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Special Awards Program
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CSC Hall of Fame
2026 Special Awards Announcements Schedule
- CSC Hall of Fame Class (below)
- Arch Ward Award; Warren Berg Award; Bill Esposito; Rising Star Awards (Jan. 13)
- Achievement Awards; Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award; Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award; Lester Jordan Award; Jake Wade Award (media award); Bud Nangle Ethics Award (Jan. 14)
- Lifetime Achievement Awards; 25-Year Awards (Jan. 15)
Please note: Following this week’s announcements of all awards, CSC will highlight recipients throughout the spring with special individualized content and social media recognitions and honor them in person during the June CSCUNITE26 convention in Las Vegas (June 7-10).
The Hall of Fame class, which will be honored at the 2026 College Sports Communicators #CSCUnite26 annual convention in June at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, is comprised of two former CSC Presidents and Board of Directors members Sam Atkinson (Gallaudet) and Kevin Trainor (Arkansas); long-time CSC members Kelly Bird (Linfield) and Jerry Emig (Ohio State); and retirees Dee Outlaw (West Alabama) and Steve White (Western Carolina).
By Barb Kowal, CSC Special Awards Committee member/former CSC Director of Operations and Professional Development (retired)
College Sports Communicators (CSC) will honor over 60 members, distinguished external colleagues, media members and collegiate administrators with its 2026 Special Awards, the association's annual awards of distinction. The Special Awards, to be announced throughout the week of January 12-15, are presented for outstanding contributions to the organization and to CSC's mission.
CSC is composed of intercollegiate athletic communications and creative professionals from colleges, universities and athletic conferences at all divisions of competition in the United States and Canada.
The week of Special Awards announcements kicks off with recognition of the six-member CSC Hall of Fame class:
- Sam Atkinson - Gallaudet University Associate Athletic Director for Communications
- Kelly Bird - Linfield University Athletics Marketing and Events Coordinator
- Jerry Emig - The Ohio State University Associate Athletic Director, Communications - Football
- Dee Outlaw - former University of West Alabama Athletic Director, Compliance Director and Sports Information Director (retired)
- Kevin Trainor - University of Arkansas Alumni Association, Chief Operating Officer and Associate Executive Director
- Steve White - former Western Carolina University Associate Athletic Director and Sports Information Director (retired)
The members of this Hall of Fame class represent NCAA Division I institutions (Emig, Trainor, White), NCAA Division II (Outlaw) and NCAA Division III (Atkinson and Bird). Western Carolina moved from Division II to Division I during White’s tenure. Two former CSC (CoSIDA) presidents are also represented (Atkinson and Trainor). Outlaw and White were selected from CSC’s veterans/former sports information nominees whose professional and personal deeds and accomplishments helped make possible the stature of the athletics communications profession today.
Each of these six 2026 Hall of Fame inductees will join their predecessors on the CSC Hall of Fame plaques that are on permanent display at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis.
“The latest class of Special Award winners for College Sports Communicators showcases years of thoughtful leadership, groundbreaking successes and service to our profession,” noted Patrick Crawford, 2025-26 CSC President and Purdue University Associate AD-Strategic Communications. “These individuals were able to not only diligently serve their institutions and organizations but also make significant impacts within our membership that stretches across all divisions and levels of college sports. For both our full grouping of Special Award winners and specifically the CSC Hall of Fame class, we are thrilled to be recognizing their efforts and careers at CSCUnite26 in Las Vegas in June.”
In addition to the Hall of Fame, other Special Awards recognize emerging leaders, community service, lifetime achievement, organization trailblazers, outstanding media contributions, and 25-Year service honors.
“The College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame honors those whose careers have shaped not only how our stories are told, but how our profession is defined,” said Jason Yaman, CSC Executive Director. “The 2026 Hall of Famers represent a standard of excellence, integrity, and service that inspires generations of communicators across all levels of college athletics. We look forward to honoring their career accomplishments, and the accomplishments of all our award recipients, in June.”
All honors will be presented at CSC's 69th annual convention, #CSCUnite26 at the Mandalay Bay Resort taking place June 7-10 in Las Vegas. The convention is held in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week. The six members of the Hall of Fame class will be inducted into the HOF on Monday, June 8, in ceremonies during a special CSC celebration award night.
The CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame® Class of 2026 and the 2026 Dick Enberg Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award recipients will be announced at a later date.
A closer look at the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Established in 1969, CSC inducted 39 individuals in its inaugural class. A total of 260 members have been inducted to date. See CSC Hall of Fame all-time inductees.
Sam Atkinson – Gallaudet University
Associate Athletic Director for Communications
"I’m deeply humbled by this honor and profoundly thankful for College Sports Communicators, an organization that has been a constant source of support, opportunity, and community throughout my career. I still remember attending my first CSC convention in 2007, early in my professional journey, not knowing anyone — yet immediately feeling welcomed and encouraged to get involved. CSC gave me a professional home and reinforced my belief in service, leadership, and advocating for the athletic communications profession.
I’m incredibly grateful to Gallaudet University, Salisbury University, and the many student-athletes, colleagues, mentors, and friends who have trusted me and shared this journey. For me, this work has never been about individual recognition, but about lifting the profession and ensuring that voices too often underrepresented are seen, valued, and heard."
With his upcoming induction to the CSC Hall of Fame,
Sam Atkinson adds to his impressive award and leadership legacy within college athletics.
The Associate Athletic Director for Communications at Gallaudet University, Atkinson is in his 16th year of service at Gallaudet, the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. He was promoted to his current role in April 2017 after serving as assistant AD and sports information director. He began his career as Salisbury University’s sports information director, serving for three years.
Appointed to the CSC Board of Directors in June 2015 for a three-year term, he was elected as CSC's Third Vice President in June 2017 and became the organization's President in 2020-21. Atkinson became the second Division III member to become President in the 65-year history of CSC/CoSIDA.
Atkinson’s prior CSC honors include the 2014 Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award, 2020 Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award, 2022 President’s Award (for his service on the Executive Board of Directors), and the 2023 Warren Berg Award for outstanding commitment and contributions in the college division. Twice, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has recognized Atkinson and his staff with regional Grant Berger Media Awards for outstanding promotion of the sport.
On the NCAA national scene, Atkinson has been an integral part of two Division III championship programs - men’s basketball and women’s volleyball. Named to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Committee in July 2016 to serve a four-year term, Atkinson was elected by committee peers to serve as the chair for the 2018-19 season and was re-elected to the chair position for 2019-20 - a first for an athletics communicator.
Atkinson concluded a four-year term (2021-25) on the NCAA Division III women's volleyball national committee and was chair in 2023 and 2024, another first for an athletic communicator on that committee.
Atkinson was the chair of the CSC Goodwill and Wellness Committee for eight years and was key in establishing new initiatives. In 2011, he helped to organize CSC's first convention 5K run/walk at Marco Island, Fla., where nearly 100 people participated and over $1,600 and hundreds of clothing items were donated to St. Matthew's House in Naples, Fla. Since then, the annual 5k run/walk has nearly tripled participants from CSC and NACDA and contributed thousands to charity. His committee also debuted the Volunteer15 program in the summer of 2014, designed to promote more philanthropy among CSC members and to recognize outstanding civic and volunteer work.
Kelly Bird – Linfield University
Athletics Marketing and Events Coordinator
"I feel totally blessed to have worked within the sports communications field and at Linfield University for as long as I have. Being singled out for induction into the CSC Hall of Fame is a dream come true. Celebrating and promoting the accomplishments of so many exceptional student-athletes and teams for over 35 years has been an absolute honor and privilege. I would not have been able to elevate the profile of our programs and university without the encouragement and support of my family and the many colleagues whom I’ve worked with over the years."
A longtime College Sports Communicators member and mentor to many fellow athletic communications in the Northwest, Kelly Bird has demonstrated excellence in his writing, graphic design, photography, and media relations skills, mostly serving as a one-person athletic communications office at NCAA Division III member Linfield.
In 2025, Kelly started his retirement process, stepping away from his full-time sports information director role after 36 years. He is now in a hybrid role as the athletic marketing and events coordinator, and remains Linfield’s primary media relations contact for football, track and field and softball while continuing his roles as sponsorship coordinator, Athletics Hall of Fame historian, and department photographer.
Having participated in 23 CSC national conventions, Bird has produced 22 CSC nationally award-winning sports publications, including five that were judged “Best in the Nation.” He also has received national honors for video display award segments from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA).
