GREENWOOD, Ind. – The College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA) organization has announced the 30 Under 30 Class of 2023 where the national group recognizes thirty of emerging athletic communications professionals across the country, stemming from all ranks of the NCAA (Division I, II, and III), the NAIA, and the various junior college associations.
Corban University Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Athletic Communications, Clayton Messerle, was honored as one of the thirty communication specialists from around nation in only the second annual class of the award's existence, as he joins former Sports Information Director Danny Day as the only Warriors honored at the national level as a member of both the CSC and NAIA. Messerle is one of five SIDs from the NAIA level to be honored in this year's class of up-and-coming communications professionals.
To view the entire CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2023, click HERE.
"We are so blessed to have a talent like Clayton at Corban University," Director of Athletics Bill Pilgeram shared on his assistant AD. "Clayton does an amazing amount of work behind the scenes for Corban Athletics both in promoting and managing all 18 of our varsity sports. He is very deserving of this recognition and has a bright future in the athletics arena."
Messerle and his staff are responsible for the internal and external communication surrounding all 18 varsity sports that Corban sponsors, including social media, press releases, statistics, livestreaming, game management, and athletic partnerships. In addition to the day-to-day tasks surrounding the Warrior athletic department, Messerle also handles the public address announcements for a handful of Corban's home events and serves as the historian for all Corban athletic programs.
Over the last year, Messerle has attended numerous NAIA events on behalf of the Warriors and the CCC, including the NAIA Baseball Opening Round in Lewiston, Idaho, where he served as the livestream play-by-play announcer for all six contests at Harris Field. In July of 2023, he was asked to present on media during the 2023 CCC SID Summit in Portland, Oregon, covering a range of topics that included social media, media day coverage, and content creation.
Since taking over for former Assistant AD Jarrett Thoren (who was previously named the 2021-22 Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Mike Booth Sports Information Director of the Year), Messerle has been featured in a variety of highlight sessions for both the NAIA and CSC organizations, including the NAIA-SIDA Spotlight Interview for October 2023 and was a CSC Spotlight SID in the fall of 2022. He was also one of the three candidates for the same award Thoren received upon his departure from Corban, as he was selected as a finalist for the 2022-23 CCC SID of the Year award in the spring of last school year.
"It is such a privilege and an honor to be selected for this distinction among my fellow colleagues," Messerle shared. "I'm extremely blessed to have been called by God into a profession as supportive and fulfilling as the world of sports information, and I'm very fortunate to be receiving this recognition during the start of only my third year in the field."
Messerle continued with his explanation of what this honor means to him by stating, "First, I'd like to thank those who nominated me for the award and for believing in me from the start. Next, to my amazing wife, Taylor, who continues to have my back and supports me through all the late nights and long days spent promoting Corban Athletics. Without her unwavering support, no part of this recognition would have been possible. And third, to every admin, coach, and student-athlete who shows me patience and encouragement with the work I provide their programs with. The excitement and joy I see on our student-athletes faces is what keeps me motivated, consistently working to put out the best content I possibly can. I thank God every day that I get to work alongside some of the greatest professionals in the industry!"
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