The Future of Women’s Sports: Amanda Lucci On Breaking Into the Press Room, the Power Of Narrative & Finding Growth In "No"
Hurdle with Emily Abbate
iHeartPodcasts
4.9 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2026
⏱️ 55 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Amanda Lucci is the Director of Special Projects at Women's Health, where she has spent the last decade evolving the brand’s digital presence and spearheading their expansive coverage of women’s sports. From the sidelines of the WNBA to the mixed zones of the Paris Olympic Games, Amanda is on a mission to tell the stories of the women transforming the future of the industry—both on the court and behind the scenes.
In this episode, Amanda opens up about her career pivot from entertainment journalism to becoming a powerhouse in sports media. She shares the raw reality of navigating a male-dominated press room and the importance of having women’s voices in those spaces to tell more nuanced, relatable stories. We also dive into her personal journey through a grueling multi-year fertility battle, how it reshaped her perspective on success, and how she balances the high-octane world of sports reporting with her newest role: being a mom.
MENTIONED
The Huddle
Game Changers
IN THIS EPISODE
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The Evolution of Women’s Sports: How Women's Health transitioned from standard fitness tips to deep-dive reporting on elite athletes and industry game-changers.
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Navigating the Press Room: Amanda describes the Olympic mixed zone and why female journalists are essential for asking the questions that actually resonate with athletes.
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A Personal Hurdle: The mental and physical toll of three rounds of IUI and four rounds of IVF, and how her passion for women's sports acted as a lifeline during that time.
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The Power of "No": Why her 2026 "word of the year" is focused on being selective with her energy and projects to show up fully for her family.
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New Ventures: The launch of The Huddle podcast and the excitement of moving from behind the camera to in front of the microphone.
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Predictions for the Future: Why Amanda believes sports like flag football and volleyball are on the cusp of a massive cultural explosion.
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
"If you're a sports fan, then you'll love women's sports. It is for you."
"I want people to read our coverage and watch the game through a new lens... knowing who the people are and what makes them tick makes me so much more locked in."
"I had to face the reality that at any point, this could go wrong. The entire experience is totally out of your control... but I realized I have such a full life that I will be okay, and I will be happy."
"If you worry about something that hasn't happened, then it does happen, you just worried twice. You should live now, and we'll deal with it later."
"I don’t look in the mirror every day and say, 'You go girl'... but ultimately, I am so proud of what I have overcome and the way I've grown personally and professionally."
SOCIAL
@alucci
@womenshealthmag
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is an IHeart podcast. |
| 0:02.6 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.2 | I think people are starting to realize, like, if you're a sports fan, then you'll love women's sports. |
| 0:09.5 | It is for you. |
| 0:30.1 | I'm going to... Hey, Herdlers, Emily Abadi here. You are listening to another episode of Hurtle, a podcast featuring the mindset secrets and true stories of the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, |
| 0:35.3 | empowering you to live a healthier, happier, more motivated life, |
| 0:38.3 | and of course, conquer your own hurdles. This week, I am sitting down with Amanda Lucci. She's the |
| 0:44.6 | director of special projects at women's health. Amanda's a powerhouse in the media space, leading |
| 0:50.4 | the brand's sports and athlete vertical, and covering everything from the Olympics to the WNBA. |
| 0:56.9 | In this week's episode, we're diving into the massive momentum |
| 0:59.8 | behind women's sports and how women's health is doubling down on that energy. |
| 1:04.4 | Amanda shares the behind-the-scenes of their recent game changers package, |
| 1:07.9 | which highlights the woman literally transforming the future of sports. |
| 1:11.6 | We also talk about their new exciting podcast, The Huddle, not to be confused with, |
| 1:16.2 | hurdle, which features incredible conversations with icons about longevity, performance, |
| 1:21.6 | and the grind behind the glamour. |
| 1:23.6 | Whether you're an athlete, a fan, or just someone looking for a little extra motivation, |
| 1:27.7 | Amanda's perspective on the intersection of sport, health, and culture is exactly what you need to hear. |
| 1:34.1 | Make sure you're following along with Hurtle over on social. It's over at Hurtle Podcast. |
| 1:38.0 | You can also check out IHartWomen Sports over at IHart Woman Sports and me over at Emily Abadi. |
| 1:45.0 | Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And with that, |
| 1:52.0 | let's get to it. Let's get to hurtling. |
... |
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