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.

Mike Stamus — Georgia Institute of Technology Associate Director of Communications/PR (retired)
 

“I'm honored to receive this recognition from my peers. I'm so grateful for all the relationships and lasting friendships I was able to make during my 42 years, from colleagues in the industry to members of the media, and our own coaches and student-athletes. I worked with so many great ones. I'm also grateful to have had a front row seat for so many thrilling accomplishments and moments, ACC Championships, trips to the NCAA Final Four, the College World Series and many others.” — Mike Stamus, 2026 CSC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Mike Stamus served for 42 years as part of the communications and public relations staff for the Georgia Tech Athletic Association. He joined the staff in June 1983, retiring as associate director for communications and public relations on July 1, 2025.

He coordinated the communications activities for men’s basketball and men’s golf until his retirement and also served as the primary contact for Tech’s baseball team from 1983–2000, as well as the men’s gymnastics, wrestling, and swimming and diving teams earlier in his career. He has served as chair of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame Committee since 2000.
 

Mike Finn, retired ACC Associate Commissioner, Past CSC Special Awards recipient: “I was fortunate to hire Mike Stamus 43 years ago as top assistant SID. Over those years Mike has been an extremely well-respected professional who worked all of Georgia Tech’s sports. He has mentored many student athletes and earned their respect and gratitude. His loyalty to his school is unmatched. His friendship and relationship as a colleague are treasured. No one deserves this honor more.”

Ken Sugiura, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Columnist: “One of my favorite parts of covering Georgia Tech for 12 years was my relationship with Moose. I don't know if this is a comprehensive list, but as a beat writer, what you hope for in an SID is for that person to a) answer your questions about the team, ideally quickly; b) arrange the interviews you want; c) provide honest perspective about the team that he or she is working with, even if just in private; d) recognize that our jobs can sometimes be at cross purposes and to be understanding and respectful of that; d) be someone fun to be around. 

Moose passed all with flying colors, doing the nuts and bolts of the job well, but then also being someone I respected and liked being around. I am so glad that he is being recognized for his many years of excellence at Georgia Tech. Moose is a credit to the profession and to Tech and this is a well-deserved honor.”

Mike Flynn, Georgia Tech Associate Athletics Director: "Moose represented Georgia Tech and the athletics communications profession at the very highest level for 40-plus years, serving countless teams, student-athletes, coaches, staff, media and community members with an unrivaled work ethic, but most of all, class. I was honored to work alongside him for nine years and am eternally grateful for everything that he did for me, both personally and professionally. This honor is well-deserved and befitting of the legend that Moose is."

Steve Kirschner, University of North Carolina Sr. Associate AD for Sports Information & Media Relations, Past CSC Special Awards recipient: “When I first came to North Carolina in the late 1980s, Mike was already established as one of the top SIDs in the ACC. He is someone I look up to personally and professionally. Numerous times throughout more than 35 years of friendship I have considered how Mike would handle a situation or called him to ask his guidance. He never let me down and always had something helpful to offer. He is one of the most respected in our industry. The Lifetime Achievement Award could not be bestowed on a more deserving person.”

Dean Buchan, former co-worker at Georgia Tech: “Mike Stamus embodies what CSC is all about — an unwavering commitment to the student-athletes, coaches and staff members he worked for and with. The most impressive thing to me about 'Moose' is not the longevity of his career, or the consistency, but the overwhelming love and respect that the media and everyone he worked with has for him. He's one of the best to ever do it!”