Pictured in photo: Appalachian Athletic Conference Commissioner John Sullivan (left) congratulates Matt Laws of Milligan (Tenn.) as the Willie Belcher AAC SID of the Year Award recipient.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - At its spring meeting of the Council of Athletics Administrator's held in Kingsport, Tenn., the Appalachian Athletic Conference awarded the Willie Belcher AAC Sports Information Director of the Year Award to
Matt Laws of Milligan.
This the second year of the award, and it's named in honor of longtime Virginia Intermont sports information director Willie Belcher. Belcher always exhibited a strong passion for her job and for the students and student-athletes that she came in contact with on a daily basis. She is strong in her faith and has and continues to be an influence to those around her. In 2010, she was diagnosed with liomyosarcoma and lost her battle to cancer in June of 2012.
"It's an absolute honor to be recognized by your peers, and it is even more of an honor to win an award named for Wille," said Laws. "She was a great mentor and friend when I first came to Milligan. I am extremely humbled to win this award."
The award is voted on by all of the sports information directors in the AAC.
Laws is in his third year at Milligan and has exhibited extraordinary service to the conference during his tenure. He has served as the tournament/championship media director for seven AAC championships which Milligan was the host institution. The events included women's golf twice, track & field twice, men's basketball once, and men's soccer twice. In addition, he has assisted with a number of neutral site conference tournaments such as baseball, softball and men's and women's basketball.
Laws is a member of NAIA-Sports Information Directors Association (NAIA-SIDA) and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and is member of the Branding Committee for the NAIA-SIDA.