College Sports Information Directors of America

On October 13, Augustana College dedicated the Dave Wrath Press Box at Lindberg Stadium, honoring the school's sports information director for the past 32 years.

A 1980 Augustana graduate and former track and field standout who has served as the school's SID since February of 1981 and is a member of the Augustana "Tribe of Vikings" Hall of Fame. Wrath was inducted into CoSIDA's Hall of Fame in 2003. Three years prior, in 2000, Wrath received the Warren Berg Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA college division member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of sports information. He is a long-standing member of CoSIDA's Academic All-America® Committee and serves as a vice-chair.

Below, find several articles, video and a photo gallery about Wrath and the press box dedication.

Video: Hundreds come out to honor Augustana staff member Wrath Watch

Video: Friends, colleagues look back at Wrath's continuing legacy Watch

Photo Gallery: Dedication of the Dave Wrath Press Box

Wrath set to open his own press box By Tom Johnson, The Quad City Times See article online

ROCK ISLAND – Dave Wrath, Augustana College's sports information director, lamented a move to a new office space when asked to move within the Carver Center athletic department a number of years ago.

When the Vikings football team hosts Elmhurst in Saturday's homecoming games at the new Lindberg Stadium at the Knowlton Outdoor Athletic Facility, Wrath will find himself in another new "home." He will be charting the CCIW contest from the confines of a new press box – one that will appropriately carry his name.

The new Dave Wrath Press Box officially will be dedicated today in a 7 p.m. ceremony. That will follow a 6:30 walk-through to debut the new digs.

"It's something I quite honestly never envisioned,'' said Wrath. "I really never envisioned two things. One was a new stadium; I never thought I would see it and that came to fruition. And I never thought I'd be honored in this way. So it's really special."

It's a much-deserved honor, too, for the man who has made a living putting the college's name in the public's consciousness for 32 years now after his graduation from the school.

"It's going to hit me Friday night; I'm sure it's going to be an emotional night,'' said Wrath of the dedication ceremony..

And even though he knows he is making a huge upgrade from the cramped quarters that have been his Saturday afternoon home since 1981, there are still some anxious moments regarding the transition.

"I'm a control guy and I certainly had control up there in the old one,'' he joked of the small space. "This one is a little bigger, so it's going to be a little harder to control. But we're moving into a great space. It's going to be spacious and we're going to make it as good as the other one.''

In Wrath's mind, it wasn't the space that made the intimate quarters of the old press box a cozy home. It was the people who perspired in there during blistering hot days in September and relied on portable heaters to keep from totally freezing during games in November.

"My No. 1 memory is the camaraderie we had up there,'' said Wrath of enduring the old space. "The amenities weren't very good. The sight-lines were low, it was hot. It wasn't the greatest physical location in the world, but we made it work and I think we made it work because we did it as a team – from clock operators to beat reporters, we were all in it together. I think I get as much pleasure out of that memory as anything.

"We couldn't please people with the amenities in the old press box, so we tried to make sure our service was top notch and we were No. 1 in service rendered although we were clearly not going to be No. 1 in amenities."

A new challenge awaits Wrath.

"The standard and the bar I set for myself is very high and I don't really tolerate mistakes from myself; I want to be perfect," said Wrath. "Being perfect in a new facility is going to be a little bit of a challenge just because of the physical layout. I don't know where plugs are, I'm not even sure how to turn the lights on!

"I hold myself to a very high standard and I want everything to be as perfect as possible. And I'm looking forward to that challenge.''

Wrath admits that retirement is drawing closer – not necessarily near, which is good for those of us who rely on his fine work. Having "his new press box" is a wonderful amenity for those years he has left on the job.

"It's been a great ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it,'' said Wrath looking back at 32 years in the old press box. "It's been fun and there are a lot of memories.''

Starting Saturday, a bunch of new memories will start being made in a new state-of-the-art facility that will forever carry his name – a well-deserved honor.

Surely Wrath's trusty cooler will be full of cold beverages for those working the game. Only this game, he will not have to stand on it for a better view of the on-field action.

"I'm anxious to see what it's like to have elbow room and not bump into the guy next to you and not have to stand on the top of the cooler for a sight-line,'' joked Wrath. "It's going to be spacious and we haven't dealt with spacious before.''

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• 06/23/26 / 12:00 P.M. Baseball Academic All-America Announced (NCAA, NAIA)
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• 06/30/26 / 11:59 P.M. M/W Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America National Ballot Voting Deadline (NCAA, NAIA)
• 07/07/26 / 12:00 P.M. W At-Large Academic All-America Announced (NCAA, NAIA, College Division)
• 07/08/26 / 12:00 P.M. M At-Large Academic All-America Announced (NCAA, NAIA, College Division)
• 07/14/26 / 12:00 P.M. M Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Announced (NCAA, NAIA)
• 06/07/26 / All Day 2026 CSC Unite Convention in Las Vegas
• 06/08/26 / All Day 2026 CSC Unite Convention in Las Vegas
• 06/09/26 / All Day 2026 CSC Unite Convention in Las Vegas
• 06/09/26 / 11:59 P.M. Baseball Academic All-America National Ballot Voting Deadline (NCAA, NAIA, College Division)
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