Tim Tessalone

Tim Tessalone is USC's longest-tenured sports information director, serving since 1984 (the USC graduate began as a Trojan assistant SID in 1979) until retiring in 2022. During his time, he and his staff publicized 54 national championship teams, 305 Olympians and 26 Academic All-Americans, and in football 85 All-Americans, 225 NFL draftees and five Heisman Trophy winners. He served as media coordinator at 17 championships hosted by USC and worked 517 Trojan football games, including 30 bowls (12 Rose Bowls). The USC sports information office eight Football Writers Association of America "Super 11" awards (then tied for most of any school). He is a member of the USC Athletic, College Sports Communications and FWAA Halls of Fame. Taught a "Sports Public Relations" class in the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism for 6 years. Students who interned under him became sports information directors, professional sports public relations directors, network television sports announcers, producers and publicists, newspaper sports reporters and even Hollywood celebrities (Will Ferrell).