Lisa Champagne, who has served as assistant director of athletic communications at the University of Vermont since October 1998, has been named director of athletic communications starting in May 2005. Chris McCabe, assistant vice president for marketing and business development, made the announcement today.
Champagne, 32, is an experienced professional in athletic communications, having served as director of sports information at Saint Michael’s College for two years before coming to the University of Vermont. She also spent two years in the sports information office at Quinnipiac University, serving as assistant director for 16 months before being appointed interim SID. Prior to her work at Quinnipiac, Champagne was a student assistant in sports information for three years at New Hampshire College, now known as Southern New Hampshire University.
“I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity and new challenge of leading the Office of Athletic Communications at the University of Vermont,” Champagne said. “Vermont has a tremendous athletic tradition, which continues to grow each season, and I look forward to helping tell the story of UVM Athletics in my new position.”
While at Vermont, Champagne has overseen the redesign of the athletic department website (http://www.uvmathletics.com), spearheaded a new design for the media guides, and served as primary media contact for many of the Catamount athletic teams, including women’s soccer, women’s basketball, cross country, track and field, softball and women’s lacrosse.
In addition to her collegiate sports information experience, Champagne has also gained valuable experience on the international stage. She worked at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, serving as a media relations staff member at Soldier Hollow for the nordic, biathlon and nordic-combined events. Champagne has also worked the 1999 and 2003 Women's World Cup, the Special Olympics World Games in 1995 and several NCAA Championships in a variety of sports. Most recently, she was a media relations volunteer at the 2004 USGA Women's Open held at the Orchards in South Hadley, Mass. and headed up Vermont’s athletic communications contingent at the 2005 NCAA Ski Championship at Stowe.
“I am pleased to announce the promotion of Lisa Champagne to Director of Athletic Communications,” McCabe said. “Lisa brings a wealth of experience to the position, including key work at the 2002 Winter Olympics and The World Cup of Soccer. Athletic Communications will benefit from Lisa's vision and knowledge base.”
A native of Tolland, Conn., Champagne earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from New Hampshire College in 1994 and a master's degree in business administration from Saint Michael's College in 2001. She was a two-sport athlete for the Penmen, competing in basketball and softball. She lives in Burlington.
Champagne will take over for Gordon Woodworth, who will leave the University of Vermont in early May after working in athletic communications at UVM for nearly 16 years, the last seven as Director of Athletic Communications.