College Sports Communicators
College Sports Communicators is the premier membership association for all strategic, creative and digital professionals working in intercollegiate athletics across all levels for colleges, universities and conferences across the United States and Canada.
CSC provides year-round leadership, community, professional development/education, recognition and advocacy for its 4,400 members.
Founded in 1957 as the College Sports Information Directors of America, the organization rebranded in 2022 to position itself as a more inclusive organization for communicators in all types of roles and to lead an industry change where strategic and creative professionals are more aligned.
CSC’s signature work includes the annual CSC Unite convention each June and the administration of the prestigious Academic All-America® program and Hall of Fame. Since 1952, more than 42,000 of the world’s most elite student-athletes have been recognized with Academic All-America status in all sports.
College Sports Communicators
Listening & Leadership | Andrea Williams | CSC Voices, Beyond the Scoreboard
CSC Voices, Beyond the Scoreboard host: Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC
Guest: Andrea Williams, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
In this CSC Voices: Beyond the Scoreboard episode, UIC Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Andrea Williams sheds light on modern leadership in sports athletics — from mastering the art of listening to defining servant and situational leadership. With over 25 years in collegiate and professional athletics, she unpacks how empathy, inclusion, and innovation can power high-performing, authentic teams.
In this conversation, we explore:
- Developing listening skills and embracing curiosity as essential tools for communications professionals and leaders alike.
- Leading with servant and situational leadership to create inclusive environments where individuals thrive.
- Building confidence through humility and vulnerability, and how that fosters trust within teams.
- Defining success through coaching and mentorship, and recognizing those “quiet moments” when impact is most felt.
- Encouraging creativity and innovation, even when staffing and budgets are limited.
- Balancing support and challenge to maintain high accountability without sacrificing compassion.
- Ensuring the student-athlete voice is heard — through advisory committees and meaningful feedback processes.