Monday, June 20, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – The sports information office at the University of Alaska Anchorage has been recognized for its work to promote the Seawolves’ volleyball program over the past year with a regional Grant Burger Media Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Assistant director of athletics for media relations Nate Sagan served as the primary contact for the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team during the course of the 2015 season and was assisted by associate media relations director Dallas Baldwin and student assistant Chris Lawrence.

Sagan spearheaded a media relations effort that chronicled Alaska Anchorage’s run to the 2015 GNAC volleyball championship, a No. 1 regional seed and hosting duties for the NCAA Division II Volleyball West Region Tournament. His efforts to promote the program included detailed weekly notes for the program, video highlights from home and away matches as well as coordinating match-day staffing for both the West Region Tournament and the Seawolves’ season-opening SpringHill Suites Invitational.

Alaska Anchorage was one of eight NCAA Division II women’s volleyball regional winners of the Grant Burger Media Award, which is nominated by member coaches of the AVCA. Regional awards for sports information directors are awarded annually for all NCAA regions in men’s and women’s volleyball as well as national awards for NAIA men’s and women’s volleyball as well as a national award for beach volleyball.

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, whether it be through consistent coverage in all mediums (sports information, print, broadcasting, web content, college student reporter and social media), production of volleyball-specific publications or extensive radio and/or television exposure.

The award is named in honor of Grant Burger, former Director of Sports Information and Associate Director of the AVCA (1988-92), 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.