College Sports Information Directors of America

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Gregory Goings – Bowie State University, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations (retired)

CSC Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Co-authored by Ed Hill, retired (Howard University) and 2018 CSC Hall of Famer, and Bill Hamilton, South Carolina State historian/retired SID/CSC Special Awards Committee member and 2009 CSC Hall of Famer

It is only fitting that Gregory Goings be inducted into the CSC Hall of Fame Class for 2023. He has distinguished himself during his tenure and has left an indelible mark of those worked with and for him, along with those following him in the profession.
 

Goings hast set a lofty standard. Just listen to those who have been fortunate enough who have benefitted from his work and dedication:

“Greg was instrumental in my growth in the profession from the start. I was starting out in the profession at the University of the District of Columbia and he took the time to teach me how to be a professional. And along the way, he has provided guidance and support in my growth and development. It helped mold and shape me in my career.”
- Romanda Noble-Watson, former college athletic communicator/ 2022 CSC 25-Year Award recipient

"Greg is very deserving of the honor, his dedication to the profession and Bowie State is admirable. I'm glad he's able to receive all his flowers now and what better way to do that then after retirement. I am thankful for him and his willingness to help young professionals like myself over the years.”
- Dr. Jolisa Williams, Bowie State Assistant AD for Media Relations/2022 CSC Rising Star Award recipient who ascended to Goings’ position upon his retirement

“Greg is the utmost professional. He is widely respected around the country and in the business of athletics media relations. I am thrilled and excited for him. He is truly deserving of this honor. His legacy at Bowie State will always be remembered with this induction.”
- Derek Carter, Coppin State Director of Athletics, who hired Goings while he was the Bowie State AD before going to Coppin State

"It's hard to measure the value of Mr. Goings and how many lives he has touched. From my athlete perspective, he was more than the person who promoted and publicized us as student-athletes. Because he was also a basketball official, he would often talk to me about things that helped me improve on the court and my knowledge of the game. And that not only went for me; all the student-athletes that came from Bowie whether it was football, basketball, etc. He was always willing to do his best to promote and at the same, someone we could talk to for advice. I have learned since leaving that it is rare for student athletes to have that kind of relationship with the sports information director."
- Allyson (Hardy) Dobbins, former Bowie State women’s basketball student-athlete 

“Greg getting inducted is very befitting to someone who has dedicated himself to this in the profession. He has mentored many and this is the largest form of appreciation one can receive from his peers."
- Damon Wilson, Morgan State head football coach and former Bowie State head coach

Before we talk about his outstanding work that has led up to this prestigious honor, let’s get a start on his early pre media relations career.

Greg’s athletic experience began in 1988 at Virginia State University as their sports information director, a position he held until October 2000. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association selected him as the "John Holley" Sports Information Director of the Year three times (1993-1994, 1995-1996 and again in 2008-2009).

Among his numerous achievements, in the summer of 1995, he was selected as a press officer for the United States Olympic Festival in Denver, Colorado.

Another interesting fact is that he also finds time to officiate collegiate and high school basketball, something he has done for over 35 years. In addition to his athletic experience, he was the host of the #1 rated (Arbitron) night-time radio program (The Quiet Storm) on WCDX - Power 93 FM (1988 - 93), and served as an air personality for Virginia State University’s public broadcasting radio station - WVST and for WPLZ - Magic 99 FM (1984 - 1986).

Goings is a member of College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA), Black College Sports Information Directors Association (BCSIDA), and served the profession well. He was an at-large college division representative on the CoSIDA Board of Directors (2011-2014) and is a past president of the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA, serving 2010-2014). He also is a past president of the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association and a former member of the Harlon Hill Division II Football Player-of-the-Year Advisory Committee.

“I had the good fortune to serve on the CoSIDA Board of Directors and also on several special committees alongside Greg -- good fortune for me, because our paths would not likely have crossed through competitions between our schools," states Shelley Poe, current Assistant AD for Communications at Auburn, a past CSC president and a fellow Hall of Famer inductee.

"In all of our work with the national organization, if you were looking for someone thoughtful and dependable to serve on a committee or task force, Greg was often at the top of the list because he is committed and he cares."
 
Poe continued: “Greg has great love for our profession and what it can provide to boost intercollegiate athletics as a whole and he has always held himself to the highest professional standards. He has also invested in getting a number of young people involved in our profession, and he continues to take the time to inspire them to do things the right way. Those mentorship investments have brought and kept some very talented individuals in our ranks, because they had a friend and champion in Greg. He is certainly a Hall of Fame professional.”

The Washington, D.C. native is a 1977 graduate of McKinley Tech High School and earned a bachelor of science degree from Virginia State University. He and his wife, Dr. Donna Powell-Goings, reside in Beltsville (Md.), and he has one adult daughter, Shannen.  Working as a team, his wife Dr. Powell-Goings often served as a volunteer at past CoSIDA conventions. 
 
Among the many accolades received to date, Greg’s proudest moments were being inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in February 2022 and the Virginia State University Athletic Hall/Wall of Fame in February 2023.
 
So the question begs: What kept him going for 30 years despite all the challenges of time and work that is required in this demanding profession?
 
"One of the best things that helped me in my career was my mentoring by the late John Holley," recalls Goings. "I was at Virginia State and committed to getting all the things I needed to get done regardless of the demands. John said to me, 'the work will be here tomorrow.'  That was some of the best advice that I could have received to give me a different perspective. It has stayed with me." 
 
Holley himself formerly served as numerous institution and was cited for several honors during his time the profession.
 
Looking back on the three decades and what it means to receive this lofty honor, Goings pauses and says, "I really did not see it coming. It is good to know your work has been appreciated by your peers in the profession. It is so humbling that I can't put it into words."
 
The official Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on June 12 during the 2023 CSC Unite convention in Orlando during the CSC All-Star Night of Honors presented by ESPN.