College Sports Information Directors of America

25-Year Award
Presented to College Sports Communicators members who have completed 25 years in the athletics communications profession. Vetted and voted on by the Special Awards Committee. 

Tim Volkmann — Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Director for Athletic Communications

Tim Volkmann is in his sixth year as director of athletic communications at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). 

Volkmann oversees all aspects of publicizing the Tigers' 24 intercollegiate athletic teams and over 650 student-athletes, coaches and administrators, including the supervision of the department's website and social media platforms. He is also a member of RIT's University Communications team. 

Volkmann came to RIT after spending over six years as the director of athletic communications and media relations at SUNY Geneseo where he publicized 12 individual national champions, 135 All-Americans and over 50 SUNYAC Championship teams while hosting countless NCAA Division III Tournament events during his tenure.

Prior to SUNY Geneseo, Volkmann spent six years at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He first served three years as assistant director of athletic communications for the Division I Black Knights, and was the primary contact for the men's lacrosse, men's soccer and swimming & diving programs, while also serving as a secondary contact for football and wrestling. In May 2008, he gained the title of director of media event management and coordinated media relations operations for all championship events held at West Point.

He also spent three years as assistant athletic director of the Army A Club and was responsible for all of the department's annual athletics fundraising. His duties included developing, implementing and coordinating all administrative and business functions related to tickets, benefits, budgets, staffing and special projects, while identifying, cultivating, soliciting and retaining donors. The A Club grew by more than 34 percent to over $3.67 million in annual donations in 2012, marking the first time the fund had surpassed $3 million.

Volkmann arrived at West Point after spending two years as the coordinator of sports communications at Division I University of Rhode Island.

Before his time at URI, he was the assistant director of sports communications at Springfield College for six years, including two stints as interim director. He also completed a master's degree in athletic administration at Springfield in the spring of 2004.

Volkmann spent a year as the sports information director at Oneonta in 1998-99 after serving as the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) publicist during the 1997-98 academic year. He received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from SUNY Cortland in 1997.

A Fairport, N.Y. native, Volkmann currently resides in Bloomfield, N.Y. with his wife, Tracy, and his daughter, Evelyn.

Jacqueline Nicholson, RIT Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics: "Tim Volkmann has been the steady hand and creative force behind so much of what makes RIT athletics communication shine. His dedication, professionalism, and genuine love for college sports have not only elevated our programs but have also set a standard of excellence across the industry. We’re proud to see him honored by College Sports Communicators. It's a well-deserved recognition for a remarkable 25-year career."

Tracy King, Liberty League Commissioner: "Tim Volkmann is one of the true professionals in the athletic communications industry. Not only does his work speak for itself, but Tim has also embraced a leadership role in helping to grow the profession, serving as president of D3SIDA and chair of the Liberty League athletic communications committee. We're proud to have him as a member of our conference."

Ali Paquette, Middlebury College Assistant Athletic Director/Director of Athletic Communications, D3SIDA President, CSC Rising Star Award (2022): "Tim is the consummate professional in our industry. He is one of those people that you can always count on to call with a question, and even if he does not have the answer, which is rare, he will help you figure out the problem. His sense of humor is something I've come to really appreciate over the years, as his lightheartedness brings a breath of fresh air to our industry. Division III is fortunate to have such an outstanding leader in Tim, and I am proud to call him a colleague and friend, and to have served together on the D3SIDA board. I am so happy that Tim is receiving this recognition, as he deserves all of the praise for his tireless work and dedication to serving his student-athletes, coaches, and colleagues over the years."

Amie Canfield, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Athletic Communications Director, former D3SIDA president, CSC Rising Star Award (2015), CSC President’s Award (2016, 2024): "I have been blessed to know Tim Volkmann for many years. A consummate professional, he helps lift those around him, whether it's a joke, timely advice, a phone call or a hug. While I've been fortunate to be a league colleague and a board colleague, calling him my friend has been the most significant. During his year as D3SIDA President, there wasn't a week that went by when we weren't on the phone to talk about the board, talk about life in general. And when I took the gavel from him the next year, the pattern stayed the same. He helped me talk through my thoughts and ideas, my insecurities and worries. But that is just who Tim is. He's the guy that people gravitate to, the guy who gives well-thought-out advice and the guy who isn't afraid to crack a timely joke. We are better as a profession for leaders like Tim and I can safely say that I'm a better person for being able to call him a friend. Well deserved, Tim! Truly grateful for you!"

Volkmann on how he's approached his career…
"Anyone who knows me knows I don't take myself too seriously. I realized pretty quickly that I wasn't going to make it very far in this business if I took myself too seriously. The more I realized I didn't have to try and convince people I had all the answers and was never wrong, the more comfortable I became with myself and who I was as a professional.

I think that is the hardest part for a lot of people in this business to let go of. Yes, you have to know your stuff to make it, but it is totally fine not being right all the time and being open to learning from your mistakes.

I know other SIDs who are better writers than I am. I know others who can recite the most obscure rules there are to know about every single sport way better than I can. There are way more creative graphic designers and even more who have a better grasp on social media than I do. But despite all that, I like to think I've still been able to put together a pretty good career so far, and hope that there are more people I've worked with along the way that would say I've done a good job than not."

Volkmann's perspectives on his career path…
"Having to leave Army was one of the hardest things I had to do but being able to come back to my hometown of Rochester, N.Y. to take the job at SUNY Geneseo was a blessing in disguise. We experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows during my time there, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I couldn't ask for much more than my current position at RIT. I'm lucky to work alongside two great assistant directors in Steve Jaynes and Micah Chapman, who make my job easy, and have amazing support from our Senior Vice President of Communications Bob Finnerty and our Executive Athletic Director Jackie Nicholson.

I continue to learn about myself, even after all this time. I hope new communicators and creatives just starting out have the same opportunities to learn, grow – and be wrong – like I did."

Volkmann on the people who have helped and encouraged him…
"This profession has given me so much. More important than any of the stops I've made along the way are the people I've gotten to know through the years that continue to make my life better.

Fran Elia at Cortland was my first role model and gave me every opportunity I could have asked for as an undergraduate to learn about sports information and see that it was a great profession to get into. I can also still name all the SIDs in the SUNYAC from when I got my first job as the conference publicist – they were my first mentors and I still keep in touch with a lot of them to this day.

Fate put me at the same table as former Springfield College and CSC Hall of Famer Ken Cerino for lunch on the last day of the 1999 CoSIDA Convention in Orlando. I was in search of a job and he hired me as his first full-time assistant and really taught me what it meant to be a professional and manage an office. Having the opportunity to work alongside Howie Davis – one of the founding fathers of our profession – while I was there is something I'm proud of too. 

I will always be grateful to Bob Beretta for giving me the opportunity to come to Army. Not only was it a transformative place to work professionally, but I also learned what a team could accomplish when they operated more as a family than as co-workers. I also started there on the same day as someone I would later call my wife. Tracy and I will be married 10 years this December and our daughter, Evelyn, is the light of our lives."