Note: This is the 23rd article in the CoSIDA Special Awards feature series which is highlighting all 2013 Special Award recipients. All recipients will be honored at the
CoSIDA Convention (June 12-15) in conjunction with the NACDA and Affiliates Convention at Orlando's Marriott World Center.
See the full list of recipients and features schedule.
by Ed Hill, Howard University
CoSIDA Board of Directors
Ray Simmons has been named a recipient of the College Sports Information Directors of America 25-Year Award. Simmons will be recognized for his quarter century of service in the profession at the CoSIDA Convention in Orlando, FL on Friday, June 14 at a 12 noon Special Awards luncheon.
Simmons was named the University of Southern Indiana Director of Sports Information in August of 1989. He has worked in the sports information field for more than 25 years. Simmons is the media liaison for the USI Department of Athletics and the primary media contact for the men’s and women’s soccer and tennis, men’s basketball team, men’s golf, and baseball programs.
During his tenure at USI, Simmons has helped promote and publicize four NCAA Division II national players of the year, more than 40 All-Americans, and 12 Academic All-Americans. He also has helped to publicize the USI’s team successes such as the USI men’s basketball 1995 national championship; baseball 2010 national championship; the 1994 and 2004 men’s basketball national finalist teams; the 1997 women’s basketball national finalist team; and the 2007 baseball run to the national championship series.
Simmons was the host site media coordinator when USI and the City of Evansville hosted the 2002 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight and the 2004 and 2009 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country National Championships. He also was the media liaison to CBS Sports for the national championship events.
Outside of his University duties, the tireless Simmons has assisted with media relations as a press officer at the 1994 and 1995 United States Olympic Festivals and a sports information coordinator at the 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship Elite Eight tournaments.
“”Ray has been my boss since 2000,” says Dan McDonnell, assistant SID at USI. “I came to USI as an intern and he has been an unbelievable supervisor and teacher. He has been a very good role model for me as well as several students who have gone on to have successes in their careers. Our success is in large part because of his leadership.”
The native of Litchfield, Illinois, came to USI after a year as the assistant sports information director at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, where he worked with Division I men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, volleyball, and baseball.
Simmons started building his sports information background while earning his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He was a student assistant for three years and was recognized by the NCAA for outstanding contributions to the success of the 1986 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.
Prior to graduation, Simmons did his under-graduate internship at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. He worked in the area of media and public relations for ESPN, dealing with Chris Berman and Dick Vitale on fan mail and announcer broadcast appearances.
A member of CoSIDA, Simmons is a representative on the D-II SIDA Board of Directors. He was the chair of the CoSIDA NCAA Legislation Liaison Committee for five years (2001-05) prior to a tenure on the Charity Committee. Simmons was also elected to the USI Administrative Senate in 2011.
Simmons and his wife, Vicki, reside in Evansville.