College Sports Information Directors of America

Kowal will be receiving a CSC Lifetime Achievement Award at the June 2025 CSC Unite convention in Orlando.
 

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After 16 years of service to College Sports Communicators, Director of Operations and Professional Development Barb Kowal has announced her plans to retire effective Aug. 1, 2025.

The longest tenured full-time staff member in CSC history, Kowal assumed her current role of Director of Operations and Professional Development in November 2023. She previously held the titles of Director of External Affairs on the CSC staff from 2009-2016, and Director of Professional Development and External Affairs from 2016-2023.

Kowal was inducted into the CSC Hall of Fame in 2010 and received a CSC 25-Year Service Award that same year. She was honored with CSC's 2024 Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award at the June CSC Unite convention in Las Vegas for her groundbreaking work and advocacy for mentoring and leading ethnic and diversity efforts in the organization and for her work on the national scene in promoting and enhancing coverage and awareness of women's sports and non-revenue sports.
 
"To augment my early love for competing in sports into my career in intercollegiate athletics has been an absolute blessing. For some time, it has been my intention to step away from full-time employment during 2025," noted Kowal. "To borrow a phrase from a close friend who recently left a prominent career, I am referring to this time as my "rewirement" – not retirement. I am looking forward to this next chapter of new adventures and opportunities that may present themselves.
 
It has been so rewarding to to find and tell the important stories in college sports, to elevate coverage and opportunities for women's sports and under-recognized sports, and to impact student-athletes. I have a great sense of gratitude and deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve our national organization and be an integral part of our growth, amazing accomplishments, and service to our members and to college athletics. It has been my privilege to work alongside an exceptional CSC staff and all the volunteer leaders and members, and we look forward to hosting another great CSCUNITE convention event in June. I'm proud to have been a part of the process of growing CSC into the recognized brand it is today.
 
There will be time for reflection later, yet now, it is the time to reach out to mentors, colleagues and friends who have been alongside on this professional journey, to thank them for their impact, support and guidance. I am so grateful."

Following the hiring of the first executive director, Kowal became the second full-time staff member in 2009 and since has been intricately involved in nearly every aspect of the organization. Most recently, Kowal has been the driving force in CSC's year-round professional development initiatives, coordinated member operations for the Academic All-America® program, and developed all programming for the annual CSC Unite convention, coordinating the CSC Special Awards program, among many other responsibilities.
 
"Congratulations to Barb on her well-deserved retirement, even though she would never call it that," said Will Roleson, CSC associate executive director. "I've had the privilege of working alongside Barb my entire tenure with CSC. Her institutional knowledge and genuine concern for our membership is second to none. She has had a hand in nearly every aspect of our association in her 16 years on staff. I wish her the best as she embarks later this summer on her next chapter."

Beyond her accolades and accomplishments, Kowal's true legacy is in the countless people she's mentored, supported and inspired.

Prior to her time with CSC, Kowal's award-winning career included coordinating communications for two of the most widely-respected women's basketball programs and hall of fame coaches, serving the University of Connecticut and head coach Geno Auriemma for 13 years and the University of Texas and head coach Jody Conradt for 12 years. She also led communications for the nationally-ranked UConn men's soccer program. During this time she developed the nation's largest media following for any women's sports program and won over 100 CSC publications awards, including 35 "Best in the Nation" awards.

"For more than 16 years, Barb Kowal has been at the heart and soul of our organization," CSC President Kevin Trainor said. "Her commitment to the programming of our convention, our professional growth track, the Academic All-America program and countless other CSC initiatives has been integral to our continued growth and success. Most importantly, she has been an advocate for our members both individually and collectively. On behalf of our membership, I want to thank Barb for her distinguished service and wish her the very best as she begins her next chapter."
 
Kowal was honored in 2016 at the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four with the United States Basketball Writers Association's (USBWA) Mary Jo Haverbeck Award, given for outstanding service and commitment to the media. In 2021, she became the first female athletics communicator to attain a board of directors position with the USBWA. She has been part of the NCAA DIvision I Women's Basketball Final Four volunteer media coordination committee for over three decades.
 
Kowal's passion for serving CSC and its members predates her time on staff. As a member, she served on the Executive Board of Directors (2002-05) and volunteered her time on multiple CSC committees. She has presented on panels and continuing education sessions for CSC, the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM), the USBWA, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and at numerous campuses.