Bird is a three-time recipient of the Jack Saurealt Award (2008, 2015, 2021), given to the Northwest Conference’s top sports communication program. In 2007, he was honored as Linfield’s Administrator of the Year for the McMinnville campus. Bird also served for 12 years as a regional voter on the Associated Press Division III All-America football team.
Jerry Emig – The Ohio State University
Associate Athletic Director, Communications - Football
“I am thrilled, appreciative and humbled to be recognized as a CSC Hall of Fame member,” said Emig. “The feeling of pride I have to be included among this distinguished and distinctive group of communicators is real and will be everlasting. I want to thank the CSC Special Awards Committee and current Hall of Fame members for this honor. I also want to thank the communications staff at Ohio State University for its spirit, work ethic and leadership that makes every day in this profession a pleasure. Working alongside colleagues, coaches, student-athletes and members of the media has been wonderful, and I will forever be grateful that it has positioned me to receive this honor.”
Jerry Emig is in his 33rd year in the sports information/athletic communications profession, his 23rd year at Ohio State and his 15th as the core media relations contact for the Ohio State football program.
A tremendous mentor and leader for the Buckeyes, Emig will officially retire from OSU at the end of February 2026. Since taking over football communications in 2011, Emig led communications for two national championships (2014, 2024), five Big Ten Championships and seven College Football Playoff berths.
His work experience includes positions with three universities (Southern Illinois-Carbondale, Temple University and Ohio State), a local public relations firm and two state commissions (the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission and the Ohio Board of Regents).
Emig began his SID career at Southern Illinois-Carbondale for three years after his 1983 graduation from Murray State University and two years as a graduate assistant at Ohio State while pursuing his master’s degree. He then spent six years at Temple University (1989-95) before returning to Ohio State in 1995 for a four-and-a-half year stint.
Emig then worked for the public relations firm and two state organizations for seven years and returned to Ohio State in 2007.
At OSU, Emig took over SID responsibilities for the football program in 2011 and worked the 400th football game of his career at the 2025 Big Ten Championship. Emig has fostered the Ohio State football beat into one of the largest in the country, issuing 300-400 credentials per football game (with reaches to 500 for some of the most prominent games). The Ohio State football sports information staff received a Super 11 Award from the Football Writers Association of America in 2017 for SID excellence.
In 2023, Emig earned OSU’s Higher Purpose' Award, the most prestigious award offered by the Ohio State athletics department and selected by the OSU Athletics senior staff.
Among his career highlights: media relations responsibilities for Ohio State’s run to the first College Football Playoff national championship in 2014, a repeat run and CFP championship in 2025, 19 total CFP and/or bowl games, 16 Ohio State vs. Michigan football games, seven Big Ten football championship games, five Rose Bowls (all Ohio State wins!), five Sugar Bowls, two BCS national championship games, four Fiesta Bowls and one Orange Bowl. He has also worked dozens of NCAA and conference tournament games, travelled with basketball teams to Japan and South Africa and attended hundreds of collegiate sporting events.
Dee Outlaw – University of West Alabama
Athletic Director, Compliance Director and Sports Information Director (retired)
“I am humbled and honored to be elected to CSC/CoSIDA Hall of Fame. It is so rewarding to be on the same list of longtime colleagues like Langston Rogers, Jeff Hodges, Larry Hymel, David Housel and many more. This honor covers many Gulf South Conference SIDs as well as all the UWA coaches, staff and student athletes (my Tigers) I had the pleasure to work with, both as SID and Athletic Director.”
Dee Outlaw, who spent his entire professional career (42 years) working for the University of West Alabama athletics, retired on July 1, 2006. Outlaw began his career at West Alabama (formerly known as Livingstone University) as a student assistant in the office of sports information, serving two years (1972-73) in that capacity before taking on the role of SID for two years as a student. He became the school’s first full-time sports information director in 1975 and held that position for 21 years. At the NCAA Division II school, he publicized an Olympic athlete, more than 40 All-Americans and 200-plus All-Gulf South Conference honorees. Within CSC (CoSIDA), he served on the publications committee for many years.
Outlaw then served a two-year stint as assistant athletic director before taking over as West Alabama’s first full-time athletics director in 1994, serving until 2006. While serving on the NCAA Division II Management Council (2003-06), he also served on the NCAA Olympic Sports Committee. In retirement, Outlaw continued to work part-time as the compliance director from 2006-2016.
