College Sports Information Directors of America

An historical feature on legendary Princeton basketball coach Pete Carril by Princeton Associate Athletic Director Jerry Price earned the top honor for the 2007 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Fred S. Stabley Sr. Writing Contest.

This year’s contest drew a total of 268 entries in five categories from colleges and universities from across the country. Entries were first judged at the district level, with district winners advancing to a national committee.

“It was an outstanding story,” said one national judge. “It was full of good details and historical background. It really gave you a sense of the coach as a person.”

Price has known Carril for more than 20 years, and said it was easy to write a good story with such a good subject.

“He’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” said Price. “There’s so much to his story that people can take and hopefully learn from. He’s always been my favorite topic to write about.”

A poignant article by Brent Harris, Sports Information Director at Wabash College was the second place story. Harris’ story profiled Wabash’s former football game clock operator Rob Tomey, who continued his duties in the press box despite battling colon cancer.

Nick Huber, Sports Information Director at Buena Vista University, captured third place with a profile of wrestler Ben Strandberg.

This year’s contest will collect entries written from the end of May 2007 through mid-May 2008. More details on this year’s contest will be announced at a later date.

2007 Fred S. Stabley Sr. Writing Contest Results

National Judging
Story of the Year: Jerry Price (Princeton University), Dist. 2, “Welcome home, Coach Carril”
Second Place: Brent Harris (Wabash College), Dist. 5, “54 Steps”
Third Place: Nick Huber (Buena Vista University), Dist. 7, “Memories”

Athlete Profile
First Place: Nick Huber (Buena Vista University), Dist. 7, “Memories”
Second Place: Brian Dude (University of Oklahoma) Dist. 6, “Kellen Sampston: Man on a mission”
Third Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) Dist. 4 “A match made in Maize and Blue Heaven”

Coach/Administrator Profile
First Place: Robert McKinney (Willamette University) Dist. 8 “I'm unapologetically a jock”
Second Place: Becky Hopf (University of Alabama) Dist. 4 “Critics cheer the work of Bama’s video staff”
Third Place: Brad Fields (University of South Carolina at Aiken) Dist. 3 “Hometown Hero”

Event Coverage
First Place: Mike Koon (University of Illinois) Dist. 5 “Martin Stadium Groundbreaking Ceremony”
Second Place: Dennis O’Donnell (University of Rochester) Dist. 2 “Women nip Oneonta, 1-0”
Third Place: Doug Fitzgerald (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs) Dist. 7 “UCCS erases big deficit”

General Feature
First Place: Brent Harris (Wabash College), Dist. 5, “54 Steps”
Second Place: Bob Beretta (Army) Dist. 1 “Hill strikes gold with Team USA”
Third Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) Dist. 4 “In their shoes (Volleyball, Gymnastics, Swimming)”

Historical Feature
First Place: Jerry Price (Princeton University) Dist. 2, “Welcome home, Coach Carril”
Second Place: Jim Junot (Virginia State University) Dist. “3 Remembering Ace Bailey”
Third Place: Blake Timm (Pacific University) Dist. 8 “Small town athlete, big time wrestler”

2007 Fred S. Stabley Jr. Writing Contest District Judging Results
Athlete Profile
District 1
First Place: Mady Salvani (Army) “Abalo’s eye … on target”
Second Place: Andrea Chaknis (Harvard University) “Gifted and well-grounded”
Third Place (tie): Andrea Chaknis (Harvard University) “A big kid with bigger dreams”
Third Place (tie): Kristy McNeil (Colgate University) “Carly McNaughton”

District 2
First Place: Jon Terry (Bucknell University) “Field hockey star Katie Urosevich Runs (and flies) like the wind”
Second Place: Steve McCloskey (Mansfield University) “Lessons learned”
Third Place: Stephanie Petulla (Penn State University) “Toya Woods: Giving the gift of life”

District 3
First Place: Scott McCain (Charleston Southern University) “Swindle living out a dream”
Second Place: Joe Wasiluk (Virginia Wesleyan College) “Los Angeles Dodgers add Virginia Wesleyan’s Renrow to their ranks”

District 4
First Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) “A match made in Maize and Blue Heaven”
Second Place: Joe Guistina (Michigan State University) “Drew Stanton: Figures to answer all questions his senior year”
Third Place: Jay Stancil (Union College) “Life Interrupted: Hillard puts finishing touches on career”

District 5
First Place: James Murphy (University of Illinois) “Kate Fleming has Olympic dreams”
Second Place: Don Stoner (Augsburg College) “Brooks & Kitzman”
Third Place: Tom Reale (St. Cloud State University) “Olson”

District 6
First Place: Brian Dude (University of Oklahoma) Dist. 6, “Kellen Sampston: Man on a mission”
Second Place: Brandon Rizzuto (Nicholls State University), “The Opportunity of a lifetime)

District 7
First Place: Nick Huber (Buena Vista University), Dist. 7, “Memories”

