Lydia Stephans

Lydia Stephans (born October 19, 1960) is an American speed skater and television producer.[1][2] She competed in the women's 1000 metres at the 1984 Winter Olympics.[3] Following a short international career in speed skating, Stephans worked for several television networks, including ABC Sports,[4] and has gone on to win multiple Emmy Awards.[5] She was the first woman to run a national sporting network in the United States.[6]

Not to be confused with Lydia Stephens.

Lydia Stephans
Personal information
Full nameLydia Murphy-Stephans
NationalityAmerican
Born (1960-10-19) October 19, 1960
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Sport
SportSpeed skating

Biography

Stephans was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1960.[1] She was inspired to take up speed skating, after watching the 1972 Winter Olympics on the television.[7] In 1976, Stephans won the junior National Short Track Championship title.[7] Six years later, she won the senior National Short Track Championship title and the North American Short Track Championship in the following year.[7] In 1982, she graduated from National Louis University, and three years later, earned a Masters at Northwestern University.[1]

Between 1980 and 1984, Stephans won four medals, one silver and three bronze, at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships.[8] At the 1985 Winter Universiade, she also won two silver medals.[1] At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Stephans competed in the women's 1000 metres event, finishing in 13th place.[9] Following the Olympics, Stephans served as the national short track coach at the US Olympic Education Center.[7] In 1994, she was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame.[7]

In 1986, Stephans began working at ABC Sports,[1] where she later became the first female vice-president of the organisation.[1][10] While at ABC, she was in charge of their show Wide World of Sports.[11] By the end of the 1990s, Stephans had moved to the television network Oxygen, in the role of President and Executive Producer.[1] Three years later, she moved on to the MSG Network as their Executive Vice-President.[1] In 2006, Stephans had left MSG to form her own company, Peace Tree Media.[1][12]

References
  1. "Lydia Stephans". Olympedia. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  2. "Women measure progress by what is to come". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  3. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lydia Stephans Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  4. "NETWORKS MAKE SURE WE'LL ALL GET OUR FILL OF FIGURE SKATING". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  5. "Pac-12 Enterprises President Gary Stevenson Departs; Lydia Murphy-Stephans Elevated to President of Pac-12 Networks". SVG News. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  6. "Lydia Murphy-Stephans breaking ground in Pac-12". ESPN. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  7. "Lydia Stephans". Team USA. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  8. "Hall of Fame". Northbrook Park District. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  9. "1,000 metres, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  10. "From the Ice All the Way To Viewers". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  11. "Lydia Murphy-Stephans wants to lead Pac-12 Networks into the digital future". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  12. "Lydia Murphy-Stephans Stepping Down As Pac-12 Networks Prez To Open Own Company". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
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