College Sports Information Directors of America

This profile on 25-Year Award winner Tom Nelson, the St. Cloud State University assistant director of atlhetic media relations,  is the 13th in a series of profiles and features on CoSIDA's 2011 Special Awards recipients.  

See link to original release and the March/April schedule of the Special Award profiles/features, below.

THE CoSIDA SPECIAL AWARDS FEATURES SERIES

March

• Tue. 1           Special Awards general announcement
• Thr.  3           Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame release
• Thr.  3           Ann King (The Sage Colleges): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 8           Kent Cherrington (Plymouth State University): 25-year Award
• Thr. 10          Justin Doherty (University of Wisconsin): Arch Ward Award
• Tue. 15         Rob Knox (Kutztown University): Rising Star Award (College Division)
• Thr.  17       Jim Daves (University of Virginia): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 22  Diane Nordstrom (University of Wisconsin): 25-Year Award
• Thr. 24          Chevonne Mansfield (SWAC): Rising Star Award (University Division)
• Tue. 29         Dr. Bill Smith (University of Arkansas): Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award
• Thr.  31         Kevin Ruple (Baldwin-Wallace College): Lester Jordan Award

April

• Tue.  5        Rich Herman (Clarion): CoSIDA Hall of Fame & Warren Berg Award
• Thr.   7          Paul Madison (Western Washington): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Tue. 12         Charles Bloom (Southeastern Conference): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Thr. 14          Thomas Nelson (St. Cloud State University): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 19         Mark Beckenbach (Ohio Northern): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Thr. 21          Brian DePasquale (University of Albany): 25-Year Award
• Thr. 28          Debby Jennings (University of Tennessee): Trailblazer Award

May

• Tue. 3           Walt Riddle (Saint Leo University): Lifetime Achievement Award; and 25-Year Award
• Fri.   6           Tom Kroeschell (Iowa State): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 10         Mike Moran (USOC); Lifetime Achievement Award
• Thr. 12          Joe Seil (Nazareth): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 17         A. John Pearson (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Thr. 19          David Moross (Colorado College): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 24         Dan McDonald (Northwestern State [La.] and Southwestern Louisiana: CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Thr. 26          Dave Beyer (Mercer University): 25-Year Award
• Tue. 31         Lee Corso (ABC/ESPN Sports): Jade Wade Award

***other profiles in the schedule to be announced; schedule subject to change

by Anne Abicht, St. Cloud State University Director of Athletic Media Relations/CoSIDA Board member

A quick wit, a terrific sense of humor, a creative streak, and the willingness to work hard on behalf of St. Cloud State University student-athletes personify Tom Nelson, a 2011 CoSIDA 25-Year Award recipient.

Nelson has been an assistant director of athletic media relations at St. Cloud State since 1996.

A regular attendee of the CoSIDA Workshop, Nelson enjoyed a long tenure on the Site Selection Committee and has served on several local and regional committees.

His contributions to the sports communications profession over the years have been many. He is a master at identifying special stories, introducing them to the mass media and shining a bright, positive spotlight on St. Cloud State’s student-athletes.

This winter Nelson generated national media attention for the Husky baseball program with his promotion of Kent Koch, a second baseman and team captain, elected Mayor of his hometown in Minnesota.

Nelson is the office “techie” and website coordinator, introducing new technology and training co-workers on programs that have helped St. Cloud State athletics keep pace with social media and website uses.

“Not only has Tom done a great job promoting Husky Athletics, he has also been a mentor to the young people who have worked in our office over the years,” said Anne Abicht, St. Cloud State Director of Athletic Media Relations. “Several of our student workers and graduate assistants have gone on to careers in the sports communications field and were positively influenced by the experience of working with Tom.”

Nelson has served as a media coordinator at numerous USA Hockey Player Development Camps and has been the media steward for the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class AA baseball tournament since 1997.

Nelson previously worked at Aurora University and St. John's University (Minn.) before making the move to St. Cloud State.

He is a 1983 graduate of North Central College in Naperville, Ill. Nelson, his wife Colleen, and children Lauren and Patrick reside in St. Cloud.

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