Release from the Great Plains Athletic Conference:
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Concordia University, Nebraska Director of Athletic Communications Jake Knabel has been selected as the 2019-20 Dave Rebstock/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Sports Information Director (SID) of the Year presented by Hauff Mid-America Sports. This is the second time Knabel has been honored as the winner of the "The Rebby" award. A vote of the league's sports information directors determined the winner.
Knabel took over at Concordia in 2012. Since then he has grown the social media presence to an impressive 7500 followers on Twitter, 3400 on Instagram and over 6000 likes on Facebook.
In addition, Knabel is known for his feature stories. In all, he wrote over 70 stories highlighting the Bulldog student athletes and teams. He is a three-time district winner in the Fred Stabley Writing Contest, as awarded by College Sports Information Directors of America with a runner up for district writing honor in 2017. He is also a three-time NAIA national winner of the Dr. Jack Bell NAIA award for writing (2014, 2019, 2020).
He is also well represented in the national scene, serving as a member of Associated Press NAIA All-America Football Committee since 2017 as well as lending his hand to the NAIA as an Assistant to the Media Coordinator for women's basketball and outdoor track and field national championships.
While overseeing a student-worker crew of close to 15 individuals each year keeps him plenty busy, he found time to publish a book, Cultivating Men of Faith and Character: The History of Concordia Nebraska Football, as well.
"Jake continues to put Concordia athletics front and center in a variety of ways," said GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra. "There are few people in the business that are as well prepared and comprehensive in the coverage of their teams as he is. Coupled with the fact he is well respected by his peers and is a resource for many in the field it makes him very deserving of this honor."
Knabel will be the GPAC nominee for the NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year.