Evan Washburn’s Career Has Deep Ties To Severn School

Severn School graduate Evan Washburn has continuously utilized his friendships and relationships formed at Severn School to achieve his lifetime goal of staying involved with sports.

Washburn transferred to Severn School in the ninth grade from Key School in Annapolis so he could compete at a higher level athletically. Washburn played football, soccer, basketball and lacrosse at the Evergreen Road campus.

“I was athletically focused, and Severn offered me more opportunities to compete against bigger schools in the Baltimore and Anne Arundel County area,” Washburn said. “Also, many of my friends from the Key School came to Severn in the sixth grade, so I had many friends at Severn already.”

Washburn grew up in downtown Annapolis where St. John’s College and the Naval Academy were his playgrounds. He quickly adopted Severna Park as his “home away from home” by recounting memories of going to Jenos Steaks and the 7-Eleven on Ritchie Highway.

“My after-school snack was Slim Jims, Red Bull and an Oreo cookie sandwich from 7-Eleven,” Washburn said. “We always went to Squisito’s for our team dinner as well.”

During Washburn’s early days at Severn, he concentrated on basketball, but by speaking with the coaches, he realized that he would have a better chance of playing Division I lacrosse than basketball.

Through the help of a Severn School connection, Drew Larkin, father of teammates Nick and Tyler Larkin, Washburn sent his lacrosse highlight tape to the University of Delaware’s men’s lacrosse coach, Bob Shillinglaw, a Severna Park High School graduate.

Washburn was offered a scholarship to Delaware and studied journalism during his college career.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Severn,” Washburn said. “The teachers and coaches challenged me academically and athletically and prepared me very well for college.”

Washburn had a successful lacrosse career with the Blue Hens. He was part of Delaware’s NCAA tournament Final Four in 2007 and was elected team captain in 2008, as well as making the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) first-team selection as a close defenseman.

It was on senior day of Washburn’s final season that he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and curtailed his hopes of playing in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) league that summer.

After surgery, Washburn went home to Annapolis to contemplate his future, driven to remain involved with sports in some capacity.

During his days at Delaware, Washburn had an internship at Channel 45 in Baltimore that piqued his interest in broadcasting. A Severn School teammate, Kip Turner, who played lacrosse at the University of Virginia, knew Comcast SportsNet announcer Joe Beninati. Washburn contacted Beninati and began an unpaid internship at Comcast SportsNet in Washington, D.C.

“I fully immersed myself in that internship,” Washburn said. “I would go with the crew to the Orioles and Ravens games and carry the equipment, set up lighting, whatever they needed. This was my life for one and a half years.”

During that internship, the Comcast crew was supportive enough to give Washburn experience in front of the camera so he could have demo tapes to send out for openings in the industry.

Then Washburn was contacted by another Severn connection, Leif Elsmo, who worked at ESPN and is the father of Severn grad Nick Elsmo. The elder Elsmo helped Washburn get an analyst position for a college lacrosse game on ESPN. Washburn sent his highlight tape to CBS College Sports and in 2011, Washburn broadcasted his first lacrosse game for CBS College Sports.

“At halftime of that game between Cornell and Princeton, they asked me to do another game the following week,” Washburn said. “It was very exciting to broadcast a game and the same feeling and intensity I received from playing sports was felt in the broadcast booth.”

In 2012, CBS College Sports gave Washburn six games as a sideline reporter for college football, and in 2014, Washburn was promoted to the role of sideline reporter for NFL games on CBS.

Washburn has been fortunate to be on the sidelines for three Super Bowls and numerous March Madness college basketball games. He is also an analyst for college lacrosse as well as a sideline reporter for Ravens preseason games.

Washburn’s schedule during the NFL season is mixed with hours of preparation and production meetings.

“Monday through Thursday, I spend many hours reading past articles of the two teams playing that weekend, watching video tapes of each team’s last games as well as their press conferences the teams have on Mondays,” Washburn said. “Friday, we fly to the home team’s city, watch practice and begin our production meetings. On Saturday, we watch the visitors practice, and Saturday night we’ll have the big production meeting. On Sunday, we arrive at the stadium three hours or so before game time to go over any last-minute details.

“It’s an incredible job,” Washburn added. “Like many athletes, the challenge is to have a great game every week.”

Many of Washburn’s interviews are during and after games when coaches are intense and focused on what is or has transpired on the field.

“Having an athletic background helps me know what questions should be asked and read the emotions of that athlete or coach,” Washburn said.

Having a great deal of pride in being from the Baltimore-Annapolis area and currently living in Baltimore, Washburn still goes back to Severn School to speak to students about broadcasting careers.

“Evan never hesitates when asked to serve as an alumni mentor to Severn’s students,” said Carolyn Campion, Severn School’s director of alumni relations and alumni giving. “Evan was the first alum I brought back to campus to speak to our Admiral TV and Broadcasting Club and journalism seminar. This year, he spoke to one of our seniors, Lawrence Jacobs, about choosing a college that would have opportunities to get experience in front of the camera. Evan also gave Jacobs an opportunity to shadow him at a future NCAA lacrosse broadcast.”

Washburn fondly reflects on his time in Severna Park and Severn School. His classmates and teammates from those years are still his close friends today.