Announcing the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2022

Announcing the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2022

Related Content
• Inaugural College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 Program
• 2023 CSC Special Awards & Nominations

College Sports Communicators is launching its new CSC 30 Under 30 recognition program with the announcement of the Class of 2022. This honor was created by the association’s Young Professionals Committee to recognize outstanding young professionals throughout the membership.

“This class represents 30 of the brightest young talents in College Sports Communicators at all levels,” 2022-23 CSC President Jessica Poole said. “We’re thankful to the Young Professionals Committee for spearheading the effort to get this program off the ground. It’s one example of the type of programming and recognition we want to do more of as we do the work to support our new organizational name and brand. Congratulations to all the deserving winners.”

Members of the inaugural class include (click the name to read more about the honoree):
The recognition honors up-and-coming strategic, creative and digital athletics communications professionals throughout the CSC membership. Candidates are considered for selection based on achievement in one or more areas such as:
  • Professional success
  • Impact on their athletic department/conference office
  • Service to CSC

Nominees must be 29 years old or younger on December 31, 2022 and a current 2022-23 CSC member.

Of more than 100 nominations submitted, this year’s class includes 17 members from four different levels of NCAA Division I, four Division II members, three Division III members, four NAIA members and two from Canadian institutions. The average age is 26.9 years old.

The selection committee was composed of representatives from the following CSC committees: Young Professionals, Membership Recognition, Mentorship, Diversity & Inclusion and New Media.

Thanks to the following members of the Young Professionals Committee for compiling the winner profiles below: Steven Carlson, Ryan Gallant, Dani Gariglio, Cole Helman, Allison Hogue, Kristen Keller, Morgan Lair, Joe Mixie, Sean Sheikh, Joy Smith, Tony Venegas and Lynn Walsh.
 
21646 Alisha Alexander
Lewis-Clark State College
Sports Information Director

“I’m beyond blown away to be receiving this award. Being recognized by my peers is something special because they understand what goes into the day-to-day, and knowing I was one of 30 selected from across all divisions is extremely validating. Being young and a female in this industry has not been easy, but I have been blessed with incredible mentors and coworkers to help guide me along the way.

“I’d like to thank my coworkers here at LC State, my interns and my colleagues in the Cascade Conference, especially Sammi Wellman who has been a mentor since my intern days. Special thanks to my family, especially my husband for supporting me through the wild weekends that seem to never end. I really love my job, and that is because of the student-athletes that make sports information such a special field. They are the reason I do my job, so thank you to them for making LC State a special place to call home.”

Alisha Alexander is currently in her fifth year as the Sports Information Director at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. She is responsible for the coverage of all 12 teams at LC State and is the media director for the Avista NAIA World Series. In 2022, she was elected to the NAIA-SIDA Executive Board as an At-Large member and oversees the Continuing Education committee.

Alexander has nominated 35 CSC Academic All-District honorees and seven CSC Academic All-Americans.

The Southern California native came to LCSC after working as the sports information assistant for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (NCAA DIII) in Claremont, California, where she handled coverage of softball and track and field while assisting in all other sports.

Alexander graduated from Concordia University, Irvine in December of 2016 and became a graduate assistant in sports information for the Eagles. While at CUI, she also interned for the PacWest Conference, an NCAA DII conference located in Orange County, California, as well as at the 2016 Ryder Cup and 2017 Senior PGA Championship. She obtained her master’s degree in Coaching and Athletics Administration from Concordia in November of 2018.

She became the first woman to be voted the Cascade Conference Sports Information Director of the Year for her work in 2020-21, and was also named the NAIA finalist for the AVCA Grant Burger Media award.
 
21647 Jordyn Ballard
West Texas A&M University
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

“This is a huge honor and blessing to receive this award. The best part of this job is showcasing the hard work and talent that our amazing student-athletes demonstrate every day, but I know in our profession we aren’t always recognized for the work and hours we put in, so to be honored by my peers is truly a wonderful feeling. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family, friends and my mentors Tyson Jex, Brent Seals, Ryan Hilgemann and Paige McFeeley. I am grateful for their years of support and time that they invested in me. I thank God every day for providing me with more than I could have ever imagined and prayed for, and I am excited for all that is to come in the future.”

Jordyn Ballard is described by her peers as a difference maker. She began her career in athletic communications as an undergraduate student at Black Hills State. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Ballard worked as a sports information assistant, after being promoted from an intern position. A former softball player at Black Hills State for three seasons, Ballard elevates every department she works in by showcasing her true passion for telling the story of the student-athlete.

Ballard began working at West Texas A&M as a graduate assistant for two seasons, while earning her master’s in Sports Management. She briefly left West Texas A&M and worked at Gannon University, before returning to Canyon, Texas in 2021.

During her time at West Texas A&M, Ballard has covered the Lady Buffs outdoor track & field national title run, the Lady Buffs softball national championship, and the Lady Buffs volleyball and basketball conference title and NCAA tournament appearances. She has led the media relations operations for nine tournaments, both regional and conference events.

Ballard was also a 2019 recipient of the CSC Postgraduate Scholarship.

According to those who work with her, Ballard is a “perfect example of a college sports communicator.”
 
21648 Dana Brown
Western Kentucky University
Assistant Director of Communications/Student-Athlete Initiatives (Men’s Basketball, Golf)

“I’m so honored to receive the 30 Under 30 award from CSC. I’m incredibly fortunate to have developed my skills and started my career at WKU. When I first started in our athletic communications office as a freshman student worker in 2017, I knew that I would be able to grow here because of the people and high standard of work that surrounded me. I’ve been afforded some great opportunities thanks to Todd Stewart, Zach Greenwell and Kyle Neaves that have gone beyond the scope of just communications. I am grateful for the ability to impact our student-athletes and programs daily in whatever way I can and I look forward to continuing that work in the future.”

Dana Brown first joined WKU as a student intern in January of 2017 and was promoted to Media Relations Assistant in August of 2017 before being promoted again to Media Relations Communications Coordinator in August 2020. She was elevated a third time in April of 2022 to her current hybrid role.

In her current role for communications, Brown works as one of the few women to serve as the primary media contact for a DI men’s basketball program as well as for the men’s and women’s golf teams. She also leads communication efforts for the department’s community service and Hilltopper CLIMB program. Her athletic director entrusted her with many additional responsibilities such as managing WKU’s NIL strategy, serving as the primary point of contact for athletics on the university president’s communication council, and serving as the administrator for WKUSports.com during an important redesign of the website that will significantly increase fan engagement.

This trust from the AD goes a long way in explaining why Dana was retained upon completion of her graduate assistantship. Instead of moving on to her first full-time position elsewhere, WKU created a position that did not previously exist in order to keep her on staff. Resources allocated elsewhere were pooled to ensure she was retained. Not only did WKU create a new job for her, but it remodeled the physical media relations office space to add her very own office in which to work.
 
