Announcing the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2023

Announcing the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2023

Related Content
• College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 Program
• 2023 CSC Special Awards & Nominations

College Sports Communicators has named the recipients of its 30 Under 30 Class of 2023. The honor recognizes emerging athletics communications professionals at all levels of college sports in strategic, creative and digital spaces.

“The CSC 30 Under 30 class of 2023 is an outstanding representation of the tremendous young and diverse, strategic and creative talent we have in our organization at all levels of college sports,” 2023-24 CSC President John Paquette said. “The 30 Under 30 is among the most popular member recognition programs CSC offers because it is special recognition by your peers. We are grateful to the Young Professionals Committee for its hard work organizing the program. Congratulations to all of our deserving winners.”

Members of the class include (click the name to read more about the honoree):
The recognition honors up-and-coming strategic, creative and digital athletics communications professionals throughout the CSC membership. Candidates are considered for selection based on achievement in one or more areas such as:
  • Professional success
  • Impact on their athletic department/conference office
  • Service to CSC

Nominees must be 29 years old or younger on December 31, 2023 and a current 2023-24 CSC member.

Of nearly 130 nominations submitted, this year’s class includes 14 members from four different levels of NCAA Division I, three Division II members, six Division III members, five NAIA members, one member from a Canadian institution, and one two-year college member. The average age is 27.5 years old.

Honorees in the 2023 class were chosen by a selection group composed of representatives from the CSC Advocacy Committee, Creative & Digital Design Contest Committee, CSC U Committee, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Fred Stabley Writing Contest Committee, Membership Recognition Committee, Mentorship Committee, New Media Committee, Professional Development & Continuing Education Committee, Young Professionals Committee, Canadian Institutions Divisional Cabinet, Two-Year Colleges Divisional Cabinet, and selected past winners.

Thanks to the following members of the Young Professionals Committee for compiling the winner profiles below: Sebastian Bush, Steven Carlson, Ryan Connell, Claire Cruz, Jerod Fox, Dani Gariglio, Alex Gutierrez, Cole Helman, Nick Julien, Kristen Keller, Morgan Lair, Meredith Mahoney, Joe Mixie, Patrick Murphy, Jon Opiela, Nicholas Osterloo, Jordan Sarnoff and Lynn Walsh.

 
24713 Riley Baker
Washington State University
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

"It is an incredible honor to be named one of CSC's 30 Under 30, and I am very grateful to be included on this list with the 29 other talented individuals. I've been blessed to work with and know many great people, both professionally and personally, who have helped get me to where I am today. The support I have every day from my wife, Erica, is what allows me to commit as much as I do to my job, and this wouldn't be possible without her."

Riley Baker has quickly advanced in the athletic communications industry in his young career, getting his start as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State in 2018. After earning his Masters of Science in Sports and Recreation Administration, Baker joined the staff at Black Hills State University, before eventually being promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at BHSU in 2022.

Most recently, Baker took on a new role as Assistant Director for Athletic Communications at Washington State University this November.

In his two and a half-year stint with the Yellow Jackets, he covered back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances with the men’s basketball program and served as the point-person during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.

A three-year member of CSC’s Creative and Digital Design Committee, Baker was recently elevated to Chair of the committee while also leading BHSU through a website redesign and rebuilt the department’s statistical archive before joining the Cougars in early November.
 
24714 Tyler Brain
Samford University
Director of Strategic Communications

“It is an incredible honor to be named to the College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 list. I am deeply moved to be included on a list with some of the best and brightest that our industry has to offer. I would be remiss not to thank the CSC (Young Professionals) Committee along with all the mentors, colleagues, coaches, student-athletes and friends that I have crossed paths with along the way. They are the real reason why I’ve been bestowed this honor. The old saying goes, 'You’re only the best because you work with the best.' Lastly, I would like to thank my parents for supporting me throughout this wild ride.”
 

Entering his second year as the Director of Strategic Communications at Samford, Tyler Brain has already played a major role in elevating and promoting the SamU brand. The primary contact for football, women’s basketball and softball, his first year included covering the Bulldogs’ run to a SoCON football championship and run to the FCS quarterfinals, going 11-2 and clinching the program’s first outright conference title in more than 90 years while hauling in numerous accolades for head coach Chris Hatcher and quarterback Michael Hiers. He also coordinated efforts that saw Andrea Bailey (WBB) be named SoCON Player of the Year while McKenzie Newcomb (SB) was named Pitcher of the Year.

Brain was previously at Florida International for four years, first working as Athletic Communications Assistant before being elevated to Director of Athletic Communications in January of 2021. While with the Panthers, he oversaw multiple campaigns that resulted in a laundry list of awards and honors head to Miami, while promoting eight Major League Baseball draft picks, including Austin Shenton in 2019 and Logan Allen in 2020.

Brain’s career began as a student assistant in the Athletic Communications office at Mississippi State, from which he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. He worked with men’s golf, cross country, women’s volleyball and softball during his time in Starkville and took on leadership roles among the student assistant group at MSU during his junior and senior years. He also spent time as an intern with the Pittsburgh Penguins, assisting with public relations efforts during their Stanley Cup run in 2016.
 
24715 Desean Bullock
Point University
Sports Information Director

“I am truly honored to be included on this list and I truly thank God for it all. To be recognized on this list is a true testament that putting in the work can create great results. I do not make this list without my peers around me having full confidence in me and letting me find ways to help impact them. I am truly amazed and thankful for this.”

Point University's Sports Information Director, Desean Bullock, has made significant waves in the world of athletic communication and thanks to his hard work and dedication, has been named to the College Sports Communicators' 30 Under 30 list. Bullock's journey and achievements in the field have been nothing short of remarkable.

Starting with a modest subscriber count, Bullock reimagined the Point University Athletics' YouTube channel, skyrocketing it from 59 subscribers to a whopping 1K within a year. Bullock continued to innovate in his media strategy by introducing the university's first-ever broadcast for a game, a momentous occasion that saw the Point Volleyball team face Reinhardt University. This new vision for Point's sports media was further enhanced with the introduction of a Skyhawk TV segment and the unique podcast "Lunch Break."

Under Bullock's leadership, Point University's Sports Information Department has expanded its horizons in more ways than one. The coverage of the university's sports feats during the 2022-23 school year is a testament to his dedication. With reports on three All-Americans across various sports, 97 All-Academic Student-Athletes, and a Women's Basketball team securing a Conference Championship, Bullock's hand in these accomplishments is undeniable.

Bullock's extensive experience also spans outside Point University. Working as a statistician for various sports and at different levels, and as a graphics coordinator for the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series, his passion and commitment to sports communication are evident.

While promoting and managing the media for Point's 19 athletic programs is no small feat, Bullock does it with aplomb, ensuring that every game, athlete, and significant event receives its due coverage. His vast responsibilities at Point University include everything from social media and gameday operations to live video and statistics.

Before joining Point University, Bullock's role as the Sports Coordinator for the ASF Foundation saw him setting up tournaments for the Alabama State Games. Even before that, Faulkner University benefited from his skills in the sports information department, where he donned multiple hats – from providing live commentary during games to handling live stream production.

A graduate from Faulkner in 2021, Bullock's roots trace back to Hernando, Mississippi. His stint as a football team member at Northeast Mississippi Community College from 2017 to 2019 speaks volumes about his dedication to sports.

Desean Bullock's journey in sports communication has just begun, and if the past is any indication, the future holds great promise for this dynamic young professional.
 
