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RALEIGH – In only his second year, Antoine Lynch of Shaw University was named the 2023 CIAA Sports Information Director of the Year at the conference end-of-year awards reception in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday. Lynch was voted by his peers in the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association.
“I am very humbled and honored to win this award,” said Lynch, who graduated from East Bladen High School and Shaw University. “I appreciate the fellow SIDs for selecting me. I’d also like to thank the student-athletes, coaches and administrators at Shaw for making this possible.”
Lynch is responsible for coordinating media relations efforts for 13 Shaw athletic teams. Prior to his elevation as Sports Information Director, he served as Athletics Media Specialist at his alma mater for just over 11 years.
The CIAA awarded Lynch for his high level of consistency in all areas of sports communications. He provided excellent coverage of the Shaw athletic teams through creative graphics and videos on social media and through timely information on the university athletic website (www.shawbears.com), which Lynch maintains. In the winter of 2022, he oversaw the creation of a new web design to give the Shaw athletic website a new and sharper look.
Promotion-wise, Lynch set up multiple interviews for local TV features involving Shaw student-athletes and coaches. Local TV features included head women’s basketball coach Jacques Curtis notching his 400th victory, former basketball star and current women’s assistant Jessica Hawkins being inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame, the men’s and women’s tennis teams both earning bids to the NCAA Division II tournaments and women’s standout hurdler Symone Wright pursuing a photography career. Local media also covered the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the CIAA Tournament in Baltimore and the football spring game.
Shaw received sports coverage through Lynch’s relationship with the media despite being located in the Triangle area, a sports hotbed that includes three ACC teams and the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.
A native of Elizabethtown, Lynch oversaw Shaw sports shows featuring football and basketball coaches that appeared on social media, which also highlighted coach and player interviews after games. Production-wise, the Shaw Sports Network, which included commentators and instant replay, was among the clearest livestreams in the CIAA.
In addition to his many achievements this season, Lynch oversaw the creation of clever team posters and was on the CIAA Women’s Tennis Championship Committee.
“I am very proud of Antoine for winning the CIAA SID of the Year award,” Shaw Director of Athletics George Knox said. “This honor is a tribute to his talent, strong work ethic and dedication to his profession. He is a tremendous asset to our athletic department and Shaw University.”
Lynch was recently awarded a grant to attend the 2023 College Sports Communications Convention, which will be held June 11-14 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida. He is one of 22 grant winners who will receive reimbursement of up to $1,000 in expenses related to travel, lodging and meals in addition to a complimentary convention registration.
Go to theciaa.com to view the CIAA End-of-Year Award winners.
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