Pittsburgh, Pa. – Former Duquesne University Associate Athletic Director of Media Relations Dave Saba was one of seven individuals honored Friday with a 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from College Sports Communicators (CSC). The CSC Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to members who have served at least 25 years in the profession and are retiring, have retired or are leaving the athletic communications profession.
Joining Saba to earn a 2024 CSC Lifetime Achievement Award is Joe Browning (UNC Wilmington), Larry Dougherty (Temple), Dick Lipe (Bentley), Gene McGivern (St. Thomas), Diane Nordstrom (Wisconsin) and Tom Schott (Purdue).
Saba, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a graduate of Brentwood High School, spent parts of five decades in the athletics communications field, including a 25-year run as the longest-tenured sports information director in Duquesne history from 1998 to 2023. He began his career in college athletics as an intern at the University of Texas in October of 1986 after opening his career in the media relations field in 1985 as an intern for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).
During his tenure with the Dukes, Saba served as media coordinator for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2002, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2022 and also participated in the first one hosted by Pittsburgh in 1997 while sports information director with the Longhorns.
Saba promoted seven NCAA Tournament teams (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) while at Texas and also staffed numerous bowl games prior to returning to Pittsburgh to work at Duquesne. He worked his 1,000th career basketball game when the Dukes opened the 2022-23 season with a
91-63 victory over Montana at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
Each year, CSC solicits nominations for the College Sports Communicators Special Awards program, which honors those in the membership and outside the membership with recognition for distinguished service, work and achievement. CSC Special Awards are presented annually at luncheons during annual conventions. Nominations for the 2024 CSC Special Awards were due Dec. 1, 2023.
Saba and his wife, Shelly, who served as Duquesne's first women's soccer coach, have two daughters. Sydney enters her second season with the Xavier women's lacrosse program in 2024, while Avery has committed to play ice hockey at Brown beginning in 2024-25.
Each of the 2024 CSC special award winners will be honored at
CSC's 67th annual convention, #CSCUnite24, which runs Sunday, June 9, through Wednesday, June 24, in Las Vegas, Nev., at Mandalay Bay Resort. The convention is held in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week.
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