University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Guides Receive Top Honors
August 10, 2009 | Athletics
Aug. 10, 2009 
NORMAN, Okla. -- Normally, a good athletics year on paper means very little, unless that paper is in a media guide judged in the College Sports Information Directors of America publications contests. From that perspective, the good year on paper was meaningful for the University of Oklahoma. OU led all NCAA Division I universities by garnering 22 CoSIDA publications awards during the 2008-09 school year. With cost-cutting measures already eliminating media guides at some schools and NCAA legislation threatening to ban or alter the publications after this year, it may have been the final year in which the CoSIDA membership participated in the contests. The guides not only service media, but are the only bound publications that can be provided to recruits by athletics departments under current NCAA rules. "We have a staff of professionals in our communications and graphic design areas who are second to none," said Kenny Mossman, OU's Senior Associate Athletics Director for Communications. "Not only are they creative and thorough in their efforts, but they understand the overall mission of the department and their role in our success." Kentucky was second in total awards with 17 and Texas A&M third with 15. OU captured four Best in Nation awards while a total of 12 publications were ranked among the top five nationally. Ten of the awards were the result of graphic design with eight citations for posters and two more, women's gymnastics and volleyball, for best media guide cover in the nation. Scott Matthews supervises OU's graphics design. "Scott is a special talent," said Mossman. "Not only is he gifted at his trade, he's versatile. In addition to his publications work, he designed the new wrap on our football equipment truck and is doing a lot of work on the wall graphics that will adorn the new football facilities. His skill set and ability are unique." Among the 22 citations were two, women's golf and women's gymnastics, for media guides that were produced primarily by graduate or undergraduate students. "That aspect is gratifying for us because of the wonderful relationship we enjoy with the Gaylord School of Journalism," Mossman said. "Ten to 15 students serve as interns in our office each year and we appreciate the role we are allowed to play in their educational process. Obviously, it's a mutually beneficial arrangement." Here is a list of the awards won by Oklahoma publications ... • Women's Volleyball Media Guide - Best in the nation - Cassie Gage, Craig Moran, Scott Matthews • Women's Volleyball Media Guide - Best in the district - Cassie Gage, Craig Moran, Scott Matthews • Women's Volleyball Media Guide - Best cover in the nation - Cassie Gage, Craig Moran, Scott Matthews • Women's Gymnastics Media Guide - Best Cover in the nation - Phillip Rogers, Craig Moran, Scott Matthews • Postseason Media Guide (2009 BCS Championship Game) - Best in the nation - Kenny Mossman, David Bassity, Scott Matthews • Women's Basketball Media Guide - Second in the nation - Jared Thompson, Scott Matthews • Women's Basketball Media Guide - Best in the district - Jared Thompson, Scott Matthews • Women's Golf Media Guide - Second in the nation - Stephanie Turner, Mike Houck, Scott Matthews • Multi-Sport Media Guide (Men's and Women's Track and Field) - Third in the nation - David Bassity, Scott Matthews • Special Event Program - Third in the nation - Debbie Copp • Women's Soccer Media Guide - Fifth in the nation - Craig Moran, Leslie Koch, Scott Matthews • Women's Soccer Media Guide - Second in the district - Craig Moran, Leslie Koch, Scott Matthews • Men's Basketball Media Guide - Seventh in the nation - Mike Houck, Scott Matthews • Men's Basketball Media Guide - Second in the district - Mike Houck, Scott Matthews • Spring Posters-Women's Tennis - Second in the nation - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Spring Posters - Women's Tennis - Best in the district - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Fall Posters - Football - Fifth in the nation - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Winter Posters - Gymnastics - Third in the nation -- Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Winter Posters - Women's Basketball - Seventh in the nation -- Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Spring Posters - Men's and Women's Track and Field - Fourth in the nation - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Spring Posters -Men's and Women's Track and Field - Second in the district - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo • Spring Posters - Baseball - Fourth in the district - Scott Matthews, Shaila O'Hara, Jahna Elizondo Note: The contest to judge football media guides was not concluded due to personnel changes among the contest committee. |
