Graphic credits: UAB Athletics DepartmentThe University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Athletic Communications department has been named a recipient of the Football Writers Association of America Super 11 Award for the 2022 football season, as announced by the FWAA on Thursday, May 4.
The FWAA Super 11 Award is presented annually to the best performing College Sports Communicators departments in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.
Led by Associate Athletic Director for Communications Ted Feeley and Athletic Communications Associate Anna Nobles, the UAB football communications staff covered record-setting running back DeWayne McBride, the Blazers' second-consecutive bowl victory (HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl), the program's 50th win since returning to action in 2017 and a coaching transition in early December.
Along with UAB, winners of the 2022 Super 11 also include BYU, Clemson, Colorado, Kansas State, Navy, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, TCU and West Virginia. This is UAB's second time receiving the Super 11 Award (2018 season).
This year's winners were deemed to have had excellent accessibility during the week of the game and after the game--with a program's players, coaches and assistant coaches.
FWAA members provided input during the season when press boxes were judged on how well they were run and maintained in terms of neutrality, pool reporters, noise level and accessibility to the press box that could affect a media person's ability to his or her job.
In addition, UAB's creative team played a major role in highlighting these successes and helping assist in the day-to-day publicity of Blazer Football. That includes head Creative Content Director Dustin Gunter and his team Griffin Levy (video), Brantley Bargerhuff (graphics, photography), Ken Shepherd (photography), Hope Rye (graphics) and UAB's advertising agency Champ Creative Co. (Sam Miller and Heather Jeffcoat).
In January 2009, the FWAA formed the first Super 11 Committee. The concept is supported by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). The FWAA has now awarded Super 11 to 79 different programs over the years.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and game-day operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual FWAA All-America Team.