Indiana State Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman announced today (August 15) the recent completion of the Sycamore Athletics Media Relations staff. The staff changes include a pair of promotions as well as three new hires to the Indiana State Athletics’ family.
John Sherman has been promoted to Assistant Director of Athletics for Marketing and Media Relations and will oversee the staff. He spent this past year as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Marketing and
Promotions and has over 20 years of experience in television and radio broadcasting. He served as the primary contact for men’s basketball this past season. In his new role, Sherman will serve as chair of the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame Committee.
Also being promoted is Ace Hunt, who has been with the Indiana State Athletics Media Relations staff since January of 2001. Hunt will serve as the department’s Associate Director of Athletics Media Relations and will have day-to-day oversight of the staff. In addition to his administrative duties, Hunt will be the primary contact for the Sycamore football, women’s basketball and women’s golf programs.
New to the department are Mike Williams and Kevin Jenison. Both have been named Assistant Directors of Athletics Media Relations.
Williams, comes to Indiana State from fellow Missouri Valley Conference member Illinois State where he recently received a master’s of science degree in sport management. He is a 2004 graduate of Illinois State with a bachelor of science degree in public relations. With the Redbirds, Williams served as the baseball contact and assistant contact for the football program. Last season, he traveled and assisted with duties for the 2006 Redbird football team which advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Football Championship. In addition, he has been a member of the official stat crew for both the 2006 & 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament in St. Louis, Mo., as well as the 2006 State Farm MVC Volleyball Tournament in Normal, Ill. Williams is a 2000 graduate of Lincoln Community High School where he was a two-year letter winner in football and tennis. He served as team captain during his senior season with the tennis program. At Indiana State, Williams will be the primary contact for the men’s basketball, cross country as well as track and field teams. He will serve as media coordinator of the 2007 NCAA Cross Country National Championship to be held at the LeVern Gibson Championship Course this November.
Jenison is certainly no stranger to the Wabash Valley as he has been a life-long member of the Paris, Ill., community. He spent 27 years working for the Paris Beacon News, starting as a sports reporter and
then moving to sports editor, managing editor and finally general manager. When the newspaper was sold in June 2006, Jenison returned to Indiana State to complete his degree. He received a bachelor of science degree in journalism from ISU this past summer. He has been a student assistant director in the Athletics Media Relations office at ISU, since December of 2006 while he completed his degree requirements. Jenison made the Dean’s List in both the fall of 2006 as well as the spring of 2007, while covering all home men’s and women’s basketball contests and serving as the primary contact for track and field as well as tennis. This coming year, Jenison will serve as the primary contact for the volleyball, tennis and baseball programs while also working with Sherman on the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Returning for his eighth year in Sycamore Athletics will be Tom Sewell, who continues in his role as Publications and Internet Coordinator. In addition to overseeing the production of media guides, brochures, posters and schedule cards, Sewell will also oversee and maintain Indiana State Athletics’ new website, www.gosycamores.com.
Also new to the department this year will be Katie Gaal, who will enter her first season as the staff’s graduate assistant. She is a recent graduate of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Gaal will serve as the primary
contact for women’s soccer and softball.