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This story is part of our November 2021 CoSIDA 360 package, to view more stories, click here.

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Loot At This Lineup: CoSIDA members who were former varsity athletes

Stories, thoughts and lessons learned, through their college competition days, that athletic communicators carry with them today. 

by Barb Kowal – CoSIDA Director of External Affairs & Professional Development  @austinbarb

We know the athletic communications role is a behind-the-scenes position, yet there is a significant number of CoSIDA members who had the public spotlight on them during their undergraduate years as they participated as collegiate varsity student-athletes.
 
Here’s a look at some of them who competed in a variety of sports.
 
Softball, soccer, basketball and cross country/track and field appear to be the most popular undergraduate sports teams of choice for our members.
 
In our CoSIDA member mix, we’ve got some SIDs who competed professionally and internationally (here’s looking at you, Kadija [Fornah] Dickens and Tommy Chasanoff).
 

 
We have an inductee into her college’s Athletic Hall of Fame — Cindy Potter, our current CoSIDA President, who starred in softball at Columbia College where she currently serves as Senior Deputy AD. Oh, by the way, Potter played three sports in college, too, adding basketball and volleyball to her year-round play, and served as interim SID for a time as an undergraduate, too!
 
Showing lots of promise and leadership, many current SIDs earned national, regional and conference honors, both athletically and academically. There are many team captains and SAAC representatives sitting in athletic communications chairs. Many CoSIDA members received university and department Athlete of the Year honors, too. And, no surprise, many also worked in their sports information offices while holding down school duties and team commitments.
 
At least two of our current members were selected CoSIDA Academic All-America® and Academic All-District honorees (shoutouts to the Academic All-America in the bunch, Michigan’s Sarah VanMetre who was a standout basketball scholar-athlete at Eastern Michigan and a 2007 CoSIDA FIrst Team AAA honoree, and to Sierra Smith, a CoSIDA Academic All-District softball star at her alma mater Grand Canyon where she now works).

"I am not exaggerating when I say that being named a CoSIDA Academic All-American is the accomplishment I am most proud of in my life," stated VanMetre, earning First Team Academic All-America honor as a senior journalism major with a 3.90 GPA as she became the first Eastern Michigan women's basketball player to achieve an AAA honor. "I have my plaque displayed at home and it brings a smile to my face when I happen to glance over at it.

"This program is so important and helps highlight so many deserving student-athletes because this is more than just what happens during competitions. When I nominate my student-athletes and then when I am voting, I sometimes find myself wondering how I was fortunate enough to earn this honor."
 
Potter is not the only three-sport standout among athletic communicators as Kristen Keller, the new Loyola University Chicago Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, had her name, stats and performances listed on three rosters at Felician as she competed in bowling, track and field squad and volleyball.

 
We see numerous two-sport athletes in the athletic communications ranks as well.
 
Undergraduate overachievers, indeed, the lot of them.
 
We spoke to several student-athletes turned CoSIDA members about their college athletic playing careers, asking:
 
What are some of their top takeaways from their collegiate playing days? Can they point to valuable soft or hard skills they now have that were enhanced or developed by being student-athletes? How about their relationships with student-athletes and coaches; do they feel more empathic, more connected to them because of their shared backgrounds?  
 
Here’s a sampling of answers and thoughts.
 
“Making real adult-like connections with my coaches and administrators and learning how to do a lot of self-reflecting, especially when things didn’t go as planned personally or for the team, are some of my biggest takeaways from competing at Wake which help me today,” noted Augusta University Director of Sports Information Kadija (Fornah) Dickens, former Wake Forest volleyball standout who also competed professionally after graduation. “It’s those times of learning how to help build a team culture and emerge as a leader that have helped me the most.”

 

 
Angelina Staumont, who served as Boila SID through October, competed in track and field and basketball as a La Verne undergraduate. She noted “During my time at La Verne, I had incredible mentors in the form of administrators, athletic trainers, and other students who helped me really get to know who I am as a person, as a leader. And I was able to identify my "why" for working in collegiate athletics.”
 
With the explosion of technology, video and social media, and Name, Image and Likeness, SIDs acknowledged that those things create a different environment for student-athletes now than when they were college student-athletes. When asked what they see in today’s student-athletes that hasn’t changed since their days of competing, the responses were summed up by Liberty University assistant athletic communications director Joe Carmany.
 
“It also helps to know some of what athletes are thinking after a competition, so I can talk them through preparation for postgame interviews. I know the feeling of winning and losing, of achieving my goals and falling short,” noted Carmany, a NAIA championship top 10 finisher in racewalking at Malone University.
 
