College Sports Information Directors of America

 
As Director of Communications at UMass Lowell, Ashley Robbins handles the oversight of the entire athletic communications office at the NCAA Division I Massachusetts school located about 50 miles northwest of Boston. She is the main media relations contact for field hockey, men’s soccer, men’s basketball and softball.
 
Within CoSIDA, Robbins serves as vice-chair of the CoSIDA U Committee, and is involved in the CoSIDA mentorship program since it’s inception in 2016. She has earned CoSIDA Publications and Digital Design Contest honors in the motion graphics category, including a first-place national finish in 2018-19, and has won district honors in the CoSIDA Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest.
 
She graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse in 2011 with her bachelor’s degree in sport management, and recently completed her MBA at UMass Lowell.
 
A new mom with a six-month old son, Cooper, Robbins talks about her ascent through the profession, being a working mom, her work in CoSIDA, and much more.
 
 
You had a lot of responsibilities while at Longwood, including graphic design, social media and digital media guides while also being the primary contact for the softball team that won its first ever Big South title and a bid to the NCAA Division I softball championships. How did all of these different experiences prepare you for your role as Associate Director of Communications at UMass Lowell? How did you balance all of your responsibilities at Longwood?
AR: My position at Longwood was my first full-time role in the field after college, and I have to thank Greg Prouty (former Associate AD there, now at Hamden-Sydney) for giving me my start there. With just a two-person office, I had a ton of opportunity to get experience in a lot of different areas. Graphics for social media were really starting to take off at that time and I got the chance to teach myself a lot about design and take charge of that for the athletics department. Through that experience, I really found a passion for design, and I think those skills played a big part in me joining the team at UMass Lowell and have been something I continue to build on to this day.
 
Working with the softball team and getting to tell the story of the school’s first DI conference championship was also a great experience that I think prepared me to make the move to another young DI program in UMass Lowell and learn how to best share the excitement of all the firsts that come with that.
 
In terms of balance, covering nine sports at Longwood definitely threw me hard and fast into that “SID life” but I wouldn’t have changed any of it. I learned to cover several new sports and it also taught me to be even more organized and good at multitasking.  
 

When you left Boston College for Longwood, what was the adjustment like being away from Massachusetts for two years before coming to UMass Lowell?
AR: Starting your first full time job is always a big adjustment, but picking up as a 22-year old and leaving the Northeast for the first time to move to Farmville, Va. was definitely a change! But I wouldn’t change my time at Longwood for anything. I got a ton of hands-on experience and grew so much as an SID. I got to travel to a lot of cool places, get involved with CoSIDA for the first time and meet tons of awesome people. Besides professionally, I also had the chance to grow personally, as my then fiancé, now husband, and I got our first apartment and our first dog, got married and made a lot of new friends.
 
Talking about family … Congrats on the birth of your son, Cooper! How are you balancing your new role as a mother to a six-month old with the busy schedule of an SID?
AR: As much as I preach work-life balance to my staff now, I have never been very good at it myself. My husband, Travis Condon, loves to jokingly tell people how often I used to take my laptop out to dinner! But since having our son Cooper, I think it really put things in perspective. It was definitely really emotional going back from maternity leave and it’s been really tough to miss nights and weekends with him because of games, but I make it a priority to leave the office every non-gameday to pick him up and spend time with him before putting him to bed. I know the work will still be there after he goes to sleep! Overall, I’m just doing the best I can to make sure that I’m really present during the time I do get with him and soak in all the moments I can. And I feel extremely lucky to have a great support system in my family, so I know he’s in great hands when I can’t be there.
 
 
You had some experience with professional ice hockey and soccer teams - the Boston Bruins and New England Revolution. What made you gravitate back to collegiate athletics after working with pro teams? And, after experience at two Power 5 schools (Boston College and Syracuse), what brings you to smaller campuses?
AR: After being introduced to the Syracuse athletic communications team by my brother on my first day of freshman year, I knew I wanted to pursue this field. I really enjoyed all the internship experiences I had at the professional level, but Sue Edson, Pete Moore and the rest of the Syracuse athletic communications office team really made me fall in love with covering college athletics. At the professional level, you work with athletes who already are who they are. I really enjoy working with student-athletes and helping them grow from freshmen who may not be completely comfortable speaking in public to seniors who can give articulate answers to any interview question thrown their way. They can take those skills with them for the rest of their lives and I am really proud to play a small role in that. I also find it an honor to tell their stories and champion their accomplishments because they are incredible young adults doing amazing things both on and off the field.  
 
