College Sports Information Directors of America

Two college sports information directors and CoSIDA’s director of online services are serving as press officers at the World University Games in Daegu, Korea Aug. 21-31. Rick Nixon of the University of Texas at San Antonio is handling publicity for the powerful United States swimming and diving team wile Erin Rosacker of Iowa State is in charge of the American women’s basketball team, which is comprised of Big 12 Conference all-stars. Parrish, the former Baylor SID who handles CoSIDA’s website, is working with the U.S. Taekwondo team in a country where the sport is a national passion, much the way baseball is in America. Nixon worked at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival in San Antonio. He has hosted a number of NCAA events, including men’s and women’s Final Fours in San Antonio. Rosacker is in her first USOC event, while Parrish is working his eighth event for Team USA. Eight press officers are working the games for the 137-member U.S. squad with Texas A&M graduate and former student SID Cecil Bleiker of the USOC heading up operations. The publicity team members, who live in the Athlete’s Village and work out of the USOC headquarters there, will spend two to three weeks in Korea. "The United States Olympic Committee's Media and Public Relations Division has a long standing relationship with college sports information directors from across the U.S., and that tremendous relationship continues with our USA Media Services staff at the 2003 World University Games in Daegu, Korea," Bleiker said. "The USOC has utilized the assistance of collegiate sports information directors who have volunteered their time not only for the World University Games, but also for the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games." Other press officers with experience as student SIDs include Ann Bleiker of Texas A&M and Kathleen Flynn of North Carolina. America’s PR team is rounded out by Alicia McConell of the USOC and Nicole Jomantas of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes. "The United States Olymic Committee's Media Services operation at a Games is considered the best in the world. This in large part is due to the tremendous support provided by the volunteers from the collegiate sports information ranks," Bleiker said. "The USA Media Services staff assembled for the 2003 United States Summer World University Games has truly pulled from the best the cdollegiate sports information world has to offer. I know the staff will do a tremendous job working in support of the 2003 United States World Universtity Games Team and will make their university and their country proud." The World University Games is an Olympic-style competition for some 7,700 college students and recent graduates from 170 countries. Many WUG athletes have competed in or go on to compete in the Olympic Games. Daegu is a city of over 2 million located in southeastern Korea. USOC press officers carry out many duties all SIDs are familiar with. They write biographies and press releases, compile notes packages and cover events. SIDs with athletes competing in the World the World University Games can follow their results at www.usocpressbox.org.