21649 Rachel Coe
Purdue University
Assistant Strategic Communications Director (Volleyball, Softball)

“I am incredibly grateful for this honor. As the saying goes, I am simply the product of the people around me, so I hope that my mentors, co-workers and family know that this award is really a tip-of-the-hat to them and all they have done for me. I really do have the best people in my corner. Trust, encouragement and their own success stories do wonders for drive and creativity. Thank you to the Young Professionals Committee and College Sports Communicators for selecting me.” 

Rachel Coe has been the assistant strategic communications director at Purdue University, her alma mater, since 2018. She is currently serving as the primary contact for volleyball and softball and has also worked with the women’s soccer, track & field and cross country teams.

She joined the Boilermaker staff after two years at the Big 12 Conference office, where she most recently served as communications coordinator. While in Dallas, Coe was the primary media services contact for six sports, while also assisting with men’s and women’s basketball. In addition to coordinating media efforts throughout the regular season, she prepared for and executed 26 Big 12 hosted events, including running social media for the Big 12 Football Championship, two NCAA basketball regionals, the 2018 men’s basketball first and second rounds (Dallas) and the 2017 Women’s Final Four.

Her previous stops include four years as a student assistant in the Purdue strategic communications department, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Georgia State Games and University at Albany.

A native of Albany, New York, Coe earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations and strategic communications from Purdue in 2016.
 
21650 Josh Foster
Vanderbilt University
Associate Director, Communications (Baseball, Football)

“It’s an honor to receive this award and recognition. When I think about my career in collegiate athletics, I have been blessed and fortunate to work with great student-athletes, coaches, administrators and colleagues at every stop. They have all had a profound impact on me and have helped shape me into the professional that I am today.”

Josh Foster joined the Commodores staff in August of 2020, serving as the associate director of communications. He serves as the primary contact for the national powerhouse Vanderbilt baseball program, as well as the secondary contact for the football program. Josh spearheads all social media efforts for @VandyBoys, which is not only the top baseball social media account but one of the top social media accounts of any sport or program nationally.

Before joining the Vanderbilt staff, Foster worked for two-plus years at Duke where he was the primary contact for baseball and women’s soccer. He also served as the secondary media contact for men’s basketball during the 2018-19 season. During the summer of 2016, Foster was a Duke Athletics Open Door Initiative Intern. He assisted in support roles and became familiar with responsibilities in various departments including human resources, development, compliance, marketing, social media, sports information and ticketing.

A President’s List Scholar and Dean’s List Scholar, Foster graduated from the University of Alabama in December of 2017 with a degree in human performance and exercise science. He earned his master’s degree in sports business management from Alabama in 2018. While at Alabama, Foster served as a student assistant in the athletics communications office for three years, working primarily with the baseball and football programs.
 
21651 Danielle "Dani" Gariglio
Davidson College
Associate Director, Athletic Communications (Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Tennis, Lacrosse)

“I feel incredibly honored to receive this recognition from CSC. When I think about my career in college athletics so far, I feel an immense amount of pride and purpose. I wouldn’t be here without the endless amount of SIDs from Rhode Island, upstate New York, Chicago and now Davidson who have taken chances on me and taught me the ropes of this industry, while giving me some amazing opportunities along the way. Thank you to the student-athletes, coaches and staff I get to work with day in and day out, and to my family for constantly supporting me in my career.”

Danielle “Dani” Gariglio joined the Davidson Athletics staff in 2020 and was promoted to Associate Director in July of 2022. Gariglio is responsible for the communication efforts for Davidson's women's basketball, volleyball, lacrosse and men's tennis programs. Additionally, she promotes the Wildcats through various print, web and social media efforts while organizing and facilitating all media requests for assigned sports. She also oversees the athletic communications student-worker staff and manages the department's main social media channels.

In her two years at Davidson, Gariglio has taken ownership of the department’s social media channels, most notably growing the women’s basketball social media accounts by 200 percent over two years. Additionally, she has landed the lacrosse team on Skullsparks’ top-50 NCAA women's lacrosse programs and the Davidson main athletics account in the top-150 of Division I athletic department social media accounts.

The Long Island native received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Rhode Island in 2017 and earned her MBA from Concordia-Chicago in 2020. While at CUC, she assisted with game day operations for all home events and served as the primary statistician and social media manager for the department, growing the CUChicago Sports social media channels by nearly 70 percent in her second year.

She began her career as a sports information assistant and later, assistant director, at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Gariglio serves as the chair of the CSC Young Professionals Committee and Director of New Media for CSC’s Academic All-America® Committee.
 
21652 Amanda Green
Eckerd College/Sunshine State Conference
Assistant Director of Athletics, Marketing and Communications

"Receiving this award is an incredible honor and very humbling. My work would not be possible without our student-athletes, coaches, and staff at Eckerd, whose stories I get to share and whose lives I get to impact every day, and it's incredibly enriching to see my passion recognized. I'd also like to give a special thank you to my family for their ongoing support throughout my career."

Amanda Green joined the Eckerd Athletic Communication staff in January 2017. She returned to her alma mater as the sports information intern and was later promoted to athletic communications coordinator in January 2018. She has been instrumental in the development and production of the popular "Triton Talk" video series that began in fall 2018, the growth of the athletics Instagram account, and the implementation of weekly student-created highlight videos.

In her first year as the director, she saw a 60 percent increase in followers on Instagram and continued engagement across all social media platforms. In the 2019-20 year, two of Green's infographics were recognized within the top-10 in the country of the College Division of the CSC Publications and Digital Design Contest.

In the 2021-22 year, she led the redesign and launch of EckerdTritons.com, which includes new facilities videos on the home page and each sport page. Over the year, the website saw over 900,000 page views. She also saw a 35 percent increase in engagement across all social media platforms. In addition, she developed the department's first-ever Athletic Annual Report publication.

In February 2022, Green also co-organized two events for Eckerd's College Programs Series (CPS) the inaugural National Women in Sports Day Forum, where EC'S female Athletics staff members shared inspiring stories of their journey in sports and how athletics shaped their lives and a drug and alcohol education seminar with 'Greeny'.

Green’s schedule poster series was recognized as ninth-best in the country in the 2018-19 CSC Publications and Digital Design Contest.
 
21653 Josh Hauser
Grand Canyon University
Assistant Athletic Director, Communications (Men’s Basketball, Baseball)

“It’s an honor to be recognized along with this talented group of young professionals. I’d like to thank GCU for giving an opportunity to a kid a handful of years ago, and it’s a pleasure to be able to work at my alma mater with an amazing surrounding cast of hard-working individuals trying to make GCU the best it can possibly be.”

Josh Hauser is currently the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at Grand Canyon University, starting in this role in 2019. He actually started his tenure with the Lopes in 2017 as the assistant director of athletic communications before making the move to director of creative services. Since taking on the position of assistant athletic director, Hauser has covered men’s basketball, baseball and men’s soccer for GCU, covering three conference championship teams in that time.

