STEPHENVILLE ? The Tarleton sports information department has received four publication awards this year from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), including a best cover recognition and a first place finish among NCAA Division II publications.

Sports Information Director Joey Roberts, Assistant Sports Information Director Dameon Myres and the student staff of the office received awards for the best men's basketball media guide in the nation and the best women's basketball media guide cover in the nation.  The women's basketball media guide was also handed a second place finish for the overall media guide while the football media guide finished third among Division II publications.

“I think these awards show how hard our sports information department works,” said Tarleton athletics director Lonn Reisman.  “Joey and Dameon do an outstanding job promoting our programs not only through our media outlets and in our recruiting efforts, but also within the Tarleton communities ? alumni, boosters, parents and on campus.  They have helped elevate our recruiting in the aspect of helping us to compete nationally for recruits because we have quality publications to give to perspective student-athletes.

“These awards show the work ethic of our sports information department,” Reisman continued.  “I am very proud of their efforts and all they do.  I have always said I wanted our athletics department to operate with a Division I mentality, and our sports information department, and the quality of work it exhibits, just displays another place where we are operating at the top of the Division II level.”

Roberts said he and the rest of sports information department is humbled by the recognition.

“Our job is to publicize the student-athletes, the Tarleton athletics department and Tarleton State University,” Roberts said.  “We take great pride in each and every piece of information we distribute, whether it be press releases, advertisements, brochures, posters, media guides and everything in between.  We are excited about these honors and hope people can see the many hours of work that go into everything we do.  However, we aren't used to the spotlight.  Really, these awards are for our department, the student-athletes and our University.”

Under the direction of Roberts, the Tarleton sports information department has received 16 national publication awards including four best cover honors and 13 Top 3 finishes.  Tarleton has received awards in each of Roberts' six years at the direction of the department.

“This year's women's basketball cover was a combination effort,” Roberts said.  “I did the original theme, but it was Dameon who had the idea for the actual picture with the ladies.  He then inserted that picture into the cover.  He also did 90 percent or more of the women's basketball media guide, so the second place finish really belongs to him.”

The men's basketball guide that was selected as the top guide in Division II is Roberts' second first place finish.  The 2004-05 women's basketball media guide earned top honors as well.

“We do the very best job we can on all our media guides, and we have striven to have the best media guides in the nation in every sport where we do produce the publications,” Roberts said.  “This is a very high honor that we cherish, but it's time to use this summer to go back to work and start all over again.   Hopefully, everything we do honors the University and the Texans and TexAnns.”

This year's student staff included Reed Baize, Matt Elliott, Katie Carr and Amy Hasche.