Latrobe native Mears will be the new sideline reporter on Pirates’ SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcasts

BRADENTON, Fla. — Latrobe native and Penn State graduate Hannah Mears will serve as the primary sideline reporter on Pirates’ TV broadcasts on SportsNet Pittsburgh this season, sources told the Pittsburgh PostGazette on Friday.

Mears, who had been appearing on camera via Pirates social media, as well as working for the Big Ten Network, KDKA-TV and Westmoreland Sports Network, replaced Robby Incmikoski, who was not retained from the AT&T SportsNet model.

Mears has mostly covered special events for the Pirates. She had been doing sideline reporting for Big Ten games since September 2022 and holding that same role for high school football broadcasts on KDKA+ this past season.

Dating back to college (Mears graduated in 2020), she covered Penn State’s NFL Combine entrants, interned with the Penguins, edited video on MLB Network and did in-arena hosting for Penn State men’s basketball and wrestling.

Mears parlayed her Penguins internship into on-air work, hosting various Pens-TV packages and telling stories across multiple platforms.

The hire is one of the last pieces to click into place for Pirates’ TV broadcasts, which start Saturday, Feb. 25, in the LECOM Park opener against the Orioles.

Another recent addition — it’s actually a rehire — is an even more familiar face: Rob King. The longtime studio host will anchor about 60% of the pregame and postgame coverage, now expanded to an hour.

He’ll be joined by a rotating cast of former players that includes Michael McKenry, Matt Capps, Kevin Young and Steven Brault.