He has a current role as the official historian of the University of West Alabama athletics program.
Outlaw was a 2003 inductee into the University of West Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame and in 2014 was a charter inductee into the Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame. Last year, he was a 2025 inductee into the Society of Golden Key, the highest award presented by the University of West Alabama.
Kevin Trainor – University of Arkansas Alumni Association
Chief Operating Officer and Associate Executive Director
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by my peers for my work in college athletics. I learned so much from my mentors and the countless others who invested in me along the way. I’ve been blessed to work at the University of Arkansas and be a part of the CSC family for more than 30 years. Most of all, I’m grateful for the never-ending support of my family, including my wife Ruth and my daughters Emma and Ellie.”
Following his stellar career at his alma mater as a senior administrator in the University of Arkansas Athletics,
Kevin Trainor was hired as the Arkansas Alumni Association’s chief operating officer and associate executive director in August 2025. There, he leads a team of staff members in building programs, creating alignment and coordinating activities across the association, division and university.
Trainor currently is CSC Past President, having served as the organization’s president during the 2024-25 academic year. He will conclude a five-year term on CSC’s Executive Board of Directors this June. Trainor received his 25-Year Award from CSC in 2020.
During his 30-plus years in the Arkansas athletics department, Trainor oversaw strategic communications and media relations, served on the senior leadership team, and in his last role, held the title of senior associate athletics director for public relations and former student-athlete engagement.
He is the chair-elect for the Southwest District of Public Relations Society of America and is a past president of the Northwest Arkansas PRSA Chapter.
Trainor serves on the board of directors of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the College Baseball Foundation and is an ex-officio board member of the Football Writers Association of America. Among his sports PR roles, Trainor has been part of the media relations staff at each of 12 College Football Playoff National Championship games; serves as the press conference moderator for the nationally televised SEC Football Media Days; is press conference moderator at the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame induction weekend; and has been a member of the media relations team for more than 29 Cotton Bowls, three NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Fours and numerous Masters Tournaments for CBS Sports.
Steve White – Western Carolina University
Associate Athletic Director and Sports Information Director (retired)
“I am well into my retirement after 40 years with Western Carolina University Athletics, but I vividly remember electric typewriters, spirit master and mimeograph duplicating machines, and dialup telephones in the 1970s and 80s. I will never forget my hall of fame mentors - Clemson's Bob Bradley, South Carolina's Tom Price, Georgia's Claude Felton, Florida's Norm Carlson and Tennessee's Bud Ford - to name a few that impacted my career. Those (CoSIDA) pioneers taught me that one-on-one personal communication with the media was paramount. Also, they emphasized that the 'student-athlete' was why you had a job. I hope that I had the same kind of impact on my assistants, student workers and student-athletes. The sports information/communication profession is underrated in the world of college athletics, but all of us are proud to be a part of it.”
A fixture surrounding and influencing Western Carolina Athletics for over 50 years, White served as associate athletic director, sports information director, executive director of Big Cat Club - now the Catamount Club - and created and managed the Catamount Sports Network at his alma mater. White was the Sports Information Director for 28 years (1970-1998) and the Catamount Sports Network radio announcer from 1998-2014.
In his retirement, White remains active with WCU’s Athletics Hall of Fame committee and with the Catamount Sports Network, and serves as the WCU athletics historian.
Among his numerous honors, he was a 1999 Western Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inductee as an athletic administrator, received a WCU Distinguished Service Award (1998), the Southern Conference Distinguished Service Award (2010), and was 2016 Western North Carolina Mountain Amateur Athletic Club's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for contributions to sports in the region. A CSC (CoSIDA) Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 1996, White was a long-time member of the organization’s writing committee and publications committee.
White also served on USA Olympic Festival and NCAA championship media staffs and received numerous national and regional publication awards during his tenure. He successfully helped 35 football, basketball, and baseball players attain All-America honors and mentored nine student and full-time assistants who became media relations/communications directors on the collegiate and professional sports levels.
From 1970 until 2011, White had a string of 499 consecutive Catamount football game attendances (including retirement) and was an eight-time recipient of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) awards for "outstanding press box service." White and his wife, Elaine, have an endowed scholarship that supports WCU student-athletes.