Along with all of his success for the team’s championship season, he revitalized the social media strategy for the Lopes. The accounts he managed were ranked in the top 20 in the nation for impressions while the department as a whole was ranked fourth for non-football universities. He even changed the athletic department’s image, leading the charge to develop the website and branding they have today.

This position has allowed Hauser to return to his alma mater, where his passion for communications began. His undergraduate career led to him working with the Lopes’ production efforts before making the switch to the university’s social media department.
 
21654 Maddie Heaps
Stanford University
Assistant Director - Communications (Secondary Football, Women’s Gymnastics, Beach Volleyball, Women’s Rowing)

"I'm beyond honored to be a part of the inaugural CSC 30 Under 30 class. I truly believe you can only become better if you are around people who inspire you to do so, so this honor is also shared with the incredible staffs I have been a part of at Stanford, San Diego State, Eastern Michigan, California, and USA Softball. I am indebted to those who have chosen to mentor me and root for my success, especially Mara Rudolph and my nominator, Jay Stancil. I love to say that my people are the best people, and I truly believe that the support system I have in this industry is second to none."

Maddie Heaps has been on Stanford’s communications team since October 2021 and serves as assistant director for the Cardinal. She is the primary contact for women’s gymnastics, beach volleyball and women’s rowing, and in 2022, took on duties as secondary football contact.

She prioritizes relationship-building with all coaches and student-athletes under her watch, and has a particular passion for women’s gymnastics. Beyond her day-to-day sport responsibilities, Heaps was the media coordinator in March 2022, when Stanford hosted the NCAA women’s basketball first and second rounds.

“Maddie has made an immediate impact within our department in a short amount of time,” said Brian Risso, Stanford’s assistant AD for communications. “Maddie’s creativity, passion and dedication were on full display last spring while chronicling breakthrough seasons for women’s gymnastics and beach volleyball. She also capably served in the lead communications role for what is the most high-profile postseason event we host on an annual basis. Maddie’s ability to learn quickly and take initiative stood out in a successful first year and she has continued to seek growth opportunities, most recently assuming the role as our secondary football contact.”

Heaps, a native of Alameda, California, came back to the Bay Area after spending 2019-21 at San Diego State. She was the primary media contact for Aztecs women’s tennis, swimming & diving and lacrosse. It was a rewarding time for Heaps to lead social media efforts for the men’s basketball program, which started 26-0 in the 2019-20 season. She played a lead role in content and graphics creation department-wide, while also assisting on media credentialing for football and men’s basketball.

She returned to the West Coast following a graduate assistantship in the Mid-American Conference, at Eastern Michigan in 2018-19. Heaps headed communications for eight Eagles programs and was the secondary contact for an EMU football team that reached the Camellia Bowl. At the conclusion of her assistantship, Heaps was selected as a CSC Convention Grant recipient.

In Summer 2018, her first out of college, Heaps interned with USA Softball and represented the sport’s national headquarters. Based out of Oklahoma City, she coordinated a variety of events and traveled with the Women’s National Team.

During her undergraduate days at California, Heaps interned in the Golden Bears’ communications office, a role she took on the day before she began freshman year classes. She also had a stint on the fan experience team.
 
21655 Cole Helman
Palm Beach Atlantic
Director of Athletic Communications

“It is a privilege to be selected for the first CSC 30 Under 30 award. I have been blessed with amazing mentors and leaders during my time at Palm Beach Atlantic, Embry-Riddle (Fla.), and Grace College. I would not be where I am today without each of them. They have really helped shape me into the professional I am today. I am so thankful I get the chance to serve our student-athletes and work with some incredible coaches and administrators. I am excited to continue to grow as a leader to better serve my staff and our department as a whole.”

Cole Helman is in his second year as Director of Athletic Communications at Palm Beach Atlantic University, being promoted to the position in August 2021. He joined the athletic communications staff at PBA in July 2019 as the assistant sports information director.

He has made his home in the NCAA Division II ranks, serving at two different Sunshine State Conference institutions since 2018. Since arriving in West Palm Beach, Helman has revamped the Sailfish social media look as the department’s primary graphic designer. Just this year, he oversaw the new-look of pbasailfish.com, a fresh new look to PBA athletics.

Beginning his athletic communications career as an undergraduate at Grace College (Ind.) where he served as a student assistant, working gameday operations and broadcasting duties for Lancer athletics. While at Grace, he had the opportunity to work six National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) basketball national championship events.

Helman is an active member of the CSC Young Professionals Committee.
 
21656 Shelby Hild
Baylor University
Director of Communications (Women’s Basketball, Women’s Tennis)

“I’m extremely honored to be recognized with the 30 Under 30 award. I wouldn’t be in the position to earn this without those that have helped me grow and develop as a young professional in this business, and I am forever grateful.”

Shelby Hild is in her first year at Baylor University as the director of communications, working with women’s basketball and women’s tennis, after a one-year stint at Texas A&M, where she led the communication efforts for the Aggie volleyball and softball programs.

Prior to her time in Aggieland, Hild worked at Illinois State for three years serving as an assistant director of athletic communications for volleyball, softball and swimming and diving. During her time in Normal, she increased the softball twitter by 104% and the volleyball twitter by 93%. She also enhanced the Redbird softball program’s relationship with Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit organization that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with collegiate athletic teams, through special events and social media content.

A proud member of College Sports Communicators since 2015, Hild has actively served the organization, working on the Job Seekers Committee and being promoted to chair of the group in the fall of 2022, after serving two years as the vice chair. Additionally, she completed the organization’s inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship program in the spring of 2022.

Those who have worked with Hild have all echoed a similar sentiment — she makes a habit of leaving places she's been better than where she found them. Beginning her career as a graduate assistant at Missouri State and spending a year at UMKC, she received her bachelor’s degree from Maryville in 2015.
 
21657 Allison Hogue
Sacred Heart University
Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

“It’s an honor to be one of the recipients of the inaugural College Sports Communicators 30 under 30 award. I grew up around sports all my life and never imagined myself working in college athletics. My journey started as a student worker at Liberty, and now I am a graduate assistant at Sacred Heart. Not only am I a proud advocate for the SID profession, but I am also a proud advocate for the Autism community. I want to thank my mom, dad, and sibling Natalie for encouraging me and supporting me throughout my career. Thank you to my colleagues and mentors in the profession, including Paul Carmany (Liberty), Sam Stolte (formerly Florida), and Michael Smoose (Sacred Heart) for mentoring me to become a better SID. Last but certainly not least, thank you to the coaches and student-athletes who I have worked with over the years for making my job fun.”

