Below, see the schedule of the 2012 Special Award recipient feature stories which will be written by CoSIDA members throughout the spring. The full slate of 2012 Special Awards was announced March 2. All awards will be presented during the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis (June 23-26).
• Individual feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
• CoSIDA St. Louis Convention awards presentation schedule
Syracuse University's Sue Edson to join CoSIDA Hall of Fame
by Larry Dougherty, Temple University Senior Associate AD/Communications
2010-11 CoSIDA Past President
Sue Edson, who is in her 22nd year in the athletic communications office at Syracuse University serving the last six as an assistant director of athletics, will be inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame as part of its 2012 Class on June 25 at an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the organization’s annual convention.
"We congratulate Sue on this fine achievement. It is nice that her peers have recognized her service to the sports industry. We send our hearty congratulations," commented Syracuse University Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross.
“To have my name linked with the public relations professionals who are in the CoSIDA Hall of Fame is special,” said Edson, who joins Larry Kimball (1994) as the only Syracuse SIDs to earn the honor. “The rewards for working with student-athletes, coaches and administrators to promote the accomplishments of our program and serving as a mentor for the student assistants who work in our office are many, and the opportunity to do this at my alma mater is exceptional. I am thrilled to share this honor with my family, including Rob, Thomas and Tracey, our families and friends, and my mentors, who have been my backbone in this journey.”
One of the top athletic communications professionals at the collegiate level, Edson is responsible for the athletic communications operation, which disseminates information for all varsity sports to appropriate organizations, manages the department website, SUAthletics.com, and acts as a liaison between the media and the SU coaching staffs and student-athletes, in addition to participating in department initiatives and administrative responsibilities.
“When I think of Sue, the first thing that comes to mind is that she loves Syracuse University,” said John Paquette, BIG EAST associate commissioner and current CoSIDA Board member. “Sue is a very effective communications professional on every level. She is cooperative, friendly and cares deeply about her staff. Sue also cares about our profession. She has been very involved in FAME and works diligently to help young people in their pursuit of careers in athletic communications. When Syracuse hosts an NCAA Championship, all of her people come back to work for her. That is special.”
It is not the first honor for Edson, who began her career at SU in 1990 as an assistant sports information director before became the director of athletic communications in 1997. In June 2006 she received the Eastern College Athletic Conference-Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA) Irving T. Marsh Award for excellence in the field of sports information and in 2007 she was recognized with the ‘40 Under 40’ honor for her significant contributions in the workplace and in the community.
Edson has also won multiple CoSIDA publications awards, including “Best in the Nation” awards for her 1994 men’s lacrosse media and 1993-94 crew and rowing guides. In addition, the 1994-95 men’s basketball guide was voted fifth in the nation and the 1997-98 guide finished seventh nationally.
Edson has served as the media coordinator for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament events held in Syracuse, including the 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2010 East Regional Championships.
“I remember walking into the media room at the 2002 NCAA Regional and being greeted by Sue, who always, I mean always, had the most genuine uplifting smile,” said Lenn Robbins, New York Post columnist and 2011-12 FWAA President. “She also looked like she was ready to give birth to her second child. I asked what in the world was she doing (here). And she told me she was doing what she loves.
There are a lot of really talented and dedicated people in this business. And there are a lot of really wonderful and warm people. And then there are people like Sue who are talented and dedicated and wonderful and warm. She is a Hall of Fame pro and a Hall of Fame person. I'm lucky to work with her.”
A person who has given back to the profession, she served on the ECAC-SIDA Board of Directors for eight years, including as president in 2002-03. Edson also was a member of The BIG EAST Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Committee for two years.
An educator as well, Edson teaches a sports public relations class as an adjunct professor in the Newhouse School, a post she has held since 1994. In 1995, she served as a trainer for the University’s improving quality course, SUIQ. In 1996-97, Edson was a leader for a Junior Girl Scout troop in Syracuse.
A 1990 Syracuse graduate with a dual degree in broadcast journalism from the Newhouse School and policy studies from the Maxwell School. Edson served stints as editor-in-chief, assistant sports editor and chair of the board of directors of SU’s award-winning student newspaper, The Daily Orange.
An active member of the Jamesville, NY community where she resides with her husband, Rob, and two children, Thomas and Tracey, she is a member of the Jamesville Elementary School Parent Teacher Group, a board member for the Dimples Awareness Foundation (which aims to help bring awareness to dimpling as a sign of breast cancer), and also serves as a division coordinator and coach for the Jamesville-DeWitt youth basketball and softball organizations.
Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
General 2012 Special Awards release
March
Mon., 5: Kim Wenger (Centennial Conference): Rising Star Award (College Division) – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed, 7: Malcolm Moran: Jake Wade Award: by Joe Hornstein, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
Fri., 9: Maurice Williams (Hampton University): Rising Star Award (University Division) – by Ed Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
Mon. 12: Bernie Cafarelli (Notre Dame): 25-Year Award - by Debbie White (Old Dominion)
Wed. 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Fri. 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Mon. 19: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed. 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award - by Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID
Fri. 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award - by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto SID
Mon. 26: John Lewandowki (Michigan State): 25-Year Award - by Jamie Weir-Baldwin (Michigan State)
Wed. 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Tim Peterman (UW-Eau Claire)
April
Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Dan Drutz (Saint Peter's College)
Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award - by Dan O'Connell (Towson University)
Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award - by Sheila Stevenson (Rowan University)
Mon., 9: Lawrence Fan (San Jose State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame and Arch Ward Award - by Jack Neumann (University of Calgary)
Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Larry Dougherty (Temple University)
Fri., 13: Mark Bankert (Malone University): 25-Year Award
Mon., 16: Joe Dier (Mississippi State): 25-Year Award
Wed., 18: Rich Herman (Clarion): Bob Kenworthy Award
Fri., 20: Shirley Jones Hill (Southern Mississippi): 25-Year Award
Mon., 23: Shelly Poe (Ohio State): Trailblazer Award
Wed., 25: Michael MacEachern (Young Harris College): 25-Year Award
Fri. 27: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award
Mon., 30: Bob Noss (Wright State): 25-Year Award
May
Wed., 2: Wallace Dooley (formerly of Tennessee State): Lifetime Achievement Award
Fri., 4: Jeff Nelson (Penn State): Bill Esposito Award
Mon., 7: Bill Turnage (Florida Southern): Lifetime Achievement Award
Wed., 9: Herb Vincent (LSU): 25-Year Award
Fri., 11: Mike Mahon (formerly of Drake & South Dakota): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 14: Bill Wagner (DePauw): 25-Year Award
Wed., 16: Fred Huff (formerly of Southern Illinois-Carbondale): CoSIDA Hall of Fame [Veteran Award Committee recipient]
Fri., 18: Phil Haddy (University of Iowa): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 21: Dave Geringer (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth): 25-Year Award
Wed., 23: Charles "Chuck" Prophet (deceased; formerly of Mississippi Valley State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 25: Robert Wilson (Florida State): 25-Year Award
Awards to be presented during CoSIDA St. Louis Convention, St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, June 24: Kickoff Luncheon
Awards presented: 25-Year Awards; Trailblazer, Kenworthy Community Service, Rising Star (University and College Divisions), Keith Jackson honors
Monday, June 25: (two award presentations)
CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Esposito, Lifetime Achievement, CoSIDA Hall of Fame awards
Capital One Special Awards Gala (dinner/ceremony)
Awards presented: Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Jake Wade, Lester Jordan, Enberg awards; Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame induction