Augustana College’s longtime sports information director has been named assistant director of athletics for media and alumni relations. Dave Wrath, a 1980 Augustana graduate, has served his alma mater as director of sports information since 1981. In his new position he will maintain his duties with regard to media while expanding his involvement in alumni and community relations.
“Over the years Dave has really become the face of Augustana athletics to many people,” said Chuck Gordon, director of athletics. “This promotion recognizes the contributions he makes to our department through media relations as well as through his connections with alumni and the Quad Cities sports community.”
Wrath is an active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), serving as district coordinator for the organization’s Academic All America Committee since 1987. His familiarity with the prestigious award program has helped Augustana to earn recognition as fifth among all colleges and universities in the United States in terms of its number of Academic All-America selections. Only University of Nebraska, University of Notre Dame, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Bucknell University exceed Augustana’s total of 114 Academic All America selections.
Inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2003, Wrath has won 32 CoSIDA Media Guide awards, including 11 “Best in the Nation” prizes, and three CoSIDA Writing Contest awards, including one “Best in the Nation” award. Other CoSIDA awards include the Warren Berg Award for excellence in the college division in 2000 and the Lester Jordan Award for service on the Academic All America committee in 2004.
Additional honors include the American Football Writer’s Association Press Box Service Award in 1989 and the All American Football Foundation’s Scoop Hudgens Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Wrath has also served as the Information Director for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin since 1995, and from 1995 to 1996 he was the Quad City Sports Commission’s publicity director. He has served in leadership roles for several committees and organizations, including 11 years as the facilities coordinator for the Special Olympics of the Quad Cities and 14 years as the North region chairman of the Champion All-American Football Selection Committee.
As a student at Augustana College, Wrath majored in English and secondary education and was a member of the college’s track and cross country teams.