Updated June 20, 2015
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HERE.
The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) have chosen a new set of officers and Board of Director members to serve the professional athletic communications asssociation for the 2015-16 academic year and beyond.
Judy Willson, Associate Director of Communications at the Mountain West Conference (Colorado Springs, Colo.), will serve as the 60th President of CoSIDA for a one-year term in 2015-16. Willson is in her sixth year at the Mountain West Conference and assists with the overall MWC communications efforts while serving as primary media contact for women's basketball, baseball, women's volleyball and women's swimming & diving.
Willson succeeds Eric McDowell, Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Information at Union College (N.Y.), who led CoSIDA as 2014-15 president. Willson was CoSIDA's first vice president during 2014-15. McDowell will serve a year as the organization's past president as he rounds out his work on the Board in 2015-16.
The passing of the gavel and the announcement of the new officers and Board members took place in
conjunction with the annual CoSIDA Convention (June 14-17) at the Marriott World Center in Orlando.
Also elected to serve the 3,100-member CoSIDA organization for the 2015-16 term and in the presidential rotation are 1st vice president
Andy Seeley, UCF Assistant Athletic Director for Communications; 2nd vice president
Rob Carolla, Big 12 Conference Director of Communications; and 3rd vice president
Rob Knox, Coppin State University Director of Sports Information. Jeff Hodges (North Alabama Assistant Director/Communications) continues as secretary of the organization and rounds out the officers.
“I am humbled and thankful for the opportunity provided to me by the CoSIDA membership to serve as the 2015-16 president," stated Willson. "It is an honor to represent our dedicated professionals who have a passion for communicating the story of intercollegiate athletics. The 2015-16 board of directors is looking forward to a great year as we continue to move forward as an organization.”
In addition to the officers, the following were elected in June to serve terms of three years on the CoSIDA Board of Directors. Representing the university (Division I) division as at-large representatives are
Bill Dyer, Virginia Tech Strategic Communications Associate Director and
Diane Nordstrom, University of Wisconsin Associate Director of Athletic Communications. Elected as at-large college division representatives are
Sam Atkinson, Gallaudet University Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and
Tyler Cundith, Johnson Community College Director of Sports Information. All these terms run through 2018.
The slate of 2015-16 candidates were nominated by the membership during the spring semester and were selected by the CoSIDA Nominating Committee, comprised of the organization's past presidents and out-going Board of Director members. That Committee was chaired by
Shelly Poe, Auburn University Assistant Athletics Director/Communications, who served as CoSIDA's past president during 2014-15.
Those currently serving on the Board of Directors are: at-large representatives
Chevonne Mansfield (American Athletic Conference Director of Communications) and
Chris Masters (Notre Dame Associate Media Relations Director) along with College Division representatives
Steve Flegel (Whitworth University Assistant Athletics Director-Sports Information), West Region;
Aaron Sagraves (Cornerstone University Assistant Athletics Director for Communications), Central Region;
Ira Thor (New Jersey City University Director of Sports Information), East Region; and
Dave Walters (Guilford College Assistant Athletics Director/Sports Information Director), South Region.
The terms of Mansfield, Masters and Flegel run through June 2016, while the others have terms running through June 2017.
Ex-Officio members are CoSIDA
Executive Director Doug Vance,
Director of External Affairs Barb Kowal,
Director of Internal Affairs/Treasurer Will Roleson and
Director of Membership Engagement Laurie Bollig.
More on 2015-16 CoSIDA President Judy Willson
Judy Willson presently serves as Associate Director, Communications for the Mountain West
Conference, which is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Joining the MWC staff in September 2010, she is in her sixth year at the conference office and assists with the overall communications efforts while serving as primary media contact for women's basketball, baseball, women's volleyball and women's swimming & diving.
See her full Mountain West Conference bio HERE.
Previously, Willson served three years as the assistant director of athletic media relations at the University of New Mexico. Other Division I experience includes work in athletic communications at at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the Sun Belt Conference and the University of Denver. She spent 10 years working in the Division II ranks, starting communications offic
es at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and Eastern New Mexico University.
Among her numerous NCAA championship hosting experiences, she recently served as the local host media coordinator for the 2012 NCAA Women's Final Four (at the Pepsi Center in Denver) and the 2009 NCAA Women's Basketball First and Second Rounds (Albuquerque).
Willson was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Board of Directors in 2008 and served as the organization's President in 2013-14.