SOU names new sports info director
Michelle Railsback is jumping into the thick of things.
This time it's not on the field. The former track star and athletics media relations assistant for Idaho State University is moving in as Southern Oregon University's sports information director less than a week before the first Raider football game Sept. 2.
SOU Athletic Director Dennis Francois announced her acceptance of the position Thursday. Railsback starts Monday. When Francois offered her the position, she started packing her things to come to Oregon.
"It was just a great opportunity for me," Railsback said. "It was kind of a right fit."
Francois announced the new appointment 10 days after former SID Rich Rosenthal handed in his resignation. Rosenthal worked for 12 years transforming an empty office into a 12-publication annual production, writing more than 4,000 pages of press releases and game day brochures during his tenure.
"I know there are big shoes to fill," Railsback said.
A Lincoln, Neb., native, Railsback earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications and a master's degree in athletic administration from Idaho State University, where she competed in track and field. Railsback earned eight letters in track and three All-Big Sky Conference honors. Stacy Dragila, a 2000 olympic gold medalist in the pole vault, coached her at Idaho State. Her father, Dick, also competed in track and field at UCLA where he was an All-American for the Bruins, and her brother, Mike, competes in track at Doane College, in Crete, Neb. Railsback's predecessor said he resigned because of a new business venture, which he wouldn't divulge, and the birth of his child.
"When my son arrived in June, I realized being a good father and a good sports information director didn't coincide," Rosenthal said.
He said there is never a good time to lose someone from a one-person operation, which the sports information job was. However, the outgoing press man has confidence in the new, 24-year-old replacement.
"People might say she's a little young for the job, but I was 23 when they hired me," Rosenthal said.
Staff writer Alan Panebaker can be reached at 482-3456 x 227 or apanebaker@dailytidings.com.
