General | January 13, 2026

PHILADELPHIA – Mike Mahoney, Penn's Director of Athletic Communications since 2005, has been named this year's recipient of the Arch Ward Award by College Sports Communicators (CSC). The Arch Ward Award is presented annually to a CSC member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college athletics communications and, through their work, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession.

First awarded in 1958, the honor was previously bestowed on Penn's Bob Paul in 1960. With Mahoney's selection, Penn becomes just the tenth university to have multiple staff members receive the Arch Ward Award.

Since 2005, Mahoney has served as the director of athletic communications at Penn, where he is the primary contact for the Quakers' volleyball, men's basketball, men's lacrosse, golf and rowing programs.

During his tenure, Mahoney has been the media coordinator for four NCAA championships: the 2006 Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship at Lincoln Financial Field, the 2007 Women's Lacrosse Championship at Franklin Field, and the 2022 Division I Men's Basketball Sweet 16/Elite 8 rounds and 2025 Division I Wrestling Championships at Xfinity Mobile Arena. He is also a frequent volunteer at other NCAA regional events.

Since 2010, Mahoney has served as president of Philly-SIDA, a group for athletic communications staffs at 30 colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area. In that role, he manages a listserv that professionals can use to get help for stats, public address, and other duties. He also oversees Philly-SIDA's Academic All-Area program.

A longtime member of CSC's Academic All-America Core Committee, Mahoney currently serves as that program's vice chair. Mahoney also has been a member of CSC's Division I Cabinet since its inception and currently serves as its chair.

Mahoney received CSC's President's Award in 2025 and the organization's 25-Year Award in 2019. He is an 18-time honoree in CSC's Fred Stabley, Sr., Writing Contest, which includes four "Best In The Nation" awards. An active member of East-Comm, as well, Mahoney received that organization's Irving T. Marsh Award in 2017.

Prior to his tenure at Penn, Mahoney served six years (1999-2005) as associate director of media relations at Northwestern University and six years (1993-1999) as assistant sports information director at Dartmouth College.

Mahoney received his bachelor's degree in English from Dartmouth and earned a Master of Sports Administration degree from Ohio University in 2017.