As for the second part of your question, I’ve enjoyed my experiences at all the schools I’ve worked with and learned different things from all of them. But I’ve really enjoyed the chance to work with two young Division I programs. I like the ability to feel like I’m making an impact and laying a foundation. I always say when I go to work every day I’m happy if I have the ability to grow the department and myself. I feel like I can really be creative and get involved in a lot of different areas within the entire athletics department.
 
What are some of your favorite parts of your job?
AR: Designing still and motion graphics has been my favorite task on the job for a while now. But overall, I love getting to work with my teams and interacting with the student-athletes. I’ve also been very fortunate to travel extensively on the job and see a lot of places sports fans dream about. I enjoy working with interns and younger SIDs, and watching them grow in the profession. And much like probably most SIDs, I just really love the whole atmosphere of game day.
 
 
In pursuing your MBA, how did you balance school and the full-time role of Director of Athletic Communications?
AR: I actually graduated back in May! It was a challenge for sure! It took me three years to finish, but I did it entirely online at UMass Lowell, so I would do a lot of my classwork on buses or in hotels on team trips. Over the last year, I juggled school with my full time role, plus being pregnant and being very short-staffed due to COVID. But I just made finishing a priority because I had made it that far, I knew I didn’t want to quit. 
 
Definitely lots of very late nights, but I’m very thankful for the support from my husband and my parents over the course of that journey, and just so glad I did it because I do think there were a lot of things I learned about managing and leadership that I have been able to apply to my current position.
 
What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in the sports information industry?
AR: I’m happy to say that I’ve seen a lot of growth in the profession even in the decade that I’ve been in it. At one point during my time at Longwood, I was the only female SID in our whole conference; now,  fast forward to last year and my office was made up of three women, and I could not have been more proud. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t run into obstacles over the years. Having coaches not want a woman to cover their team or being asked if you were a cheerleader for the men’s team, or just not being taken seriously were all low points for sure, but I don’t dwell on any of that stuff. I’ve always just kept my head down and aimed to be the hardest worker in the room. 
 
I truly strive to let my skills and dedication speak for itself and be the best at my job, not just the best woman. Fortunately, I feel like I have always been supported and accepted by my colleagues and coaches and that makes it all worth it. 
 
 
In your bio, you briefly mention that you speak at sports business events. What are some of the events that you have spoken at and what are they about?
AR: As a member of the CoSIDA U Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to young professionals about our industry at several events. My favorite was the Pennsylvania Sports Business Conference that I had the opportunity to travel to with (CoSIDA past president) Eric McDowell because there were so many young professionals who were truly interested in learning more about athletic communications. I have also had the chance to go back to my alma mater and speak at Syracuse’s “SPM Alumni in the #SportsBiz” event and that was really cool because it was my first time back on campus since I had graduated.
 
Outside of your profession, what are some things that you like to do in your free time?
AR: Golfing with my dad is definitely my favorite hobby. I also love to travel and see new places, especially national parks. Anything I get to do with my family means the world to me - especially since having my son, Cooper, back in May. I love getting to soak in all the moments with him, and see him grow and change every day! 
 
 
If there was one place you could travel to right now where would it be?
AR: Either Alaska or Aruba! Every December prior to the pandemic, my husband and I would go someplace in the Caribbean. Our most recent trip was to Aruba and I would love to go back! As for Alaska, it’s been on my bucket list of national park tours after getting to see Yellowstone and Yosemite in the last few years.
 
Do you have a favorite book, movie, musician, podcast, etc.?
AR: A League of Their Own has always been my favorite movie. For books, I’ve always been a big fan of anything by John Grisham and Dan Brown.
 
Do you have any advice for young female professionals beginning their careers in this industry?
AR: Yes. Stick with it and pursue your goals. Don’t be shocked when you run into roadblocks. The sports industry has come a long way, but it can still be an uphill battle. Just keep your head down and keep pushing. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself, and lean on female mentors who have gone through it before you to help pave the way and guide you.