SCHENECTADY — Union College assistant athletic director for sports information Eric McDowell resigned on Thursday, the athletic department said on Saturday.
McDowell had overseen sports information and media relations for the department since 2005 and has been active in the profession on a national level, serving as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) president in 2014-15.
He was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2009 and in June of 2016 received the Warren Berg Award from the organization, presented to a college division member who has made outstanding contributions to the profession.
In a statement from the Union athletic department, athletic director Jim McLaughlin said McDowell resigned “in order to pursue other opportunities and to spend more time with his family.”
McDowell was not available for comment.
McLaughlin’s official statement included wishes from McDowell “to express his deep gratitude to the wonderful student-athletes and excellent work study students. He has appreciated the hard work of the assistants and interns over the years and is pleased that many are so successful in the profession.”
Quoting McDowell directly in the statement, he said, “This is the best media market of any that I have worked in throughout the country. I’m looking forward to the future and also more time with my amazing and understanding wife as well as our sweet daughter.”
McDowell lives in Colonie with his wife Jennifer and daughter Sara.
While attending Union’s football game against St. Lawrence at Frank Bailey Field on Saturday, McLaughlin responded to a question about McDowell from Bob Weiner, covering the game for the Daily Gazette.
“So Eric resigned on Thursday, Oct. 5. It’s a case where we thank him for everything he did for the college, the department, and in particular what he did for our students, how he cared so much for them and promoted them. Also, what he did for his profession. He was one of the leaders in CoSIDA and was very involved in that organization. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”
McLaughlin said the department will rely on assistant SID’s Ross LaDue and Danielle Gariglio until a replacement for McDowell is hired.
“We have two talented individuals in place with our assistants Ross and Danielle,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll begin to assess the situation and look at a replacement and go down this whole road. We’re very fortunate to have a great team here from our entire staff. This happens and timing isn’t always optimal. The game is going to go on and we need to pull together to get it done.”
McDowell joined the Union staff in March of 2005, and became the assistant athletic airector for sports information in 2008.
A veteran of nearly 40 years in collegiate and professional sports information and media relations, he was director of media relations for the Golden State Warriors in 1997 and served as the point person in the wake of the incident involving head coach P.J. Carlesimo and guard Latrell Sprewell, who choked the coach at a practice and drew a 68-game suspension.
McDowell has worked in the American Hockey League with the Lowell Lock Monsters and was a media director at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Reach Gazette Sportswriter Mike MacAdam at 518-395-3148 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter @Mike_MacAdam.
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Categories: College Sports, Sports
