GREENWOOD, In. – College Sports Communicators announced that longtime athletic communications professional, and current Blazer assistant athletic director for communications, Kit Strief has been honored with the College Sports Communicators (CSC) 25-Year Award, recognizing a quarter-century of dedicated service in the sports communications profession.

The CSC 25-Year Award is presented to members who have completed 25 years or more of full-time service in athletic communications (as of July 2026) or who have maintained CSC membership for 25 years. Strief is among a distinguished group of recipients recognized as part of the 2026 CSC special awards class.

All 2026 CSC special award winners, including Strief, will be honored at the 69th annual College Sports Communicators Convention, #CSCUnite26, scheduled for June 7–10 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The convention is held in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week.

Strief joined the Valdosta State Athletic Staff on August 1, 2018, bringing extensive experience at both the NCAA Division I and Division II levels. During his seven years in Titletown, he has publicized the Blazers to three NCAA national championships, including the 2018 NCAA Division II Football National Championship and back-to-back NCAA Division II Men's Tennis National Championships in 2024 and 2025.Strief oversees publicity efforts for all 12 NCAA Division II sports, along with the nationally recognized Red Hots dance team and cheerleading program. He has hired and mentored numerous graduate assistants, student workers, and community members to support game coverage and operations, while also coordinating the VSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. Throughout his tenure, Strief has successfully publicized countless Blazer student-athletes for conference, regional, and national honors, as well as promoting Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame candidates on an annual basis.

Prior to Valdosta State, Strief spent six years at West Texas A&M as Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations, overseeing communications for a 17-sport program. His career also includes stops at the University of South Dakota, Montana State University Billings, and the University of South Alabama, along with numerous collegiate internships and a year-long graduate internship at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Strief is an active member of College Sports Communicators and serves on the NCBWA National and South Region committees. He earned his bachelor's degree from Grand View College and his master's degree from Wichita State University.

The CSC 25-Year Award underscores Strief's long-standing commitment, leadership, and impact within collegiate athletic communications.