PHOENIX – Former Russell Sage College Director of Athletic Communications Ann King was posthumously awarded the Division III Commissioner's Association Daniel T. Dutcher Meritorious Service Award at the 2024 NCAA Convention on January 11.
The honor is awarded annually to an individual, who, over time, has made significant and substantial contributions to Division III athletics consistent with the purposes of the Division III Commissioners Association. Candidates shall be a current or former conference or institutional representative, including, but not limited to, conference executives, athletics administrators, faculty athletics representatives and academic administrators.
A legend in the Sports Information/Athletic Communications field, King, who passed away in September, was in her 37th year as a sports information director and her 15th season at Russell Sage College, where she was hired as the institution's first full-time Director of Athletic Communications in the summer of 2009. Prior to that, King spent 17 and a half years as Sports Information Director at The College of New Jersey and six years as SID at her alma mater, Drew University.
Ann was extremely active with the College Sports Communicators, formerly known as CoSIDA, the profession's national organization. She was elected to the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2006, and was named the first recipient of the organization's Warren Berg Award in 2003. She was also selected as the 2018 recipient of the CoSIDA Mary Jo Haverbeck Award, which is presented annually to an association member who is a pioneer in the field of sports information who has mentored and helped improve the level of ethnic and gender diversity within CoSIDA.
For all Ann's professional skills, her innate kindness and unwavering willingness to help others will be her legacy. She would do anything for anyone, without hesitation. Ann was an extremely loving and passionate person, touching the lives of many through work and her personal life. She had a unique ability to connect with others, no matter their background.
In her free time, Ann cherished spending time with her family and friends. In recent years she rediscovered her passion for riding and showing horses. She also greatly enjoyed gardening and traveling, having ventured to 47 states in the United States.
