College Sports Information Directors of America

University of Connecticut / University of Texas / CoSIDA Staff

• People, Passion and Mentorship: How CoSIDA Hall of Fame selection Barb Kowal measures success

Barb Kowal was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame during the 2010 convention in San Francisco, California, at the Marriott Marquis.

Kowal was the recipient of CoSIDA's 25-Year Award in 2008. She served as a member of the board of directors as an at-large representative from 2000-01 to 2002-03. She was named the second full-time CoSIDA staff member as Director of External Affairs in 2009.

In 2017, Kowal was honored by the United States Basketball Writers Association with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Award.

Kowal’s impact on the college sports information industry is not measured in publications and press releases as much as it is in people and personality. Her dedication to the CoSIDA profession is evident in many ways. She mentored numerous young professionals and her many former assistants, students and interns went on to work in the athletic and communications professions throughout the country.

Kowal has made major contributions to the national women’s basketball scene. While serving as Athletic Communications Senior Associate Director at the University of Connecticut (1986-1997), the sport of women's basketball took off in the 1990s. A highlight was in 1995 when the undefeated UConn team under charismatic head coach Geno Auriemma earned the NCAA title. Kowal's abilities helped build and support the nation’s largest media following for any women’s athletics program as the UConn basketball team's visibility and popularity soared. 

In 1997, she left UConn to become an Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at the University of Texas, coordinating all women’s athletics PR efforts; she served in that role for 12 years. Kowal worked with legendary basketball Hall of Famer Jody Conradt among other nationally-recognized coaches.

Kowal had the distinction of promoting two basketball programs which had Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coaches at the helm in Conradt and Auriemma. 

During her UConn and Texas tenures, numerous student-athletes across many sports were recognized as National Players of the Year, All-Americans and Academic All-Americans. Additionally, the UT women's athletics department was singled out for 85 national/regional CoSIDA publications “Awards of Excellence”, including 18 “Best in the Nation” honors. Kowal also served on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Final Four Media Coordination Committee (1997-2008) and was the NCAA Division I coordinator for the Bob Cousy Men’s Basketball National Point Guard of the Year Award (2003-2008). 

Kowal began her career as sports information graduate assistant at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for legendary CoSIDA Hall of Famer Howie Davis and then became the first full-time SID at Division III Manhattanville College (Purchase, NY) from 1982-85. She received her undergraduate degree from Smith College with a B.A. in English and psychology, and played four years of varsity basketball and softball for the Pioneers.

As a member of the CoSIDA staff, Kowal moved into the position of Director of Professional Development and External Affairs in October of 2016 where she oversees the continuing education and convention programming, among many other duties.

This page was last updated Sept. 25, 2018.