College Sports Information Directors of America

Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to individuals who have served at least 25 years in the athletics communications profession (as of July 2026) who are retiring or leaving the profession. Years of service vetted by the Special Awards Committee. Members may self-nominate for this award.

Jim Daves — University of Virginia Assistant Athletic Director for Communications (retired)
 

“I am humbled to receive this recognition from College Sports Communicators. From the time I drove my little Honda Civic hatchback from North Carolina to Notre Dame in the summer of 1984 for my first job, I felt blessed to have found a profession that was so exciting, fulfilling and enjoyable. I always told people that working in sports information was not a job, but a lifestyle. The best part was learning to tell the stories of the athletes, coaches and staff we worked with on a daily basis while also serving as a service bureau for the media who reported on our programs. You had to wear a lot of hats and serve a lot of masters. There were plenty of highs and lows, but the best part was the people and relationships that you accumulate. I was blessed to work with so many great individuals in the profession. I was always amazed at the willingness of others to help and assist you. We were all in the same boat and we knew it.” — Jim Daves, 2026 CSC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Jim Daves spent 40 years in collegiate athletic communications before retiring in September 2024. A native of Greensboro, N.C., and a 1984 graduate of UNC Charlotte, Daves’ career presented him the opportunity to work in three different regions of the country at some of the nation’s top athletics programs.

When Daves retired, he ended a 19-year run as assistant athletic director for communications at the University of Virginia. Prior to that, he served as assistant athletic director for media relations at the University of Washington for 14 years (1992–2005) and worked seven years at the University of Notre Dame as the department’s first intern in 1984 and later as an assistant/associate director (1986–92) after a one-year stint as communications director for the Midwestern Collegiate Conference in 1985–86.

By the time Daves was 30 years old, he had worked with college football teams that participated in the Orange, Cotton, Fiesta, Sugar and Rose bowls. He handled media relations for more than 20 bowl games during his career, while also working with programs that won NCAA titles in eight sports, dozens of conference championships, and multiple NCAA and conference individual championships.

He was a member of the NCAA Men’s Communications Committee for eight Final Fours (1997–2004). He served as media director at various NCAA championships, including the 1995 Men’s Final Four, 1993 Men’s Basketball West Regional, and the 2002 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.

His publication and feature writing were honored numerous times with “Best in the Nation” citations from College Sports Communicators. At Washington, he co-authored two books on Husky athletics: “The Glory of Washington” and “Husky Stadium”.
 

Steve Kirschner, University of North Carolina Sr. Associate AD for Sports Information & Media Relations, past CSC 25-Year Award recipient: “I've always admired Jim because he was an SID I could look up to when I first got into the industry, then called a friend as we became colleagues. He knew how to do his job at a very high level but kept a sense of humor and continued to enjoy the relationships he built with his teams and the media. I loved the fact that to the very end of his career, having worked at numerous high-profile universities, he always put his student-athletes, coaches and their families first. He worked with some of the top athletes and coaches, yet took the time to take photos because it was good for his department and teams. No detail was too small to do the job the right way. He is always someone I can call on to discuss a situation and get his advice. Often, he would offer an idea I hadn't thought of and it would work.”

Melissa Dudek, University of Virginia Director of Communications for Olympic Sports: “Jim Daves is beyond deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award. He has dedicated his life to this profession. It is not the quantity of service that should be honored (though his 40+ years is definitely commendable), but the quality of that service. Jim has long been a role model and leader in our profession. He has not only been an example of how to do this job with humility and extreme proficiency but has also been instrumental in molding and mentoring so many others who followed in his footsteps. I can only hope to continue passing along the lessons he has taught me to those who come after me. I am beyond thankful for all he has done to help develop my own career and for the endless support he has provided. Congratulations Jim! And thank you from the bottom of my heart.”