“The need for community within the teams hasn’t changed since I was an athlete. You spend so much time with your teammates, that you form a bond that can sometimes last for a lifetime. I still see a drive for excellence in student-athletes that is hard to find in other walks of life,” Carmany continued, also saying his Liberty athletes always want to see a demonstration of his racewalk ability which has led to some fun scenes at airports, in New York City and at arenas and stadiums.
 
When asked if current student-athletes know their SIDs were student-athletes and if that helps their relationship with them, Loyola University Chicago assistant SID Kristen Keller noted “My student workers know, and it helps because they understand that I want what’s best for them. Most of the time, if I start a new initiative on social media or a new feature series on the website, I think about whether I would have wanted something like that.
 
“Some ask me how I managed to balance preparing for a career while still devoting time to sports and I feel like I can help with that,” continued Keller, who competed as a three-sport athlete in volleyball, bowling and track and field at Felician.
 
“It’s a grind that not many people understand, and I feel like this experience helps me gain the trust of student athletes as I tell their stories relating to these topics.”
 
“As I watch our student-athletes, I am thrilled to see them compete passionately in their sports, but also strive to take advantage of every opportunity in front of them as they figure out their path in life,” said North Coast Athletic Conference Executive Director Keri Alexander Luchowski, a long-time SID and current CoSIDA member who competed in soccer at Wheeling University (then Wheeling Jesuit).
 
“The sheer joy of competing, the unbreakable bonds with their teammates, the curiosity about the world and the desire to make a difference are all the same in today's student-athletes; playing a small part in providing these opportunities is why I am privileged to serve our community.”

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SIDEBAR: In addition to the standard answers of "teamwork" and "time management," what are a few traits or lessons you've carried from your college student-athlete/competition days into your worklife or personal life now?
 
“A few traits or lessons that I’ve carried with me from my college student-athlete days life now are the importance of building and cultivating relationships, attention to detail and the importance of communication and learning how to communicate effectively. I would say one of the best lessons I’ve every day isn’t going to be your best and mistakes happen. Life moves on and sometimes things don’t always go your way no matter how prepared you are.”

• Marissa Avanzato, Texas A&M Communications Coordinator who competed in softball for Worcester (Ma.) State

 
“Two lessons stick out to me. The first is that you have to commit and choose what your priorities are going to be. When I was a student, I wanted to do everything and be involved with everything. In the end, my running career took a back seat to opportunities to perform in music, be the play-by-play announcer for Pacific’s men’s basketball team and to focus on journalism on campus. I can’t say I would have made same choices if I had made them now, but I learned that you have to balance life and, sometimes, you have to let certain things go.
 
The other lesson, and this one carried over from high school, is that if you want to be the best at something you have to work hard at it. Nothing comes free if you want to be the best.” 

• Blake Timm, GNAC Assistant Commissioner who competed in track & field at Pacific (Ore.)

 “One thing  I learned from being a student-athlete is finding the right fit for you and having fun with what you are doing. If you aren't enjoying it, what's the point? I love feeling like I am part of a family, part of a team, part of these amazing programs and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I also am a big believer in hard work and that you aren't going to outwork me - one of my big lessons from competing. Someone else might beat me but it's not going to be because I didn't prepare or didn't put in the work. When I was hired as an intern at Michigan during the 2009-10 academic year, I took that approach here. I wanted to be hired full-time, even though there wasn't a position. I wanted to show that with how hard I worked, they would HAVE to hire me. That might have been a little naive of me but it ended up working out, and I am still here to this day."

• Sarah VanMetre of Michigan, who was a record-setting basketball standout and CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree at Eastern Michigan

“One of the biggest lessons I learned from being a student-athlete is having to adapt. The situation is never the same during any match, whether I was on the volleyball court, in the bowling alley, or in the circle. The same goes for being an SID. One day, the live stream works perfectly and the live stats have no issues, and the next, nothing works. Those same skills of figuring out how to get out of a sticky situation during a game translate into this field as well.”

• Kristen Keller of Loyola University Chicago, who was a three-sport standout at Felician College  

 
“I would say that my competitive drive from racing has now shifted into the realm of research, as I try to find nuggets for game notes that people might not think to look up beforehand. One thing that I was known for in college racewalking was my ability to keep a steady pace, clicking off repeats at almost the exact same pace during the race. That is a rhythm I try to keep in my current job, following the old adage from John Wooden: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” 

In racewalking, it is easy to go out too fast, but if you do, you will pay for it later in the race. Early in my SID career, I would work so many hours that I would get burnt out. In the last several years, I have tried to take a little time for myself. That is another thing that I learned from track & field, is that overwork can lead to injury and burnout, so built in times and days of rest are a must.”

