College Sports Information Directors of America

Related Content
• 2021 Special Awards Announcements and Features
• 2020 Special Awards Announcements and Features
• #CoSIDA21 Virtual Convention Home
• Past Achievement Award Recipients

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Special note: Due to the cancelation of the in-person 2020 and 2021 conventions, our CoSIDA Special Awards winners from those two years are being honored online this year. Leading up to our 2021 June Convention, we will honor many of them via video tributes and interviews. Along with video interviews, you also will find links to the recipients' feature stories and photo galleries.

An interview with the 2021 and 2020 Achievement Award Recipients

Inteview with Ira Thor – New Jersey City University, Senior Director of University Communications and Media Relations / CoSIDA Professional Development & Education Committee

• See below to read more about 2021 University Division winner Brian Mason of the Wisconsin
• See below to read more about 2021 College Division winner Dan Surdam of SUNY Cortland
• Click here for a feature on 2020 University Division winner Kara Fisher of Michigan State 
• Click here for a feature on 2020 College Division winner Dan McDonnell of Southern Indiana

CoSIDA Achievement Award
Presented annually to two CoSIDA members – one in the University Division (NCAA DI) and one in the College Division (NCAA DII, DIII, NAIA, Two-year Colleges, Canadian/U Sports) – currently serving in the role of an associate or assistant director in the sports information field who have made outstanding contributions to the field of sports information and provided exceptional service to their institution, conference office or intercollegiate athletics affiliated association. A nominee must have 10-or-more years of experience in the sports information profession and must have not served in the lead role overseeing a sports information office. This award, introduced in 2014-15, is designed for an individual who has not been a recipient of any prestigious CoSIDA major award (Arch Ward, Warren Berg, CoSIDA Hall of Fame) in their careers. Voted on by the Special Awards Committee.
 


Brian Mason – University of Wisconsin, Assistant Director of Brand Communications

2021 CoSIDA Achievement Award - University Division

by Andy Baggot – UWBadgers.com Insider

When D’Cota Dixon came to the University of Wisconsin to play college football in 2014, he brought with him more than talent and desire. He came with a searing back story that was equal parts heartbreaking, jarring and compelling.

Over the course of five years, it was found to be inspirational, too. How a sullen teenager from Florida emerged from the depths of poverty, drugs and family tragedy to become a revered two-time captain of the Badgers.

That Dixon became comfortable enough to share his account with the world is testament to his relationship with a small-town Iowan who didn’t play football in high school and whose favorite workplace vantage point is from behind the scenes.

Dixon said that Brian Mason, the Assistant Director of Brand Communications for UW football, embraced his story with the utmost respect and sensitivity and, in the process, “became more of a friend to me than anything.’’

It’s a relationship that continues to this day and helps give some vital context to why Mason has been chosen to receive the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) 2021 Achievement Award for the university division, a Division I honor.

The award is given annually to associate or assistant media relations directors with 10 or more years of athletic communications service who have made outstanding contributions to the field and provide exceptional service to their institution or conference office.
 

“There’s a lot of people and a lot of pieces, everything it takes to make college sports happen, especially at the level our teams compete at Wisconsin,’’ Mason said. “To know that the work you do is valuable to that process is the most satisfying part.’’

Dixon’s story was told so consistently well and touched so many people that he received the inaugural Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award for perseverance and character in 2018, the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award in 2017, as well as the Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award, also in 2017.

“He was so much more than an ops guy,’’ Dixon said of Mason. “He impacted the players’ lives around him.’’

Mason is in his 15th year with UW Athletic Communications and 11th as the day-to-day contact for football, focusing on media relations, statistics, records and press box oversight. His involvement with the marquee sports program at UW is felt on numerous fronts.

Most obvious are the coordinated promotional campaigns that have involved two Heisman Trophy finalists, four Doak Walker Award winners and 20 first-team All-Americans since 2011. But the heart of his job description is his work with the media and UW team members.

Brian Lucas, the Director of Brand Communications for Wisconsin football, said he nominated Mason for the award in part because of his colleague’s ability to fairly, consistently walk the narrow path between reporters and subjects. 

“We’re caught in the middle of that and he navigates it very well,’’ Lucas said.

Lucas said Mason “helps shape so much of what is seen’’ with the Badgers, whether he’s taking time to sit down in a pregame setting and share anecdotes with national TV announcers who call the game for millions of viewers, or helping reporters cultivate story ideas, or shining a social media spotlight on recruiting, or keeping close tabs on former players after they’ve left Madison.

“I’m not sure there’s a person who, behind the scenes, does more to shape what a Badger fan sees about the football program than he does,’’ Lucas said of Mason. “He has his hands in almost every aspect.’’

Associate director Diane Nordstrom, the most tenured member of the communications staff at 31 years, lauded Mason for his writing skills and his all-around value to the operation.

“Just a great overall SID,’’ said Nordstrom, who received the inaugural CoSIDA Achievement Award in 2015 and currently oversees the CoSIDA Special Awards Committee.

Mason brings the same character traits to every meeting and assignment.

