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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (May 20, 2013) — At the spring meeting of the Council of Athletics Administrators held in Kingsport, Tenn., the Appalachian Athletic Conference awarded the Willie Belcher AAC Sports Information Director of the Year Award to Matt Laws of Milligan College.
This is the second year of the award, which is named in honor of longtime Virginia Intermont College’s sports information director Willie Belcher. Belcher always exhibited a strong passion for her job and for the students and student-athletes that she came in contact with on a daily basis. In 2010, she was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma and lost her battle to cancer in June 2012.
“It’s an absolute honor to be recognized by your peers, and it is even more of an honor to win an award named for Willie,” said Laws. “She was a great mentor and friend when I first came to Milligan. The faith she exhibited and the many memories of all who knew her continue to be of influence. I am extremely humbled to win this award.”
The award is voted on by all of the sports information directors in the AAC.
Laws is in his third year at Milligan and has exhibited extraordinary service to the conference during his tenure. He has served as the tournament/championship media director for seven AAC championships for which Milligan was the host institution. The events included women’s golf (twice), track & field (twice), men’s basketball and men’s soccer (twice). In addition, he has assisted with a number of neutral site conference tournaments such as baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball.
Laws, a 2010 graduate of East Tennessee State University with a degree in sports management, is a member of NAIA-Sports Information Directors Association (NAIA-SIDA), the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and is member of the Branding Committee for the NAIA-SIDA.
To learn more about Milligan athletics, visit www.milliganbuffs.com.