• Joe Carmany of Liberty University who was a multiple NAIA national championship top-10 finisher in racewalking as an undergraduate at Malone

“What I’ve taken away from being a student-athlete are the appreciation for hard work and commitment. As a student-athlete, I went through back-to-back ACL tears on both my knees during my four years playing soccer. During that time it taught me patience – to get back and do what I loved - and what it actually means to be a team player on the sidelines. The rehabilitation process taught me commitment as well.”

• Nicole Remdios of Illinois Wesleyan, former All-Region soccer standout at Eastern Michigan

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THE LINEUP: CoSIDA members who competed as collegiate student-athletes

The following list is a snapshot of numerous CoSIDA athletic communicators who were varsity student-athletes during their undergraduate careers. Read more about their time as student-athletes and the honors many received as they have all now shifted and turned their attentions to promoting and publicizing the achievements of their student-athletes today.
 

Update (Nov. 11, 2021): Mansfield SID Owen Lutes '18 Selected to USA Softball Men’s Fast Pitch National Team

Kaho Akau – Linfield University Assistant Sports Information Director
A 2019 Linfield graduate, the native of Honolulu, Hawaii competed in baseball for two seasons for the Wildcats.
 
Sydney Anderson – Shenandoah Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Now back at her alma mater, Anderson starred for the Shenandoah women's lacrosse team from 2010-13 and earned All-League honors. She finished with 57 goals and 43 assists (100 career points) and earned the female Athletic Director's Award winner in 2013, the highest award given to a student-athlete as it encompassed athletics, academics and community service.
 
Denise Archetto – UNC Greensboro Assistant Director of Strategic Communications
From 2011-15, she played softball at Lasell College (now University) for all four years and was co-captain as a senior.
 
Marissa Avanzato – Texas A&M University Athletic Communications Coordinator
Played softball at Worcester State University in Massachusetts for three years (2013-16) where she helped lead her team earn the 2016 Division III MASCAC Championship. She also was a three-time conference All-Academic team selection.
 
Dejon Bennett-Monroe – Marywood University (Pa.) Assistant Coordinator of Sports Communications, Marketing/Promotions and Game Management; Assistant Men's & Women's Track & Field Coach
Competed for Marywood as a five-year student-athlete in track and field, cross country and rugby from 2014-19.
 
Sarah (Cote) Boissonneault – University of Hartford Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Communications
A four-year basketball standout at Elmira College (2002-06), she was an All-Empire 8 Conference honorees as a senior when she also was named Elmira College’s Female Athlete of the Year. Additionally, Boissonneault served in the sports information office as a student assistant during that time – as her basketball head coach was also the head SID.
 
 
Russ Blunck – University of Hawai'i at Hilo Assistant AD for Marketing and Communication (recently retired in October 2021)
Blunck, a CoSIDA 25-Year Award honoree who just retired, played both football and baseball at Pacific University (Ore.) between 1978-81. He also served as the student SID as an undergraduate. Blunck played quarterback his first two years then moved to wide receiver where he earned NAIA All-District and All-Northwest Conference honors. 
 
Joe Carmany – Liberty University Assistant Athletics Communications Director
Carmany was a “walk-on” NAIA national-qualifying racewalker at Malone University (Canton, Ohio) as a junior and senior in 2006 and 2007 – after spending his first two years on a small band scholarship as he participated in wind ensemble, marching band, pep band and jazz band. He also was the men’s basketball team equipment manager. He went on to earn top finishes in NAIA national and AMC Conference competitions, placing third in the conference outdoor 5000-meter racewalk as a junior and senior. Nationally at NAIA outdoor 5K racewalk championships, he placed 10^th at the 2006 outdoor meet and eighth as a senior. Indoors, he was 11th nationally in the 3K nationals as a junior.
 
Lisa Champagne – New England Small College Athletic Conference Assistant Director for Media Relations
Played softball at Southern New Hampshire University (was New Hampshire College at that time) from 1991-94, and also was a member of the women's basketball team during the 1990-91 season.
 
Tommy Chasanoff – University of the Cumberlands Assistant Athletic Director / Sports Information
From 2005-09, he competed in track and field for Webber University. Chasanoff’s athletic career extends to international competition, as he was a member of the USA Paralympic track and field team. He has competed in England, New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico, earing four medals at the 2011 ParaPan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. 
 
Kiaira Talia Cooper – University of California Director of Creative Video (for women’s basketball)
Participated on the Covenent College basketball team from 2009-14.
 
