MEDIA RELATIONS Sports Information Assistants
ROB
SCHABERT Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information/Broadcasting St. Cloud State 1977 Heading into his 29th year on the Tennessee Tech athletics staff, Rob Schabert is assistant athletics director for sports information and broadcasting. He joined the Tech staff on Sept. 8, 1982, and has been going full-speed ever since, working not only in publicizing Tech's student-athletes and staff but also in promotions and marketing for the athletics department. In September 2008 he was inducted into the Hall of Distinction at Minnesota State University (Mankato). An active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), he has attended the organization's annual workshop in 29 of his 33 years in the profession. He has served on numerous CoSIDA committees, including Ethics, Academic All-America and Writing, and he currently serves on the Olympic Liaison Committee. In 2004, he was voted winner of the university's Outstanding Professional Award, and in July 2005 was promoted to his current title. A tireless worker, Schabert has won dozens of national publications and writing awards, including "Best in the Nation" from USA Volleyball for his annual media guide six times. Schabert, 54, has established several programs within the department. He created the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in 1987 and initiated the President's Awards program in 1991. He also established the Woman of the Year/Man of the Year awards along with the Outstanding Male and Female Athlete awards. He is active in the TTU Sports Hall of Fame selection process and serves as the emcee of the annual Hall of Fame Dinner. Schabert has promoted the selection of numerous Tech Academic All-Americans and is extremely active in promoting both the academic and athletic accomplishments of Tech's student-athletes. Another wing of his operation is the day-to-day production and operations of the vast Tech athletics web site, TTUsports.com. Rob and his staff also serve as the hosts to all media attending athletics events on campus. Over the past several years, many of the interns who have worked for Schabert have moved into full-time positions in the Sports Information profession at a wide variety of colleges and universities, including Appalachian State, UAB, Xavier, Idaho and Texas State. A Minnesota native who learned the trade under the guidance of his father, Bob (a long-time Minnesota Sportswriter), Rob earned his bachelor's degree in mass communications from St. Cloud (Minn.) State University in 1977, spent one year in the Minnesota Twins public relations office, and was SID for five years at Mankato State University. He was a charter member of the St. Cloud chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalist. In 2002, Rob was a volunteer with the Salt Lake Olympic Committee as a member of the Press Operations staff. Rob and his wife, Joan, have two grown children who are also in the business -- Matt (assistant SID at Morehead State) and Kristen (U.S. Army public affairs in Heidelberg, Germany). They also have one grandson, Jacob.
Nick Burns, 25, joined the Tennessee Tech Sports Information staff in July. He will serve as the primary contact for volleyball, women's basketball and softball, and the secondary contact for tennis and track. A native of Bloomington, Minn., he is a 2007 graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a public relations emphasis. As an undergraduate, Burns was a reporter for the campus newspaper covering the men's and women's track and field and golf teams and writing feature stories. He also worked in the school’s athletic communications office helping with gameday services and writing. From 2007 to 2009, Burns was a graduate assistant in the MSU athletic communications office, serving as the primary contact for the volleyball and women's basketball teams for two seasons, and the softball, men's and women's track and field and tennis teams for one season. He produced publications, was the in-game statistician for all Maverick home events, updated the athletic website and filled in as guest host of the weekly Maverick Magazine radio show. During the 2008-09 women's basketball season, Burns served as the primary contact when the team won the Division II NCAA National Championship in San Antonio. He has also worked at the WCHA Final Five. Kate Nicewicz, 24, joined the Tech Sports Information staff in April. A native of Sauquoit, N.Y., she graduated from the University of Rochester in May of 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Communications and Marketing. At Rochester, Nicewicz participated in JV and Varsity soccer and worked as an assistant in the Sports Information office. While obtaining her B.A. in Communications, Nicewicz participated in an internship with MCLA the Lax Mag beginning in January of 2008, contributing nationally published content in the form of feature articles, team and player profiles, and game recaps. In May of 2008, she traveled to Dallas, Texas to provide live coverage for the 2008 Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) National Tournament. Nicewicz also acted as a senior writer for the sports section of the Campus Times, UR’s campus-wide newspaper. At Tennessee Tech, Nicewicz will handle several aspects of media relations for the athletic department, including the production of publications, press releases and human-interest articles. She will provide game coverage and live stats and serve as the primary contact for soccer, men’s basketball, and baseball, as well as secondary contact for men’s and women’s golf.
Game Day Support Staff
Sports Information Student Support
Brandon Goodwin
Jordan Iwanyszyn
Kate Nicewicz
Nick Burns
Don Foster
Art Gernt
Steve Smith
814 WINS F 14 OVC CHA MPIONSHIPS F 10 NCAA TOURNA MENT APPEARANCES
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