May 22, 2012

John Alosi Selected as 2012 ECAC-SIDA Kenworthy Award Winner

ALBANY, N.Y. – John Alosi will be presented with the Bob Kenworthy Award at the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA) Workshop in Pittsburgh this June. ECAC-SIDA President David Alexander made the announcement recently.

The award is named in honor of long-time Gettysburg College SID Bob Kenworthy and is presented at the discretion of the ECAC-SIDA Executive Board to a person or organization (excluding vendors) for contributions to the corporation and mission of ECAC-SIDA.

Alosi served as the SID at Shippensburg University from 1972-2004, and still boasts an uncanny recall ability that allows him to describe virtually any moment that occurred in his 32 years of service to the Raider athletics program.
Alosi graduated from La Salle College in 1969, but was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from January 1970 to April 1971 as an information specialist with the 5th Battalion, 42nd Artillery. After that stint, he returned home to Pennsylvania and eventually wound up in Shippensburg.

At Shippensburg, Alosi was the host SID for numerous NCAA regional and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship events and tournaments. In 1979, he aided in the production of one of ESPN's earliest broadcasts when Shippensburg played Slippery Rock University in Ann Arbor, MI., before 61,000 fans at Michigan Stadium.

Alosi handled publicity for PSAC baseball for 10 years and also had brief stints as the conference SID for soccer and basketball in the 1970’s. He also served as President (1998-2000) and Vice President (1996-98) of the PSAC sports information directors.

In 2005, Alosi received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He was nominated for the award by the late Pete Nevins, legendary SID at East Stroudsburg University for 33 years and the 2006 ECAC-SIDA Kenworthy Award winner.

During his tenure at Shippensburg, Alosi earned eight CoSIDA publication awards, including the nation’s best women’s lacrosse media guide in 1993.

While working at Shippensburg, Alosi earned a master's degree in history in 1994. In 2001, he published the book, “Shadow of Freedom,” a study of the institution of slavery in rural Pennsylvania during the post-revolutionary period from 1780 to 1810, and the impact of the state Abolition Act of 1780.

Just last year, Alosi penned a second book, “War Birds: A History of the 282nd Signal Pigeon Company,” which chronicles the exploits of his father’s World War II platoon - the only American signal pigeon company to take part in all five campaigns of the European Theater of Operations.

Alosi, who is the father of two grown children: Matthew and Andrew, still resides in Shippensburg and is active in the local political scene.