Despite still being relatively fresh within the athletic communications field, the effort and energy that Allison Hogue has contributed has stuck out amongst her peers and within the College Sports Communicators young professionals community. Aside from serving as the primary contact for six sports as a graduate assistant at Sacred Heart, Hogue is also heavily involved in CSC, serving as a member of both the Young Professionals and the Goodwill & Wellness Committees. Within the Goodwill & Wellness Committee, she works with the mental health and disabilities group, and is also the proud co-captain of Team Autism and Acceptance along with Yeshiva’s A.J. O’Hagan.

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Hogue has held her current position at Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Connecticut since August 2021, and previously worked as an Assistant Director of Media Relations at Coker University in South Carolina in 2021. She also held internships with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and at the University of Florida.

As the primary contact for the Sacred Heart Pioneers’ women’s basketball, men’s & women’s tennis, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, and softball programs, Hogue described one of her favorite moments in her career thus far as witnessing the SHU men’s soccer team earn its first postseason victory at the NCAA Division I level during the 2022 season.

Hogue entered into the athletic communications field while as a student at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she served as the primary contact for the cheerleading team while assisting in game operations and statistics, and wrote for the Liberty Football Gameday Program. She earned her B.S. in sport management from Liberty in 2019, and is currently pursuing her master’s in sports communications & media from SHU.
 
21658 Connor Hood
University of Alberta
Sports Information and Communications Coordinator

“I am incredibly honored to be named one of College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30. Knowing the talent and capabilities of people in this profession, both in Canada and south of the border, it is pretty special to be named among this select group. The work done by communicators in university athletics is incredibly important, and it’s great to see College Sports Communicators continue to showcase this, and the people that make it happen. University athletics wouldn’t be as successful as it is without the tremendous work done by the individuals in the communications profession.”

Connor Hood joined the University of Alberta’s athletic department in the summer of 2015 as the sports information assistant. He was promoted to his current title of Sports Information and Communications Coordinator for Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics in February of 2017. He handles the media relations efforts of the athletics department, covering all 24 varsity programs.

He has also served as the communications lead for six U SPORTS — the national governing body of Canadian collegiate athletics — national championships. He is actively involved in national (both U.S. and Canadian) committees. He currently is serving on the Canada West Marketing and Communications Committee (since 2018) and on the Canadian Cabinet (CANSIDA) for College Sports Communicators.
 
21659 Alex Jewell
Eastern Michigan University
Director of Athletic Media Relations (Football, Tennis, Podcast, Creative)

"I am deeply moved and humbled to be named a '30 Under 30' honoree by College Sports Communicators and am so proud of the work I have been part of in my career. I understand that no accomplishment can happen without being given opportunities. I am incredibly grateful to each supporter, both in the workplace and beyond, who have not only given me the opportunities I have been afforded in my career but have backed it up with the trust and willingness to let me thrive when they are granted. I can't thank my girlfriend Rebecca enough for cheering me on every step of the way. This recognition truly belongs to so many of the people in my life, including the incredible student-athletes, alums, and fans at Eastern Michigan University.”

Alex Jewell has been at Eastern Michigan since 2015 and wears many hats as the Director of Athletic Media Relations. He currently serves as the primary contact for football and tennis while also overseeing creative content and serving as on-air talent and as a production assistant for the broadcasts for basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and baseball. Jewell is also the co-host of the athletic department’s podcast, the Eastern Insider. This young professional may be in his second year in his current position but has found his element at the place he has called home for the last seven years.

Jewell started in the Athletic Media Relations Department as a graduate assistant in 2019. In December of that year, he was promoted to Assistant Director and later Director in 2021. Jewell assisted the department in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He led strategies for social media and content. Jewell’s biggest accomplishment was organizing the first-ever virtual event, the EMU Athletics Virtual Golf Outing, to help the university offset revenue loss. In 2021, he created the first-ever style guide for content.

Before joining the SID profession, Jewell worked with the equipment room as a student assistant during his undergraduate years. He was a part of the Eagles football team that advanced to two bowl games, the Bahamas Bowl in 2016 and the Camellia Bowl in 2018.

Jewell graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in marketing in 2019 and earned his master’s in sport management in 2021.

As a member of CSC, he serves on the Diversity and Inclusion and Academic All-America Committees.
 
21660 Lance McKenzie
University of Calgary
Manager, Communications

“It's an honour to be recognized as part of the first College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 class. I owe a ton of gratitude to Ben Matchett for his mentorship, and friendship, and for providing me with the freedom to grow as a communications professional. When I decided to return to the University of Calgary in 2017, I did so because of the unforgettable experiences I had and the relationships I built as a student assistant — it felt like I was coming home. What I wasn’t aware of was the unique bonds you build with communicators at other schools. Thank you to Connor Hood for this nomination and to so many other Canada West colleagues who have made our industry better while providing leadership and inspiration to me and so many other young communicators in Canada.”

No stranger to the University of Calgary, Lance McKenzie ’15 serves as communications manager for the Dinos’ 19-sport department, part of the Canada West Conference. He returned to campus in 2017, first as digital media coordinator before taking his current role in 2021.

McKenzie leads his campus’ athletics communications, statistics, graphic design and content creation, and collaborates tirelessly with his Canada West peers to improve the publicity of student-athletes throughout the conference. McKenzie’s first stint with the Dinos came from 2011-15 as a student assistant.

Renowned for his trend-setting ability, he followed the footsteps of two of the top SIDs in Canada in longtime Dinos SIDs Jack Neumann and Ben Matchett, the latter of whom now serves as Calgary’s athletics director. Matchett and cross-province colleague Connor Hood (University of Alberta) each nominated McKenzie for the 30 Under 30 Award.

“Lance joined the University of Calgary sports info office as a 17-year-old freshman in 2011 and was the best student assistant I had in my 15-year career as SID,” said Matchett. “He took on leadership roles immediately, ultimately becoming our lead contact for men's ice hockey in his first season. Since rejoining the Dinos…[and] through his leadership, the Dinos have been recognized with multiple Canada West sports information annual awards and was the driving force behind several key initiatives, including the launch of our TikTok account which became the most-followed athletic department TikTok account in Canada during its first season.”

Right out of college, McKenzie was hired by the Prince Albert Raiders as the team’s hockey communications and sales manager. After one season, he moved on to Canadian Sport Institute Pacific as communications coordinator, where he served from May 2016 through October 2017. From there, McKenzie returned to his alma mater.

In 2019, McKenzie was on the media relations team for the IIHF World Junior Championships which were hosted in British Columbia.

His initial foray into sports came with the Victoria Salmon Kings, a professional hockey team, when McKenzie was then just 15 years old. McKenzie credits the people he met during that chapter as helping build the foundation of his professional career and setting the stage for the opportunities he has since enjoyed.

He completed a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 2022.
 
21661 Emily McMillan
Kansas State University
Director of Creative Services - Social Media

“I’d like to start by thanking the Young Professionals Committee and College Sports Communicators for this award. I’m extremely honored to be on this list of incredible athletics communicators. From day one of working in college athletics, I’ve had people in my corner. Always pushing me, always believing in me, and seeing my future before I did. That support system has allowed me to develop a passion for telling student-athletes’ stories. I hope I can be that support person for future generations of storytellers. Again, thank you to the committee, CSC and everyone that has believed in me. Thank you!”