24716 Sebastian Bush
The City College of New York
Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications & Sports Information

"It's an incredible honor to be named to year's College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30, Class. Being one of the 30 young professionals recognized is a huge achievement and milestone in my career. I would like to thank my family, friends, coworkers, mentors, and fellow peers in college athletics who have supported me throughout my career, as well as the wondering student-athletes and college community I get to serve every day. I am forever grateful for this recognition, and I'm excited to continue to build on this success."
 

Rejoining The City College of New York in September 2021, Sebastian Bush is in his second stint as the Assistant Athletic Director of Communications and Sports Information. He oversees all communications, media relations, social media, and creativity for the CCNY athletic department. He is in is seventh academic year with the Beavers.

In his time at CCNY, Bush has nominated and covered multiple major award winners for the athletic department, including CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Player and Coach of the Year honors. In his first stint with the athletic department, he was responsible for designing the new-look to the official CCNY athletics website.

Prior to his first stint at CCNY after two years serving as the Assistant Sports Information Director at Monroe College-New Rochelle (N.Y.), where he directed and produced the department’s video live stream and was the secondary contact for 26 of the school’s sports. Between his two stints at CCNY, he served as the Director of Sports Information at Monroe College-Bronx Campus. He was responsible for all aspects of athletics communications, where he also spearheaded the major project of designing the new Monroe Express athletics logo and brand identity.

In 2019, Bush was selected to participate in the NCAA Division III Institute for Administrative Advancement. Additionally, in 2021, he was chosen to attend the Learfield EDGE Academy (Empowering Diversity Growth & Equity) and was selected to participate in 2022-23 CSC Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program.

Bush was a track and field athlete himself at Monroe College (N.Y.) and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Sports Management. During his senior year, Bush served as an athletic communications assistant at Iona College (N.Y.) where he assisted with the in-house production of ESPN3 events and operated in-game instant replay system for basketball games.
 
24717 Kassi Butcher
UNC Asheville
Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Communications

“I am so honored to earn this award among some of the top young professionals in this industry. I've been blessed in my career to have so many individuals who have supported and mentored me to get where I am today. Being a former collegiate athlete, it has been my goal since starting in this industry to put the student-athlete experience at the forefront of everything that I do. I know how it feels to be provided with amazing coverage, and it is so rewarding to be able to do so in return for my student-athletes. The coverage that I can provide for every major milestone, broken record, conference award, and big win is another opportunity to help make my student-athletes' college experiences even more memorable. Congratulations to all my fellow award winners. Let's continue to grow in this industry."

Kassi Butcher has already made an impact in only a year and a half at UNC Asheville. She was recently promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Communications in Sept. 2023 after joining the department as the Director of Marketing in 2022.

During her time in the Director of Marketing position, Butcher was instrumental in helping build attendance at basketball games and accompanied the men's basketball team to the NCAA Tournament in Sacramento, California. Butcher created and implemented the UNC Asheville student section Instagram page that served as an additional source of communication to students regarding athletic events.

Throughout her time at UNC Asheville, she has earned a NACMA Scholarship Stipend to attend the 2023 National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Convention, created and implemented the UNC Asheville student section Instagram page to help create a more accessible avenue for students to hear about sporting events and attend home contests, served on the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Search Committee, and was a part of the support staff that attended California with the men’s basketball team for the NCAA Tournament.

Butcher, a native of Asheville, joined the Bulldogs after spending two-plus years as the Sports Information Director at Point University. While at Point, Butcher was the primary contact for the institution's 19 athletic programs. Within her first year at Point, Butcher updated the department's website to a new platform, and within her second year, she updated the department's live stream and incorporated broadcasting. She served on the senior support team for athletics and was the secondary administrator for seven teams.

Butcher is a former student-athlete and graduate of Milligan University, an NAIA institution in Tennessee. She earned her master’s degree in sports administration from Liberty University in December 2021.
 
24718 Pearllan Cipriano
Bard College
Sports Information Director

“I am very thankful for being selected for the 30 Under 30 award. I want to say thank you to CSC and to the committee that selected me for this award. Special shout out to all the mentors that I have had the privilege to work with and learn from. This career has kept me on my toes and challenged me in a lot of ways, and I am grateful for all the hurdles I have overcome.

“I am thankful for the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators that I have worked with in the past and present. As my mentor, Bill Morgal would say, 'We do this job for the student-athletes and for them to have the best experience.'
 

In her first year at NCAA Division III Bard College (N.Y.), Pearllan Cipriano serves as the Sports Information Director and oversees the communication efforts of Bard’s 18 varsity sports. She came to Bard after spending time at Shippensburg University (Pa.) where she was the primary contact for several sports and oversaw social media content and strategy for 20 intercollegiate sports teams.

In 2022, Cipriano was named to CSC’s Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program for 2022-23. She’s been responsible for recruiting a diverse group of student workers. She has also been a recipient of an NCAA Inclusion College Sports Information Directors of America Convention grant in 2022.

A 2019 and 2021 graduate of Emmanuel University (Ga.), Cipriano holds degrees in pre-law, criminal justice, and history. While at Emmanuel, she served as a student assistant in the communications office and she was a Second Team All-Conference Carolinas performer in tennis. In 2023, she earned her master’s degree in Strategic Communication from Shippensburg.
 
24719 Jennifer Coleman
Thomas University
Athletic Communications Student Assistant

"Words can’t begin to describe how incredibly grateful I am to be receiving this award and being recognized with some of the best young professionals across the country. This award means alot to me if you knew my story. I couldn’t be more grateful to have the mentors that I have in my corner to guide me along the way. Thomas University has given me the opportunity to fulfill my dream profession at such a young age and I couldn’t be more honored to represent them at such a high level. I take pride in my work ethic and determination, knowing all of my hardwork will pay off soon. I hope my story inspires other young professionals to never give up on their dreams no matter how challenging the journey may get.”
 

Jennifer Coleman is in her fifth year as an Athletic Communications Assistant at Thomas University. Coleman serves as the primary contact for the cross country and track and field teams, as well as a secondary contact for the New Hawks women's basketball program. In addition, she oversees all social media channels, photography, videography, and creative content for the New Hawks athletic programs.

While working full-time in the college's sports information department, Coleman is currently a decorated student-athlete in her senior season. Coleman is in her fifth year as a member of TU's Track and Field program. She has been named to the NAIA's Sun Conference All-Academic Team eight times and earned three All-Conference recognitions in her career. In 2023, she was named an NAIA Academic All-Amercian and received the Sun Conference Champion of Character Award. Coleman also currently holds six school records in the Shot Put, Discus, and Javelin.

Coleman also serves as a graphic designer for the Navy Football program, creating a graphics recruiting department.

A native of Thomasville, Georgia, Coleman is no stranger to the Thomas County area, graduating from Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) in 2019. She was a member of TCCHS's state-renowned Broadcasting program under the guidance of Kristy Maxwell and Thomasville Sports Hall of Famer Randy Young. The former Yellow Jacket gained experience in videography, editing, and other Multimedia.

Majoring in film with minors in communications, creative writing, and psychology, Coleman will earn her undergraduate degree in 2024 at Thomas University, maintaining a 3.5 grade point average throughout her college career, and has been named to the President and Deans list.
 
24720 Bridget Delaney
Sacred Heart University
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

“It is such an honor to be recognized as a 30 Under 30 recipient. Thank you to the committee for selecting me. There are so many talented young professionals in this industry, so to be recognized truly means a lot. My friends, family, mentors, and coworkers have been there for me during my career, and I could not still be doing this today if it weren’t for them. Thank you for always keeping me going.”
 

Bridget Delaney joined the Sacred Heart University athletics staff in September of 2023. She is the primary contact for men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse, women’s rugby, and women’s rowing. She also oversees the department’s social media strategies.

