This profile on 25-Year Award recipient Jim Daves (University of Virginia Assistant AD for Media Relations) is the fifth in a series of profiles and features on CoSIDA's 2011 Special Awards recipients.
See link to original release and the March schedule of the profiles/features, below.
THE CoSIDA SPECIAL AWARDS FEATURES SERIES
March
Tue. 1 Special Awards general announcement
Thr. 3 Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame release
Thr. 3 Ann King (The Sage Colleges): 25-Year Award
Tue. 8 Kent Cherrington (Plymouth State University): 25-year Award
Thr. 10 Justin Doherty (University of Wisconsin): Arch Ward Award
Tue. 15 Rob Knox (Kutztown University): Rising Star Award (College Division)
Thr. 17 Jim Daves (University of Virginia): 25-Year Award
Tue. 22 Diane Nordstrom (University of Wisconsin): 25-Year Award
Thr. 24 Chevonne Mansfield (SWAC): Rising Star Award (University Division)
Tue. 29 Dr. Bill Smith (University of Arkansas): Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award
Thr. 31 Kevin Ruple (Baldwin-Wallace College): Lester Jordan Award
April
Thr. 5 Rich Herman (Clarion) - CoSIDA Hall of Fame & Warren Berg Award
Thr. 7 Paul Madison (Western Washington)- CoSIDA Hall of Fame
other profiles in the schedule to be announced
JIM DAVES: 25-Year Award recipient
by Bill Hamilton, South Carolina State Sports Information Director
Jim Daves got his start in sports information 27 years ago as an intern at Notre Dame under CoSIDA Hall of Famer Roger Valdiserri. Two years later in 1986, he was named an assistant at the heralded university and went on to serve six years (1986-92) as an assistant/associate SID for the Fighting Irish.
Today, Daves is in his fifth year as assistant athletics director for media relations at the University of Virginia, where he is the media contact for football and men’s and women’s golf. Before being named to his current position, he previously served in the same capacity at the University of Washington (1992-2005). Daves also served a brief stint (1985-86) as director of communications for the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.
While at Washington, Daves, who is regarded as one of the top professionals in the field, was a member of the NCAA Men’s Final Four Media Coordination Committee for eight years (1997-2004). During his outstanding career, Daves has also served as media director at a number of NCAA Championships, including basketball (1995 Men’s Final Four, 1993 West Regional, 1999 and 2003 First and Second Rounds), gymnastics (1997 Regional), women’s golf (2002 NCAA Championship) and men’s golf (2003 West Regional).
In addition, the Greensboro, NC native has helped coordinate 16 Bowl games, including the Rose Bowl twice, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl. Many of these experiences occurred before Daves reached his 30th birthday.
Daves attended his first CoSIDA workshop in St. Louis in 1984, his first year as a Notre Dame intern. He has attended a total of 16 workshops during his career. His CoSIDA involvement includes serving on the publications committee, which he chaired at one time, and the committee on committees. He has also been a panelist a number of times and coordinated the rookie session during several workshops. And, his publication and feature writing have been honored numerous times by CoSIDA.
“I love the profession and have been fortunate to enjoy so many wonderful experiences during my career,” Daves said shortly after being informed he would be getting his CoSIDA 25-Year Award.
“But, the highlight of my career was meeting my wife Patti, when she and a friend attended a Notre Dame home football game and managed their way up to the press box to say hello to a friend (Eddie White, who is now with the Pacers) who introduced us.”
Daves, a 1984 graduate of UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s in business administration, and Patti have a daughter, Tatum. The family resides in Louisa County near Charlottesville.