“He’s never satisfied,’’ Lucas said.

“The one thing about Brian is that he always cared,’’ said Mick Byrne, the director of men’s and women’s cross country and track and field. “You felt like he cared about you as a coach and that your opinions mattered and your kids’ opinions mattered.’’

Dixon, now an NFL free agent following an injury-plagued stint with Tampa Bay, said the trust he invested in Mason enabled him to detail his harrowing past, one touched by family tragedy, drugs, crime, mental illness, foster care and homelessness.

 “Anyone who’s had the good fortune to cross paths with D’Cota in any walk of life is better for it and I’m certainly in that category,’’ Mason said. “It’s easy to care about good people.’’

Dixon feels the same way about his friend in his moment of acclaim.

“No one deserves it more,’’ Dixon said.
   

Dan Surdam – SUNY Cortland, Associate Sports Information Director

2021 CoSIDA Rising Star Award - College Division

by Fran Elia – SUNY Cortland, Sports Information Director

In 2000, Dan Surdam aced his interview for the associate director of sports information position at SUNY Cortland.
 
He didn’t get the job.
 
There was a good reason. Mark Coley also interviewed for the position after holding the spot in an interim capacity the previous year. Coley was offered the full-time position, but shortly thereafter accepted the role of University Athletic Association publicist.
 
Cortland told Surdam it would hold on to his application and call him if anything opened. It’s a line many job seekers hear and usually don’t believe, but it’s exactly what happened.
 
Surdam was offered the position, and the rest, as the cliché goes, is history.
 
And 21 years later, Surdam has been recognized for his outstanding work with the 2021 CoSIDA Achievement Award in the College Division, given annually to an athletics communications professional from a non-Division I school.
 
 
“Receiving this award is quite humbling,” said Surdam. “Like everyone else in this industry, I never set out to win awards. My top priority has always been looking out for the student-athletes. They’ve always brought out the best in me. To be recognized by my peers for my dedication through the years is awesome and a great surprise.”
 
Surdam serves as primary media contact for the Red Dragons’ soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey and wrestling teams, among other duties. He has a strong reputation for his professionalism, solid work ethic and sense of humor.
 
“It’s been a true pleasure working alongside Dan for all of these years,” said Mike Urtz, Cortland’s Director of Athletics. “Dan is a true professional. I think the one thing that really stands out for me is how much he cares for the players and the coaches on the teams he covers. Dan truly feels like a part of each of those programs.”
 
Cortland’s men’s lacrosse head coach Steve Beville echoed Urtz’s sentiments.
 
“Dan has been a tremendous asset and friend to our lacrosse program and athletics program as a whole,” said Beville. “His work ethic, professionalism and attention to detail during my 15-year tenure at Cortland has truly been a blessing and we are grateful for our relationship with him.”
 
“Through the years, I’ve had several people in the industry ask me why I haven’t gone for a head sports information position, to run my own shop,” Surdam noted. “The reasons are pretty simple. First off, although my title is associate sports information director, (SID) Fran Elia has treated me like a co-director for nearly my entire tenure. He’s afforded me the autonomy to just go out and do the job.
 
Then, you look at the support system at Cortland. President Erik Bitterbaum. Director of Athletics Mike Urtz. The Athletics and coaching staffs. The certified athletic trainers. All the best. And topped off by the ultimate group, the student-athletes, who deserve the best from me every season, every year,” Surdam concluded.
 
One of Surdam’s greatest strengths is his ability to connect with Cortland students, whether it be student-athletes or those who work with the sports information office.
 
“Dan did so much for me as an undergraduate and is a mentor and friend,” said Mike Kowalsky, a 2006 Cortland alumnus and currently the associate director of athletic communications at Columbia University. “He was always there to help me learn, for a random conversation while killing time between classes to giving me great direction while weighing job options after graduation. Dan not only showed me how to do the job the right way, but ways to have fun doing it, and that is something that has stuck with me to this day.”
 
Tim Beauvais, who now works at SIDEARM Sports, has interacted with Surdam as both a Red Dragon men’s soccer goalkeeper and as a sports information student intern and graduate assistant during the years 2015-17.
 
“As a colleague, I had the privilege of working alongside Dan for two years and learned a lot from him,” said Beauvais. “His work ethic, organizational skills and grittiness in the press box are my favorite things about him. Dan  was not afraid to delegate duties and, because of that, his interns and other press box workers were always getting better at their respective responsibilities. While I was an athlete at Cortland, Dan was always professional. I appreciated that he knew and recognized almost every athlete on each team, and his energy on game day was always appreciated.”
 
Beauvais also noted the lighter side of his interactions with Surdam.
 
“There’s a reason why every player, parent and fan gets ready to drag out the Red in Red Dragons, and add a little Elvis into the mix as well,” Beauvais said, referring to some of Surdam’s signature styles as a PA announcer at home events. “And if you work with Dan, do not mention if you put ketchup on a hot dog. It’s simply unacceptable!”
 
Especially for a CoSIDA Achievement Award winner like Surdam.