2011 CoSIDA Special Award recipients announced; All to be recognized at the CoSIDA Convention in Marco Island in June

3/1/2011 12:00:00 AM

2011 CoSIDA Special Award recipients announced; All to be recognized at the CoSIDA Convention in Marco Island in June

Congratulations to all the 2011 CoSIDA Award winners!

Note: Individual news releases/feature articles on each honoree will follow in the coming weeks. See this schedule of individual features BELOW.

See the full list of the Special Awards, descriptions and former recipients HERE.

by Tam Flarup (University of Wisconsin), Chair of the CoSIDA Special Awards Committee

Numerous members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) organization will receive national awards for outstanding achievements when the organization holds its annual national convention June 26-30 at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Marco Island, Fla.

Among the honors, the organization will recognize its top athletic communications personnel as the newest members of its Hall of Fame. Additionally, other awards recognizing emerging leaders, community service and lifetime achievement awards will be presented.

Five current and former sports communications professionals will be inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame at a Hall of Fame Gala dinner and ceremony on Tuesday, June 28. This CoSIDA Hall of Fame honor is presented to members of CoSIDA who have made outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information.

Members of the 2011 Hall of Fame Class include:

• Mark Beckenbach, Ohio Wesleyan University
• Charles Bloom, Southeastern Conference
• Rich Herman, Clarion University
• Paul Madison, Western Washington University
• Dan McDonald, former sports information director at Northwestern State (La.) and Southwestern Louisiana

McDonald was selected by the Hall of Fame Veterans Selection Committee. The other four were selected by a vote of over 90 CoSIDA Hall of Famers.

At that same Gala event on June 28, the newest class of the Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame also will be inducted. (Those Academic All-America Hall of Famers will be announced at a later date.)

The Arch Ward Award is presented annually to a CoSIDA member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information, and who, by his or her activities, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession. CoSIDA's immediate past president, Justin Doherty of the University of Wisconsin, was voted the 2011 top university division professional and will receive the Arch Ward Award in June.

As a member of CoSIDA’s Board of Directors for eight years and the organization’s president in 2009-10, Doherty has been instrumental in helping move CoSIDA into new areas and evolve with the ever-changing communications world. He was an early advocate for hiring an Executive Director as well as getting the CoSIDA Convention under the NACDA umbrella and also was heavily involved in developing CoSIDA’s master strategic plan.

The college division also recognizes ad top professional of the year with the Warren Berg Award. Rich Herman of Clarion University, who is also being inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2011, has been recognized with this award. It is presented annually to a college-division member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information and who, by his or her activities, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession. A leader on CoSIDA's College Division Management Advisory Committee, Herman currently serves as President of NCAA DII-SIDA.

A member of the media is also annually recognized at this event. ESPN/ABC analyst Lee Corso has been selected as the Jake Wade Award winner. Named for the acclaimed North Carolina sports journalist and former UNC SID, this award is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the media to the field of intercollegiate athletics.

Corso serves as an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay, the network’s signature Saturday morning football show originating from the site of one of the day’s best games. He joined that show in 1987, and the College GameDay show has received four nominations for Sports Emmys in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2009, winning in 2007 and 2009. Prior to joining the media ranks, Corso was a successful college football coach. In December of 2010, he received the elite National Football Foundation Contributions to College Football Award for his 57-year association with CFB as a player, coach and analyst.

Debby Jennings, long-time University of Tennessee Associate Athletics Director/Women’s Media Relations, will be recognized with the CoSIDA Trailblazer Award. This honor is presented annually to an individual who is a pioneer in the profession and who has mentored and helped improve the level of ethnic and gender diversity within CoSIDA. One of the most highly-honored members in the history of CoSIDA, Jennings is recognized as one of the top college sports communicators. She previously was inducted into CoSIDA's Hall of Fame in 2002 (only the third woman enshrined) and received the CoSIDA Arch Ward Award in 2008 (only the second woman so honored).

CoSIDA also recognizes its youthful talent with the Rising Star Awards. This award is presented to both a University Division and a College Division member with 10 years of service or less whose work at their institution and service, dedication, energy and enthusiasm to the profession make that individual a “rising star” in sports information. Rob Knox of Kutztown University was the college division choice and Chevonne Mansfield of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) was chosen as the university division recipient.

In other awards, Dr. Bill Smith of the University of Arkansas will be honored for his community service with the Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA member for civic involvement and accomplishments outside the athletic communications profession. In addition to being a popular presenter at CoSIDA and NCAA Conventions on the topics of communications trends/new media advancements, Smith excels in community service endeavors. A 10-year volunteer for Washington County Department of Emergency Management, he also is a youth soccer coach for Fayetteville Parks and Recreation and past president of the board of directors of the Arkansas Air Museum.

CoSIDA’s Lester Jordan Award is presented to an individual for exemplary service to the Academic All-America Award program and the promotion of the ideals of being a student-athlete. This year’s recipient is Kevin Ruple of Baldwin-Wallace College, who has served as a long-time coordinator on the Academic All-America Committee. Ruple has served on the committee since 1997, has actively recruited others to the Committee, and currently serves as a national coordinator for football AAA awards.

Three CoSIDA members, John A. Pearson of Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Walt Riddle of Saint Leo University and Mike Moran (USOC), will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award.This award is presented to CoSIDA members who have served at least 25 years in the profession (as of June 2011) who are retiring or leaving the profession.

In addition to the special award winners and Hall of Fame induction, the organization also recognizes those who have completed 25 years in the profession. The following 11 individuals will receive a CoSIDA 25-year plaque at the convention:

Dave Beyer, Mercer University; Kent Cherrington, Plymouth State University; Jim Daves, University of Virginia; Brian DePasquale, University of Albany; Ann King, The Sage Colleges; Tom Kroeschell, Iowa State University; David Moross, Colorado College; Thomas Nelson, St. Cloud State University; Diane Nordstrom, University of Wisconsin; and Walt Riddle, Saint Leo University.

THE CoSIDA SPECIAL AWARDS FEATURES SERIES

College Sports Information Directors of America

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