Conferences: An innovative approach to media relations yielded good results for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. On June 30, the PSAC brought sports information directors from its member institutions to conference headquarters in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, to meet with media from throughout the state who cover the conference. The event, funded through Division II conference grant money, was designed to determine what approaches help newspapers and broadcast entities that are interested in covering PSAC events. "We were very pleased with the way this turned out," said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray, who added that the concept might apply on a regional basis for Division II in general. The event attracted 32 individuals, about half of whom were reporters. They discussed everything from preseason basketball and football media days to how game times match up with deadlines. The media representatives noted that deadlines have gotten earlier and football games longer, making 7 p.m. starts undesirable for their purposes. One reporter said that what suffers with such start times is the quality of the stories since little time is left to interview coaches and players after the game. The media was candid in saying that some practices, such as preseason all-conference teams, have little value for them. However, major interest was expressed in Division II regional sports rankings -- along with frustration that the rankings are not necessarily timely nor made available at a consistent time each week (see Letter, page 4)... The Northeast-10 Conference office recently unveiled a new 25th anniversary logo, launching the one-year celebration recognizing a quarter century of competition and excellence. The logo will appear on the conference Web site, awards and merchandise and on the 2005-06 conference directory and football media guide CD-ROM. "For more than 25 years, the Northeast-10 Conference has provided a high level of competition in intercollegiate athletics and an unsurpassed commitment to excellence in academics," Commissioner Dave Brunk said. "In the fall of 2005, the Northeast-10 will enter a new era of growth with the launch of the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame, all-time All-Northeast-10 teams in select sports and many other initiatives." The new logo, created by David Zonfrillo of Nally and Oldham Awards, highlights the league's current logo and pays tribute to its institutions and the student-athletes of the past and the future.

Miscellaneous: The Virginia Union University men's basketball team was the guest of President Bush during a June 6 ceremony at the White House. The event, which was part of the White House's celebration of Black Music Month, was held in the East Room of the White House. Virginia Union won the Division II men's championship in March, defeating Bryant College, 63-58 ... Pace University has announced a new athletics logo for uniforms and apparel, publications, signage and the athletics department Web page. The new look incorporates the institution's mascot, "Setters," into the main logo. A Setter dog in the school's colors of navy and yellow gold is shown jumping over the word "Pace" in white on a blue background with the word "athletics" in smaller yellow type below. "We are pleased to present this new identity to the public," said Athletics Director Joseph O'Donnell. "The student-athletes are excited about the new look that emits determination, strength and power." Greg Malek, owner of Unlike Designs, designed the logo and the various wordmarks that are packaged with it. Malek played baseball at Pace in the mid-1990s. Application of the new logo will begin in fall 2005.

-- Compiled by David Pickle