2008 Woodie Awards
Information directors add new sports
McCollester takes position with men's basketball, baseball teams
Ryan Wood
The combination of losing two graduate assistants and a thinned communications branch of the Ball State athletics department left a couple sports lacking a sports information director this summer.
Those positions were filled last week from within the department when associate athletics director Joe Hernandez assigned the men's basketball and baseball programs to sports information director Matt McCollester. Hernandez filled McCollester's former position as a contact with the women's basketball program with Paula Haugn, who will be working with her first major sport in her two years at Ball State.
Hernandez said the need to maneuver sports information directors' became more important after Kit Stetzel and Tyson Matthews graduated this summer, thus ending their stints as a graduate assistants with the Cardinals' athletics department. Stetzel is currently working as an intern with the Oakland Raiders, while Matthews is looking for a job. After the move, Hernandez said, all the sports have contacts entering the upcoming year.
"I think the biggest thing was to realign the office so everybody had one of the four major sports," Hernandez said. "Everything now has an even balance now, and that's good for us to be able to do our jobs the best we can."
Former women's basketball player Lisa Rusche was added as a graduate assistant and will be the fifth member of the Cardinals communication staff. Rusche will serve as sports information director for the field hockey and softball programs.
McCollester has been the contact for the soccer and women's basketball positions during his previous two years at Ball State. He will continue working in his position with the soccer team.
Even though it will be difficult leaving a women's basketball program he has great passion for, McCollester said he's excited for the opportunity to work with coach Billy Taylor's men's basketball program this winter.
"I think this is the next, logical progression and a move I needed to make," McCollester said. "I've been in good positions with my women's teams, so it's not like I've been like, 'Next year I need to move to another program.' But I always had in my mind that I will be with the men's basketball program eventually. At this point I'm just ready to take the next challenge in my career with men's basketball and working with them to the best of my ability."
Those positions were filled last week from within the department when associate athletics director Joe Hernandez assigned the men's basketball and baseball programs to sports information director Matt McCollester. Hernandez filled McCollester's former position as a contact with the women's basketball program with Paula Haugn, who will be working with her first major sport in her two years at Ball State.
Hernandez said the need to maneuver sports information directors' became more important after Kit Stetzel and Tyson Matthews graduated this summer, thus ending their stints as a graduate assistants with the Cardinals' athletics department. Stetzel is currently working as an intern with the Oakland Raiders, while Matthews is looking for a job. After the move, Hernandez said, all the sports have contacts entering the upcoming year.
"I think the biggest thing was to realign the office so everybody had one of the four major sports," Hernandez said. "Everything now has an even balance now, and that's good for us to be able to do our jobs the best we can."
Former women's basketball player Lisa Rusche was added as a graduate assistant and will be the fifth member of the Cardinals communication staff. Rusche will serve as sports information director for the field hockey and softball programs.
McCollester has been the contact for the soccer and women's basketball positions during his previous two years at Ball State. He will continue working in his position with the soccer team.
Even though it will be difficult leaving a women's basketball program he has great passion for, McCollester said he's excited for the opportunity to work with coach Billy Taylor's men's basketball program this winter.
"I think this is the next, logical progression and a move I needed to make," McCollester said. "I've been in good positions with my women's teams, so it's not like I've been like, 'Next year I need to move to another program.' But I always had in my mind that I will be with the men's basketball program eventually. At this point I'm just ready to take the next challenge in my career with men's basketball and working with them to the best of my ability."
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