By Larry Scott, Minnesota State University Moorhead (retired)/CoSIDA Special Awards Committee Member
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The son of a sportswriter and a Minnesota native, Rob Schabert put the finishing touches on a rewarding professional career when he retired last May following nearly 34 years as a member of the Tennessee Tech athletics staff, most notably as assistant athletics director for sports information and broadcasting.
Schabert is a Minnesota native who learned the trade under the guidance of his father, Bob (a long-time Minnesota sportswriter). Sports communications continues into the next Schabert generation, as his son, Matt Schabert, is the long-time assistant director of athletic media relations at Morehead State.
After joining the Golden Eagle family in the fall of 1982, Schabert played a prominent role in the evolution of the Tennessee Tech sports information department. During the following next three decades, his office expanded into the digital age, adding the TTUSports.com website, multiple social media channels and the award-winning Golden Eagle Sports Network video operations.
Just five years into his tenure, he created the Athletic Director's Honor Roll to help recognize the scholastic efforts of Tennessee Tech student-athletes. In 1991, he initiated the President's Awards program to promote deserving members of each of the Golden Eagle athletic teams. Schabert also established the Man of the Year/Woman of the Year awards, as well as the Outstanding Male and Female Athlete award. He helped produced the first-ever Golden Wings student-athlete awards night as well.
Schabert was active in the TTU Sports Hall of Fame selection process and served as emcee of the annual Hall of Fame Dinner. He promoted the selection of Tech Academic All-America honorees and both the academic and athletic accomplishments of Tech's student-athletes.
Over the past several years, many of the interns who have worked for Schabert have moved into full-time positions in the sports information profession at a wide
variety of colleges and universities, including Appalachian State, UAB, Xavier, Idaho, Florida Atlantic, Texas State, University of New Mexico, and Minnesota State University Mankato.
As a member CoSIDA, Schabert attended more than 30 national annual conventions and served on several CoSIDA committees, including Academic All-America, writing, and the former Ethics and Olympic liaison committees. In 2002 he was a volunteer with the Salt Lake Olympic Committee as a member of Press Operations...
For the full story and a photo gallery of Rob Schabert, please click here.
