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. 

Rich Moser — Eastern Illinois University Associate Athletic Director / Media & PR
 

"I feel extremely honored to have made it 25-plus years in this business. I have been fortunate to work with some great student-athletes, coaches, staff and colleagues at other schools during my time in this profession. It has provided me with what I feel are several once-in-a-lifetime type experiences. I especially would like to thank my wife Becky and family who may not completely understand what it is I do for a living but whole-heartedly support me." — Rich Moser, 2026 CSC 25-Year Award recipient

Rich Moser was hired as sports information director at Eastern Illinois University in June 2006 following six and a half years as an assistant SID at Gonzaga University. In the summer of 2009, he moved into his current role of associate AD for media and public relations. He is currently completing his 20th year at EIU.

At EIU, Moser oversees media relations, graphic design, tickets, ESPN+ and the athletic hall of fame. In addition, he previously covered corporate sponsorships and marketing and promotions for the athletic department. He currently has oversight for the Panthers sports productions on ESPN+.

As the contact for EIU football, he has helped host three FCS home playoff games as the Panthers have made six postseason appearances in football since 2006. He also helped facilitate the ESPNU All-Access 30-minute show in 2013 as the season was highlighted by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo winning the Walter Payton Award. In addition, he has hosted the EIU weekly coaches show Panther Sports Talk on WEIU-TV and served as the play-by-play commentator for several broadcasts.

He began in the business as a graduate assistant at Delta State in January 1997 and worked as the SID at Millsaps College before Gonzaga.
 

Kayla Peterson, Loyola University Chicago Assistant Athletic Director – Communications: “When I reflect on my time at Eastern Illinois, I always come back to one conclusion: EIU wouldn’t be what it is without Rich Moser’s hard work and dedication. Whether he’s scoring a game, reciting the record books from memory, running broadcast cables, or jumping on air as an analyst, Rich is always prepared to tackle any task to ensure student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fans have the best experience possible. As a mentor, Rich prepared me for every scenario on the external side of college athletics, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without his guidance and support. No one is more deserving of this recognition, and EIU is incredibly fortunate to have him on its team.”

Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier University Director of Athletic Communications: “I will always be appreciative of Rich for giving me my first full-time job in the industry at Eastern Illinois. Aside from developing more skills in this profession under Rich's guidance, I really enjoyed the freedom (and trust) he gave me to do my job without micromanagement. More importantly, Rich also prioritized health and family over work. If I needed a day off for a doctor's appointment or needed to visit family — he was always accommodating. Some of my favorite memories from my time in this industry were taking football and basketball road trips in a minivan with Rich and our radio crew. The long drives were always filled with stories, laughs and one of Rich's rules for road trips that I use till this day (you can't stop at a restaurant we had in Coles County — we always tried something new, if possible). I'm happy that Rich and I still stay in touch. I'm lucky to have him as a mentor and a friend. He always picks up the phone if I need anything, and that is more valuable to me than anything work-related I learned along the way under his leadership.”

Oliver Pierce, Gonzaga University Assistant AD/Sports Information Director, 2023 CSC Hall of Famer and past Special Awards recipient: “Rich was my first full-time assistant at Gonzaga. I knew from the moment I interviewed him he was the person I needed to increase the perception of Gonzaga locally, regionally and nationally. Rich received ringing endorsements from everyone I contacted during the interview process. To a person, they said he was an integral part of Millsaps College athletics and stressed he would be missed. It was soon evident that he sought excellence in every task he undertook and was the consummate team player. I know Rich made me a better SID and he made Gonzaga a better place. When he departed for Eastern Illinois, there was no doubt he would maintain the same professionalism that made him an invaluable asset at Gonzaga. Rich has exceeded all expectations to raise the level of Panthers awareness everywhere while also overseeing other facets of the athletics department. I know the respect he earned at Gonzaga has followed him to EIU. I'm proud to have him on my SID tree and I'm honored to have Rich recognized by his peers for 25 years of dedication to this profession.”