North Dakota State University Director of Athletic Media Relations Schwartz Inducted into Mount Vernon Nazarene University Wall of Fame
Former Mount Vernon Nazarene University Sports Information Director and current North Dakota State University Director of Athletic Media Relations Jeff Schwartz was among those honored for their contributions to MVNU at the Wall of Fame class induction ceremony at the Cougar Sports Associates' Champions Banquet.
Schwartz, who graduated from MVNU in 1981, served as the school's sports information director from 1981-1988 while also serving as the coordinator of information services at MVNU and working part-time as a writer and photographer at the Mount Vernon News.
During Schwartz's time at MVNU, he also served as the information director for the Mid-Ohio Conference and NAIA District 22. In 1984, he won third place for Best Sports Photo from the UPI, and in 1986, he won another contest sponsored by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. He won three publication awards for his media guides during his time at MVNU and the 1986 MVNU baseball media guide won first place in a contest sponsored by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Among the many highlights for Schwartz during his time at MVNU, he covered two softball conference titles, one baseball conference title, and one men's soccer conference title. He also coordinated all the media coverage when former Cougar standout Tim Belcher was selected as the No. 1 draft pick overall in the 1983 Major League Baseball draft.
In 1988, Schwartz moved to North Dakota State University where he served as the women's sports information director for 15 years before being named the director of athletic media relations in 2004 - a role in which he still serves today. He has gone on to win 44 publication contests including 11 "Best in the Nation" honors and six national writing contests. He was also the inaugural recipient of the Grant Burger Media Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association in 1997. He has worked numerous NCAA championship events and also worked the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.