William "Will" McLaughlin, the new sports information director for Eastern New Mexico University Athletics, is looking to expand the department's digital offerings.
"My biggest goal for my position is having a better online presence for the Department of Athletics," he said. "So many fans today and college students are attracted to the digital medium with social media. It's a great interaction tool, and I really want to incorporate it more in the work I do."
His job duties include overseeing media efforts for all of Eastern New Mexico University's 14 varsity sports while serving as the primary contact for football, men's and women's soccer, women's basketball, track and field and baseball. He also focuses on writing press releases, gathering and inputting stats, graphic design, providing game recaps and overseeing game day operations where needed.
He updates the Athletics website, takes game day photos, does radio broadcasts, moderates interviews between media and athletes, votes on players of the week/year, fills out nomination forms and provides updates via social media. He also serves on the ENMU Athletic Hall of Honors Committee.
Will enjoys being "surrounded by athletics every day. I get to work with high energy staff members and coaches who share that same excitement as I do.
He thinks that the athletic facilities at ENMU are "great; there is a sense of commitment to the athletes with what we offer, and it seems only to be getting better as time progresses. Everywhere you go, you can see that the University cares about having a good-looking campus that people can be proud of. Overall, the campus is very beautiful and well maintained."
Will decided to apply for the sports information director position at Eastern because it was a Division II school in a "really good conference" and it was close to home.
He is from Crystal, New Mexico, a Navajo Reservation. "I'm half Native American, ¼ Navajo and ¼ Tewa (Pueblo), and half Irish," said Will, who graduated from Grants High School in 2012.
Will's father, Bill McLaughlin, is the head girls' basketball coach and an assistant football coach at Newcomb High School in New Mexico. His mother, Debra Adams-McLaughlin, is a Navajo Language Arts Teacher at St. Michael Indian School in Arizona. He has five siblings including a twin brother.
When asked about his roles models and anybody that has positively influenced him in his life, Will answered with the following:
"I would have to say my parents are my role models. Both are educators and growing up they really pushed for my siblings and me to always be outspokenly dedicated for the things we were passionate about. When I learned I wanted to work in sports media, they were always there supporting me and making sure I was happy. Who I am today, and the mindset I have is because of them."
"Someone who influences me is my former supervisor at Central Missouri, Joe Hoffmann. He is the sports information director there currently, and these past two years he was a big help in honing my skills as a SID and teaching me a lot of different things so that I could be successful when I started my career."
As a kid, Will loved sports and always wanted to work in sports media. "I knew having a degree in that realm would help me reach that goal," he explained.
He earned a bachelor's degree in communications with options in journalism and public relations from Chadron State College in May 2016 and his master's degree in mass communications at the University of Central Missouri in May 2018.
He worked at as a student sports/broadcaster and video/audio editor Chadron State College from 2012-2016. He was a media relations graduate assistant for the University of Central Missouri Athletic Department.
Will loves cooking, playing disc golf, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, camping and "anything outdoors that involves movement or enjoying nature."
His favorite travel spot is Mount Taylor outside of Grants, New Mexico. "I have hiked to the top of the peak five times in my life, and it's just a beautiful place with an amazing view," said Will, who has also traveled through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Will enjoys exercising, going to the gym "five days out of the week and running three times a week. Being a former college track athlete, I've always enjoyed being fit and active."
When asked to share an interesting fact about himself, Will shared, "I'm Batman… Just kidding. I got nothing."
