Sports Information Office Promotions Announced

Sports Information Office Promotions Announced: Keith Mann Promoted to Sports Information Director; Jeff Griesch named Director of Sports Information Operations
LINCOLN, Neb. ? After serving 11 years as Nebraska’s third Sports Information Director, Chris Anderson will pass the reins to her associate Keith Mann. Since returning from a one-year stint with the Tennessee SID Office, Mann has served as the NU Football SID the past two years and has supervised all media relations duties as Anderson’s replacement in her absence.

Anderson, who was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Communications a year ago, will devote her full attention to athletic department public relations and communication issues. She will continue to work with department administrators and coaches and student-athletes for media training, and will assist the media in its coverage of all athletic events.

"We are fortunate to have one of the best sports information staffs in the country," Anderson said. "Each of our staff members bring a unique blend of expertise to the table. They are dedicated to the promotion of Husker student-athletes and programs, and will serve the media well. Keith and Jeff have worked extremely hard for more than a decade for this opportunity, and I know they will be successful and are honored to serve in their new roles. I’m confident the media will appreciate their daily efforts to assist local and national outlets in their coverage of each of our University’s 23 varsity sports."

Anderson has served as the Sports Information Director for the Huskers and primary football contact since 1993 when Don "Fox" Bryant retired from his full-time position. She was named an Assistant A.D. in 1997 and an Associate A.D. for Communications in May 2003. Anderson was one of a handful of women SIDs at Division I football schools. Mann becomes just the fourth SID at Nebraska, following Anderson, Bryant, and John Bentley.

Keith Mann served as associate SID from 1998 to 2000 and in 2002 and 2003. He has 12 years of experience within the Husker athletic department, working for four years as a student assistant and one year as an intern before spending three years as an assistant SID at Nebraska, when he was the primary media contact for Husker men’s basketball and assisted Anderson with football coverage. In addition to handling the media relation's duties for Coach Bill Callahan and his staff and team, Mann will oversee the publicity and promotion of all 23 varsity sports, will supervise all SID personnel, prepare the annual SID budget and conduct performance reviews of staff.

Jeff Griesch, who has been with the SID office for eight years, has been promoted to Director of Sports Information Operations and will take over many of Anderson’s previous duties as the supervisor of SID operations. Griesch will continue to serve as the office senior editor, and will take on additional duties overseeing the numerous award-winning publications annually produced by the SID office. As the Director of Sports Information Office Operations, Griesch will maintain the publications budget, oversee office staff and procedures and train and manage the student-assistant program. Griesch was a two-year intern in the SID office after graduating from Nebraska, and has served as the primary women’s basketball SID for each of the past eight seasons. He has assisted with football media relations in each of the past six years. Griesch is also the women’s basketball color analyst for Pinnacle Sports Productions, Nebraska’s radio network.

Both Mann and Griesch are native Nebraskans, who earned news-editorial degrees from the School of Journalism at UNL, with Mann graduating in 1994 and Griesch in 1996. Each had the opportunity to train under Bryant. Keith and his wife Leslie live in Lincoln. Griesch and his wife, Emily, are both from Wayne, Neb., and have a 1-year-old daughter, Hollan, and are expecting their second child in September.

Assisting Mann and Griesch in the coverage of Nebraska football is Jerry Trickie, who has been with the SID office the past four years. Trickie's role with the football team will increase dramatically this fall. He will also serve as NU's Director of Statistical Services. In addition to his duties as the Husker baseball SID, Shamus McKnight will serve as the Nebraska women’s volleyball SID, taking over for Shannon Sherman, who resigned her position to go into the private business sector in Lincoln in June. Her assistant SID position will not be refilled. Graduate Assistant Andy Anderson began his position as track and field SID on Aug. 3 and will assist Mann and Trickie with player interviews and other football related duties. Jeff Abele was promoted a year ago to his current position of Director of Internet Operations and continues to serve a valuable role as the athletic department Design Specialist, while Office Supervisor Vicki Cartwright will assume the additional duties of Press Box Services Coordinator for football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. Credential requests for all four sports should be directed to Cartwright’s attention. Chris Anderson will continue to facilitate media requests for all athletic department heads, and will be the official athletic department contact for facility and development issues.

All reorganization title changes and duties will take effect, pending University approval.