So far with the Pioneers, Delaney has run social media campaigns for the opening of the Martire Family Arena, the women’s basketball team’s historic run in the NCAA Tournament and covered the women’s lacrosse team’s conference championship run and NCAA Tournament coverage at UNC.

Before arriving at Sacred Heart, Delaney spent four years as Assistant Sports Information Director/Director of Digital Media at the Coast Guard Academy. While there, she assisted in the coverage of multiple specialty events such as the season-long football dedication to Station 17 – Pea Island, the inaugural SPARS game featuring the women’s basketball team, men’s basketball trip to Alaska for a game on ESPN for a Salute to Service special, and the coverage of the 2020 conference championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Delaney spent just over a year as an Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at Wellesley College and worked with the Boston Bruins as a marketing assistant.

A 2017 graduate of Lasell University, Delaney earned her bachelor’s degree in sports management with a minor in athletic communications.

During the summer, Delaney is part of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun statisticians’ team and has worked numerous games at Mohegan Sun for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. She was also part of the historic Bubbleville during the winter of 2020.
 
24721 John Ewen
Manhattanville College
Director of Athletic Communications

“It is an incredible honor to be nominated for this award, let alone be a recipient. There are a lot of hours, long days and sacrifices that go into working in this industry, but to know that my efforts have left a positive enough impact to be recognized by my colleagues and peers is an amazing feeling. I’m incredibly lucky that my time in this field has been surrounded by some of the most incredible student-athletes, coaches and professionals that make my job possible, so this recognition is as much of a testament to them for providing an environment where I can show up every day and tell their stories. Thank you to College Sports Communicators and the Young Professionals Committee for this honor, to everyone at Manhattanville that has made these last three years possible and to Jim Sheehan for taking a chance on me as a graduate assistant at Pace University and teaching me everything that’s brought me to this point.”

Manhattanville Director of Athletic Communications John Ewen lives and breathes Valiant Athletics. The Yorktown Heights, N.Y. resident enters his third year with the Valiants and serves as the primary liaison and contact for all 24 varsity and two junior varsity athletic teams. When not heading up gameday operations, managing statistics, broadcasts and social media, Ewen has been spearheading a modernization initiative within the athletic communications office to continue to effectively serve the evolving needs of the Manhattanville athletic program.

This year, Ewen led a redesign of the department’s SIDEARM Sports website and has become an instrumental figure in shaping the narrative of Manhattanville's sports endeavors through the power and visibility of athletic communications.

One of Ewen's noteworthy accomplishments is his role in the virtual presentation of the Manhattanville Valiant Athletic Awards in 2022, a testament to his adaptability in the face of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, one that so many college sports communicators endured. In the spring of 2023, Ewen assumed the role of emcee for the first in-person awards banquet since the pandemic. Ewen also played a role in organizing the event.

In the athletic arena, Ewen has served as the media contact and managed social media for three Manhattanville programs that advanced to their respective NCAA tournaments in men's tennis, women's volleyball and softball.

Graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication from the University of Connecticut, he embarked on his collegiate athletics career at Pace while pursuing a Master's Degree in Media and Communication Arts.

At Pace, Ewen served as the Athletic Communications Assistant, contributing to the daily press releases for all 14 varsity athletic teams. His responsibilities included writing game and season previews, game recaps, award recognitions and regional/national rankings. Ewen's expertise extended to overseeing the design of graphics and the creation of videos for social media platforms and broadcast streams.

Post-graduation, Ewen transitioned into a role in admissions at Pace, serving as the Welcome Center Manager. In this capacity, he managed the daily operations of the welcome center, oversaw a staff of over 40 tour guides and delivered comprehensive information sessions to prospective students and families. Prior to his roles at Pace, Ewen was as an account coordinator for Co-Communications in Mount Kisco, N.Y., where he honed his skills in drafting, editing and distributing press releases. His responsibilities included media outreach, tracking media hits, creating and researching personalized media lists and assisting in various aspects of social media content creation and research.
 
24722 Adam Fornwalt
Cecil College
Assistant Director of Athletics and Sports Information

“I am honored to be selected for the College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 award. This achievement is a testament to all the hard work that my staff have put in over the last six years. My career has been shaped by the guidance of mentors like Todd Wetmore, Brian Howard, and Mark Winkel. Their patience, wisdom, and belief in me has fueled my growth in this field. Special thanks to Bill Smith, David Spiegel, Hillary Fisher, and Rebecca Volk for being great colleagues and friends.”
 

Adam Fornwalt currently serves as the Assistant Director of Athletics & Sports Information at his alma mater, Cecil College, after previously working at Liberty University as an Athletic Communications Assistant.

Fornwalt has served in a variety of roles during his professional career, both in sports information and on-air in the broadcasting world. While working at Liberty, he also hosted the campus’ radio station and won four Associated Press of the Virginias awards for his work across three different sports talk shows.

Fornwalt has made his mark at the NJCAA level throughout his career with Seahawks and his past role at Harford Community College (Md.). In his four years at HCC, he was the primary media contact, handling sports information and game operations duties, for all 13 programs. Under his leadership, the department was named 2YSIDA Sports Information Department of the Month in November 2021.

During his time at Cecil, he has taken on more responsibility with the nine NJCAA-sponsored programs. He also has added academic support to his many roles as an administrator.

Adam has been featured as part of a CSC Member spotlight from back in January, where he said his favorite memories included seeing the Harford Community College baseball team make the JUCO World Series as well as seeing the women’s lacrosse team winning the NJCAA National Championship.

A 2018 graduate of Liberty University in Sport Management, as well as a 2015 graduate of Cecil College with an associate degree in visual communication, Fornwalt has shown off his versatility in his past and current roles. He also has a certificate in Sport Broadcasting from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland.
 
24723 Ryan Gallant
University of Utah
Associate Director of Communications

“It’s very humbling to be selected for the CSC 30 Under 30 alongside many talented professionals. I feel very fortunate to have learned—and continue to learn—from outstanding people at Vermont, UMass and now Utah. One of the most rewarding parts of our job is our interactions with student-athletes, coaches, fellow SIDs and support staff, and media members. They have all shaped who I am today and to receive this award is really a tribute to them.

“In this rapidly-evolving era of college athletics, one constant for me has been the joy I feel when former student-athletes come back to campus as alumni. It gives me a great thrill not only to see where the world has taken them, but also watch alumni share memories together from on and off the field—whether they played in 2023 or 1986.”

 

Ryan Gallant can often be seen wearing a Utes hat with a cup of coffee in hand. Born and raised in New England, with the accent to prove it, Gallant got his start in the industry at his alma mater - University of Massachusetts.

While still finishing his undergraduate degree in 2016, he worked as a secondary contact with the baseball program and helped the athletic communications office with public address, game notes and game day operations to get his start in the business.

Gallant’s first post-graduate stint included a stop at the University of Vermont before returning to his alma mater as the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications. There, he served as the primary contact for field hockey, women’s basketball, baseball and rowing, in addition to being the secondary football contact which led to his next role as Associate Director of Athletic Communications at the University of Utah.

A three-year member of the Young Professionals Committee, Gallant has been a part of a group at Utah that publicized the back-to-back Pac-12 Champion Utah football team (2021, 2022) and ensuing Rose Bowl Game appearances both years. While also responsible for the baseball and skiing programs, he facilitated local and national media coverage during the NCAA Ski Championships and promoted 13 current and former Utah Ski Team athletes during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
 
24724 Spencer Honda
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Sports Information Director
 

Spencer Honda is currently the Sports Information Director at Hawai’i Hilo, an NCAA Division II institution. Honda oversees the Vulcans’ website, game day coverage, media relations, and digital/social media content creation for all 12 sports at Hawai’i Hilo.

