Shalise Manza Young is an award‑winning sports columnist and multimedia journalist whose work explores the intersection of sports, culture, race, and gender. She joined Yahoo Sports in 2015 after nearly a decade covering the New England Patriots for The Boston Globe and The Providence Journal, becoming one of the most recognizable national voices on issues of equity and inclusion in American sports. Her columns have been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as among the top in the countryLinkedIn.

Before her national platform, Young built a long career as a beat reporter, covering the NFL, the Boston Celtics, and major sporting events across professional, college, and high‑school levels. Her journalism is shaped by lived experience: as a Black woman navigating male‑dominated sports media, she has spoken openly about the challenges of visibility, bias, and perseverance, using those experiences to deepen the empathy and urgency in her writingThe Phillipian. She has also taught sports journalism at Emerson College, mentoring the next generation of reporters.

Beyond the newsroom, Young is a dedicated track‑and‑field coach, leading programs at The Winsor School and later Phillips Academy, where she emphasizes inclusion, confidence, and athlete‑centered leadership. A former collegiate hurdler and high jumper at Syracuse University, she brings both competitive experience and a philosophy of “leading with love” to her coaching workThe Phillipian. Today, she continues to shape conversations in sports through her writing, teaching, and coaching, championing fairness, representation, and the transformative power of athletics.