Bowling Green, KY – With 17 conference titles, 16 teams posting a top-ten finishes at their respective national championships, and capturing the NACDA Learfield Directors' Cup, the University of the Cumberlands Sports Information Department has been one of the busiest in the country promoting its student-athletes.  Their hard work has not gone unnoticed as they garnered several national accolades and on Tuesday the SIDs in the Mid-South Conference voted Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information Tommy Chasanoff as the 2023-2024 MSC Bill Sergent Sports Information Director of the Year.

It marks the fourth time that Chasanoff has earned this honor, which is named after the Patriots longtime SID Bill Sergent.  Chasanoff becomes just the third person in conference history to earn this distinction four times joining Rick Bentley (Pikeville) and Chris Wells (Lindsey Wilson). 

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by my peers with this award," said Chasanoff.  "This truly is a department award and I'm thankful for the great work and dedication that Brandon, Jared, Abbey, Briley, and Tim put in throughout the year to make this one of the best years in school history."

While hard work and dedication by athletes and coaches have given Patriots athletics conference and national attention, behind the scenes it has been Chasanoff and his department promoting their success over the past eight years.  For the second consecutive year, UC surpassed two-million website page views, topping out a school record 2.2 million, as www.cumberlandspatriots.com was voted second in the NAIA-SIDA Publication contest.

"Tommy is best in class when it comes to College Sports Communication. He not only serves our institution but the MSC and the NAIA, as well, by running various championships throughout the year," said Athletic Director Chris Kraftick.  "Tommy had guided is staff to be one of the premier departments in the NAIA and works hard to ensure that all of the Patriots teams get top-tier coverage."

Additionally, the Patriots Sports Information Department has been instrumental in recognizing student-athletes for awards at both the conference and national level.  During the 2023-24 season, UC set school records with 177 Conference Players of the Week and 361 Academic All-Conference selections, while having 17 student-athletes earn NAIA Player of the Week honors.  In Chasanoff's time at Cumberlands, UC has garnered 106 NAIA Players of the Week, 868 Conference Players of the Week, and 86 CSC Academic All-America with six CSC Team Members of the Year.

Chasanoff has continued to take on numerous active roles in the sports information community, leading to recognition among his peers.  Over the past year, Chasanoff and his staff hosted five NAIA Opening Rounds to go along with eight conference championships. Tommy also served as the Media Coordinator at both the 2024 Swimming & Diving Championships as well as the Men's Lacrosse Invitational. 

In addition to his role at Cumberlands, Chasanoff recently concluded his sixth year on the NAIA-SIDA Board and was recently elevated to the role of President in July. Throughout his tenure on the board, Tommy has been an advocate for his colleagues, while also serving on the NAIA's National Administrative Council for the past two years. He also currently serves as the Chair of the CSC Recognition Committee after being Vice Chair for the past three years and is a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and mentorship program.

While Tommy has remained focused on providing premier coverage for the Patriots Athletic Department, the UC Sports Information Department has been recognized for their hard work and dedication.  Chasanoff has earned several honors, including being named the 2023 CSC Rising Star for the College Division, the 2019-20 NAIA SID of the Year, and a four-time MSC SID of the Year.  The Patriots have achieved a plethora of top-10 finishes in the NAIA-SIDA Publication and was named the 2021 Gary Spitler Award winner for Excellence in Publication.

Chasanoff will now be in the running for the NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year Award, which will be announced on September 15 as part of the NAIA Awards Day.
 
What People are Saying:

"Tommy has been a huge asset to UC with his knowledge and skills of all sports.  He works tirelessly to ensure that all of the Patriots programs gets the coverage they deserve.  We're fortunate to have Tommy and can't think of a more deserving person to be named SID Of the Year."  - Archery Coach Kris Strebeck
 
"Tommy is highly deserving of this honor. He consistently demonstrates dedication, hard work and commitment to excellence in all aspects of his work.  Not only is he good at what he does, he's an even better person and University of the Cumberlands is blessed to have him." – Women's Basketball Guard Kaylie Monday
 
"Tommy's dedication to his craft has truly set a new standard in sports information. His tireless work ethic, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to elevate every program he touches made him the clear choice for Sports Information Director of the Year. Tommy's efforts have not only showcased our athletes' achievements but have also brought unprecedented recognition to our entire athletic department." – Volleyball Coach Kathryn Hart
 
"Tommy is a change maker as a SID. His professional work in promoting my sport is a change maker. The media coverage adds pride to our sport. Well deserved."  - Tennis Coach Chin Tan
 
"Tommy is the best at what he does. His attention to detail is such a large part of our success." – Women's Lacrosse Coach Kelly Buikus

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