Honda is a one-man shop for the Vulcans and was named the full-time Sports Information Director in April 2023. When Honda arrived in Hilo, he began as the interim director before being elevated to his current role.

Previously, Honda was recognized by CSC as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Class of 2023-24. The program is currently underway as 17 members are slated to study issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion in athletics communications and within college athletics overall during the 2023-24 academic year. Honda and his fellow members will be recognized at CSC’s 2024 convention in Las Vegas.

On three separate occasions, Honda has also placed in the CSC/CoSIDA Creative & Digital Design Contests. During the 2022-23 edition of the contest, Honda took home fifth place honors in the Winter Statistical Milestone Graphics category at the college division, while adding a sixth-place award for the Spring Statistical Milestone Graphic. Honda’s first CSC award was a second place finish for a Winter Infographic Athlete Feature.

Before arriving on the Big Island, Honda was the Assistant Sports Information Director at Keystone College in Pennsyvania. Through the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant, Honda spent two years in Pennsylvania as he began his career. The O’ahu, Hawai’i native also spent time working for ScoringLive.com, where he worked as a multimedia reporter covering Hawai’i high school sports.

A graduate of both Pacific University and the University of Hartford, Honda began his time in sports information as a student videographer and statistician at Pacific. Honda credits watching Kevin Hashiro at Chaminade working with his staff and coaches develop his drive and desire to work in collegiate athletics.
 
24726 Christopher Intoppa
Montreat College
Sports Information Director

“It is a tremendous honor and blessing to be selected for the CSC 30 Under 30 award. I’m thankful for everyone who has assisted, mentored, and encouraged me and to God for gifting me with talents and abilities. Earning this distinction is something I don’t take lightly and I’m eager to continue to develop professionally.”
 

Christopher Intoppa currently serves as the Sports Information at Montreat College. He is in his fifth year with the Cavaliers after getting hired in January of 2020.

Intoppa and his office were honored for their work following the 2022-23 school year. He was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference’s Willie Belcher Sports Information Director of the Year, marking the first such award and honor for Montreat in the award’s 12-year history.

As SID, he manages and oversees the communications for all 22 athletic teams. The primary contact for 11 sports, Intoppa handles duties concerning statistics, broadcasting, video, social media, the athletic website, game programs, media guides, graphics, and award nominations. He has increased reach on social media, developed templates for both graphics and game programs and has driven the growth of sports information at Montreat through a plethora of avenues, including video production and strategic decision-making.

As a member of the College Sports Communicators, Intoppa contributes to NAIA-SIDA through assistance with both the programming committee and the publications committee.

Intoppa came to Montreat after a short stint at Palm Beach Atlantic University as a Sports Information Assistant. During his time with the Sailfish, he was the primary contact for women's soccer, men's and women's golf, and baseball, while assisting with other sports in the NCAA Division II program.

Before being hired by Palm Beach Atlantic, Intoppa worked as a graduate assistant in athletic communications at Southeastern University, an NAIA institution in Lakeland, Florida. He gained experience in the field through two years as a graduate assistant after spending his senior year as a student assistant in the department, while covering aspects for all 18 athletic teams. Throughout the summers in Lakeland, Intoppa acted as an official scorer and stringer for the Gulf Coast League's Tigers East and Tigers West baseball teams. He also performed duties in the press box for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the high A affiliate in the Detroit Tigers organization, working closely with media staff to ensure accurate presentation of game day materials.

In April of 2019, he obtained his master’s degree in business administration after receiving his B.S. in Sport Management from Southeastern in 2017.
 
24727 Aaron Johnson
Purdue University Fort Wayne - Assistant Director of Athletic Media Services
Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association - Sports Information Director

“To be selected as one of the College Sports Communicators' 30 Under 30 is such an honor. I know how talented my colleagues in the business are, so to be selected among them is a tremendous accomplishment. I would not be who I am professionally without the guidance of one of the best mentors in the business, Derrick Sloboda, so I thank him with all my heart. Being able to chronicle the careers of our student-athletes at Purdue Fort Wayne is the most rewarding experience I've had as a young professional. I'd like to thank all of my student-athletes, coaches, administration, fellow SID colleagues, and most of all my wife for their support of my career. I'm looking forward to the future in this profession!”
 

Aaron Johnson currently serves as the assistant director of media services at Purdue Fort Wayne. He enters his seventh year as a member of the Mastodon staff, beginning as a graduate assistant in 2016, and was promoted to be the Assistant Director of Athletic Media Services in July 2019. Johnson currently serves as the primary contact for the Mastadon’s men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, and softball programs.

Johnson is an award-winning SID for the Mastodons, having won the 2022 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest for District 5 for his historical feature on the 40-year history of the men’s volleyball program. Johnson followed that year with a runner-up piece in two categories in 2023. Johnson led Purdue Fort Wayne’s office to win the men’s category for the 2021 AVCA Grant Burger Media Award for their coverage of the men’s volleyball program’s 40th anniversary.

Johnson’s time at Purdue Fort Wayne has been highlighted by various notable experiences. He served as the talent coordinator for the Big Ten Network in the Mastadon’s men’s basketball team’s 71-68 overtime victory over Indiana in 2016. He also assisted in two rebranding efforts and an overhaul in soccer, baseball, and softball streaming, upgrading the stream from a single-camera to a multi-camera setup capable of ESPN-quality broadcasts.

Johnson served as the SID for the men’s golf team that made its first NCAA Regional appearance after winning the Horizon League Championship, where he traveled to Barth, Michigan, to cover the team’s historical moment. In 2019, Johnson covered the women’s volleyball team that earned a berth to the NIVC, marking the program’s first non-conference postseason tournament appearance since 2012.

In 2018, Johnson covered the men’s volleyball team that earned an AVCA Top-15 ranking and beat third-ranked UC Irvine on the Anteater’s home floor. Johnson was instrumental in the coordination of national and local media coverage in the aftermath of the win, helping coordinate interviews with the student-athletes. The 2018 men’s volleyball team set a program record by starting the season 8-0.

In addition to his work with the Mastodons, Johnson has served as an SID for the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association since the beginning of the 2020 men’s volleyball season.

A 2016 graduate of Indiana University, Johnson was a broadcaster for the Big Ten Network Student U program from 2014-16, with highlights including postseason coverage for the men’s soccer team and traveling with the Indiana baseball team as a broadcaster.
 
24728 Kristen Keller
UC Santa Barbara
Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Digital Strategy

"I am truly honored to be named as a 30 Under 30 recipient this year. I never would have thought when I started working in the sports information office as a freshman in college that I would be where I am today in this profession. A huge thank you goes out to all of the people who took a chance on me throughout my career as I wouldn't be here without them. An ever bigger thanks goes to my student-athletes and coaches who trust me with their stories every day as they make the long hours and hectic days worth it."
 

Kristen Keller has been a mainstay in College Sports Communicators over the last eight years, serving as the Vice Chair of the Young Professionals Committee and now leading CSC Women. In her role with the YP Committee, Keller has been an invaluable asset to creating membership spotlights and helping form the 30 Under 30 Award during the 2022-23 academic year.

A 2018 graduate of Felician University, Keller got her start at her alma mater as an undergraduate student assistant before venturing to the Midwest to begin her professional career at Northwestern University. From there, she took on her first Director of Athletic Communications roles at Trinity Christian College and Concordia University Chicago before joining Loyola Chicago’s staff in October 2021.

Beginning in July 2022, Keller moved out west to lead UC Santa Barbara as the Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Digital Strategy. There, she leads all communications and creative efforts for the UC Santa Barbara Athletics Department while serving as the primary sport contact for a men’s basketball program that made it to March Madness twice in the last three years, in addition to men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball and golf.

