Posted: May 29, 2015
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The athletic communications office at the State University of New York at New Paltz has earned the 2014-15 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III Grant Burger Media Award for the women's NCAA Division III Northeast Region, as announced Friday by the AVCA.
The New Paltz athletic communications office is led by Brian Savard, athletic communications director, and Ryan Novitsky, assistant sports information director, and it received intern help in 2014-15 from Carolyne Amaro, Esther Shevel, Andrew DiNardo, Alex Perlman, Jackie Ulanoff, Bryce Kristall, Devin Tracy, Sarah Painter and Deirdre O'Neill. It is believed to be the office's first-ever Grant Burger Media Award recognition since the award program began in 1996-97.
The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award is an honor intended to recognize members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball through consistent coverage in all media. It is named in honor for Grant Burger, former director of sports information and associate director of the AVCA, whose hard work, innovative mind, knowledge and enthusiasm took the areas of media relations and publications at the AVCA to a higher level and increased awareness of the sport of volleyball nationwide.
During the 2014-15 academic year, New Paltz's athletic communications office provided consistent coverage of its women's and men's volleyball programs, both of which excelled on the court. The New Paltz women went 31-6 overall (9-0 SUNYAC), won their second-ever State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title and made their fifth-ever NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in 2014, while the New Paltz men went 27-6 overall (7-1 UVC), advanced to the championship match of the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Tournament and reached the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in as many years in 2015.
Among the athletic communications office's many endeavors during the 2014-15 academic year, perhaps its strongest effort in promoting its programs and the sport of volleyball came during the 2014 SUNYAC Volleyball Tournament at the Hawk Center. New Paltz provided live statistics, live video streaming, post-match interviews, video highlights and action photography for every match. Throughout the course of the year, the athletic communications office provided live video streaming through Volar Video and live statistics for every home match.
