Hammack named MACCC SID of the Year

Don Hammack, longtime Sports Information Director at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, has been named the 2024-2025 Sports Information Director of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference. The prestigious honor, voted on by SIDs from all 15 MACCC schools, was announced during the conference's annual summer meeting at the East Mississippi Community College Communiversity Campus in Columbus.

Hammack has served as MGCCC's SID since February 2015, overseeing media relations and communications for all 12 Bulldog athletic programs. His leadership, creativity, and dedication to promoting student-athletes have earned widespread respect across the state.

"Don's professionalism, dedication, and the passion he brings to his work set the standard in our league," said MGCCC Dean of Athletics Steven Campbell. "He is a storyteller, a promoter, and a tireless supporter of student-athletes, coaches, and all Bulldog athletics. This award is a well-earned recognition of the impact he's made not just at MGCCC, but throughout the MACCC."

Before joining MGCCC, Hammack spent 17 years as a journalist at the Sun Herald in Biloxi, where he covered major events including the Super Bowl and Hurricane Katrina. His reporting on the aftermath of Katrina contributed to the Sun Herald receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2006. A former U.S. Navy submarine officer, Hammack holds a degree in aerospace engineering.

In addition to the MACCC honor, Hammack was named the 2024 recipient of the college's prestigious "Spirit of Gulf Coast" award. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in support of MGCCC athletics and the college's mission, reflecting Hammack's deep and lasting influence on the Bulldog community. He has served as the MACCC SID Chair since 2023.

"I'm honored to be recognized by my peers in the conference, and I hold them in high regard," Hammack said. "We've got a great group, and this award means a lot to me. My work is made easier by the great group of coaches and student-athletes at Gulf Coast, and the administrators who I work alongside and for. I love telling the stories of all the teams who work so hard to represent Gulf Coast so well." 

A respected figure in collegiate athletics communications, Hammack's contributions have helped elevate the profile of MGCCC athletics while setting a benchmark for sports information professionals across Mississippi.