In just her first year with the Gauchos, Keller has realigned brand guidelines, overhauled social media strategies and the department’s digital footprint, all while launching a website redesign. With an institution-specific thoughtfulness, Keller’s service to UC Santa Barbara has “enhanced the student-athletes, campus and community.”
 
24729 Josh Lively
University of Tennessee
Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

“It's truly a blessing to be honored as one of the CSC 30 Under 30 recipients this year, especially considering the amount of extraordinary young professionals in this industry. It's never been a goal of mine to win any awards for my work, but I'm tremendously humbled and extremely grateful to be recognized alongside the other 29 incredible individuals in this class. I want to give a massive shoutout to the entire Tennessee Athletics Strategic Communications team—both past and present. My career has been shaped by the people I've been blessed to work with in this office. I also want to recognize the rest of the UT external team, who help me tell the narratives for our student-athletes, coaches and programs every day. My job is easier because of the rockstars I get to work with every day. I'll end by saying a huge thank you to CSC and the Young Professionals Committee for selecting me for this award, and more importantly, for the continued investment and support you provide the talented individuals in this industry.”

If you were going to make a list of people who truly live and breathe Tennessee Athletics, it’d be hard not to include Josh Lively. He was raised in Harriman, Tennessee, came to games growing up at Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena and graduated from UT in 2016. Lively returned to Knoxville in Summer 2021 and currently serves as the contact for UT’s highly-successful swimming & diving and volleyball programs.

Lively was there to tell the stories of the swimming & diving program on the way to the Lady Vols’ 2022 SEC Championship. A year later, Tennessee had the SEC Men’s Diver of the Year, SEC Men’s Swimmer of the Year and an NCAA Champion among the squad. He has been called upon twice as a host communications contact in the sport, for the 2022 SEC Men’s and Women’s Championships and 2023 NCAA Women’s Championships.

Lively is heavily involved in guiding aspiring communications professionals. He directs UT’s athletic communications intern program, and is an active member of the CSC U Committee. Across campus, he is an adjunct professor in the University of Tennessee's Tombras School of Advertising & Public Relations, teaching Sports Promotion & Branding.

Prior to his return home, he spent 2019-21 at Mississippi State, where Lively led promotion of the women’s basketball and women’s golf programs.

It came on the heels of six years at Tennessee as a student intern and graduate assistant. His first SID assignment came as a sophomore, when Lively was placed in charge of women’s tennis. In that time, he had secondary roles with both basketball programs, including during the men’s team’s run to the 2019 Sweet Sixteen.
 
24730 Marisa Lombardo
Alvernia University
Director of Sports Information and Operations

“I am beyond grateful and honored to be recognized with the CSC 30 under 30 award alongside 29 other amazing individuals across all divisions. To be recognized by my peers and colleagues is humbling — very few people understand what we do day in and day out. So, to be recognized by a group that gets it is very special. I grew up around sports my whole life, but I didn’t even know this job existed until I got to college. My journey in athletics began 10 years ago at Alvernia as a freshman, and I feel privileged to have been able to spend my entire professional career here. I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in this profession and learn and grow alongside it. This job is both grueling and gratifying, but I am thankful to be able to work with and celebrate our 600+ student-athletes.”

“I would like to thank my co-workers – especially the core group that I work with every day – for their support and friendship. I would also like to thank my colleagues outside of Alvernia for their willingness to always answer a question or offer advice and encouragement. I’d especially like to thank my family for their support and for putting up with my ever-changing schedule. Lastly, and most importantly, I’d like to thank the student-athletes and student-workers at Alvernia. They make Alvernia special and are the reason I do this day after day.”

 

Overseeing the promotion of 32 varsity and club sports, an assistant, a graduate assistant, and a student staff of nearly 30, Marissa Lombardo (Director of Sports Information and Operations at Alvernia University (Penn.)) has earned her spot on the College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 List for her hard work and dedication to the sports information field and to Wolves Athletics.

Lombardo was promoted to the director role in 2021 after serving as the Assistant Director of Sports Information since 2018. At the time of her hire, she was the only female Sports Information Director in the Middle Atlantic Conference.

Lombardo won the Fred Stabley Writing Contest in her district for an article on the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. She also was featured in the CSC Women to Watch series in 2022.

In 2015, Lombardo was named the recipient of the then CoSIDA Dave Wohlhueter Scholarship as an undergraduate student pursuing a career in sports information. She earned her bachelor’s in both marketing and communications from Alvernia. Lombardo served as a graduate assistant with the Wolves’ sports information team while graduating in 2018 with her master’s degree in business administration with a marketing concentration.
 
24731 Terrisa Mark
Florida Gulf Coast University
Athletics Communications Coordinator

"I am honored and ecstatic to be named one of the nation's top young college sports communicators. My job requires creativity, dedication, and always representing all of the student-athletes I have ever worked with excellent and nonstop coverage. It has indeed been a blessing to work with talented young people. I feel a great sense of pride to be honored in a male-dominated role and hope to inspire more females to enter and showcase their gifts for communication.

“I want to thank God for blessing me with the talent to cover sports and for my family and friends in Trinidad and Tobago, who have supported me throughout all the sacrifices I have made for this career. I also want to thank my mentors, Jason Hanes and Kyle McCurry at FGCU, for believing in me and pushing me to improve alongside John Sinnett for the opportunity to elevate my career. Special thanks to Joshua Darling for introducing me to CSC and Coahoma Community College for giving me my first opportunity to become a SID."

Leaving her home country of Trinidad and Tobago, Terrisa Mark left to become a college athlete that turned in a career in college athletics, which has now turned into her beginning her second year as the assistant director of athletic communications at Florida Gulf Coast.

During her first season with the Eagles, Mark promoted the women’s basketball team that made it to second round of the NCAA tournament while covering their men’s tennis team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. She also serves as the primary contact for men’s soccer and cross country. Before starting her position at Florida Gulf Coast, Mark was the assistant sports information director at Alabama A&M, helping with a multitude of sports including football’s social media and serving as the primary contact for men’s basketball. She got her foot in the door to this industry at Coahoma Community College, where she was the sports information director for all seven sports teams.

Mark didn’t begin her career as an SID. After getting her master’s in journalism from the University of Miami, she worked as a reporter for multiple newspapers and TV stations. She took those experiences and her time as a track and field athlete to thrive in this industry.
 
24732 Clayton Messerle
Corban University
Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic Communications

"It is such a privilege and an honor to be selected for this honor! I'm extremely blessed to have been called by God into a profession as supportive and incredible as the world of sports information, and I'm very fortunate to be receiving this recognition during the start of only my third year in the profession. First, I'd like to thank those who nominated me for the award and for believing in me from the start. Second, to my amazing wife, Taylor, who continues to have my back and supports me through all of the late nights and long days spent promoting Corban Athletics. Without her unwavering support, this wouldn't have been possible. And third, to all of my admins, coaches, and student-athletes who show me patience and encouragement with the work I provide their programs with. The excitement and joy I see on our student-athletes faces is what keeps me motivated and consistently trying to put out the best content I possibly can. I thank God every day that I get to work alongside some of the greatest professionals in the industry!”
 

Clayton Messerle was named as the Director of Athletic Communications for Corban University in July of 2022. He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the NAIA-SIDA Continuing Education committee and was nominated for an at-large position on the 2023-24 NAIA-SIDA Executive Board. In the fall of 2022, he was featured as a spotlight SID for the NAIA in the College Sports Communicators’ “The Life” monthly publication.

