Office of Athletic Communications Staff

 

Assistant Athletic Director for Communications	Email	Phone
Nancy Yasharoff (Men's Soccer, Men's Basketball)	yasharof@american.edu	(202) 885-3079
Assistant Director
April Raynovich (Field Hockey, Women's Soccer, Women's Basketball, Women's Lacrosse)	april.raynovich@american.edu	(202) 885-3032
Assistant
Andrew Chesebro (Men's & Women's Cross Country, Volleyball, Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Men's & Women's Indoor Track, Men's & Women's Outdoor Track)	chesebro@american.edu	(202) 885-3030

 

Contact Information
OFFICE: (202) 885-3030, 3032
FAX: (202) 885-3033
HOTLINE: (202) 885-DUNK

Mailing Address:
Athletic Communications
American University
Bender Arena
4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-8005

Policy & Procedure Guidelines

MISSION STATEMENT --
The mission of the Office of Athletic Communications is to promote the opportunities for leadership and personal growth that can be achieved through participation in the varsity athletic programs at American as part of the entire University experience.

The primary focus of the Office will be on the student-athletes who exemplify American's dedication to helping young men and women achieve their full academic, social and personal potential. The office will also focus on team promotion to enhance the academic stature of the University and hold up both the academic and the co-curricular as learning experiences.

Promoting the opportunities available to American students and the accomplishments of the University's student-athletes will be consistent with, and integrated as part of, the University's broader coordinated, campus-wide, proactive communications strategy.

The Office of Athletic Communications publicizes American University's 16-sport NCAA Division I program through AU's Official Athletic Site (aueagles.com), yearly media and recruiting publications, press releases, interviews, email distribution, the AU Sports Hotline, and various schedules cards, posters and flyers.

Each of AU's 19 programs will have an Athletic Communications contact assigned to it. That person will be responsible for all communications coverage, and will act as a liaison between the Assistant AD for Communications and the Head Coach (where applicable).

INTERVIEW POLICY --
All interview requests must be forwarded to a representative of the Office of Athletic Communication, and cleared with the Assistant AD for Communications. No administrator, coach, or student-athlete shall be contacted by the media without prior consent of the Office of Athletic Communications. In turn, if a media representative makes contact without prior consent, it is the duty of the interviewee to the media representative to the Office of Athletic Communications.

When a student-athlete is requested for an interview, it is the wish of the Office of Athletic Communications to have the interview take place in a controlled environment, with a representative in the general vicinity. This will alleviate any tenuous circumstances, and allow the student-athlete to have a contact nearby, if necessary. Student-athletes' residence phone numbers WILL NOT be provided to the media. It is the intent of the office that all student-athlete interviews take place in the Office of Athletic Communications, or in a predetermined location. Student-athletes will not be made available for interviews on gameday until after the conclusion of competition. It is at a coach's discretion whether they will conduct interviews on the day of competition.

American University athletics follows the NCAA guideline of allowing a 10-minute cooling off period following the completion of competition prior to conducting interviews. At a home event, where applicable, the visiting coach and selected student-athletes will enter the media room first, followed by the AU head coach and selected student-athletes. In the event of a Patriot League or NCAA Championship event, following a 10-minute cooling off period, the winning head coach and selected student-athletes will enter the media room first, followed by the losing head coach and selected student-athletes.