Lock Haven Student Named Director of Athletics Media Relations at Coker University

Valdez, who graduated from Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in May with a master's degree in sport management, switched majors his sophomore year after working track and field high school invites at Lock Haven.

"I enjoyed working in sports a lot more than I expected," Valdez said.

During the Fall 2021 semester, Valdez began working in the Sports Information Department as a graduate assistant (GA) under Doug Spatafore, senior director of athletic communications and marketing.

"I started as a GA in the Sports Information Department during my senior year, due to being ahead in my credits and heading into graduate classes," he said.

In February, three months before graduation, Valdez was already named director of athletics media relations at Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina. He continued his graduate classes online while working full-time and graduated with his master's degree in May.

"Bridget Roun, Dr. James Mattern, Dr. Dain TePoel, and Dr. Peter Campbell all played huge roles in helping me gain as much knowledge about the field as possible, and I could not thank them enough for all that they have done for me," Valdez said.

In his new role at Coker, Valdez is in charge of game day operations, and relating information back to the media through post game recaps and interviews. Additionally, he oversees the stats for each event on campus and maintains constant communication with the rest of the league.

"I never thought that I would find myself in the situation that I did and now I couldn't be happier to be able to run my own department as a 24-year-old straight out of college," Valdez said.

During his time at The Haven, he also ran cross country and track and field for the Bald Eagles.

Valdez credits his involvement on campus and taking every opportunity provided to him while at Lock Haven for his success as a student, as well as helping him land employment prior to graduation.

"Students should get into as much as they possibly can because you never know who is watching or if you actually gain interest in the field. Every single internship is an opportunity to put your name out there," Valdez said.