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, Messerle was selected as one of three nominees for the Cascade Collegiate Conference Mike Booth Sports Information Director of the Year award for the work his department accomplished. Alongside the assistance of former Director of Athletics Marty Ziesemer and Assistant AD for Internal Operations Kaylee Buhrkuhl, Messerle and his team oversaw the implementation of a new online ticketing system for the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center that has primarily covered the volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s wrestling programs.

In addition to the statistical, media, and external relations work that he provides for the Warriors’ sixteen varsity sports, Messerle serves as a public address announcer, play-by-play voice, and historian for the Corban University Athletic Department.

His previous stops include time at Warner Pacific as the Sports Information Director along with time at Oregon State, where he served in a multitude of roles ranging from event marketing and promotions to graphic design and even filling in as Benny the Beaver, and Southwestern Oregon Community College, where he began his career as a student serving as the lead statistician for volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball and softball. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Oregon State University, as well as a Minor in Business Administration in 2018.
 
24733 Austin Overmann
Michigan State University
Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

“I’m incredibly honored to be named to the second-ever CSC 30 Under 30 class. It’s humbling to be recognized by my peers so early on in my professional career. I’m fortunate to work with amazing student-athletes and coaches at Michigan State that make this job rewarding in many ways. I feel that this honor is due in part to them as much as it is to my own hard work. Starting as a student worker at Loras College, working at a Big Ten institution had always been my dream and I could not have gotten luckier to land here at MSU.

“I would be remiss to not also thank those that helped mentor me along the way. Thank you to Jimmy Naprstek for handing a 19 year-old kid the reigns to being a primary sport contact at Loras. That amount of responsibility early on has been instrumental in my success. Thank you to Stew Salowitz (SID Emeritus, Illinois Wesleyan), who taught me the importance of getting the little things right and showed me what it looks like to build lifelong relationships with coaches and student-athletes. Thank you to Jeremy Hartigan, Brandon Thomas and Lauren Simpson at Cornell for showing me the importance of working as a team through adversity. And lastly, thank you to my coworkers at Michigan State who helped shape me as an intern five years ago, and who continue to do so every day.”

From Loras to Illinois Wesleyan, Cornell to Michigan State, regardless of the destination, Austin Overmann has made an impact at every stop of his professional career. Now in his second year with Michigan State, he serves as the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications working with the Spartans volleyball and softball programs.

Overmann returned to East Lansing in November of 2021, after spending two years as the Assistant Director for Athletics Communications at Cornell University. His first go-around with Michigan State came during the 2018-19 academic year, when he was a Staff Assistant Intern and was the primary contact for wrestling, field hockey, men’s tennis and women’s rowing. During his one year as an intern, Overmann played a key role in MSU's transition to a SIDEARM Sports website and NCAA LiveStats.

Throughout his time at Michigan State and Cornell, he has been the primary contact for 13 different sports and helping highlight some of the best athletes in the BIG TEN and Ivy League. On top of being the volleyball and softball contact for MSU, Overmann has helped cover the Spartans first All-American wrestler since 2014 and serving as the secondary contact for women’s basketball.

Overmann, a native of Davenport, Iowa got his start as a student-assistant at Loras College. While at Loras, Overmann was tasked with student contact responsibilities for football, men's basketball and baseball. Following his graduation from Loras, Overmann stayed at the DIII level working as a graduate assistant at Illinois Wesleyan. He spent two years working as the primary contact of the IWU softball program and helped cover all of Illinois Wesleyan’s 22 varsity sports.

Overmann is a 2016 graduate of Loras College, a NCAA DIII institution in Iowa. He also earned a master’s degree in kinesiology and recreation from Illinois State University in 2018.
 
24734 Bruna Pacheco
Fontbonne University
Director of Athletic Communications

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized for the CSC 30 Under 30 Award. I would like to say thank you to Katie Tooley for introducing me to the profession at Ottawa, and especially Alysha Galla who has been a role model for me since I first met her and taught me everything that I know. I work with a fantastic group of coaches, support staff, and student-athletes every day at Fontbonne who help keep me motivated to be the best SID out there. I look forward to continuing growing in the field that I love. Thank you to the Young Professionals Committee at College Sports Communicators for recognizing me and all the young professionals in this industry. Go Griffins!”
 

Bruna Pacheco is a rising star in the field of athletic communications. She is currently the Director of Athletic Communications at Fontbonne University, where she oversees all media relations, social media, and website content for all 21 sports. Pacheco is also a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Mental Health Committee at Fontbonne.

Pacheco's career in athletic communications began at Ottawa University, where she worked as a Sports Information Intern in 2020. She then went on to serve as a Sports Information Graduate Assistant at William Woods University from 2021 to 2022. During her time at William Woods, Pacheco was the Interim SID during the Spring of 2022 and covered all 15 athletic teams.

In addition to her work at Fontbonne and William Woods, Pacheco has also volunteered her time as a Graphic Designer at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

Her passion for athletic communications is evident in her work and her dedication to the profession. She is committed to telling the stories of student-athletes and helping them to achieve their goals. Pacheco is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in athletic communications.
 
24735 Amanda Phillips
Oberlin College
Associate Director of Athletics Communications & Digital Media Strategist

“A special thank you is owed to the CSC’s Young Professionals Committee, I’m extremely grateful to be recognized among such talented individuals. Oberlin College is a special place that has fostered my personal and professional growth, allowing me to flourish and exceed my own expectations.

“The team (at Oberlin) has entrusted me with the Crimson and Gold brand and have been open to every idea I’ve thrown their way. It is such a privilege to be selected to the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2023, and could not have happened without the incredible support of Mike Mancini and the rest of the Oberlin College Athletics Department staff. I share this honor with them and look forward to promoting and uplifting our remarkable student-athletes.”
 

If the topic is dedication to the craft, it’s only right that Amanda Phillips’ name is a part of the conversation. The start of her career has been bright, and her enthusiasm for the world of College Sports Communications is evident. Sure, she goes above and beyond for her school, Oberlin College, on a day-to-day basis, but her involvement in external committees and her pursuit of expanding the profession is what cements her spot as a 2023 CSC 30 Under 30 honoree.

Coming to the close of her third year at Oberlin, she was recently promoted to the title of Associate Director of Athletics Communications & Digital Media Strategist. Her duties are plentiful, including the design and implementation of media strategies, oversight and management of the departmental website, and development of joint initiatives and promotions with other university departments.

Phillips has further displayed her passion through involvement with a variety of national organizations. She is a current member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals, where she sits on the N4A LGBTQIA+ Committee. She is also a member of Women Leaders in College Sports, where she was a 2022 Women Leaders Symposium Finalist and is a member of various committees, including Communications & Digital Media, LGBTQIA+, Mental Health in Sports and External Affairs. On campus, she is Oberlin’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee communications liaison.

She previously spent time at the University of the Cumberlands, where she is the primary contact for the school’s women’s soccer, women’s basketball, women’s bowling, men’s lacrosse, tennis, competitive cheer and competitive dance squads. Through Cumberlands, she was a member of the CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee and the NAIA-SIDA Statistics, History, Records and Honors Committee.

Phillips’ love of athletics and athletic communications is nothing new, she was a four-year member of the University of the Cumberlands lacrosse team, starting in every game during her four year career and winning two conference championships. She also volunteered with the Sports Information Department, hoping with broadcasts, live stats and writing. She earned two degrees during her time at UC, a BS in Fitness & Sport Management and a Master’s in Business Administration.
 
24736 KJ Reid
Oklahoma Baptist University
Assistant AD for Creative Media

“Being selected for such a prestigious award is an honor. To be recognized out of the thousands of young talented people is mind boggling. This award means a lot to me, because it is confirmation that I’m doing good work and people notice. My purpose in my role has always been to represent my student athletes and university in the best way possible, and I love doing so — but to have the light shined on me for a moment, hits a little different.”
 

