College Sports Information Directors of America

Below, see the schedule of the 2012 Special Award recipient feature stories which will be written by CoSIDA members throughout the spring. The full slate of 2012 Special Awards was announced March 2. All awards will be presented during the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis (June 23-26).

• Individual feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
• CoSIDA St. Louis Convention awards presentation schedule

B.L. Efring (Southern Maine) a CoSIDA 25-Year Award recipient

by Sheila Stevenson, Rowan University SID

In August 1995, B.L. Elfring returned to his home state when he accepted the position of sports information director at the University of Southern Maine after spending 15 years at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Elfring started his sports information career as a work-study student at his alma mater, the University of Maine, in 1978 under the able hand and watchful eye of his mentor, Bob Creteau.

This summer, Elfring will receive his 25-Year Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) during CoSIDA's national convention. There are 13 individuals receiving the 25-year honor on Sunday, June 24 in St. Louis, MO.

Since he has been at Southern Maine, Elfring has been promoted twice and currently his title is assistant director of athletics for NCAA compliance and athletic media relations. He is responsible for the public relations and eligibility for 22 athletic teams.

“B.L. is in a special category of professionals that has limited membership,” stated University of Southern Maine athletic director Al Bean. “He displays a commitment, dedication and work ethic that is second to none and continues to amaze me some 17 years after he first joined our staff. B.L. is the consummate professional, always prepared, on top of his game and committed to advancing the profession and supporting his colleagues in the trenches.

“He is a solid, well-grounded, man of strong principles and ethics, and deeply respected by his peers, colleagues, and student-athletes,” continued Bean. “B.L. is one of the finest and most capable professionals I have ever had the pleasure of working with in my 29 years in collegiate athletics. We are fortunate to have a man of his experience, skill and dedication as a part of our administrative staff at the University of Southern Maine.”

Prior, Elfring had been the sports information director at the University of Massachusetts Lowell for 13 years (1982-1995). He also served as the sports information intern for two years before taking over the head job. In addition, Elfring worked at the University of Maine as a radio production aid/sports information assistant for a year after his graduation from UM in 1979.

Elfring is highly regarded by the sports information directors in his conference.

“B.L. has been a leader in our profession for several decades, first at UMass Lowell and now at the University of Southern Maine,” said Plymouth State University sports information director Kent Cherrington. “He has been the ultimate sports information professional. I always love when our teams play against Southern Maine, because if I'm at the game or the tournament I know I will get top-notch treatment, and if not, I know I can count on receiving everything in a timely and efficient manner. He is a wonderful friend and colleague and is a true credit to our profession."

Elfring has hosted numerous NCAA Regional and National Championship Tournaments and five ECAC Championship Tournaments. He has received numerous CoSIDA Publication Awards for his men and women’s basketball brochures. Elfring was the recipient of the 2002 ECAC Irving T. Marsh Award for outstanding contributions to the sports communications field and received the 2001 University of Southern Maine Professional Staff Award.

Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards

General 2012 Special Awards releaseMarch

March

• Mon., 5: Kim Wenger (Centennial Conference): Rising Star Award (College Division) – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
• Wed., 7: Malcolm Moran: Jake Wade Award – by Joe Hornstein, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
• Fri., 9: Maurice Williams (Hampton University): Rising Star Award (University Division) – by Ed Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
• Mon., 12: Bernie Cafarelli (Notre Dame): 25-Year Award – by Debbie White (Old Dominion)
• Wed., 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
• Fri., 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
• Mon., 19: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
• Wed., 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award – by Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID
• Fri., 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award – by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto SID
• Mon., 26: John Lewandowki (Michigan State): 25-Year Award – by Jamie Weir-Baldwin (Michigan State)
• Wed., 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame – by Tim Peterman (UW-Eau Claire)

April

• Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame – by Dan Drutz (Saint Peter's College)
• Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award – by Dan O'Connell (Towson University)
• Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award – by Sheila Stevenson (Rowan University)
• Mon., 9: Lawrence Fan (San Jose State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame and Arch Ward Award
• Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Fri., 13: Mark Bankert (Malone University): 25-Year Award
• Mon., 16: Joe Dier (Mississippi State): 25-Year Award
• Wed., 18: Rich Herman (Clarion): Bob Kenworthy Award
• Fri., 20: Shirley Jones Hill (Southern Mississippi): 25-Year Award
• Mon., 23: Shelly Poe (Ohio State): Trailblazer Award
• Wed., 25: Michael MacEachern (Young Harris College): 25-Year Award
• Fri., 27: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award
• Mon., 30: Bob Noss (Wright State): 25-Year Award

May

• Wed., 2: Wallace Dooley (formerly of Tennessee State): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Fri., 4: Jeff Nelson (Penn State): Bill Esposito Award
• Mon., 7: Bill Turnage (Florida Southern): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Wed., 9: Herb Vincent (LSU): 25-Year Award
• Fri., 11: Mike Mahon (formerly of Drake & South Dakota): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Mon., 14: Bill Wagner (DePauw): 25-Year Award
• Wed., 16: Fred Huff (formerly of Southern Illinois-Carbondale): CoSIDA Hall of Fame [Veteran Award Committee recipient]
• Fri., 18: Phil Haddy (University of Iowa): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Mon., 21: Dave Geringer (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth): 25-Year Award
• Wed., 23: Charles "Chuck" Prophet (deceased; formerly of Mississippi Valley State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Fri., 25: Robert Wilson (Florida State): 25-Year Award

Awards to be presented during CoSIDA St. Louis Convention, St. Louis, Missouri

Sunday, June 24: Kickoff Luncheon
Awards presented: 25-Year Awards; Trailblazer, Kenworthy Community Service, Rising Star (University and College Divisions), Keith Jackson honors

Monday, June 25: (two award presentations) CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Esposito, Lifetime Achievement, CoSIDA Hall of Fame awards

Capital One Special Awards Gala (dinner/ceremony)
Awards presented: Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Jake Wade, Lester Jordan, Enberg awards; Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame induction

Calendar

Important Dates