NU Earns Nation-Best 20 CoSIDA Publication Awards

Lincoln - The University of Nebraska Sports Information Office earned a nation-leading 20 publication awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) during the 2003-04 season.

Nebraska’s 20 CoSIDA awards led the nation for the third consecutive year, after tying for the national lead in the number of awards in each of the past two years. No other NCAA Division I school claimed more than 15 awards in the 2003-04 publication contests coordinated by CoSIDA.

Five of Nebraska’s publications claimed national titles in their respective sports, including volleyball, soccer, softball, women’s bowling and rifle. The softball media and recruiting guide was the most decorated publication, winning "Best in the Nation" honors, while also earning "Best Cover" accolades. The guide was produced by former assistant sports information director Shannon Sherman, with assistance from Matt Smith and Rebekah Giordano. The cover was designed by publications coordinator Jeff Abele. Sherman and Abele also teamed up on Nebraska’s "Best in the Nation" volleyball media and recruiting guide.

The Nebraska soccer media and recruiting guide also brought home "Best in the Nation" honors for the second straight season. Former graduate intern Erin Smith and student designer Bret McVey joined forces to create the award-winning publication. Assistant sports information director Shamus McKnight designed the award-winning bowling and rifle guides with help from McVey. The women’s gymnastics media guide produced by graduate assistant Christina Deck and McVey added a No. 3 national finish.

The Nebraska wrestling guide continued to rank among the best in the nation by finishing third in the national contest, while McVey produced the "Best Cover" in the contest. The men’s and women’s cross country guide designed and written by Kyle Doperalski finished fifth in the nation, while the men’s and women’s track and field guide designed by Erin Smith added a sixth-place national finish.

The Nebraska football program added a solid showing, as the defensive poster created by Abele ranked No. 4 nationally, while the Alamo Bowl postseason media guide produced by associate sports information director Keith Mann also finished fourth in the nation.

The women’s basketball guide produced by assistant sports information director Jeff Griesch ranked No. 1 in the district, while finishing 11th nationally. Griesch’s women’s golf media guide also finished first in the district, just ahead of Mann’s men’s golf guide. The baseball guide created by McKnight and Sherman’s women’s tennis guide added second-place district finishes to complete the Huskers’ hardware haul.

Associate Athletic Director Chris Anderson, who is entering her 12th year as Nebraska’s Sports Information Director, oversees the production of all of Nebraska’s media guides, schedule posters, programs and schedule cards. She said the Huskers’ haul of honors was the result of quality people producing quality publications.

"It takes great people to produce great publications," Anderson said. "We are blessed to have a staff of talented individuals from our full-time staff members to our graduate assistants and student assistants. We are also pleased to contribute to the overall success and reputation of the University of Nebraska. It helps to have great administrators, coaches, teams and support staff to make successful publications."

Photographer Scott Bruhn was also a key figure in the production of all publications. All of Nebraska’s publications are produced on campus and printed at UNL Printing and Copy Services.