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Joe Gorby – University of St. Francis (Ill.), Director of Athletic Communications

CoSIDA 25-Year Award

by Rob Bentley – Ferris State University Assistant AD/Communications

As a college student newspaper reporter at Central Michigan University many years ago, Joe Gorby was given some advice from a colleague on where to find statistical information for a story he was working on with the CM Life.

That advice, which directed him to a place he never knew existed before in the sports information office, helped lead him to a long and distinguished career as an SID in intercollegiate athletics.

Now celebrating 25 years in the profession and a recipient of a CoSIDA 2020 25-Year Award for his long-time service, Gorby credits that initial direction as a key to his interest in the athletics communications field.

“A co-worker sent me there and I became very interested in the field because of it,” he said. “I found variety and the ability to do many different things from statistics to photography and the production of game and program publications, different than the writing part I was doing with the student paper.”

The initial direction eventually led to an internship opportunity as a student at CMU under legendary sports information director Fred Stabley, Jr., who is one of several longtime SID’s that Gorby has been fortunate enough to call both mentors and friends.

“I really decided it was for me and enjoyed the experience,” he said. “Fred always called me Gorbachev and it’s kind of funny I still recall that nickname to this day. Eventually, we played Western Kentucky in basketball when I was at CMU and he helped me land a graduate assistant position under Paul Just when their opening arose.”
 

The ability to work under individuals such as Stabley and Just helped Gorby focus his journalism efforts in the sports communications field and led to a career path that continues to today. He currently serves as the Director of Athletics Communications at the University of St. Francis in Illinois.

Following his two years in the GA role at Western Kentucky, Gorby attended his first-ever CoSIDA convention in 1989 in Washington, D.C. where he interviewed for a position back in his home state at Michigan Tech University. Then Huskies’ SID Dave Fischer was looking for his first full-time assistant SID and eventually called him back a few weeks later to give him the job.

“I had never really been to that area of the Upper Peninsula and eventually spent five years up there and had some great experiences, such as when the women’s basketball team reached the NCAA Division II Final Four in the early 1990’s,” Gorby noted.

Fischer, who now serves as a the senior director of communications for USA Hockey following a long and distinguished tenure at Michigan Tech, recalls Gorby’s time in Houghton and treasures the relationship the two share.

“When you talk about salt of the earth people, Joe’s name rises to the top,” Fischer said. “I was extremely fortunate to have him as my first-ever assistant at Michigan Tech. Joe’s passion in promoting our athletes, staff, University and community was evident each and every day. Joe has positively impacted collegiate athletics for parts of the last four decades.”

While he enjoyed his five years at Michigan Tech, the opportunity to return closer to home in west Michigan arose at Ferris State University for the Sand Lake (Mich.) native, allowing him to be near his mother as she was battling breast cancer. in the fall of 1994, he was hired by former sports information director Ted Halm as the Bulldogs’ assistant SID.
 
“The timing was good to be back near home as my mother passed away in February of 1995,” Gorby said. “I was able to spend a lot of time with my father during that time and it helped both of us make it thru that tough period.”

Gorby’s father, Harold, became a regular figure around Bulldog athletics events, work alongside Joe keeping statistics for football, basketball and hockey in addition to other events. Eventually, Halm advanced within the university relations department as the news officer and later became the school’s webmaster, which allowed Gorby to be promoted and move into his first head SID role.

During his 15-year career at Ferris State (1995-2011), Gorby played an integral role in nominating and promoting hundreds of student-athletes for honors and awards and was instrumental in the school’s Hall of Fame development. He was tabbed as the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s (CCHA) SID of the Year in 2009, served on a number of professional committees and garnered numerous CoSIDA publications and writing awards.

“The relationships you are able to develop with fellow SID’s, coaches, student-athletes, fans and the community are really what keep you in this field,” Gorby said. “There’s nothing better than when a former athlete or a coach thanks you for everything you did for them.”

