(SAN DIEGO) With five PacWest regular season championships, three conference tournament titles and their first-ever Bob Hogue Commissioner's Cup trophy, the Point Loma Nazarene University Sea Lions had plenty of positive results to promote and recap in 2024-25.
Like some of their teams, the
Point Loma publicity department was also the best in the PacWest this last year.
According to a vote of fellow conference College Sports Commuicators (Sports Information Directors), the PacWest Sports Information Department of the Year is Point Loma.
Tim Heiduk, Sydney Long, and
Shannon Hardy were selected for the annual award, which takes into account the total package of athletic communications work from the department website to social media and everything inbetween.
"I'm incredibly humbled that our athletic communications department earned this award," said PLNU Associate Athletic Director for Communications Heiduk. "There were so many worthy candidates, so to receive this recognition is a huge honor. I have so much respect for all my fellow colleagues in the PacWest Conference and it's a tremendous personal and professional privilege to work alongside them."
It's the second consecutive year that Heiduk's department has won this award. As the Sea Lions' success on the courts and fields has grown over the past several years, Heiduk and crew's efforts to build PLNU's brand and showcase their teams has risen as well.
"
Tim Heiduk's recognition as the Conference SID of the Year is a well-deserved honor that reflects his outstanding leadership, professionalism, and commitment to excellence," said Point Loma Athletic Director
Jordan Courneya. "Under Tim's direction, our communications efforts have flourished, and our storytelling has never been stronger.
"I'm especially grateful for the creative talents of
Sydney Long and
Shannon Hardy, who have spearheaded our social media presence with innovation, consistency, and a deep understanding of our brand. The communications department's work has significantly elevated the visibility of Point Loma Athletics and strengthened our connection with fans, alumni, and the broader community. I'm incredibly proud of this team and thankful for their impact on our department."
In addition to holding 121 events this year on campus, the Sea Lions also hosted NCAA West Region Championships in women's soccer, men's basketball and women's tennis.
Heiduk just finished his third full year at Point Loma. Prior to arriving in San Diego in 2022, Heiduk was the Sports Information Director for two years at The Master's University. Before that, he spent two years as an assistant at his alma mater Westmont College while working on his Master's degree. As an undergrad, he was the Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year and an NAIA All-American in soccer for the Warriors.
Over his career, he is a 14-time award winner in the Fred Stabley, Jr. writing contests and NAIA-SIDA Media & Publications Contests. This year, he served as a mentor in the CSC Mentorship Program. The past two years Heiduk has been a national/regional voter for the CSC Women's Basketball Media Polls and a regional voter for the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association.
Long finished her second year at Point Loma after working as an assistant at Marquette University. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Sports Media and Communications. Hardy, a San Diego native who played soccer and graduated from Azusa Pacific, completed her first year as the Social Media Coordinator.
"I'd like to especially highlight Sydney and Shannon, for this award wouldn't be possible without their outstanding contributions," Heiduk said. "They have both brought immeasurable value to our department and excel in what they do. I feel very fortunate to work with them on a daily basis."
The Sports Information Department of the Year Award has been presented annually since 2010. It's the fourth time that a team from Point Loma has been selected by their PacWest peers with the honor, the most of any school in the 16-year history of the award.
"I love this award because it gives us an opportunity to publicize the people that promote others all year long," said PacWest Communications Director
Russ Blunck. "Tim, Sydney and Shannon are top notch, they do fantastic work and are a joy to work with. At the same time, I believe we have a tremendous conference of sports communicators, many of whom also deserve this recognition. It is a blessing to work with all of them, it is one of the best parts of my job."
Heiduk was hired by
Ethan Hamilton, the athletic director who passed away suddenly in the summer of 2024 after leading the Sea Lions department from the NAIA ranks to one of the most successful programs on and off the fields in NCAA Division II.
"I'm forever grateful to Ethan Hamilton for hiring me over three years ago to lead athletic communications at Point Loma," Heiduk said. "After his tragic passing last summer, our athletic department has strived to honor his life and legacy in the best way we can, so receiving this award is extra special. Ethan built PLNU Athletics into what it is today, and his impact continues to be felt everywhere on The Point. We miss him dearly."
