NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 27, 2021 – The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) recognized Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Media Relations and Research Consultant Lonza Hardy, Jr. for 25 years of service when its 2021 special awards were announced on Friday.
 
Hardy has been with the MEAC since 2018, when he joined following his tenure as Director of Athletics at Arkansas Pine Bluff. He was also Director of Athletics at both Hampton University and Mississippi Valley State.
 
After serving as sports information director at Albany State from 1978-80, Hardy spent nearly four decades within the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), making his mark in the realm of sports information as well as athletics administration. As sports information director of Alcorn State (1980-86) and Southern (1986-89), Hardy was recognized as the league’s Sports Information Director of the Year four times in the decade.

From there, Hardy took over a similar role within the league office, eventually becoming the SWAC's first assistant commissioner (1995) and associate commissioner (1998) in the history of the conference headquarters.
 
A 1978 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Hardy was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2018. He also received the Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award in 2001. The Bob Kenworth Community Service Award is presented annually to a member of CoSIDA for civic involvement and accomplishments outside the sports information office.
 
The CoSIDA 25-Year Award is presented to members who have completed 25 years in the profession, with 16 members recognized with a 2021 honor.
 
 
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) celebrates its 50th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2020-21 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of 11 outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.