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The College of New Jersey
Sports Information Director Ann King joins an elite group with her
election to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America)
Hall of Fame and will be inducted at the organization’s annual workshop in
Nashville on July 5.
“What a tremendous honor it is for me to be recognized by my peers and the
CoSIDA Special Awards Committee for doing my job - a job I love and feel
very passionate about. I never would have imagined that this would happen
to me during my career,” King said. “I am still in disbelief to think that
my name will be included on a list as a member of CoSIDA's Hall of Fame. I
will forever be ingratiated to the many sports information professionals
who have helped me learn and grow in my role both at Drew University and
here at TCNJ.”
The remainder of the Hall of Fame Class of 2006 consists of Stan Green
from Oklahoma Christian University and Shelly Poe of West Virginia
University, bringing the total number of those enshrined to 148.
King reiterated that the guidance and leadership provided to her by those
in the sports information profession have enabled her to achieve such a
distinguished honor.
“Their compassion, energy and enthusiasm for sports information have
inspired me and continue to be a driving force in my role to pass on the
same traits to a future generation of sports information professionals. I
owe it to them to pass on the same values, work ethic, and drive that have
helped me in my role as an SID,” she said.
This year’s Hall of Fame class is even more special in that King and Poe
will become only the fifth and sixth women inducted, while King is the
first from the college division to earn this prestigious honor.
“Ann is one of the most conscientious sports information directors I know
and she's breaking new ground as the first woman from a college division
school to join CoSIDA's Hall of Fame,” noted CoSIDA Hall of Famer Mary Jo
Haverbeck from Penn State University. “I'm delighted to have her join us
in the Hall.”
King is currently in her 19th year as a sports information director,
including the last 14 years as SID at The College of New Jersey. Prior to
coming to the Ewing campus in February of 1992, she served for six years
as SID at her alma mater, Drew University in Madison, NJ.
As SID, King handles all publicity for the College's 21 varsity sports and
writes and edits all media guides and event programs, while also
maintaining The College’s athletic web site. In addition to being an
member of CoSIDA, she is also a member of the Eastern College Athletic
Directors Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA).
TCNJ Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh agrees with Haverbeck in that King
is tireless and conscientious in her efforts to promoting the school’s
athletic programs and student-athletes.
“She always goes the extra mile to make sure that student-athlete
achievements receive as much publicity as possible; that whatever event we
host includes the best possible sports information, statistical and media
support; and she does a great job with spreading the "good word" through
releases, the athletic Web site and the media outlets,” he stated. “It is
great news, but no surprise that her peers deem her worthy of election to
the CoSIDA Hall of Fame.”
This honor recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to
the field of college sports information. The election into the Hall of the
Fame is just another accomplishment in the long list of honors that King
has received during her career.
In the summer of 1999, she was named to CoSIDA’s Board of Directors and
served a three-year term as a College Division Representative from
1999-2002. She was just the 10th female named to CoSIDA’s Board of
Directors in the 49-year history of the organization.
Over the last 14 years, 16 of her publications have received CoSIDA
awards, including five Best in the Nation laurels. She currently serves on
CoSIDA’s Site Selection Committee and served on the group's Workshop
Social Committee, where she served as the vice chair of the committee for
three years. She has also served on the CoSIDA Digest and Website
Editorial Committee, the Workshop Program Committee, and the Academic
All-America Committee.
In 1995, she was named to the Board of Directors of ECAC-SIDA and served
as the organization's secretary until 2002, when she was named the
organization’s first vice president and served as the group’s president
for the 2003-2004 academic year.
During the summer of 2003, she was named the recipient of CoSIDA’s Warren
Berg Award, which is presented annually to a CoSIDA college division
member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of sports
information and who, by his or her activities, has brought dignity and
prestige to the profession. With her selection, she became the first
female SID to receive the honor in the 23-year history of the award.
In December of 2004, King was named the recipient of the Scoop Hudgins
Outstanding SID Award at the All-America Football Foundation’s 56th
Banquet of Champions.
King also holds membership in the Women's Sports Foundation, the United
States Basketball Writers Association, and the National Collegiate
Baseball Writers Association, and is a former member of the Middle
Atlantic Conference Games Committee. She also served as a regional
coordinator for the ECAC-SIDA Hometown Handbook and was a coordinator for
the Division III Metro New York-New Jersey Baseball All-Star team for two
years. She has served as a voter for Don Hansen’s Football Gazette
All-America Football Team for the past six years.
One of the founders of FAME (Female Athletic Media Relations Executives),
she has been active in the creation of an organization whose mission is to
discuss issues facing women in the sports media relations field and to
develop appropriate strategies to deal with those issues. FAME members are
committed to encouraging and mentoring all women working in athletic media
relations as a career.
Since arriving at TCNJ, she has served as host SID for 13 NCAA
Championship events, including two NCAA Division I Championships, 50 NCAA
regional tournaments as well as numerous conference tournaments.
King is a 1986 graduate of Drew University with a B.A. in American
Studies.
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