Gorby credits individuals such as Stabley, Just, Fischer and Halm with sparking his interest and development as an SID. He’s also quick to thank his assistants and individuals he’s worked under in such as Jerry Scott at Arkansas State, John Kean from Missouri S&T, Paul Smith at Arkansas Tech and his current St. Francis athletic director Dave Laketa (who is a former SID himself).

As Joe’s longest-tenured former assistant, I serve as the current Ferris State Assistant AD/SID, and I credit my own opportunities to my experience working under him. Now celebrating mys own 20^th year at FSU, I worked under Gorby for 11 years as the department’s assistant and associate SID before moving into his current role after his departure.

I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after leaving graduate school, but I really developed a strong passion and dedication for this field because of the work I saw Joe do. To this day, much of what I do and my own strong interest in doing all that I can do help promote and recognize our programs and our student-athletes is due to what I learned under him. I’m thankful he gave me an opportunity and am proud to continue to call him a good friend.


Among the strong relationships Gorby built over the course of his time at both Michigan Tech and Ferris State, were relationships with SIDs within the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. During his time in the league, Gorby worked closely with former GLIAC media relations director Jeff Ligney, who was recently appointed as the commissioner for the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) following three years as commissioner of the Capital Athletics Conference.

“Joe Gorby is the consummate professional,” Ligney said. “But more than that, Joe is the consummate colleague, mentor and friend to many of us in college athletics. I first met Joe as a young professional in this business and he was never shy about giving praise, advice or a helping hand. Sometimes he offered an ear to listen to my complaints. Sometimes a gentle nudge when I wasn’t sure what to do next. Whatever I needed, Joe was always there, as he was for many of us.”

After Ferris State, Gorby expanded his work in the sports information field by serving for two-plus years as an assistant SID at NCAA Division I Arkansas State; learned more about video editing and filming at Arkansas Tech; and spent time at Lake Superior State and Missouri S&T before moving into his current role at St. Francis.

“The profession has certainly changed a lot since I started,” Gorby said. “When I first began in the field, there was no internet or social media and we kept stats by hand. There were no digital cameras and we still loaded film. Eventually, the fax machine came along. It’s developed to the point where it’s now a 24-7 job and there’s always something to do.

“Back in my early days, you used to get a break for the summer and recharge the batteries, which doesn’t happen often anymore,” he added. “Thankfully, some tasks have improved and made things easier such as statistics programs, but some have created additional things to do.”

Gorby notes his many memorable moments working in collegiate athletics and many great teams he’s had a chance to work with along the way. He played a role helping host a tournament early on during his time at Western Kentucky that included Tennessee and legendary head coach Pat Summit. Later, he worked with Ferris State’s championship football teams of the 1990’s and the record-setting 2002-03 men’s ice hockey team, led by eventual four-time Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Chris Kunitz.

Also memorable, but for a different reason, are a few times in which he was left on a road trip as a young SID.

“Before cell phones and email came along, we used to have to make calls to the media from the game site. While at WKU, I was stranded after a game at Vanderbilt many years back,” he said. “Eventually, our coaches figured out I was left and returned to Nashville to get me after I stayed with (the late and) former CoSIDA President June Stewart of Vanderbilt for a few hours.

“Later, at Michigan Tech, I missed the bus after a practice when I was talking to their SID and another time at Wisconsin-Parkside in the days when Dave Fischer had me record voiceovers after a game, but thankfully I always made it back and those times bring a good laugh now,” Gorby noted.

Those memories and relationships continue now, thanks in part to the day he was referred to the sports information office many years ago as a Central Michigan student - along with answered prayers. 

“I really thank God for keeping me alive and helping me work this long in the field,” he said. “When I was young, I fell in our barn and it’s something that could have caused serious injuries or worse, but thankfully didn’t impact me down the road. He was there for me then and still now.

“Today, I appreciate all those that have helped me along the way,” Gorby concluded. “Most people in collegiate athletics have been understanding of what we do and the long hours we put into this. As an SID, we’re not in it for the money, but more so to serve others and that’s what I’ve tried to do along the way.”

For 25 years Gorby has done just that.

“Joe is simply one of the best colleagues I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” added Ligney.