Jeff Hodges, North Alabama assistant athletic director of communications received the Arch Ward Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America March 3, according to an official release from the university.

CoSIDA distributes the award annually to a sports information director that has made an outstanding contribution to his or her field. Hodges is the longest serving board member of CoSIDA in the organization’s history.

Shelly Poe, Auburn assistant athletic director for Media Relations, said in a press release she nominated Hodges for the award because he truly cares about the student athletes and teams that he works with. 

Hodges is in his 34th year as the primary sports information director for UNA. During that time, Hodges has promoted three football national championship teams 1993-95, one men’s basketball national champion in 1991, one volleyball national champion in 2003 and a softball national champion in 2016.

Hodges is also a driving force behind the establishment of the Harlon Hill Trophy given annually to the most outstanding football player in Division II.

Hodges is a 2013 inductee to the UNA Hall of Fame.

Hodges also has experience working in the Olympics, having served as a press officer during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.