Emily McMillan joined Kansas State athletics in August of 2021 as Assistant Director for Creative Services and quickly earned the promotion to Director of Creative Services in December of 2021.

McMillan's primary responsibilities include assisting with storytelling, brand building, and fan engagement through K-State's digital and print platforms. She provides social media coverage for home and road K-State athletics events throughout the year and almost all of the sports accounts have grown in followers and engagement since she became director. Additionally, she also manages all the student photographers.

McMillan brings 10 years of experience to Manhattan following time with the Big 12 Conference, Missouri State, and most recently at Evansville. She earned her master's degree in sports management from Missouri State in 2019.

She served as an SID for multiple teams at Evansville while also being in charge of social media coverage for the Purple Aces. McMillan earned numerous awards for her designs and publications from both CSC and NACMA, including the nation's best fall poster design (2019) to go with a pair of bronze NACMA best of awards (2020).

McMillan started her athletics career at K-State, where she worked for four years as a student assistant in the athletics communications department while earning her bachelor's degree in Communication Studies.

McMillan is a true team player and continually produces high-quality work according to Regina Bolin, director of digital media at K-State.

“Emily McMillan goes above and beyond in her job duties while she helps everyone else around her," Bolin said. "Emily helps guide the student photographers to better themselves in every game or event that they shoot. The students love her because she is down to earth and listens to their concerns. She coordinates amazing content to keep the K-State social media accounts engaging and tasteful. She helps advocate for all sports and pushes to incorporate diversity and inclusion into the social brand of the Wildcats. In addition to her work on social media, Emily has phenomenal print work too. Overall, the K-State brand is better and bolder with Emily McMillan behind it and will continue to shine as bright as she does.”
 
21662 Cami Moore
University of Kentucky
Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations (Women’s Basketball, Women’s Golf)

"It’s an honor to be recognized as one of College Sports Communicators' 30 Under 30. This job brings me a lot of joy, and it is a privilege to work alongside a group of hard-working and high-character coaches, players and staff. I am thankful for the professionals that have so graciously mentored me at both UK Athletics and Alabama Athletics, and I look forward to returning the favor to future sports communicators."

Cami Moore returned to her alma mater to join the University of Kentucky Athletics Communications and Public Relations in September 2018, where she served as a communications assistant for the next three years (September 2018 - April 2021). During that time, she was the sports information director for men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis and served one year for women's soccer. She was also the secondary contact for women's basketball. In that timeframe, Moore took a lead role in developing and implementing a successful campaign for 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Asia Seidt and assisted on All-America and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Rhyne Howard's #CrownHer campaign.

In April 2021, Moore became an Assistant Director of Alabama Athletics Communications, serving as the primary contact for women's basketball and women's golf and the third contact for football. After 14 months in that role, she returned to her alma mater to become an Assistant Director of UK Athletics Communications and Public Relations in June 2022.

She is currently the primary contact for women's basketball and women's golf, while assisting with football.

Those whom she has affected say it best about Cami Moore.

“Cami is incredible,” said Kentucky swimming coach Lars Jorgensen. “With a work ethic that is second-to-none, she made a day-in, day-out impact on our program and was instrumental in Asia Seidt winning the NCAA Woman of the Year award. She built relationships, the kids loved her, and she was a positive influence across the board.”
 
21663 Rachel Moore
Central Methodist University
Assistant Athletic Director / Director of Athletic Communications

“To be recognized as a CSC 30 under 30 honoree is extremely gratifying to me. I attribute a great amount of my success to the mentorship and guidance from other industry professionals who helped me when I was just a raw rookie. Someone once told me we are in the world of athletics to serve the student-athletes. I'd like to thank all of those athletes who have allowed me the privilege to cover them, to tell their stories, and document their achievements with pen and camera. They are the reason I do this job and enjoy it so much. Go Eagles!”

Rachel Moore was named the Assistant Athletic Director/Director of Athletic Communications for Central Methodist in August of 2020. She is responsible for all athletic communications and many game day operations for 20 varsity sports and eight “reserve” sports. She operates her department with one graduate assistant. As an assistant athletic director, Moore has increased her mentoring activity, having hired and trained two graduate assistants, multiple student workers and provided lectures in the classroom to sports-oriented classes.

During her first two years with the Eagles, Moore has helped elevate the department in numerous areas including social media, website streaming, and the Central Athletics mobile app. This past year, the app reached as high as No. 6 in the country for fan engagement, which includes all divisions of college athletics. For her efforts in 2021-22, Moore was selected by her peers as the 2022 Heart of America Athletic Conference Sports Information Director of the Year. In 2021-22 alone, Moore covered seven conference championship teams, 18 national tournament appearances, including three NAIA National semifinalists, and 25 NAIA All-Americans.

Before her time at CMU, the Excelsior Springs, Missouri, native spent the 2019-20 season at NCAA Division I Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas. While with the Islanders, she served as the primary media contact for the women's soccer, women's golf, women's basketball, softball, and beach volleyball programs.

Prior to joining the Islanders, Moore spent two years as a graduate assistant in the sports information department at fellow Heart institution Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, serving as the department's first-ever SID GA under fellow Heart SIDs Tyler Price and Kyle Pattrick.

Moore obtained her undergraduate degree in sports administration from Baker in 2017 and her M.S. in sports management in 2019.
 
21664 Michelle Murch
St. Thomas University/The Sun Conference
Director of Athletic Communications/Director of Digital Media

“I am extremely blessed and honored to be recognized as a part of the CSC 30 Under 30 program. I could not be able to be as successful if it was not for the strong support system I have at home, with my family and friends, and also at St. Thomas, the place that has embraced me from day one and paved this path for me. My mentors Phil de Montmollin, Laura Courtley-Todd, and Carlos De Yarza have set me up for nothing but success since the moment I arrived. It has been a fun journey so far and I cannot wait for the future that is ahead. Thank you to the CSC committee for recognizing me and thank you to Jim McCurdy for the nomination.”

Michelle Murch has become a jack of all trades since graduating from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida in 2018. A student-worker during college, Murch quickly transitioned to the manager of digital media and game operations at her alma mater, a position she held from January 2019 to June 2021. In that role, Murch created digital content for 25 varsity sports and six developmental teams for a total of 890 student-athletes and served as the key contact for athletics marketing, branding and online communications. She was awarded the NAIA-SIDA first place award for game day graphics in 2019.

In July 2021, she transitioned to her current role as the director of athletic communications at St. Thomas. Additionally, Murch works as the director of digital media for The Sun Conference.

Murch oversaw the department as it added football as a varsity program in 2019. For her efforts, Murch was named the Sun Conference Sports Information Director of the Year — in her first year as director. Twenty-five sports is an incredibly daunting task, one that Murch has handled with professionalism, grace and success.
 