Kadija (Fornah) Dickens – Augusta University Director of Sports Information
Dickens gets the nod at one of the most accomplished collegiate student-athlete-turned-SID. She was a Wake Forest volleyball standout who also played professional volleyball in Aprilia, Italy. At Wake, Dickens was recognized with numerous All-Conference and All-Tournament Team honors and upon graduation, ranked third on the program's all-time kills list. She led the Demon Deacons her senior year in kills (395, 3.40 kps) while starting all 30 matches. Prior to turning to athletic communications, she previously served as an assistant volleyball coach at Augusta and Lees-McRae College.
 
JaeLynn Ellison – William Jewell Assistant AD for Communications
Ellison played softball at Labette Community College (2010-12) and then at Drury University for her final two seasons. 
 
Dani Gariglio – Davidson College Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Gariglio competed in softball at the University of Rhode Island from 2013-17 where she was the four-year starting center fielder for the University's softball team. She also served as team captain in her last two seasons.
 
Megan Jameson – St. Edward’s University Associate Athletic Director, Marketing and Communications /Chair, CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee
From 1997-2001, Jameson played basketball at Simpson College (Iowa) on a team that earned three IIAC championships and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament. She also was the women’s basketball assistant coach for five seasons at Howard Payne University (2001-06).
 
Travis Jarome – Alabama State University Director of Athletic Strategic Communications
Jarome played soccer at Auburn Montgomery in 1996.
 
Cassie Kelley – Abilene Christian Media Relations Coordinator
Played volleyball at Ohio Valley University from 2006-09.
 
Kristen Keller – Loyola University Chicago Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Keller was a three-sport athlete at Felician University, competing on the bowling team (2014-18), track and field squad (2015-18) and volleyball team (2014-15).
 
Mali Klorczyk – Adelphi University Sports Information Graduate Assistant
Klorczyk was a four-year member of the Adelphi women's basketball team and part of the 2017 NE10 Conference championship squad, competing from 2016-20.
 
Keri (Alexander) Luchowski – North Coast Athletic Conference Executive Director
The long-time administrator and CoSIDA member, Luchowski competed in soccer at Wheeling Jesuit College (now Wheeling University) from 1988-91. She was a four-year varsity soccer performer and as a senior, played in the NAIA Championship Tournament quarterfinals in 1991.
 
 
Owen Lukens – Mansfield University Sports Information Director
Now playing national fast-pitch men's softball, Was a five-year standout baseball player at Mansfield (2014-18) where he was MVP of the team as a senior. His best year at the plate was during his sophomore year when he batted a single-season best .314. Lukens captained the team, was a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and earned the annual Steve McCloskey Service Award in 2018 for outstanding service to the Mansfield Athletic Department.

Haley Martinez – Biola University Sports Information Assistant
Martinez was a softball outfielder at Biola (2017-20), participating on the 2021 West Regional Championship squad which fell one game short of playing for the NCAA Division II National Championship. 
 
Gene McGivern – St. Thomas (Minn.) Sports Information Director
A veteran of CoSIDA, McGivern captained the Iowa State cross country and track and field teams during his collegiate career (1976-80). He captained the 1980 ISU cross country squad which placed 10th at the NCAA Division I national championship. He was a six-time Big 8 Conference placewinner in cross country and distance events and ran in two NCAA championship meets.

Erin McNeely – Drexel University Athletic Communications Assistant Director
She played softball at SUNY Oswego in 2015-16.
 
Darrell Orand – Coastal Carolina Assistant Director of Media Relations
Played baseball and golf at Freed-Hardeman University during the 1980-85 seasons. 
 
Ali Paquette – Middlebury College Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Ran cross country and track and field at Salve Regina University as an undergraduate (2009-13).
 
Hunter Peters – Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Director of Communications
From 2017-2020, Peters ran hurdles and relays and was a long jumper as a member of the men’s track & field program at South Alabama. 
 
Cindy Potter – Columbia College Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/2020-21 CoSIDA President
The current CoSIDA President starred on the Columbia College softball team for two years (2004-05), was a captain and earned NAIA athletic and academic honors. She was a NAIA Scholar-Athlete and earned All-Conference, All-Region and National Championship All-Tournament Team recognition. In the fall of 2012 she was inducted into the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame for her softball contributions. Prior to Columbia College Potter attended Three Rivers Junior College (Poplar Bluff, Missouri), attaining All-Conference honors where she played basketball, volleyball and softball.
 
Maggie Pruitt – Quinnipiac University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
From 2013-17, she competed in soccer at NCAA Division II Shorter University all four years and was a two-year captain.
 
Jeff Rebello – Pacific University (Ore.) Sports Information Director
Rebello was a righthanded pitcher and utility player on the Cal Lutheran baseball team for four years (2015-18); during his junior year, Cal Lutheran won the 2017 NCAA Division III National Championship.
 
