College Sports Information Directors of America

Related Content
• 2020 Special Awards Announcements and Features
• #CoSIDA2020 Virtual Convention Home
• Past Rising Star Award Recipients

---

See CoSIDA's statement on the cancelation of #CoSIDA2020 in Las Vegas.

Danielle Percival – Piedmont College, Assistant Athletic Director of Communications

Rising Star Award - College Division
 

by Josh Cornwall, Agnes Scott College Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications

A rising star.

For those who know Danielle Percival, assistant athletic director of communications at Piedmont College, the title is almost unbefitting.

Sure, there is the obvious career trajectory pointing to the stratosphere, spurred on by her infectious personality and calming servant-focused attitude. There is also the youth, easily forgotten when interacting with a professional wise beyond her years.

So, by definition Percival’s 2020 CoSIDA College Division Rising Star award is well-deserved. But those in the field impacted by her presence are unsurprised, because her star has long been shining.

Percival has quickly risen the through ranks in the industry, curating her chops as a sports reporter and anchor while a student at Troy University in Alabama. The 2014 Trojan grad parlayed the experience into becoming a recognizable face on ESPN3 as a sideline reporter for football and basketball games in the Sun Belt Conference, all while starting off her young career as the assistant director of athletic communications at Piedmont.

Fresh out of undergrad, Percival’s demeanor and quality of work is what impressed future boss Timmy McCormack from the jump. 

“When we first had the opportunity to bring Danielle on board, our entire administrative staff knew the potential of her work immediately,“ said McCormack. “Danielle had a passion for sports that was clear from day one, and although she was fresh out of school, her experience with sports coverage was quite extensive.”

Piedmont’s emergence on a more national radar within Division III was in no small part to Percival’s instant impact in connecting with and raising the profile of her student-athletes. The pairing of McCormack and Percival helped elevate the Piedmont Lions brand for nearly three years until McCormack’s hiring as the new head coach of Piedmont’s women’s soccer program opened the door for Percival’s ascension to continue.
 

For the Piedmont athletic administrators, there was no other choice other than to move Percival into the head role as McCormack’s well-qualified replacement. In two and a half years, Percival’s impact on the institution at large was so profound that they had their sights set for even more.

“From her first time on campus through to where she is now, it has been her leadership that has developed and become a staple of her professional impact within the department,” added McCormack. “She went from being an assistant SID in a two-person communications office to overseeing a pair of full-time assistants as well as a legion of interns and student-workers, which at her direction, have enhanced the coverage of all Piedmont-student-athletes.”

A quick glance at Piedmont’s social media offerings gives credence to Percival’s glowing reviews. The Lions ever-growing presence is littered with quality story-telling in every multimedia imaginable with message consistently focused on the student-athlete experience. Percival’s team has an intense attention to detail, never sparing an opportunity to highlight a positive experience all while staying on brand and on mission.

The creation and cultivation of such a well-oiled communications machine reflects well on Percival’s leadership, but she is the first to praise the people with whom she has been surrounded.

It is hard not to have a conversation with Percival without a mentioning of the impact of mentorship in her life — whether it be the full-time and student staff she oversees or the women in the industry who have helped her fiercely pave a path in a male-dominated field. 

“Danielle and I have been in the profession for nearly the same amount of time and are just a few months apart in age,” said Chuck Tidmore, assistant director of athletic communications at Piedmont. “She’s really showed me that if you work hard enough in this industry, the opportunities are endless.”

Fellow assistant Joseph Garwood, entering his third year as an assistant director of athletic communications under Percival, offered similar sentiments.

“As an SID, you know there will be many stressful situations through a season that arise seemingly out of nowhere. I have learned from Danielle on how to deal with those while maintaining professionalism and a positive attitude,” noted Garwood.

“As a boss she has been great about genuinely seeking input from us on big-picture ideas for the department. I cannot remember a single time I have brought an idea to the table and she has said, ‘no, we’re doing it this way.’ It goes a long way in knowing your opinion is valued as an assistant.”

While Percival’s staff has certainly felt the impact of her mentoring role, the first-year administrator has had even greater one on other women in CoSIDA — a cause dear to her heart.

In 2017, just months removed from her elevation to the director of athletics communications the then-25-year-old Percival endured a tremendous hardship in her personal life. Work was an easy distraction for a time, but eventually she turned to a supportive group of women in CoSIDA.

It was a support system Laurie Bollig, CoSIDA’s director of membership and engagement, had helped foster just two years earlier.

“Danielle applied for a convention attendance grant in 2015. Danielle found herself rooming with a group of other young women and they instantly bonded,” says Bollig. “It was important to me that she meet other young women and young professionals at the CoSIDA convention.

“The bond she established that first year has been crucial in her growth. It’s given her confidence and great friendships. I love how she has used her experience to help others find the same connections that she did.”

Hannah Bradley, currently the assistant director of media relations at The Southern Conference, was one of Percival’s biggest supporters. Through CoSIDA’s emerging mentorship program, Bradley served as a rock for Percival as she waded through unchartered waters.

“Danielle is one of the strongest people I know and I’m so lucky to call her a friend,” stated Bradley. “Though she’s had some setbacks in life, she’s turned every experience into a teachable moment and used it to better herself. In turn, she’s grown immensely, both personally and professionally, and used her knowledge and experience to better others.

“Though I’m her mentor this year, I look up to her more than she knows.”

Fast forward to 2020 and Percival continuously uses her platform to build up rather than tear down. In addition to her leadership roles at Piedmont, Percival earned a spot on the CoSIDA Board of Directors as a college representative after demonstrating consistent bridge-building efforts on the Division III CoSIDA Convention Planning Committee and CoSIDA Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

It was under Bollig’s assistance and mentorship that drove Percival to such an impressive feat.

“Danielle was moving up at her school and taking on a bigger leadership role,” Bollig observed. “It seemed like a good time for her to get more leadership experience within CoSIDA as well. She clearly had the aptitude and attitude to take on a greater role within the association. She just needed a little nudge to explore those opportunities.

“Danielle is eager to help other young women based on her experiences. She loves giving back to the profession. She is smart about how she conducts herself and is creating a blueprint for success that she can share with others,” Bollig adds. “Young women will realize they can have the same success because of what Danielle has done in a short time. I’m so excited to see the impact she makes.”

Bradley concurs with Bollig’s assessment.

“Though just 28, Danielle is wise beyond her years,” Bradley adds. “I have no doubt she will continue to be an inspiration, especially to up-and-coming female SIDs in the profession, and I’m excited to see what her future holds for her both personally and professionally, because the sky is truly the limit.”

The future looks brighter than ever for a woman who remains grounded in her roots and vocation.

But it is the impact Percival has already had on others that makes her a rising star.