Shawn Smith Named new SID at UMC

(Crookston, Minn.)- University of Minnesota, Crookston athletic director Stephanie Helgeson has announced the hiring of Shawn Smith as the new sports information director for the Golden Eagles. Smith replaces Mitch Bakken.

“We are excited to announce Shawn Smith as our new sports information director,” says Helgeson. “He has a great background having worked in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). He also has the experience and vision we are looking for to lead our sports information department. It is very exciting that Shawn will become the first full-time sports information director in the history of the University of Minnesota, Crookston.”

Smith comes to the Golden Eagles from fellow NSIC school Bemidji State University (BSU) where he served as a graduate assistant for BSU’s sports information department the last two years while working toward a master’s degree in sports studies. He served as the primary contact for volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s tennis, women’s hockey and softball for the Beavers. Smith also worked as an intern at the University of Memphis (NCAA Division I) where he served as the primary contact for men’s soccer and men’s and women’s tennis and secondary contact for men’s basketball.

A 2008 graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in journalism and mass communications, Smith worked for the Cyclones as student-intern in the athletic communications department where he was the primary contact for women’s tennis and ran Stat Crew programs for women’s gymnastics and women’s tennis. He also worked as a summer intern at Nebraska Wesleyan University and has a host of volunteer experience including working at the NCAA Division I Baseball College World Series, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen and the Liberty Bowl.

"I am thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to work at a great university like the University of Minnesota, Crookston and in a great league like the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference,” says Smith. “Through my time at Bemidji State University, I became very familiar with UMC and have been very impressed with their vision as a University and as an athletic department. I am excited to be a member of the Golden Eagle family and the opportunity to lead the Sports Information Department moving forward."

Smith will begin his duties on Monday, July 30.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at http://webmail.loretel.net/scripts/webmail.exe?cmd=url&xdata=~2-e3542cf57aa5d72d411ed524fe7a94750184afc19fa1ab91988f9e959600&url=http!3A!2F!2Fwww.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).