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College Sports Communicators officials announced that an Atmore native was awarded the Mary Jo. Haverbeck Trailblazer Award.

Scottie Rodgers, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association and Goodyear Cotton bowl classic vice president of communications, will receive the award. He also was named as a member of the CSC Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

“I am beyond blessed to receive these honors from my peers in a profession I have poured my heart and soul into for more than 30 years,” Rodgers said. “As a kid from Atmore, I never thought I would be in position to have the career that I have had so far. It’s been a journey filled with a lot of sacrifices, challenges and awesome moments. My journey in college athletics is far from over. I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish and proud of the positive impact that I work so hard to bring to everyone I work with, work for and work to promote on and off the fields of play.”

The Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award is presented annually to an individual who is a pioneer in the field of athletic communications who has mentored and helped improve the level of diversity within College Sports Communicators. In March of 2014, the CoSIDA Board of Directors approved the naming of the award in honor of former Penn State athletic media relations professional Mary Jo Haverbeck, who was the first recipient of the Trailblazer honor.

Additionally, the award is presented to an individual who has worked to increase diversity within the athletic communications profession. This marks Rodgers’ second Special Awards honor, as he previously was announced as a member of the CSC Hall of Fame Class of 2025.