21665 Jeff Rebello
Pacific University/Northwest Conference
Sports Information Director

"It's such a great honor to be named a member of CSC's inaugural 30-under-30 class. I've been blessed to work with such a hard-working and supportive team at Pacific and it's been such a joy to work with them every single day. I'd like to thank our administration, support staff, and coaches for their help over the past year, I couldn't do it without them. I'd especially like to thank our assistant SID, Braden Ash, for his incredible hard work and dedication, as he continues to excel as a young professional. I'm lucky to be a part of this industry and I'm extremely excited for its future."

Jeff Rebello has served as Pacific University’s sports information director since July 2021. Rebello heads all communication activities for the Boxers’ 24 NCAA Division III sports and six more JV programs. As if managing the day-to-day SID duties of as many teams wasn’t already enough, Rebello also chairs Pacific’s Hall of Fame committee and is a liaison to the Red Den student section. He leads graphic design, live streaming and game management.

While he receives some assistance from students and coaches, Rebello directs the operation as a one-person communications shop.

It’s clear Rebello has made an impact in under 18 months, being nominated by 14 different Pacific coaches, administrators and fellow support staff.

“Jeff has made his mark,” said facilities operations coordinator Kevin Bryant. “His work on the Hall of Fame committee here at Pacific, his SID duties involving 24 sports and all that goes with organizing and running events, working with student workers, organizing stats, website, league and national information solicited, and social media posts have shown Jeff to be an effective, efficient and proud Boxer sports leader in our community. Jeff's work in the development of our Red Den student section has led to increased support from on campus and has created fun and memorable support in our community.”

Before joining the Boxers, Rebello had a stint at his alma mater – Cal Lutheran – where he was responsible for covering 11 Kingsmen and Regals programs. His initial foray into the field came in 2018-19, when Rebello was at Arkansas-Little Rock.

A former student-athlete, Rebello was a two-way baseball player at Cal Lutheran, where he was part of the 2017 NCAA Division III championship ballclub.
 
21666 Nicole Remedios
Illinois Wesleyan University
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

“I am extremely honored to be receiving this award. I am truly grateful to have mentors that I look up to and who have helped guide me through my athletic communications journey. I've been able to grow during my time at Illinois Wesleyan and I look forward to continuing my learning in this field of work. As a former varsity athlete, I have always appreciated what an athletic communications department does for its athletes. Now on the other side, I am honored to be in a position to highlight and represent the athletes here at IWU and the school.”

Nicole Remedios was a four-year member of the women’s soccer team at Eastern Michigan before transitioning from a student-athlete and media relations intern into a graduate assistant at Illinois Wesleyan and later the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications.

Despite joining IWU’s department as a graduate assistant during the uncertainty of COVID-19, Remedios immediately showed an infectious passion for giving back to college athletics, solidifying her already strong traditional communications skills while developing an even stronger creative skillset.

A 2021 recipient of College Sports Communicators’ Langston Rodgers Scholarship, Remedios has changed and improved the creative strategy at Illinois Wesleyan in all facets, impacting the Division III institution’s ability to recruit student-athletes and expand its brand on a national level. While a graduate assistant for the Titans, her work was so valued that the university approved a full-time assistant position, the first ever in the athletic department, which was promoted to in August 2022.

“Nicole is one of the best and brightest of our profession,” said Katie Gonzales, Assistant Athletic Director - Athletic Communications. “She is also a great example of the necessity for an organization's rebrand. I could not think of a better way to recognize Nicole than with this honor, as I truly feel she is one of the greatest SIDs at the Division III level.”
 
21667 Kristin Shaffer
University of the Cumberlands (NAIA)
Director of Content Creation; Assistant Sports Information Director

"Thank you to CSC for this award and for creating it this year to showcase all the talent in the industry. I am honored to be in the inaugural class with so many other outstanding award winners. This award for me is a team one, where I am lucky enough to be a small part of what goes on here at Cumberlands. I get to work with an amazing group of people every day in our department who push me to do my best. At Cumberlands, we pride ourselves in bringing top coverage to our school and all athletes and without the staff around me that isn’t possible. I’m thankful for the support from my coworkers, the athletes and coaches, as well as the University who have all helped me grow. This award represents the innovation of young creators and I’m excited to help the next wave of collegiate sports communicators reach even higher goals!"

Kristin Shaffer has served the University of Cumberlands since 2019, most recently being elevated to Director of Content Creation in the summer of 2022.

In her newest role, Shaffer is responsible for creating all of the creative content across Cumberlands’ 28 sports. For social media she creates graphics, videos, GIFs as well as takes photos and videos. She is also tasked with creating the branding guidelines for UC and implementing it across all of athletics. She also creates promotional and recruiting content for teams for social media as well as print.

Beginning at Cumberlands as a graduate assistant, and then becoming assistant sports information director before her newest role, Shaffer has placed in the top-ten for 17 NAIA-SIDA Publication Awards including four in the top five. Her awards came in a variety of categories including game notes, game recaps, motion and still graphics. She also has placed in the top-five for the CSC Publications and Digital Design Contest.

Before joining UC, Shaffer was the Video Coordinator for the University of Nebraska softball program for three years. In her role, Shaffer was responsible for all of the Huskers' video needs, including the shooting and editing of practice and game video, creating in-house highlight videos, and supporting all technological needs. She also assisted the coaching staff with advanced opponent video scouting.

Shaffer has also served as a content writer for The Women’s Game, an Australia-based women’s professional soccer website. For four years she mainly covered the players competing overseas as well as assisting with content for their Australian based club teams. She has also worked in the National Pro Fastpitch league with the Chicago Bandits and Akron Racers.

Shaffer graduated from the University of Cincinnati in May of 2016 with a dual bachelor’s degree in communication and english - rhetoric and professional writing. In May of 2021, Shaffer earned her master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Cumberlands.
 
21668 Ashley Springer
Utah State University
Assistant Media Relations Coordinator (Volleyball, Men’s Basketball, Softball)

“I am so honored to be selected for the College Sports Communicators’ 30 Under 30 award. This ever-changing industry has blessed me with so many wonderful opportunities and has taught me so much. I am so grateful for all the wonderful mentors who have helped me over the years, and I'm looking forward to continuing to grow and develop in the years to come.”

Ashley Springer is in her third year with the Aggies, overseeing volleyball, men’s basketball and softball for Utah State. She spent the last two seasons working with the football program before making the switch as the Aggies’ primary men’s basketball contact. Along with that, she assists with the media relations needs for other programs as needed while working as a statistician for the other sports programs at Utah State.  She not only does traditional SID roles, but she helps manage various social media accounts through the department as she takes new trends in the industry to grow the Aggies’ brand.

Her career started even earlier than three years ago with this program as she was a student assistant in the department all four years as an undergraduate. Springer’s passion for the field developed for the field during that time as she worked with the women’s basketball and tennis programs before her graduation.

Once she left Utah State, she went to Louisiana Tech, working with the football, women’s bowling and men’s golf programs. She also grew the department’s social media efforts astronomically, which prepared her to return to her alma mater to continue growing as a young professional in this industry.
 
21669 Scott Swegan
Stanford University
Director - Communications (Primary Football, M/W Golf)

“Thank you to the Young Professionals Committee at College Sports Communicators for this recognition and honor. I’m humbled to be mentioned alongside 29 other very deserving professionals in our organization, and I’m sure there were many more nominated who deserve to be recognized. I have been incredibly lucky to grow up in this profession and learn from some of the best our industry has to offer. This profession can be challenging and demanding, but I’m thankful to my wife Paris for her support in allowing me to do what I love – working with world-class coaches and student-athletes and attending games for a living.”

Scott Swegan joined the staff at Stanford University in April of 2019 and has made a tremendous impact in his young career as the Director of Communications. He is currently the main contact for football along with men’s and women’s golf, overseeing all digital, social and media relations efforts for these programs. He developed brand strategies for these accounts, helping some of these accounts grow by over 300 percent. He continues to develop his strategies based on industry trends. He also builds strong relationships with his colleagues and coaches thanks to his genuine and steady demeanor.

He also spent time at the University of Texas, where he was the secondary football contact as well as track and field. But his career truly began even before his time as an undergraduate at Bowling Green State University. He started volunteering with the athletics department when he was in high school. By the time he started attending the university, he was the primary baseball contact as a freshman. This turned into a position as the football contact for the Falcons, earning the FWAA Super 11 award.

Brian Risso, the Assistant Athletics Director for Communications at Stanford, knew he made the right choice in bringing Swegan on from his first day on campus.

“Scott built trust and credibility in our department from day one,” Risso said. “Consistently reliable and extremely thoughtful in his interactions, Scott genuinely cares about the details and strives to put his best foot forward in all elements of his work. Scott’s leadership qualities were on full display during the pandemic, making personal sacrifices to oversee our football operation in his role as the lead contact while also providing strategic direction and developing event protocols as part of a larger working group. Scott has seamlessly built relationships with his programs, most notably publicizing individual efforts and team success during our 2022 women’s golf NCAA championship campaign. Scott possesses all the intangibles that are so rare in our profession.”
 
21670 Brandon Vickrey
Valparaiso University
Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations (Football, Men’s Basketball, Baseball, Men’s Golf, Women’s Golf, Women’s Tennis, Track & Field, Cross Country)

"It is a tremendous honor to be included on College Sports Communicators’ first 30 Under 30 list. I have been fortunate to work with so many great people at Valparaiso University, and I'm so grateful to work in an industry that I care about for an institution that I love. While none of us in the athletic communications industry do this for awards or honors, it is always nice to be recognized, so thanks to CSC for going to the effort to showcase SIDs in this manner."

Not often will you find athletic communications professionals who have carried the same longevity as Brandon Vickrey from such a young age. Currently in his seventh season as an Assistant AD for Media Relations at Valparaiso, he began the position fresh out of college at the age of 22, and was one of the youngest football primary contacts in the nation at the time. Vickrey currently serves as the Beacons’ primary contract for football, men’s basketball, baseball, men’s & women’s golf, women’s tennis, and cross country & track and field.

A native of Portage, Indiana, Vickrey has taken home five District 5 Awards in the CSC Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest over the years while a CSC member. His office was honored as the 2020-21 Missouri Valley Conference Sports Information Office of the year, and oversaw his school’s transition from the Horizon League to the MVC. Vickrey carries a broadcast background, and serves as the host of many of the department’s video segments, while also contributing to basketball road radio broadcasts.

Aside from his work at Valpo, Vickrey has spent 11 seasons with the Northwest Indiana Oilmen baseball team of the Northern League, including eight as the Director of Communications and the lead play-by-play voice. He has contributed to many local television, radio, and print journalism outlets in the local area since he was a freshman in high school, and was very active in student radio, television, and print as an undergraduate student at Valpo. Vickrey earned a bachelor’s degree in digital media from Valparaiso in 2016, and completed a master’s in sports administration from his alma mater in 2020.
 
21671 Lynn Walsh
College of Charleston
Director of Athletics Communications and Creative Content (Men’s Basketball, M/W Golf, Equestrian)

“It is a true honor to be included as one of thirty on this list. College athletics is one of the most rewarding professions, and the people I have crossed paths with along the way are some of the best out there. I’m truly thankful for each coach and student-athlete at Bridgewater College and College of Charleston that has welcomed me with open arms.”

Lynn Walsh is currently in her first year as the Director of Athletic Communications and Creative Content at the College of Charleston. She heads the athletic communications office while serving as the primary contact for Cougars’ men’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, and equestrian.

Prior to Charleston, she got her post-graduate start at Bridgewater College, beginning as the Associate Director of Athletic Media Relations by way of an NCAA Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant in July 2021. There she worked with Jimmy McCumber and Steve Cox before assuming the title of Director of Athletic Media Relations in Sept. 2021. Lynn helped Bridgewater gain national attention through the NCAA Division III social media channels while increasing the Eagles' social media presence by over 500,000 impressions. In addition to her media relations responsibilities, she coordinated the Eagles' ticket operations and assisted with Covid-19 standard operating procedures for the department.

She has attended the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar, the NCAA/Women Leaders in College Sports Women's Leadership Symposium, Women Leaders in College Sports Institute for Administrative Advancement and served as an in-game promotions team member at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse National Championship. She serves as the Athletic Communications Circle Lead for Women Leaders in College Sports. Lynn also previously served on the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Region III Selection Committee.

Lynn handled athletic communications with professionalism and grace during Bridgewater's tragic active shooter situation, which directly affected the athletic department and several programs, and she has been incredibly generous with her willingness to share those experiences with CSC to help others better prepare to deal with difficult professional situations of her own. Lynn graduated from the University of Lynchburg in 2018.
 
21672 Jasmine Washington
University of New Orleans
Director of Creative Services and Photography

"I'm honored to be named to the inaugural 30 Under 30 list. This means a lot to me and marks another milestone early in my career. I want to thank all of my supervisors and mentors at the University of Maryland, the Southern Conference and University of New Orleans who have allowed me to develop as a professional in the field and taking a chance on me! Specifically, Rose DiPaula, who gave me my first shot at working in sports at Maryland, Phil Perry, Hannah Bradley and my current supervisor Matthew Thompson. I hope to inspire and motivate young professionals working in sports as I progress in my career and pass along the knowledge my supervisors and mentors have provided me." 

Jasmine Washington has been a digital media trailblazer in her young career thus far, getting her start as a media relations intern in the University of Maryland Athletic Department. After making the full-time transition to the Southern Conference (SoCon) as media relations assistant in 2021, she quickly rose to the position of director of creative services.

