University of North Carolina Athletics
Rick Brewer to Retire February 1, 2000
July 20, 1999 | General
July 20, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- One of the most decorated and well-respected men in his field, Rick Brewer, sports information director at the University of North Carolina since 1975, announced Tuesday he is taking early retirement from the University effective February 1, 2000. Brewer, who has worked in the UNC sports information since 1968, will then assume the title of Sports Information Director Emeritus and continue to work on behalf of the UNC athletic department on a part-time basis.
Earlier this month Brewer won the Arch Ward Award given for lifetime achievement in college sports information by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Brewer was inducted into CoSIDA's Hall of Fame in 1991 and served as CoSIDA president in 1996.
"I've been fortunate to have had the best sports information job in the country. I've always felt one of the great things about this job has been the relationships I've been able to have with our student-athletes and coaches, members of the media and other SIDs," says Brewer.
"Unfortunately, as our staff has grown, my responsibilities have changed to become more administrative in nature. Stepping away from my current day-to-day duties will, hopefully, allow me to have more personal contact once again with the people who have made this work so enjoyable."
As Sports Information Director Emeritus, Brewer will serve as the athletic department historian, assist in football scheduling, write columns and features for UNC's internet site and publications, research and maintain UNC athletic records and historical files, serve as a consultant for the UNC Memorabilia Room and Hall of Honor and assist the sports information staff with on-campus events, including ACC and NCAA Championship competition.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to do more writing, which will be the major portion of this part-time position. With all the advances we've made in technology, I am afraid we no longer do as much writing as we should in our office. That shift in philosophy across the country has been disappointing as I still think writing should be a key aspect of this profession," Brewer adds. "Researching old records is another thing I've always enjoyed and that's why I spent so much time several years ago developing a more comprehensive records section in our football and men's basketball media guides. I plan to make use of as much time as possible in continuing to work to help improve those sections, as well as beginning to look at sports like baseball and tennis which have such great tradition here."
A 1971 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Brewer is entering his 32nd year in the Tar Heel Sports Information Office this fall. He was a student assistant at UNC for three years and was named the school's first assistant SID after graduation. He served in that capacity for four years before becoming SID in 1975. He was named assistant athletic director in 1990 and associate athletic director in 1996.
At the 1996 NCAA Final Four he was named by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as the ninth winner of its Katha Quinn Award. The award, named for the late St. John's SID, is given to recognize someone who has rendered a special service to the media in its coverage of college basketball. Brewer, Quinn and Roger Valdiserri of Notre Dame are the only SIDs who have been selected for the award at this time.
Twice he was appointed by the NCAA Council to serve terms on the NCAA Communications Committee.
In 1984, Brewer served as a press officer for the United States Olympic Committee at the Summer Games in Los Angeles. He has handled similar duties at two U.S. Olympic Festivals--at Indianapolis in 1982 and in North Carolina in 1987.
He was a member of the Media Coordination Committee at the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships for 13 years. He also served as media coordinator when Carolina hosted 1988 first and second-round games in the men's basketball tournament. In 1982, he handled press arrangements at the NCAA Men's Golf Championships in Pinehurst.
At Carolina he has worked with 19 football bowl teams and 31 straight basketball teams which have reached post-season play. That includes 28 NCAA Tournament teams and nine which have made the Final Four. Altogether, he has now worked 22 NCAA Final Fours.
Brewer is a native of North Carolina, growing up in Winston-Salem and Greensboro.
