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

2012 CoSIDA Special Awards Salute: Maurice Williams, Rising Star Award recipient (University Division)

written by Ed Hill, Howard University/CoSIDA Board of Directors

Maurice Williams, Director of Sports Information at Hampton since 2007, has been named the 2012 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) University Division Rising Star.

The Rising Star Award is presented annually to a university division and a college division member with 10 years of full-time service or less in the profession for service, dedication, energy and enthusiasm that make the individual a “rising star” in sports information.

Williams serves in numerous capacities there and is a very valuable asset to the athletics program. His duties include serving as the primary media contact for football, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf and softball while also handling in-game statistics for all of the university’s teams. He is also the secondary contact for all other sports at the University.

The tireless Williams is also responsible for all content and material on the Universities Athletic website HamptonPirates.com. His office writes and edits all athletic publications, including game programs and media guides, and coordination all press conference and interviews with Hampton student-athletes, coaches and staff.

In addition, he serves as the game-day program editor for both football and men's and women’s basketball, handles all credential requests for Hampton football and both basketball teams, and oversees Hampton’s athletics website.

Williams also aids with the fundraising and marketing activities for Hampton athletics as well as home game operations. He is also a member of the Hampton University Athletics Hall of Fame Committee and the editorial board for the Hampton Sports Journal.

During Williams’ tenure at Hampton, the university has been instrumental on the selection of 16 student athletes being named All-American selections, six football players signing with NFL teams, 20 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars and one Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year (Marcus Dixon, 2008).

Prior to becoming the Director of Sports Information at Hampton, Williams served in the same capacity at Shaw University. Prior to his time at Shaw, he spent five years at Livingstone College as a student assistant and as an intern.

While at Shaw, Williams helped coordinate the publicity efforts for the school’s 14 intercollegiate athletics and served as the primary contact for all of the University’s sports. Williams also assisted in the Marketing and Promotions efforts while at Shaw.

He currently holds memberships with CoSIDA and the Black College Sports Information Director’s Association (BcSIDA). At CoSIDA, Williams serves on both the Committee-on-Committees Committee and the Academic All-Americans Committee.

Williams is a native of Allendale, S.C. and a 2005 graduate of Livingstone College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English.

Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards

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: : 25-Year Award
• Wed., 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award
• Fri., 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Mon., 19: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award
• Wed., 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award
• Fri., 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award
• Mon., 26: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award
• Wed., 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame

April

• Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
• Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award
• Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award
• 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: John Lewandowski (Michigan State): 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 (Drake): 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), Esposito, Keith Jackson

Monday, June 25: (two award presentations) CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Lifetime Achievement; Jake Wade Award, CoSIDA Hall of Fame

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

Calendar

Important Dates