As director, Washington was responsible for the conference's social media accounts, graphics, championship venue signage and overall brand enhancement. The overall following of the league's three social media accounts increased by over 3,000 under Washington. Overall engagement increased by 38 percent over a span of six months. She also developed a plan for the social media room for basketball and football media days and the overall digital presence of the SoCon.

From the SoCon, Washington went to the University of New Orleans as the director of creative services and photography in March of 2021. Already making an impact, she created a TikTok account for the New Orleans athletic department and within two months of creation, grew the page to over 15K followers and 1 million + likes - making it ranked in the top 50 for both categories on SkullSparks.

In her career, Washington has also assisted at the 2022 Division I Men's Basketball NCAA Championship first and second rounds hosted by the SoCon and Furman University, in Greenville, South Carolina. There, she created a TikTok that curated over 600,000 views and 80,000 likes.

Washington was a member of the SoCon's first-ever Racial Equity and Justice Task Force that includes coaches, student-athletes, administrators and faculty from around the league. She served as the marketing chair for the task force and led all marketing efforts.
 
21673 Doug Waters
University of North Texas
Assistant Director, Athletic Communications (Women’s Basketball, Women’s Tennis)

“It’s absolutely amazing to be recognized for this award. I appreciate everyone who has helped me thus far in my career to get where I am. I especially want to thank my wife, Danielle, for always supporting me as well as the external staffs at Oklahoma City, Concordia Texas, Stevens, Saint Peter’s and North Texas for helping make my job easier along the way. It’s been a fun ride thus far, but the journey is far from over.”

Doug Waters recently began working as the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at the University of North Texas in August 2022.

Waters began his journey in sports communications while earning his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas. While earning his undergraduate degree, Waters worked as a student manager for the Longhorns’ baseball program, which went to the College World Series during Waters’ tenure.

After graduating, Waters worked as the Assistant Sports Information Director at Oklahoma City University during the 2016-17 season. During his time at OCU, the university won the Learfield Director’s Cup title as the top overall athletic department in the NAIA.

Waters’ career then took him to Concordia University, where he worked as a sports information graduate assistant while earning his master’s in Sports Administration in 2019.

Following his stint at Concordia, Waters served as the primary contact for 12 NCAA sports at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, for two and half years.

Waters then took his talents to St. Peter’s University, where he served as the primary contact for men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s softball. Waters’ oversaw the coverage of the Peacocks men’s basketball historic 2022 NCAA Championship run, leading the Peacocks’ social media content which exploded onto the national scene. Under his leadership, their social media accounts, which had less than 3,000 followers when he arrived, experienced the 12th-most interactions in Division I in March 2022.

This year, Waters returned to his home state of Texas and works as the Mean Green primary contact for women’s basketball and women’s tennis.

According to Doug’s coworkers, he is “an incredible addition to any athletic department he has been a part of and his ability to connect with student-athletes is a strength of his.”
 
21674 Kelsey Whaley
Luther College
Athletics Communications Director

“I'm truly honored to have been selected for the 30 Under 30 Award. I feel very lucky for the opportunity to work with outstanding colleagues throughout College Sports Communicators and learn from some of the best sports information directors and athletic communications professionals this profession has seen. I wouldn't be in the position I am today without the help of fantastic mentors and co-workers from the MIAC, the NSIC, the A-R-C and many other conferences and institutions across the nation.”

Kelsey Whaley is in her first year as the Athletics Communications Director at Luther College where she oversees 19 sports. She came to Decorah, Iowa after spending four years at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Whaley is a creative wizard having been hands-on with multiple projects throughout her career. She also serves as the chair of the CSC New Media Committee.

While working as assistant director of athletic communications at St. Cloud State, Whaley covered multiple Husky teams in their runs to conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances. Two of them were men’s hockey making the Frozen Four in 2021 and wrestling competing in the national championship in 2022. She received both the CSC “Best in Nation” and “Best Cover of a Postseason Media Guide” award for her graphic designs during both postseason runs.

Prior to St. Cloud State, Whaley served as sports information director at St. Catherine University where she oversaw 11 sports and handled all communication and creative aspects. During her tenure, the Wildcats advanced to the 2017 Division III Softball Super Regional in St. Paul and the 2018 Division III Men’s Basketball final in Rochester, Minnesota.

Whaley got her start in the profession as an assistant sports information director at her alma mater St. Norbert College in Wisconsin. While there, she obtained her bachelor of arts in communication and media studies and music. Outside of the profession, she interned with several sports journalism outlets that included a stint with WBAY-TV. After graduating, Whaley landed her first SID job at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
21675 Brenna Winn
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Director of Communications

“It’s an honor to be recognized in the College Sports Communicators' first 30 Under 30 program. I’ve been very fortunate in my young career to work and gain experience in many facets of the athletic communications field. I’m thankful to be where I am today and I’m forever appreciative of the mentors I’ve had who have guided me along the way. We all know this field is a grind… I am incredibly flattered to be among the list of talented recipients who have embraced the grind and continue to enhance this field.”

Brenna Winn is in her second year with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association office and first with the title of director of communications after being promoted from coordinator of digital and strategic communications in July of 2022. In her role, she oversees all communication, public and media relations efforts for the conference office and handles the maintenance of the MIAA’s official website and social media accounts. Winn works closely with communication/sports information directors from all 14 of the association’s schools and assists in MIAA championship preparation and execution. She also serves on the Division II women’s soccer regional advisory committee.

Prior to the MIAA, Winn spent two years as the athletic media relations graduate assistant at MIAA member Central Missouri. During her time at UCM, Winn assisted with public and media relations for all 17 of Central Missouri's intercollegiate programs. She served as the primary contact and marketing communications point person for five programs (men's basketball, men's golf, softball, wrestling and women's soccer). Winn worked with over 70 All-MIAA student-athlete performers, four MIAA regular season champions and four MIAA Tournament championship-winning programs. She also served as a Senior Women's Administrator intern where she assisted in developing online resources and information for current and future UCM student-athletes.

Before coming to Missouri, Winn was awarded the NCAA Women & Ethnic Minorities Grant and served as the NCAA Division III Leadership & Development Intern from 2017 to 2019.

Throughout her internship, Winn served many roles while working at her alma mater, Coe College, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She began her position as Coe's athletic communications and operations assistant and quickly transitioned into the interim sports information director role which she held for six months. Winn was also a student-athlete at Coe where she competed in softball and soccer.

Ryan Workman of Iowa State, Winn’s former supervisor at Coe and her nominator, had all positive things to say about her. “While I can’t say enough great things about what she does as a professional, she’s an even better person. She was a great sounding board for our students while we worked together at Coe. They knew they could go to her for anything, both personally and work-related. She was able to continue to build relationships that she had developed as a student-athlete and turn them into great working relationships with coaches and administrators.”