Paul Madison inducted into CoSIDA Hall of Fame

Paul Madison, longtime sports information director at Western Washington University, was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame as part of the 2011 class June 28 at Marco Island, Fla.

Madison, 63, is in his 44th year as Western's SID. He initially began sports information work as a student in 1966, and, except for a six-month break after graduation, has been with the Department of Athletics ever since.

"It is a most deserving award for Paul," said Western Director of Athletics Lynda Goodrich. "It certainly recognizes his numerous years of outstanding service not only to WWU, but to the sports information profession. Our coaches and athletes have always admired Paul and have been grateful for the hard work he puts in on their behalf."

During his time at Western, Madison has seen his field move from one featuring mimeograph machines and game statistics done by hand to websites and computerized stats instantly streamed throughout the world.

"For the past 40 years, Paul has been the constant not only for Western Washington University athletics but for the region's sports information directors as well," Great Northwest Athletic Conference Information Director Bob Guptill said. "The contributions he has made to Viking athletics go way beyond his duties as a sports information director providing thoughtful advice to the administrators and coaches he has worked with as well as leadership to all the SIDs throughout the region."

Madison served as chair of the GNAC Sports Information Directors Committee for nine years and spent the 2000-01 academic year as a member of the CoSIDA Board of Directors. In 1993, he received the Ike Pearson Award, given annually by the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association for outstanding contributions to the profession.

Joining Madison, who is a 1966 graduate of Ferndale High School, in the 2011 Hall of Fame class were Charles Bloom of the Southeastern Conference, Rich Herman of Clarion University, Mark Beckbach of Ohio Wesleyan University, and Dan McDonald, the former sports information director at Northwestern State (La.) and Southwestern Louisiana. McDonald was selected by the Veterans Selection Committee, the others were selected by a vote of more than 90 CoSIDA Hall of Famers.

The formal induction ceremony was part of the annual CoSIDA convention.