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
B.L. Efring (Southern Maine) a CoSIDA 25-Year Award recipient
by Sheila Stevenson, Rowan University SID
In August 1995, B.L. Elfring returned to his home state when he accepted the position of sports information director at the University of Southern Maine after spending 15 years at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Elfring started his sports information career as a work-study student at his alma mater, the University of Maine, in 1978 under the able hand and watchful eye of his mentor, Bob Creteau.
This summer, Elfring will receive his 25-Year Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) during CoSIDA's national convention. There are 13 individuals receiving the 25-year honor on Sunday, June 24 in St. Louis, MO.
Since he has been at Southern Maine, Elfring has been promoted twice and currently his title is assistant director of athletics for NCAA compliance and athletic media relations. He is responsible for the public relations and eligibility for 22 athletic teams.
“B.L. is in a special category of professionals that has limited membership,” stated University of Southern Maine athletic director Al Bean. “He displays a commitment, dedication and work ethic that is second to none and continues to amaze me some 17 years after he first joined our staff. B.L. is the consummate professional, always prepared, on top of his game and committed to advancing the profession and supporting his colleagues in the trenches.
“He is a solid, well-grounded, man of strong principles and ethics, and deeply respected by his peers, colleagues, and student-athletes,” continued Bean. “B.L. is one of the finest and most capable professionals I have ever had the pleasure of working with in my 29 years in collegiate athletics. We are fortunate to have a man of his experience, skill and dedication as a part of our administrative staff at the University of Southern Maine.”
Prior, Elfring had been the sports information director at the University of Massachusetts Lowell for 13 years (1982-1995). He also served as the sports information intern for two years before taking over the head job. In addition, Elfring worked at the University of Maine as a radio production aid/sports information assistant for a year after his graduation from UM in 1979.
Elfring is highly regarded by the sports information directors in his conference.
“B.L. has been a leader in our profession for several decades, first at UMass Lowell and now at the University of Southern Maine,” said Plymouth State University sports information director Kent Cherrington. “He has been the ultimate sports information professional. I always love when our teams play against Southern Maine, because if I'm at the game or the tournament I know I will get top-notch treatment, and if not, I know I can count on receiving everything in a timely and efficient manner. He is a wonderful friend and colleague and is a true credit to our profession."
Elfring has been in the business so long that students who are now sports information directors have the utmost respect for him.
“I have known B.L. since I was a student at Southern Connecticut State University in 1986 and he was the SID at the University of Lowell,” commented Western Connecticut State associate athletic director Scott Ames. “He was very helpful back then when I was visiting as a student worker for the legendary Rick Leddy. Twenty-five years later, he remains one of the first people I call when I need advice. Both he and I are now colleagues in the Little East Conference and we have compliance duties to go along with our SID responsibilities. He is great to get the correct interpretation from and I am proud to call him friend.”
Along with CoSIDA, Elfring is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Sports Information Directors Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He oversees the NCBWA Region I Player and Pitcher of the Year Selection Committee. Elfring also coordinates the New England Division II and III Football Records. He has been the coordinator for the New England Division II and III hockey records (1981-1983) and the ECAC Division II Baseball All-Stars (1988-95). He was a member of the CoSIDA Legislative Liaison Committee from 1989-92.
Elfring has hosted numerous NCAA Regional and National Championship Tournaments and five ECAC Championship Tournaments. He has received numerous CoSIDA Publication Awards for his men and women’s basketball brochures. Elfring was the recipient of the 2002 ECAC Irving T. Marsh Award for outstanding contributions to the sports communications field and received the 2001 University of Southern Maine Professional Staff Award.
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
Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
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