December 14, 2007
 

Strief Named Director of Operations and Media Relations at MSUB

BILLINGS, Mont. – Dr. Gary Gray, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Montana State University Billings, announced today the appointment of Christopher “Kit” Strief to the post of Director of Operations and Media Relations.  Strief assumes the position following two years as Director of Media Relations at the University of South Alabama.  Strief will oversee the overall operation of MSUB’s 17-sport NCAA Division II media relations area with a start date of December 17, 2007. 

“We are excited with the addition of Kit Strief as our Operations and Media Relations Director,” Gray said.  “He brings a wealth of experience to the position from his work at not only University of South Alabama but also a variety of other programs prior to that.  We are very pleased to have him as our newest employee in Yellowjacket Athletics.”

At South Alabama Strief oversaw publicity efforts for 16 Jaguar sports, including two conference championship men’s basketball teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament and postseason National Invitation Tournament.  In addition, Strief was the point person for the overhaul and redesign of USA’s athletic web site and media guide publications.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Strief attended graduate school at Wichita State University, including a year of graduate internship at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla.  His graduate internship at DWWS included responsibilities with media relations/publicity and client services/promotions.  Strief obtained a master’s degree (M.Ed.) in Sport Administration from WSU in 2005.

Prior to graduate school, Strief held the position of Assistant Media Relations Director at the University of Northern Iowa in 2002-03, serving as primary contact for women’s soccer, women’s basketball, softball, and men’s and women’s golf.  At UNI he oversaw the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golf Tournament, assisted with the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament and ran UNI football statistics.

Strief has held sport media relations internships at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Indiana University, and University of South Carolina-Aiken, providing both NCAA Division I and Division II experience.  He earned a bachelor’s degree with triple majors in journalism, mass communication, and radio/TV from Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2000.  Strief is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).