LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- Mark Fleming, the Moravian University Director of Athletic Communications, received the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) President's Award this past week at the CoSIDA Convention, held in Las Vegas and in person for the first time since 2019.
The CoSIDA President's Award is presented to an individual selected by the reigning CoSIDA President. Introduced in 2014-15, this award serves to honor exemplary volunteer service and leadership within the organization's committee structure in support of programs that benefit CoSIDA members. The President's Award is the only CoSIDA award that the winners are not announced prior to the start annual convention.
"I'm honored to receive the CoSIDA President's Award, especially from my good friend and 2021-22 CoSIDA President Cindy Potter from Columbia College (Mo.) since we became members of the CoSIDA Board of Directors together in 2011 for three years," commented Fleming.
Fleming, who just finished his 25th year at Moravian, joined the Academic All-America (AAA) Committee in October 1996 as a district coordinator. In 2008, he moved into a role to handle the nominations for the Academic All-America Hall of Fame (AAAHOF). When CoSIDA split the AAA committee into the core committee and AAAHOF Committee in 2015, Fleming became the Vice-Chair of the AAAHOF committee for four years. He moved into the chair role in 2018-19 for the last four years and will remain on the committee and will continue to coordinate the nomination and voting process.
"CoSIDA's Academic All-America program is one of the best parts of the organization, and the Academic All-America Hall of Fame is extremely special with just 168 of the Academic All-Americans selected since the program began in 1952 makes it a select group," continued Fleming. "All of the AAAHOF inductees have amazing stories that we are happy to share each year, and our committee always says we can't top the year before but we always seem to do it."
Created in 1988, the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame recognizes Academic All-Americas® who have achieved lifetime success in their professional careers and are committed to philanthropic causes in the communities where they reside. Four or five deserving candidates are inducted at an annual awards ceremony.
Since its inception, the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame has recognized U.S. Senators and Representatives, military heroes, attorneys, physicians, college presidents, Nobel Prize recipients and leading figures of corporate America. There has also been a fair share of sports legends including Bill Walton, Pat Haden, Lynette Woodard, Steve Young, Brock Strom, Joe Theisman, Lynn Barry, Cris Collinsworth, Bill Bradley, Bernie Kosar, Tracy Caulkins-Stockwell, Merlin Olsen, Danny Ainge, Drew Brees, Jennifer Rizzotti, Danny Wuerffel, Shane Battier, Derrick Brooks, Heather O'Reilly and Peyton Manning.
Fleming was also inducted into CoSIDA's Hall of Fame in 2021 for making outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information throughout his career.
"During the eight years in the leadership role on the committee and my 14 years in all with the AAAHOF, the people I've been able to meet and work with are the most fulfilling part," added Fleming. "We've had a great group of committee members, but also building relationships with our inductees each year as well as our emcees each year including the late Dick Enberg and Rece Davis.
"Moravian has been tremendous in allowing me to hold multiple roles with CoSIDA during my 25 years in Bethlehem in addition to growing our coverage of the Greyhounds, and I look forward to continuing working with CoSIDA moving forward," concluded Fleming.
