DECORAH, Iowa – Renae Hartl, director of intercollegiate athletics, has announced that Kelsey Whaley will serve as the Athletics Communications Director at Luther College. Beginning in late June, Whaley will be responsible for promoting the college through its NCAA Division III athletics programs.
"We are so excited for Kelsey to join us at Luther," said Hartl. "Kelsey really shined throughout the interview process. Her passion for this career is evident and it's exciting to hear her ideas for the future. She will undoubtedly continue the good work that Dave Blanchard, who recently retired as Luther's sports information director, has done for Norse Athletics for over 30 years."
Whaley will work to promote Luther's 19 athletic programs through storytelling, media engagement and social media. She will be responsible for record-keeping, website management, broadcast management and multimedia production on game days. Whaley's team will include an athletics communications fellow, an athletics social media coordinator and student employees.
"I am very excited to join Luther College and be a part of the Decorah community," said Whaley. "I would like to thank Laura Barlament, executive director of strategic marketing and communications, Renae Hartl and the entire search committee for entrusting me as the next Athletics Communications Director for Norse Athletics. Luther has a rich athletic history and I hope to build on the foundation already in place as we transition into the new age of college athletics."
Whaley comes to Luther from St. Cloud State University where she served as Assistant Director of Athletics Communications. In that role, she was the primary media contact for 13 sports and oversaw all creative elements and social media in addition to writing daily publications, keeping statistics and running game days. She also implemented a new points program at St. Cloud State in order to encourage students to attend athletic contests.
Whaley is the chair of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) New Media Committee, which provides professional development to athletics communications professionals as it relates to new social media features, tips and techniques. In 2020, she was awarded the CoSIDA College Division Best Cover of Postseason Media Guide and Best in the Nation for Special Event Poster/Graphic. Whaley is also the central region chair of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Prior to her work at St. Cloud State, Whaley worked as the sports information director at St. Catherine University and as assistant director for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies and music from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.