Kellie Reynolds – Grand Canyon University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Competed on the Stony Brook University softball team (2012-16) and was a member of SAAC.
 
Nicole Remedios – Illinois Wesleyan Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
A former women's soccer midfielder and co-captain at Eastern Michigan from 2016-2020, Remedios earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region and Academic All-MAC Conference honors.
 
Carroll Rich – Wofford Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Rich was a starting guard on the Ithaca College basketball team for four years (2015-18) and served as captain for two years
 
 
Christopher Sabato – Willamette University Assistant Athletics Director, Media/ Chair, CoSIDA New Media Committee
From 199-2002, Sabato was a member of the Alfred University track and field program, competing in the sprints, long jump, and the pole vault. He was recognized as All-Conference in the pole vault. Previously, he served as the pole vault coach for Willamette’s track and field program, coaching six of Willamette’s top ten female vaulters.
 
Stephanie Santora – Purchase College (State University of New York) Sports Information Director
From 2007-11, Santora was the four-year starting goalkeeper and two-year captain on the Purchase College women's soccer team. She also served as the SAAC President and earned the athletic department’s Gloria Cimaglia Student-Assistant of the Year honor for excellence in community service, charity work and dedication to the program. She then was assistant soccer coach and goalie trainer (2012) before serving as the interim head coach during the 2013 season.
 
Nicole Sasu-Twum – University of Delaware Assistant Director, Communications and Creative Services 
As an undergraduate from 2008-12, she played basketball at SUNY Institute of Technology (now Polytechnic Institute).

Phylicia Short – Queens University of Charlotte Assistant AD for Communications/ Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Designee
Short was a four-year basketball student-athlete at Queens University from 2003-2007. Team captain during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, Short ranks in the top-15 on the women's basketball all-time scoring list with 1,034 career points.
 
Angelina Staumont – former Biola University Sports Information Director 
From 2012-16, Staumont ran track and played basketball for La Verne and served on the school’s NCAA student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC).
 
Sierra Smith – Grand Canyon University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Smith starred on the Grand Canyon softball team for four years (2014-18) as a utility player, batting .343 for her career with 21 homers and 144 RBI. She was a 2018 All-West Region pick and a 2017 All-WAC First Team standout, the year the Lopes were WAC regular-season champions. Additionally, she was named GCU’s 2018-19 Female Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior when she also received CoSIDA (Google Cloud) Academic All-District Team honors.
 
 
Trey Stauch – California University of Pennsylvania Assistant Sports Information Director
A four-year starter for the Edinboro Fighting Scots in football (tight end/offensive tackle) from 2016-2020, Stauch also played three seasons on the basketball team, scoring 980 points in three seasons. He was a rarity, earning All-PSAC West selection in both football and basketball.
 
Blake Timm – Greater Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Assistant Commissioner for Communications
From 1994-1998, he competed in cross country and track and field at Pacific University (Oregon). Timm was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame this past June.
 
Tyler Tvelia – University of Colorado Colorado Springs Assistant Sports Information Director
Tvelia is a former NCAA Division III cross country and track & field student-athlete at California Lutheran University, competing in 2016 and 2017where he was inducted into the CLU Scholar Athlete Society.
 
Madison Urquiola – Young Harris University Assistant Sports Information Director
After competing for the Southern Mississippi softball program as a freshman in 2017, Urquiola transferred to Young Harris University where she starred as an infielder for the next three years. The 2019 YHU team advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championship, tying for third, as Urquiola was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
 
Rachel Vogel – Hofstra University Director of Creative Content
From 2012-15, Vogel was a four-year softball letterwinner at DeSales University, helping the Bulldogs earn two MAC Freedom Conference Championships in 2013 and 2015. The team also made two NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
Sarah VanMetre – University of Michigan Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
VanMetre is a former Eastern Michigan women's basketball standout, playing from 2003-07. She was the first CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree (program then sponsored by ESPN) in EMU women’s basketball program history, earning First Team honors in 2017. She also earned All-MAC Conference and All-Academic honors. Upon graduation, VanMetre ranked first in EMU career games played (120), third in rebounding (770) and eighth in scoring (1381).
 
 
DeAngelo Wlliams – Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at LeTourneau University
Williams played basketball at Grace Christian from 2016-20. The Tigers won the National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship in 2018-19. He was a three-time Academic All-American in the NCCAA.
 
Darin Yrigoyen – Dominican University Sports Information Director
He was a two-year member of the Loras College Duhawk men's volleyball program (2014-16) before transitioning to a lead student assistant role with the athletic communications department.

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