Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

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MEDIA INFORMATION January 26, 2005

Contact: Blake Ress, Commissioner

JOE GENTRY NAMED IHSAA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Indiana High School Athletic Association Commissioner Blake Ress announced today that the IHSAA Executive Committee has approved the selection of Joe Gentry as Communications Director for the organization.

Gentry joins the IHSAA Executive Staff in a new position that will report directly to the Commissioner. In his role, Gentry will work closely with Sports Information Director Jason Wille and serve as the spokesperson for the Association. In addition, he will be responsible for producing various newsletters and press releases, serve as a liaison with the IHSAA’s various corporate partners and also provide support at its 20 state championship events. He will begin his duties on February 7.

The 40-year-old Gentry comes to the IHSAA following a 17-year career as Sports Information Director for the University of Indianapolis including the last four years as Associate Director of Athletics. The previous six years he served as Assistant Director of Athletics. From 1990-99, Gentry coached the men’s tennis team at the university mentoring five Academic All-Americans in a four-year period. On three occasions his teams earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team honors for combined cumulative grade point average and, in 1997, he guided the Greyhounds to the school’s first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament berth. Aside from his administrative duties, Gentry also has served as producer and play-by-play voice for UIndy football and basketball appearances on television.

“We are extremely happy to have Joe join our staff,” Ress said. “With his broad background in communications and sports information work, he will provide a new dimension and enhance our ability to serve our constituencies.”

“I’m honored to be asked to serve the IHSAA as its Communications Director,” Gentry said. “High school athletics have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I thank the Executive Committee and Commissioner Ress for the opportunity and the responsibility they have given me. I’ve enjoyed calling football state championship games on the IHSAA Radio Network the past two years and serving as a volunteer statistician for Lawrence Central football. I’ve worked with media members throughout the state in duties at the University of Indianapolis, and I look forward to continuing and extending that relationship.”

Gentry graduated cum laude in 1986 from Butler University earning a B.S. degree in radio/television while playing for the Bulldogs tennis team on an academic/athletic scholarship. A Lafayette native, he graduated from Jefferson High School in 1982 and earned four letters in tennis.

Gentry’s broadcast experience stretches back to his high school and college days calling radio for football and basketball games. Following his graduation from Butler, he would go on to work just over a year at WKBV-AM in Richmond, calling the 1987 IHSAA boys’ basketball state championship game. Gentry returned to Butler in 1987 to work in sports information for the Pan American Games. From there, he served as a graduate assistant at Butler in sports information and men’s and women’s tennis during the 1987-88 academic year before joining the University of Indianapolis in 1988.

Gentry has worked seven NCAA basketball tournaments at the RCA Dome since 1989, including three Final Fours, most recently in 2000. He also assisted at the 2002 FIBA World Basketball Championships, worked six NCAA II Elite Eight tournaments, and the 2002 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. In 1998, he worked the USA-Belgium Davis Cup tennis event. He is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He has interned with the Indianapolis Colts, WLFI-TV in Lafayette, WRTV-TV in Indianapolis, and the Purdue Sports Information Office.

Gentry and his wife of 14 years, Dawn, have two children, Nicole, 11, and Eric, 9. They reside in Lawrence.

IHSAA 04-05/24