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Sean Straziscar (NCAA) – 25-Year Award
by Bonnie Johnson, Associate Director, NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics, Championships External Operations
Straziscar with his children Trae, Tatum and Tari
From the craziness of his very first interaction with the NCAA statistics staff to his current position as the senior member of a veteran group of dedicated individuals,
Sean Straziscar has seen it all in his nearly 30 years with the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics department.
It was October 1989 when he interviewed for an opening in the department. The interview went great, so great that both the stats staff and Sean lost track of time. With the Kansas City airport nearly an hour away, it meant breaking most rules of the road, both in Kansas and Missouri, to allow Sean to … just barely … make his return flight to Colorado.
While the initial job interview and trip to the airport resembled Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Straziscar’s ability to serve as a calming influence and voice of reason since then, means the staff never has experienced the statistical version of Space Mountain.
“Since the beginning, Sean has been able to bring out the best in the staff,” said Jim Wright, who hired Straziscar and spent nearly 25 of Wright’s 38 years at the NCAA working together. “His willingness to listen without judgment, with issues in and out the office, has created an atmosphere that has built the most stable staff in the national office.”
Once part of the statistics department, Straziscar, now an Associate Director of the Media Coordination & Statistics staff, settled in and began making his mark quickly. He worked with fellow staffer John Painter (whose NCAA career had started one month earlier), creating the initial NCAA baseball records book. They spent countless hours digging through files, contacting SIDs, poring over media guides and compiling all-time lists that help schools and media better cover the sport to this day.
“We really loved our work, and Sean was an absolute machine punching out statistical data,” said Painter, now director of athletic communications at Colgate. “We squeezed as many cool projects — and laughs — as we could into those workdays. One of the reasons I have so many fond memories of my time at the NCAA is because Sean was my partner in success.”
To those he works with, “Straz” brings a fair, patient, supportive and experienced voice to the table. Laid-back and easy-going, he is rarely frustrated and ready to assist however he can.
“As the veteran of the media coordination and statistics team, Sean is a highly respected employee who is always on task, always willing to lend his perspective and constantly thinks creatively how we can improve the manner in which we do our work,” said David Worlock, Director of the Media Coordination and Statistics department. “Sean’s love and passion for what he does has a positive impact on everyone on the entire team, and that carries over to our membership.”
This all translates into someone who encourages questions and suggestions while reminding SIDs to reach out to the stats department if there’s a way the staff can assist.
“We really do listen to our membership,” Straziscar said. “Our goal is to help them any way we can. Most of our statistical policies come from problems or ideas that the member schools have sent our way. Now there are some that are legislated or mandated, but for the most part our policies are built from feedback we receive on a daily basis.”
Now, nearly three decades and many sports seasons (close to 90!) after joining the NCAA, he’s compiled statistics for a variety of sports in all three divisions and has worked with media coordination at the (Division I) College World Series (nine years), and served as the media coordinator at the Elite Eight (10 years) and the former I-AA (now FCS) football championship (three years). While his experience has been wide-ranging, he’s refined his daily work the past decade or so to align with Division III.
“In a career with many accomplishments, I think Sean’s most proud achievement is his dedication to and love of Division III,” Wright said. “The statistics staff always has tried to provide essential data for all sports in all divisions, but Sean took an early interest in DIII and made sure any innovations in the statistics and records world included equal attention to D-III. His relationship with Division III SIDs provides a continual conduit to the statistics staff.”
Straziscar works to ensure that those teams and student-athletes who often don’t dominate the headlines are never overlooked.
“Division III basketball was the sport I cut my teeth on when I arrived in November of 1989,” Straziscar said. “I quickly made some good working relationships within the division. I’ve worked a lot of other sports and championships within Divisions I and II and have had the opportunity to switch out of Division III football, basketball and baseball, but working with that division just feels right. I’ve built a good rapport with Division III and take pride in making sure that it isn’t treated any differently than any other division within our operation.
“My greatest enjoyment really is working with our membership and helping them make their jobs easier or successful,” he said. “I didn’t know that I was a service-oriented person until I started working here. Now, I wouldn’t view myself any other way.”
This quiet professional prefers to stay out of the limelight (and no doubt is a little embarrassed by this honor). On many occasions he has been the driving force behind many of the statistics staff most significant efforts, while never seeking any credit.
Simply put, Sean Straziscar is the consummate team player.