DALLAS (NCBWA) – Mike Montoro, Assistant Executive
Director of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers and Associate
Athletics Director for Media Relations at Southern Miss, is the
winner of the 32nd annual Wilbur Snypp Award, presented annually
by the NCBWA for outstanding contributions to college baseball.
"Mike Montoro is one of the outstanding college baseball people
nationally," said NCBWA Executive Director Bo Carter. "Together
with Southern Miss Head Baseball Coach Corky Palmer, the Golden
Eagles are blessed with two of the most talented individuals in
their professions in the sport. The NCBWA is very proud and thankful
to Mike for his wonderful contributions to college baseball."
Montoro, also past president of the college baseball writers'
organization, has been directing the media relations department
at Southern Miss since August, 2000. He has composed the NCBWA Directory,
worked closely with several preseason and postseason NCBWA All-America
squads as well as the prestigious Dick Howser Trophy, served as
chief football and baseball contact at Southern Miss, and has been
an integral part of the Pro-Line NCBWA Players of the Week selections.
"Mike is one of the hardest-working people in this business,
and he is extremely worthy of receiving this honor," said NCBWA
Associate Executive Director Russell Anderson, Assistant Commissioner
of Conference USA.
The 1990 Liberty University graduate with a master's degree in
sport management (1994) from West Virginia University, also has
been a long-time member of the ESPN the Magazine College Sports
Information Directors of America Academic All-America Committee.
Before coming to USM, he was Assistant Media Relations Director
at Virginia Tech and Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
director at Liberty.
Montoro has been active in the NCAA World Series at Omaha, Neb.,
with NCBWA and is regarded as one of the top publicists in Conference
USA.
"I am honored to be selected for such a prestigious award as
the Wilbur Snypp," said Montoro. "College baseball is a great American
past time, and it truly has been a privilege to work with the National
Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association in promoting such a great
game and its outstanding student-athletes, as well. I would like
to thank the NCBWA for allowing me to serve the organization and
for honoring me in this way."
The Southern Miss Associate AD follows a long line of illustrious
persons in gaining the award, given in memory of longtime Ohio State
Sports Information Director and NCBWA founder the late Wilbur (Bill)
Snypp since 1975. Snypp was a noted contributor to the writers'
organization, which was initiated in 1962 (and celebrating its 46th
year in 2007), as well as an officer in the group. The NCBWA/Wilbur
Snypp Award yearly honors a professional for contributions to the
sport of collegiate baseball. Voting is done by a panel of previous
winners, who include past NCAA World Series directors, College Sports
Information Directors of America Hall of Fame members, decorated
media members and others.
ALL-TIME WILBUR SNYPP AWARD
WINNERS |
1975 Wilbur
Snypp, Ohio State 1976 Bill Esposito, St. John's 1977 Phil Langan,
Cornell 1978 John Geis, Southern Conference 1979 Hank Schomber, Georgia
Southern 1980 Bob Culp, Western Michigan 1981 Lou Pavlovich Sr., Collegiate
Baseball 1982 Tom Price, South Carolina 1983 Bob Bradley, Clemson
1984 Robert Williams, Omaha World-Herald 1985 Jerry Miles, NCAA 1986
Larry Keefe, Seton Hall 1987 Tom Rowen, San Jose Mercury-News 1988
Fred Gerardi, KESY Radio, Omaha 1989 Jim Wright, NCAA 1990 Steve Weller,
SIU-Edwardsville 1991 Bill Little, Texas 1992 Kirk Bohls,
Austin American-Statesman 1993 Bo Carter, Southwest Conference 1994 Lou Pavlovich
Jr., Collegiate Baseball 1995 Steve Pivovar, Omaha World-Herald 1996
Gary Johnson, NCAA |
1997 Dave Wohlhueter, Cornell 1998 Allen Simpson,
Baseball America 1999 Alan Cannon, Texas A&M 2000 Jim
Callis, Baseball America 2001
Dick Case, USA Baseball 2002
Russ Anderson, Conference USA
2003 John Manuel, Baseball America
2004 Dana Heiss Grodin, USA Today
Sports Weekly 2005 Dennis
Poppe, NCAA 2006 Mike Montoro,
Southern Miss 2007 Barry
Allen, Alabama 2008 Mike
Patrick, ESPN 2009 Al Chase,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2010
Lou Spry, NCAA 2011 Jeremy
Mills, ESPN/D1Baseball.com
2012 Eric Olson, Omaha World Herald
2013 J.D. Hamilton, NCAA
2014 John Sullivan, Rice
2015 David Feaster, Dick Howser Trophy
2016 Ralph Zobell, BYU
2017 Aaron Fitt, D1Baseball.com |
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