College Sports Information Directors of America

Sports Information Director of the Year: Tommy Chasanoff, University of the Cumberlands

The  NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year is awarded annually to one SID based on accomplishments during the previous year in the areas of athletics communication, sports information, strategic communication and service to the NAIA.

The 2020 recipient of the NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year is Tommy Chasanoff from the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.). Chasanoff has led the communications and media efforts for the Patriot’s athletics department for the past four years. In that time, he has managed the communications of 28 varsity sports with both written and digital mediums, in addition to garnering both local and national publicity for his teams.

Chasanoff has invested heavily in the Cumberlands’ social media presence for its department and that investment has paid significant dividends. UC Athletics gained nearly 900 new Twitter followers, over 1,100 Instagram followers and just shy of 1,000 Facebook followers, all over the course of the year. Many of these wins are due to new and exciting social media campaigns he has implemented including the “Most Memorable Moment Challenge” on Twitter. Additionally, in perhaps the most challenging year in college sports history in terms of content in the spring semester, the communications veteran both developed the concept and implemented several campaigns after the halt of sports including “This Day in History” and “Senior Spotlights” in March and April.

In addition to his contributions to his institution, Chasanoff has made similar outstanding contributions to the NAIA through his work on the NAIA-Sports Information Directors Association Board of Directors (NAIA-SIDA). His work throughout his career has made Chasanoff one of the most well-respected athletics communications professionals in all of college athletics. He currently serves the board in an at-large position and is the liaison to the statistics committee, where he lobbies for improvements in all facets of statistics collection and submission on behalf of the association. Additionally, he also serves on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Health and Wellness Committee in addition to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

A two-time recipient of the Mid-South Conference Bill Sergent Sports Information Director of the Year award, Chasanoff was also honored on his campus for his work. In 2019, he was named the Staff Member of the Year by the Student Government Association.

University of the Cumberlands Provost, Dr. Emily Coleman stated: “Even with sports coming to a grinding halt in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Chasanoff found creative ways to highlight graduating student-athletes whom were not able to compete in their final season through the web production of the 2020 Pats Awards. With (his) demonstrated leadership and talent coordinating our sports information department, I am excited to see what the future will bring at UC.”

Clarence "Ike" Pearson SID Award: Cindy Potter, Columbia College  

Given annually to a member of the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association (NAIA-SIDA), the Clarence “Ike” Pearson Award honors outstanding contributions to the profession. The award is named in honor of the former statistical crew chief of the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in Kansas City, Mo.

The 2020 recipient of the Clarence “Ike” Pearson Award is Cindy Potter, whom has been at Columbia College since 2006, currently serving as the Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations and Compliance. Additionally, Potter served as the Co-Conference Sports Information Director of the American Midwest Conference with past Ike Pearson Award Recipient Steve Wilson from 2011 through 2015. She was also the Region V Sports Information Director from 2007 through 2008.

Potter is perhaps the most decorated Sports Information Director (SID) in the history of the NAIA. In June of 2021, she will become the first NAIA SID to become president of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). In addition to also serving as the NAIA-Sports Information Directors’ Association President previously, she is also a past winner of the CoSIDA Rising Star Award in 2008, awarded to the SID with 10 years or less of service that is making the greatest impact in his or her profession at a young age.

In addition to her longstanding tenure with Columbia College as an administrator, Potter was inducted into the Columbia College Hall of Fame for her work on the softball diamond while a student-athlete there.

Former Ike Pearson Award winner and current Kansas Wesleyan Director of Athletics Steve Wilson said of Potter, “No other communications professional, outside of those whom work at the national office, has ever given the NAIA such a strong, powerful voice at the national level in the College Sports Information Directors of America. Cindy is everything we, as either current or former NAIA administrators, should want in our national body. Honesty, integrity, character, and a big heart.”