Courtesy of Lewis and Clark
The sports programs of Lewis & Clark are integral to the college, with athletes making up around 20% of the student body. In the age of the internet and social media, communication becomes a crucial part of these programs. For fans to follow along and become invested in the world of athletics at LC, there must be effective communication surrounding future events, the recent performance of our numerous varsity teams and an accessible archive of the history of sports at the college. Managing this aspect of LC athletics is the role of the athletic communications department, who do the essential work of maintaining the athletic programs and culture through publicity and outreach.
The scope of the athletic communications department is wide. This is best reflected in the college athletics website, which is managed by Director of Athletic Communications Seth Orensky and Assistant Director Brian Hauge. The site, which is updated on a regular basis, contains a multitude of information related to sports at LC,including future games, statistics for individual players’ performance, game recaps and the “River Otter of the Week” section, which highlights individual athletes.
The department also manages social media, such as the LC athletics Instagram account, which makes posts and stories updating the community on the River Otters’ victories and celebrating the achievements of individual players.
It is important to note that the work of the department is not limited to communicating what happens after games are over — they have an active role during the games as well. Throughout games, the athletic communications department is hard at work capturing video and photos, recording and announcing play-by-play footage, and collecting statistics.
Although this wide scope of operation appears daunting, Orensky and Hauge ensure that the department is working efficiently. In an interview with The Mossy Log, Hauge discussed how as a director, they work behind the scenes, ensuring that the logistical aspects are handled.
“I have a task list that I go through every week of getting programs done, writing PA scripts, making sure that game days for social media are posted and stat corrections,” Hauge said. “It’s a lot of back end stuff that needs to be taken care of.”
PA scripts are pre-written announcements read by announcers at games.
Orensky and Hauge also manage approximately 40 student workers. Hauge enjoys this part of their work, saying that they enjoy getting to know the employees better and understand why they are interested in the field of athletic communications. They believe that the department would struggle without these student workers.
“We couldn’t do our job without them. We couldn’t get through a game without them,” Hauge said.
These student workers often have a background in sports, with some of them on varsity teams, or participating in club sports like ultimate frisbee. The application process is simple, with students applying through LC’s Workday application platform in the beginning of the semester and meeting with Orensky and Hauge for an interview. During this interview, the directors gauge what the student is most interested in and assign them accordingly to one of the large variety of roles the department offers.
For student workers like Nia Pile ’26, the job has provided a variety of opportunities and experiences. In her time working for the athletic communications department, Pile has managed social media posts, worked on statistics for the football team, acted as an announcer for volleyball games and been a livestream director.
“As a director, you’re in control of the livestream. You click between the different camera angles, play ads during ad breaks and follow along with what the commentator is saying. For example, you put up rosters if they’re talking about who’s playing, and (are) updating the scoreboard on the livestream,” Pile said.
Pile said that this role is not as intense as it seems, even when things go wrong, in part because of Orensky’s management.
“It sounds like a lot, but when you’re there, it’s really low-stress. You’re in control of a lot, but Seth (Orensky) says all the time ‘You’re okay! Everything’s fine!’ because things go wrong every game. He makes sure that nobody on the student team is stressed,” Pile said.
It is through the hard work and collaboration of the directors of the athletic communications department and the student workers that the LC athletic programs are able to shine. Without their contributions, it would be difficult for the college to celebrate its teams and achievements and build a strong community around sports.
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