District 8
First Place: Blake Timm (Pacific University) “Double Trouble”
Second Place: Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz (University of California) “Beautiful Life”
Third Place: Liza David (University of California Los Angeles) “Ariana Berlin leads Bruins in resiliency, heart and determination”

Coach/Administrator Profile
District 1
First Place: Will Tomasian (Connecticut College) “Butler marks 20th year of coaching cross country”

District 2
First Place: Jerry Price (Princeton University) “Metz on Metz”
Second Place: Jerry Price (Princeton University) “Tiger Saxa”

District 3
First Place: Brad Fields (University of South Carolina at Aiken) “Hometown Hero”

District 4
First Place: Becky Hopf (University of Alabama) “Critics cheer the work of Bama’s video staff”

District 5
First Place: Mike Koon (University of Illinois) “Volleyball spouses”

District 6
First Place: Shane Meling (LeTourneau University) Davis guides LeTourneau into new territory”

District 7
No entries

District 8
First Place: Robert McKinney (Willamette University) “I'm unapologetically a jock”

Event Coverage
District 1
First Place (tie): Dennis O’Donnell (University of Rochester) “Women nip Oneonta, 1-0”
First Place (tie): Dennis O’Donnell (University of Rochester) Green goal beats Hamilton”

District 2
First Place: Mike Mahoney (University of Pennsylvania) “Zoller’s free throws beat Temple”
Second Place: Rob Knox (Lincoln University of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) “After three overtimes, Lincoln falls short in classic contest”

District 3
First Place: Brian Hand (Presbyterian College) “Presbyterian holds annual spring game”
Second Place: JoeWasiluk (Virginia Wesleyan College) “No. 19 Virginia Wesleyan women’s soccer outlasts No. 8 Johns Hopkins in penalty kicks”

District 4
First Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) “At NCAAs with women’s gymnastics”
Second Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) “Michigan sweeps the podium in win at Michigan State”
Third Place: Joe Guistina (Michigan State University) “Spartans, Meikle claim Big Ten championships”

District 5
First Place: Mike Koon (University of Illinois) “Martin Stadium Groundbreaking Ceremony”

District 6
First Place: Stephanie Turner (University of Oklahoma) “A special night for gymnastics”

District 7
First Place: Doug Fitzgerald (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs) “UCCS erases big deficit”

District 8
First Place: Robert McKinney (Willamette University) “Willamette’s Zeran wins national title at NCAA Division III cross country championships”

General Feature
District 1
First Place (tie): Bob Beretta (Army) “Hill strikes gold with Team USA”
First Place (tie): Steve Conn (Yale University) (Fridays with Toads”

District 2
First Place: Brett Hoover (Ivy League) “Ivy@50: Stephen Machooka”
Second Place (tie): Jerry Price (Princeton University) “The ultimate warrior”
Second Place (tie): Stephen Eshenbach (Ivy League) “Ivy@50: Baseball champs”

District 3
First Place: Joe Wasiluk (Virginia Wesleyan) “Tough 2007 schedule to challenge Virginia Wesleyan soccer women beginning in September”
Second Place: Joe Wasiluk (Virginia Wesleyan) “Virginia Wesleyan’s Caudill, Zenisek hope to make most of invitation to national tennis tourney”

District 4
First Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) “In their shoes (Volleyball, Gymnastics, Swimming)”
Second Place: Richard Retyi (University of Michigan) “In their shoes (Men’s basketball)”
Third Place: Becky Hopf (University of Alabama) “Opposites attract”

District 5
First Place: Brent Harris (Wabash College) “54 Steps”
Second Place: Marjorie Nehring (University of Illinois) “Cricket”

District 6
First Place: John McElwain (Sun Belt Conference) “Sun Belt Conference administrators lend a helping hand in New Orleans’ recovery”
Second Place: Derek Smolik (St. Mary’s University) “2007 St. Mary’s baseball season outlook”

District 7
First Place: Jeremy Wangler (Washburn University) “New turf and track ready for athletes”

District 8
First Place: Frank MacDonald (Seattle Pacific University) “Goodwill goalkeeping”

Historical Feature
District 1
No entries

District 2
First Place: Jerry Price (Princeton University) “Welcome home, Coach Carril”
Second Place: Brett Hoover (Ivy League) “Ivy@50: Chris Ohiri”

District 3
First Place: Jim Junot (Virginia State University) “Remembering Ace Bailey

District 4
First Place: Dave Parsons (Mount Vernon Nazarene University) “The 1997 season – A look back”

District 5
First Place: Paul Erickson (University of Wisconsin-Platteville) “Pioneers honor Kendall Murray”

District 6
First Place: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma) “There’s only one … Prentice Gautt”

District 7
First Place: Jeremy Wangler (Washburn University) “Fort Hayes State University joins MIAA”

District 8
First Place: Blake Timm (Pacific University) “Small town athlete, big time wrestler”