RICHMOND, VA --- Bowie State University's Dr. Jolisa Williams has been named the 2023-24 John Holley Sports Information Director of the Year by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) on Tuesday during the CIAA Spring Administrators Awards celebration. This is the third time Dr. Williams has received this honor and the first at Bowie State. Her predecessor Greg Goings won the award in 2008-09.
The SID of the Year Award is named after veteran public relations and sports information practitioner John Holley. A native of Baltimore, MD, Holley directed the public information, publications and sports information programs at Albany (Ga.) State College for 14 years. In addition, he held public relations posts at Morgan State University, Mansfield (Pa.) University, and Lincoln (Mo.) University. Holley also served as sports information director at Norfolk State University and Morehead (Ky.) State University.
"I am extremely grateful and humbled to receive this prestigious honor," said Dr. Williams. "It wouldn't be possible for me to receive this award without my student interns, also known as the BSU Athletic Media Creative Team as well as the relationships built between my Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Clyde Doughty, Jr., our coaching staff, administration, and most importantly our student-athletes at BSU. I sincerely share this award with my other 12 Sport Communicator professionals within the CIAA and my BSU creative student team."
A native of Charles City, Va., Dr. Williams is coming off her first year as the CIAA Northern Division Vice President after previously serving at the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association (SIDA) President. In addition to her association and management council leadership, Dr. Williams has done a remarkable job for 2023-24 for Bowie State Athletics and has done so since she arrived in 2021. Now in her third year at BSU, Dr. Williams consistently promotes all 13 varsity sport teams frequently, including preview stories, game recaps, statistical game notes for required sport teams, graphics for all-conference, gameday, in-game graphics, individual accolades which are some of the best graphics in the CIAA. the department's social media presence was non-existent except for Twitter (X) until Dr. Williams arrived. Now, Bowie State Athletics has several platforms to promote all 13 varsity sport teams offered and each sport team gets adequate promotions and support. Instagram has over 3,000 followers (did not exist before she came), Twitter (X) has almost 9,000 followers (before she took over it was 5,497 followers). Facebook had 508 likes and 531 followers when she arrived and now has over 1.1k followers and 851 likes. BSU Athletics broadcasts are one of the top broadcasts in the conference, Dr. Williams strives to be the best as her team has streamed all home volleyball, softball, football, and men's and women's basketball contests for 2023-24 that included commentators, multiple camera angles, replay and the scoreboard panel as well as post-game interviews.
A 2012 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Saint Augustine's University, Dr. Williams earned her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management. As a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Falcons women's basketball team, Williams served as the starting point guard and contributed to the CIAA Western Division title in 2009-10 as well as three CIAA Team Highest GPA Awards for women's basketball during her tenure. Dr. Williams earned a master's degree in Sport Management from Virginia State University in 2014 and a doctorate in Athletic Administration from Northcentral University in 2022.
Dr. Williams holds memberships with Women Leaders, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and Black College Sports Information Directors Association (BC-SIDA) and most recently became a graduate of the prestigious Dr. Charles Whitcomb NCAA Leadership Institute in 2023.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
