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Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to individuals who have served at least 25 years
in the athletics communications profession (as of July 2023) who are retiring or leaving the profession.
Years of service vetted by the Special Awards Committee.
Dave Saba – Duquesne University Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations (retired)
Dave Saba retired in August 2023 from his position as Duquesne University associate athletic director for media relations, closing a 37-year career that spanned parts of five decades. Saba had served in his associate AD position since August of 1998. The longest-tenured sports information director in Duquesne history, Saba began his career in college athletics as an intern at the University of Texas in October of 1986.
He was previously honored by College Sports Communicators with a 25-Year Award in 2013.
A Pittsburgh native, Saba was part of all six NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship events that have been held in Pittsburgh - the first as sports information director at Texas in 1997 and the last five (2002, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2022) as media coordinator while at Duquesne.
Duquesne's men's basketball season opener vs. Montana on Nov. 8, 2022 marked Saba's 1,000th men's basketball game worked.
Saba began his professional career in 1985 as a media relations intern with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1986, he became a ticket office intern at Texas and transitioned to assistant sports information director at Texas in 1987.
Gallery: (5-10-2024) Dave Saba, Lifetime Achievement
Dave Harper, Dusquesne University Vice President of Athletics: "Throughout his accomplished career, Dave has exhibited an unwavering commitment to his craft and to Duquesne. He has played many vital roles and is also held in high regard across the country."
Paul Hightower, Duquesne's Senior Assistant Athletic Director: "Dave was an ultimate professional when he came here, and he stayed like that his whole time. He was always very consistent in what he did and how he handled things. I think that when you last this long in this profession, a lot of that comes down to how well you deal with people and build relationships. Dave could be having a bad day and look up and see Aaron Jackson. And suddenly he's in a great mood because he's seeing somebody that he genuinely cares about and makes him smile."
Saba's reflections on his career…
I was fortunate to work in a profession where I don't think I ever looked at the clock and waited for a single day to end. It felt like in the blink of an eye 37 years had passed. I had the opportunity to work for, and with, some of the legends in our field in the Southwest, Big 12 and Atlantic 10 conferences and for that I am grateful. There are a lot of good, selfless people doing tremendous work in the field of college athletics and I'm privileged to have had the chance to work with a good many of them.
His professional development and career advice for those in college sports communicators:
I hope those starting out, or in the middle of their careers, take the time to develop and treasure meaningful relationships. As we become more and more automated, please remember there is still tremendous value in one-on-one communication. Game notes, website updates, social media posts are all disposable; relationships - built through direct interaction with others - last forever.
