—and later won—the 2026 Cathy Coakley Student-Athlete Community Involvement Award, recognizing her dedication to service and leadership.
"It felt good to be recognized," Grenz said. "I don't do it for an award; I do it because I love it."
One of Grenz's most recent experiences came when she moderated a live panel featuring UNH Athletic Director Allison Rich and Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf.
Unlike her reporting work, this opportunity required her to engage with a live audience and think on the spot.
"It was my first time not talking to a camera, but to a crowd," she said. "I had to come up with follow-up questions on the fly."
The experience pushed her outside her comfort zone but was a testament to show how far she had come.
"If you told freshman me I'd be a rinkside reporter for men's hockey games, my jaw would be on the floor," Grenz said.
Between athletics, internships and academics, Grenz's schedule has been anything but easy.
"It's really not easy," she said. "Every day is so busy."
Still, she wouldn't change it. Through these opportunities, Grenz has learned the ins and outs of the sport industry, gaining skills that she will carry into the next chapter of her career.
"I don't do these things just to get a job," she said. "I do them because I enjoy them."
That mindset has defined her time at UNH not just as a student-athlete, but as someone actively building her future.