KJ Reid currently serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Creative Design at Oklahoma Baptist University, a role he has held since August 2021. A champion for young professionals, Reid has excelled early on in his career and has crafted a recognizable brand for Oklahoma Baptist, which has grown the Bison’s social footprint and elevated their overall product.

In his role with Oklahoma Baptist, Reid oversees the department’s communication personnel, media relations, event operations and all content creation for the website and social media. Additionally, since being an Assistant Athletic Director, Reid has worked to direct and execute successful marketing strategies for the Bison Athletic Department through leading the creative team in graphic design and video creation. Along with his creative leadership, Reid assists in telling the story of the student-athletes by making every aspect of their experience at OBU top tier. While overseeing all game operations, Reid also serves as the Director of the OBU Broadcasting Team.

Prior to his stint at OBU, Reid spent two years at Southern Nazarene University as the Director of Athletic Communications, serving as the primary contact for 16 Division II sports. For the Crimson Storm, Reid oversaw all website management, social media posting, article coverage and designed all promotional publications. He also managed the department’s student workers and served as the Head of Production for the broadcasting and radio network.

Reid was promoted to the role at SNU after working for two years as the Communications Graduate Assistant. As the graduate assistant, Reid served as the primary contact for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s basketball and baseball. He also assisted with content creation, award nominations and day-to-day operations. Reid received his Master of Arts in Sports Management and Administration from SNU in May 2021.

Reid, a former Division II student-athlete, played football at Arkansas Tech University. During his four years as a linebacker with the Wonder Boys, Reid was honored as a two-time GAC First Team selection. In his final year at Arkansas Tech, he was named D2CCA All-Super Region 3 First Team and an All-American.

After hearing about receiving this award, Reid said he could not be more honored.
 
24737 Angela Roberts
Fort Lewis College
Assistant Athletic Director - Communications

“I am honored and proud to be recognized for this award. I would not be in a position to be considered for this award if not for the mentorship and leadership of those I have been fortunate enough to work alongside thus far. Working in an environment that puts student-athletes at the center is a daily reminder as to why what we do matters. I’m excited to see how my career progresses and how women in this industry can continue to climb the ladder.”
 

No matter where her career has taken her, Angela Roberts has made a positive impact on the athletic departments she has worked at. Currently, she is the assistant athletic director for communications at Fort Lewis College in Colorado, working her way up into the role of communications assistant. Since arriving in Durango in 2020, she orchestrated the college’s 2023 Hall of Fame and was the lead designer on the new Whalen Gymnasium floor that Skyhawks began competing on in 2022. She is also the advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, helping the group connect with campus for their Indigenous People’s Day social media campaign and run the student-athlete awards banquet.

She has not only helped the institution grow, but has made her impact on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. With her help, the Skyhawks hosted a successful conference championship in cross country while serving on the RMAC’s Hall of Fame Committee.

Prior to Fort Lewis, she spent two years at Midland University. She served as the primary contact for three different championship teams, including the national runners-up in women’s volleyball and Frozen Four finisher in women’s ice hockey. She also added on other national success during her time at Minnesota State University-Moorhead during the 2018-19 season.

Roberts earned her bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University in 2017 where she was also a four-year starter on the softball team. She also earned her master’s degree from Midland in 2021.
 
24738 Rachel Rusnak
University of Toledo
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

"I am very thankful to be part of this year’s CSC 30 under 30 class. I went to my first CSC Unite Convention this summer and being surrounded by so many professionals in my field was overwhelming but has since pushed me to want to be better than how I was a year ago. I am constantly learning and always wanting to be better, and this award is the confidence booster that lets me know that I am doing a good job. I have met and worked with so many people who continue to support and push me to be better, so I wouldn't be here today without them."
 

In October 2021, Rachel Rusnak joined the Toledo Athletic Department as the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, marking a significant milestone in her burgeoning career in collegiate athletics. Rusnak, recognized as one of the College Sports Communicators’ 30 under 30 in 2023-24, has quickly become an invaluable asset to the department.

Returning to her undergraduate conference of the MAC, at Toledo, Rusnak serves as the primary media contact for several sports, including women's soccer, women's swimming and diving, softball, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's and women's cross country and women's track and field. Her responsibilities extend to managing communications, public relations/social media and ensuring efficient coverage and  promotion of these athletic programs.

Prior to her tenure at Toledo, Rusnak cut her teeth as the Assistant Director of Sports Communications at Union in Barbourville, Kentucky.

A native of Bolingbrook, Illinois, Rusnak earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and telecommunications from Ball State in 2019. During her time at Ball State, she showcased her commitment to sports communication by working as a production assistant with the university's live sports production team. In this role, she contributed to the production of live-streamed Cardinal athletic events for ESPN, gaining experience in broadcasting athletic events and working alongside several offices to produce high-quality streams and linear programs.

Rusnak's journey in sports communication continued as she served as a graduate assistant in the Sports Information Office at McKendree in Illinois for two years. During this period, she not only contributed to the daily operations of the office but also pursued a graduate degree, earning her MBA from McKendree in 2021.
 
24739 Jordan Sarnoff
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Director of Athletic Media Relations

“It is a tremendous honor to be included in the College Sports Communicators’ second-ever 30 Under 30 class. Without the support of my colleagues at FDU and at institutions and conferences throughout the country, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do with the Knights to best serve our teams, media and community. I am incredibly grateful for being nominated by my peers for this award and look forward to continuing to promote our tremendous institution and its student-athletes.”
 

The prototypical advice given to a college student looking to gain experience and break into their intended field of study is to “gain as much experience as four years can bring as possible”. Fairleigh Dickinson’s Director of Athletic Media Relations Jordan Sarnoff has taken that advice to a new level during his time as an undergraduate Sport Management student in Teaneck.

In some ways, Sarnoff has already gotten his “big break”, but that did not come without years of prep and hard work. Even before coming to FDU, he served as the Sports Information Director for nearby Fort Lee, New Jersey public schools while in high school. The prior experience paved the way for him to serve as a primary sport contact for several Division I programs immediately upon entering college.

Beginning as FDU’s Athletic Communications Manager, Sarnoff rose to Coordinator for Athletic Media Relations and eventually his current role of Director of Athletic Media Relations over the course of just three years. Now the leader of a department that also houses six Athletic Media Relations Graduate Assistants, his work gained attention on a national stage in March 2023 when FDU Men’s Basketball orchestrated one of the great March Madness upsets with its shocking First Round defeat of Purdue. Sarnoff was profiled nationally as the team’s men’s basketball contact while still an undergraduate college student, something that is certainly rare not only in Division I athletics, but in collegiate athletics as a whole.

Currently a member of the CSC Young Professionals Committee, the NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four Media Coordination Committee, the ECAC Voting Committee, and the NEC Sports Information Committee, Sarnoff’s involvement in the athletic communications industry already runs deep before the time that most enter the profession. He has twice been honored as a “Top 40 Power Player in North Jersey Athletics” by NorthJersey.com/TheRecord, and was named to the inaugural Meadowlands Chamber “50 Under 30” list in May 2023.

He may not yet have a college degree, but Jordan Sarnoff’s reputation as an up-and-comer in the athletic communications business has him positioned for greatness for years to come.
 
24740 Satbir Singh
Mohawk College
Sports Information Coordinator

“To be honoured as one of the recipients of the 2023 CSC 30 Under 30 is a privilege and truly unexpected. I want to thank Matthew Ferreira and all my colleagues for the nomination, but also for providing me the reigns to develop and implement a vision for the Sports Information Coordinator role at Mohawk. The many hours and long days it takes to be successful in this role is worth it, especially when getting to work with such amazing student-athletes and coaches to share their stories. I’m also proud to be representing not only Mohawk, but the OCAA and CCAA as a recipient of this award.”

