HAMPTON, Va. -- Hampton University Director of Sports Information Jim Heath was announced today as one of 16 recipients of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) 25-year award.  The award is presented to CoSIDA members who have completed 25 years in the sports information profession.

Heath, in his sixth year at Hampton, previously served as the Sports Information Director at The Apprentice School for over 15 years and also worked as the Assistant Sports Information Director at Christopher Newport University for three years.  He started as the Sports Information Assistant at Old Dominion University for two years upon graduation from Christopher Newport in 1991.

At Hampton, he came on board as the Sports Information Assistant in November of 2015 before moving into the Assistant Sports Information Director role the following September.  A year later he was promoted into the Director of Sports Information position.  He oversees all athletic publications, media relations and website updating along with game coverage of all Hampton University athletic events.  Heath has also handled public address duties and serves as a backup broadcaster for Hampton events on ESPN+.

Heath also has been assisting the United States Collegiate Athletic Association with sports information duties for over 15 years and served four years as the President of the Virginia Sports Information Directors association.

CoSIDA will present a feature story on Heath in either March or April and plans to release a pre-recorded interview with him in May as part of CoSIDA Awards Month. The CoSIDA special awards, which are normally given at the organization's annual summer convention, will serve as part of the lead-in to the 2021 virtual convention due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.