FREELAND, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) announced the 2020-21 honorees for the Robin Hartman Writing Award and the Tom Renner Associate SID Award on Friday, August 6th.
Albion's Sports Information Director Marissa Smego received the Hartman Award, while Saint Mary's Summer Stillson was the winner of the Renner Award.
The accolades honor two long-time public and media relations directors and their service to the MIAA: the late Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College.
Marissa Smego - 2020-21 Robin Hartman Writing Award
Marissa Smego's Feature Friday story on Briton goalkeeper Max Loria was selected as the winning piece for the 2020-21 Robin Hartman Writing Award. The featured story covers Loria's time studying abroad in Italy, landing a spot on the John Cabot soccer team, and how it all came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19.
Smego recently concluded her first year as the Sports Information Director at Albion. This is the first time in seven years that a Briton SID has received the Hartman Award.
Robin Hartman served as Albion's Sports Information Director from 1987 to 2001 and is remembered as a pioneer in small college Sports Information with the introduction of one of the first athletic websites. He forged the path of using the internet as a source for streaming audio play-by-play. Hartman passed away in 2006.
The Hartman Award honors outstanding writing in a Sports Information capacity, either by a Sports Information Director or assistant.
Summer Stillson - 2020-21 Tom Renner Award
Summer Stillson, a native of Nappanee, Indiana, graduated from Saint Mary's College in May with a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. Stillson assisted in the sports information office for the Belles all four years while also competing as a member of the Saint Mary's golf team. Her tasks included but were not limited to providing play-by-play on live stream broadcasts, serving as the announcer for home basketball games, creating video and social media content, assisting with numerous game day responsibilities, and updating and maintaining the website.
Stillson is the first-ever student assistant from Saint Mary's to receive the Renner Award since the accolade was formed in 2008.
Tom Renner served as Hope's Sports Information Director for 47 years before stepping down from his position in 2013. For 41 years, Renner was also the MIAA publicist (1967-2008) and still serves as the league's historian.
The Renner Award recognizes outstanding efforts by a student assistant in MIAA member schools' Sports Information departments.