Satbir Singh is in his third year as the sports information coordinator for the Mohawk College Department of Athletics and Recreation. He has been instrumental in helping Mohawk roll out a rebrand, host championship events and expand its footprint during his tenure.

Singh, a member of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association’s marketing committee, assisted with the redesign of the department’s website as part of a rebrand in 2023. Additionally, he orchestrated a partnership with Cable 14 to ensure Mohawk competitions are broadcasted in Hamilton, Ontario. Under Singh’s guidance, the department has partnered with Mohawk Radio Program to launch the Mountaineers Sports Network radio show. Singh’s efforts have been beneficial to increase awareness of the Mountaineers.

The 2019 Brock University graduate also helped facilitate when Mohawk hosted the 2023 CCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship.

Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Singh spent two years at Niagara This Week, working as a reporter and photographer for the community newspaper. He cut his teeth in the media industry while at Brock, serving as a staff writer for the campus newspaper and quickly rising to the roles of Sports Editor and Editor-In-Chief. He also spent three years working with BrockTV, doing play-by-play and color commentary for several sports including basketball, volleyball, hockey, lacrosse and soccer. As a freelance reporter, Singh’s coverage has included the Toronto Raptors.

Singh’s various roles and experiences in the industry over the last decade have sharpened his skills and shaped him into a well-rounded athletics communicator and a tremendous asset to the coaches, student-athletes and staff at Mohawk College.
 
24741 Andy Stanko
Milligan University
Sports Information Director

"It's an honor to represent all of the hardworking do-it-all young SIDs that are grinding every day, especially in the NAIA and in NCAA Division III. I thank God for His goodness and mercy following me every day of my life.

"I learned from two of the best, Noah Becker at Frostburg State and Aaron Thompson at W&J. Thanks to Christian Pope for bringing me to Milligan and being an incredible boss and friend. I am beyond grateful for my wife Marissa and her support throughout this entire journey in small-college athletics. Excited for what's next. Go Buffs!"

Andy Stanko has made an impact throughout the small college ranks in both the NCAA and NAIA. Stanko currently finds himself as the Sports Information Director at Milligan University, an NAIA institution in Tennessee.

Stanko is currently in his third year with the Buffaloes. He immediately raised the standard for his department, winning the Willie Belcher Appalachian Athletic Conference SID of the Year award after the 2021-22 school year. Stanko quadrupled @MilliganBuffs' average monthly social media reach across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram from 2020-21 to 2022-23. He helped grow @milliganbuffs to the No. 1 athletic department Instagram account in the 16-team Appalachian Athletic Conference despite not carrying football.

Prior to joining Milligan, Stanko spent two years at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. At W&J he oversaw all video streaming and launched the new WJAthletics YouTube channel, which posted nearly 200 video highlights over the course of two abbreviated years. He instituted a new "Presidents Postgame" segment for social media, created over 30 Adobe Spark Visual Previews and revamped the Presidents' photo management systems.

Stanko spent the previous two years at Frostburg State University. During this time with the Bobcats, Stanko served as a graduate assistant and an intern within the Athletic Communications office. His primary role at Frostburg State was to oversee video streaming and gameday broadcasts. He broadcasted more than 120 events in 12 different sports during his two years at FSU.

Stanko is a 2017 graduate of Waynesburg University. He then earned his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Frostburg State in May 2019. Stanko and his wife Marissa reside in Johnson City with their cats, Milo, Rio and Millie and are active members of Calvary Church in Johnson City.
 
24742 Savannah Stoeckle
Fresno State
Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications

"It is such an honor to be named to the CSC 30 Under 30 class this year, creating another milestone so early in my career. I am so thankful for everyone I have crossed paths with in my time at Fresno State, and those who have supported, mentored and influenced me in the industry throughout the years. This recognition wouldn't be possible without the opportunities I have been given, and for the trust instilled in me by our administration, external department staffs, coaches and student-athletes at Fresno State. I am grateful to get to represent my alma mater day-in and day-out. It truly makes a difference when you love what you do, who you do it with, and what you do it for. To every coach and student-athlete I have had the pleasure of working with...thank you for letting me tell your story."
 

One of football communications’ rising stars is also a trailblazer in the industry. Savannah Stoeckle has worked her way up in the athletic communications department at Fresno State, starting as a student intern back in 2014 to now serving as the assistant athletic director for strategic communications, becoming the primary contact for an FBS football team.

She took over as the Bulldogs’ football contact in 2021, becoming the first female primary football SID in the Mountain West. During that time. Fresno State was ranked in the Top 25 while her head coach and student-athletes were being recognized on a national stage. Not only that, but Stoeckle was instrumental in the growth of the team’s Twitter (X) account, making it the first team account to reach 100,000 followers at the institution.

Not only does she work with the football team, but Stoeckle is the primary contact for water polo and equestrian. Throughout her career, she has covered the Bulldogs at the Golden Coast Conference water polo championships, a women’s golfer at the NCAA individual championships, an MPSF Championship in lacrosse and the Mountain West Championships in football, golf, track and baseball.

Stoeckle has been in her current role since August after working as an assistant director for two years. Between 2014 and 2021, she moved her way up from a student intern to student assistant and then to a strategic communications assistant.

Stoeckle earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in sports marketing in 2019.
 
24743 Ellen Stuart
Atlantic Coast Conference
Director of Content Strategy

“Waking up each day knowing I get to serve the membership and its incredible student-athletes is the greatest gift! I am so honored to have received this 30 under 30 award. My career has unfolded in a way I never thought it could have, and I am so appreciative. Thankful for my colleagues and mentors that have helped shape me along the way, and thankful for my all-too-kind coworkers that have nominated me for this award. I’m proud to represent the ACC and other stops along the way with this accomplishment. From being a student-athlete to now telling their stories, I have a tremendous amount of gratitude in my heart for where I'm at and what I get to spend my life doing. Congratulations to the other award winners, I certainly look forward to growing alongside you all in this industry. Grateful and humbled — Glory be to God!”

Currently in her role at the ACC, Ellen Stuart oversees the digital and social across all 28 sports and conference-initiatives. She works to make sure the collective success of the ACC as a whole is portrayed across social accounts, website, email marketing and on our app. Alongside her colleagues, she develops the content strategy for our ACC Championships & postseason initiatives and tentpole events as well as ensuring the conference is showcasing the academic and community relations success of our 15 institutions and nearly 10,000 student-athletes.

Prior to joining the ACC team, Stuart worked at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, overseeing the digital marketing efforts. Stuart worked to create and implement the strategic content plan across all digital platforms and worked alongside the Chief Marketing Officer on sponsor relations and fulfillment. While in Dallas, Stuart served as the color analyst for ESPN+ broadcasts of SMU volleyball.

Prior to the Cotton Bowl, Stuart was part of the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program in the Championships Department on the Branding/Fan Experience/Corporate Relations Team. She assisted with the event marketing efforts for 15 NCAA Division I Championships and provided extra support with the in-venue fan experience, social media, and broadcast efforts.

Stuart earned her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast from Mississippi State University and was a libero on the Women's Volleyball Team where she was a 2x All SEC Community Service Team member, the 2016 MSU Scholar Athlete of the Year and was the SEC Brad Davis Community Service Postgraduate Award Scholarship recipient. While at Mississippi State, she interned with Hail State Productions and was a YoungLife Leader. Stuart went on to get her Masters of Science in Sport Management at Texas A&M University where she was the GA for 12th Man Productions helping produce live events and studio shows for ESPN and SEC Network broadcasts from College Station.