Purdue University Northwest Sports Update, June 16, 2017

PNW-Sports-Information-Department-Takes-Home-NAIAs-Top-HonorPurdue Northwest's Sports Information Department Takes Home NAIA's Top Honor The Purdue University Northwest sports information department was recognized as the best in the nation in the NAIA-SIDA Publications and Media Contest, earning the organization’s Gary Spitler Memorial Award for Excellence in Publications.

PNW won two categories, taking home first place honors in the Multi-Sport Poster contest and the Infographics for Events/Accolades/Breaking News contest. The Pride sports info team also finished runner-up in Multi-Sport Posters and the Season/Game Highlights category, as PNW snagged 15 Top 10 finishes and eight Top 5 finishes across 19 categories.

The recently redesigned Purdue Northwest athletics website, PNWathletics.com, also placed sixth out of 72 entries across the NAIA.

The 2016-17 PNW Sports Information Department was led by third-year Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information, Marketing & Event Management, Nicole Watkins, and assisted by Jon Newcomb (Graduate Assistant for Sports Information); Ben Cowart (Graduate Assistant for Video) and David Bork (Student Assistant).

Patrick Mudd of Purdue Northwest Named a CoSIDA Academic All-American After a stellar senior season in both the classroom and the golf course, Purdue University Northwest’s Patrick Mudd has been named a College Sports Information Directors of America Second-Team Academic All-American in the men’s at-large College Division, as released by the organization Monday.

Mudd (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) becomes the seventh CoSIDA Academic All-American in Purdue Northwest history, joining 2016-17 award winners Cassidy Deno (women’s basketball) and Sergio Reyes (men’s soccer).

Mudd, a spring 2017 PNW graduate, recently wrapped up his four-year career for the Pride men’s golf team, becoming the first golfer in Purdue Northwest history to earn all-Chicaogland Collegiate Athletic Conference honors after his sixth-place finish at April’s CCAC Championships.

He led the Pride with a 75.7 season average, snagged a team-best six Top 10 finishes in 2016-17 and won one event, earning medalist honors with his even 71 at the Troll Classic Oct. 3, 2016. Mudd’s name is all over the PNW men’s golf record books, as he holds the second-best 18-hole score (70) in program history.

A double-major in history and political science, Mudd carried a 3.70 cumulative grade point average.

He was also earlier awarded the PNW athletic department’s top leadership honor, the John Friend Leadership Award, as Mudd demonstrated his service in many areas. Serving as a the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Secretary/Treasurer since 2015, Mudd organized all the SAAC Miracle Minutes and two SAAC dodgeball tournaments that helped raise more than $1,200 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Mudd also served as president of the Political Science Honors Society, was vice president of the History Honors Society, was a member of the Honors College and was a Model United Nations Representative for PNW.

The 2016-17 CoSIDA Academic Men's Academic All-America At-Large teams, which include the sports of men's tennis, men’s lacrosse, men’s swimming, men's golf, men's volleyball, men's ice hockey, men's rifle, men’s skiing, men's water polo, men’s fencing, men’s wrestling, and men’s gymnastics, are voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America and recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.

Nominees must be at least a junior status both athletically and academically, be at their respective institutions a minimum of one calendar year, be a starter or important reserve, and carry a minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA.