Justin Cox

I still vividly remember the first day I joined The Daily Aztec. Early in my junior year, I was searching for a way to become more connected and present on campus. After COVID-19 cut my freshman year short and I spent the next year attending school through a computer screen, I knew I had to change something if I wanted to have a good college experience.

Since I was an avid sports fan and enjoyed writing, I headed down to The Daily Aztec office and asked around to see how I could join the sports section. Both Jason Freund and Andrew Finley, the two sports editors at the time, took me in with open arms. Just like that I was invited to the next meeting.

What a ride it has been since.

In what seems like a blur, I have covered nearly every sport we have on campus, sharpened my skills as a writer and editor and even had the privilege of covering a Final Four and National Championship game.

A FINAL FREAKING FOUR.

When I stepped foot onto campus as a nervous freshman back in the fall of 2019, I couldn’t have dreamed of all the experiences I’ve had but I could not be any more grateful. I have built friendships that will last a lifetime, spoken to some of the greatest sports journalists in the nation and covered the greatest Aztec basketball team of all time — all thanks to The Daily Aztec.

It definitely wasn’t easy. Learning to move out of my comfort zone and putting myself and my work out into the world was difficult at first. But, over time I have grown more comfortable with interviewing, reporting on camera and publishing my work for the world