College Sports Information Directors of America

CSC Achievement Award
Presented annually to two College Sports Communicators members – one in the University Division (NCAA DI) and one in the College Division (NCAA DII, DIII, NAIA, Two-year Colleges, Canadian institutions) – currently serving in the role of an associate or assistant director in the athletics communications field who have made outstanding contributions to the field of athletics communications and provided exceptional service to their institution, conference office or intercollegiate athletics affiliated association.

A nominee must have 10-or-more years of experience in the athletics communications profession and must have not served in the lead role overseeing an athletics communications office. This award is designed for an individual who has not been a recipient of any prestigious CSC major award (Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Hall of Fame) in their careers. Voted on by the Special Awards Committee.

Mike Cihon — Bowling Green State University Associate Director for Strategic Communications
CSC Achievement Award (University Division)

Working at his alma mater, Mike Cihon is in his 29th year in the Bowling Green athletic communications office. After serving as an assistant director in the office for most of his first two-plus decades, he was named associate director in the summer of 2021.

Cihon assists in the communications efforts for BGSU's 18-sport department of athletics, and is the primary contact for the Falcons' men's and women's soccer, women's basketball and softball programs. 

Cihon returned to BGSU in the fall of 1996, after two years as the assistant director of communications at the Mid-American Conference office in Toledo. While there, he also served a two-month stint as interim director of communications.

At BGSU, Cihon worked with the women's basketball program for 27 of his first 28 years, including the 2006-07 season when the program advanced to the 'Sweet 16' of the NCAA Championships. He spent 2007-08 as the men's basketball contact before returning to women's basketball duties a year later.

Cihon worked with the Falcons’ softball program his first 10 years at BGSU and then added softball back to his list of sports in 2015. He was the women's soccer program's SID contact from 1996 (when the sport was added at BG) until 2014, and again from 2018 to the present. Other sports coverage includes a nearly 20-year run as tennis media relations contact and men's soccer contact for the 2008 season and beyond.

Cihon received his bachelor's degree in communications from BGSU in 1990 and earned a master's degree in sport administration in 1993 from Kent State University. He spent two years as a graduate assistant in the KSU sports information office and also was an intern at Michigan State University, where he was the primary contact for legendary coach (and BGSU Hall-of-Famer) Ron Mason's Spartan hockey program during the 1993-94 academic year.

Eric Nichols, Bowling Green State University Head Men's Soccer Coach: "Mike has been an integral part of our program for many years, and his dedication, professionalism, and passion for BGSU Athletics are truly unmatched. His impact goes beyond just covering our team—he has helped shape the stories and memories that define our program. More than an SID, Mike has become a great friend along the way. This Achievement Award from College Sports Communicators is a well-deserved honor, and we couldn’t be prouder of him."

Vince Briedis, Bowling Green State Assistant AD for Strategic Communications: "We are thrilled that Mike has been recognized by CSC as the University Division Achievement Award recipient for 2025. Mike has been an invaluable member of the Bowling Green Athletics Department for nearly 30 years. During his tenure as a PR professional, he has made an impact on all our intercollegiate sports teams at one time or another. His historical knowledge of Bowling Green State University and our athletics department is an invaluable asset as we work daily to promote the momentum of our University. This is a well-deserved honor for someone who is highly respected by his peers across the country."

Will Roleson, College Sports Communicators Associate Executive Director, CSC Hall of Fame (2024): "I've known Mike for more than 30 years, going back to the 1993 CoSIDA Convention when we were fresh out of college and candidates for many of the same positions at the job seekers session. When I first went to Kent State a few years later, he had just left the Mid-American Conference office just up the road in Cleveland to join the staff at Bowling Green. We had many of the same sports responsibilities the next few years so we were in regular communication. It's safe to say you won't find many people with a deeper devotion and appreciation for BGSU and Falcon Athletics than Mike. To have spent nearly 30 years at one institution is an incredible accomplishment. He truly bleeds BG orange and brown. Mike is the epitome of someone for whom CSC's Achievement Award is intended, and I couldn't be happier that he is receiving this award."

Robyn Fralick, Michigan State University Head Women’s Basketball Coach: "Mike Cihon is one of the best and kindest humans I have ever worked with. He brought humor, support and an amazing attention to detail to his job as sports information director. He found so many amazing nuggets to promote our program and could find every silver lining in tough days too. I am so grateful for my time working with Mike and very happy to see him receive this amazing award."



Looking back on his athletic communications career…
"I will never forget the day that I, a wide-eyed college student with a glorious head of hair, found out that a job existed where I could go to sporting events FOR FREE, get to sit in the press box or on press row and do stats, then write stories about those sporting events. The profession has changed in many ways since I got my start. But, one thing that remains the same is my enthusiasm about getting to work with so many amazing student-athletes and coaches and helping to share their stories. I've gotten to know a plethora of tremendous people, from co-workers here at Bowling Green to SID professionals and media members around the country, and even though I blame some of those people for causing me to lose that glorious head of hair, I would do it all over again."

Advice, tips and hot takes from Cihon… 

• Try to get to know your student-athletes as well as possible. Not only are they very interesting people and fun to talk to, but being around them also cultivates a positive working relationship, and talking with them may result in information for a story or feature.
• Update student-athlete bios after each game or series. It might add a few minutes to your postgame or day-after-game routine, but it saves you a ton of work at the end of each season. And, it’s easier to remember a key play the day after the game than two or three months down the road.
• If you’ve got the space on your word roster (or flip card, etc.), put the pronunciations right beside a student-athlete’s name, rather than down at the bottom of the page. Just trust me – If you’re ever pressed into public-address duty when your PA person is a no-show, this (names & pronunciations beside one another) can save valuable time.