Oakland City's Stephen Custer named RSC Faculty-Athletics Rep. of the Year
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- Dr. Stephen Custer from Oakland City (Ind.) University has been named the River States Conference Faculty-Athletics Representative of the Year 2021-22. He was selected after a vote from RSC member schools.
The RSC Faculty-Athletics Representative of the Year award was established in 2016-17. Its purpose is to recognize one FAR within the conference each year for outstanding service and dedication to the role with an RSC and NAIA athletic department and campus.
The FAR is a member of the faculty who works with the athletic department to certify the eligibility of all student-athletes at that institution before they can represent the school in competition. The FAR cannot be a coach or an athletics administrator and is well versed in the rules and regulations of the NAIA.
Custer is in his 16th year as Associate Professor of Business at Oakland City. In addition to being the Faculty-Athletics Rep for Mighty Oaks athletics, he is also the public-address announcer at home games for several sports.
"We are extremely excited to see the work of Dr. Custer being recognized by our conference," said T-Ray Fletcher, Oakland City Director of Athletics. "He is highly visible on our campus, not just in the classroom, but at as many extracurricular activities as possible. He is a great ambassador for our department and is always looking to help in any way possible.
"He is the voice of the Mighty Oaks at many of our contests on the P.A. He is not only a great educator but a wonderful support to our department in eligibility, administration and as a role model. I could not think of a more deserving individual."
Custer was nominated for the award for his dedication to the FAR role. He is praised for meticulously checking the eligibility of student-athletes to make sure everything is correct before certification. He is also a big asset to the athletic department in several other ways including PA announcing, meeting student-athletes when they visit campus and serving on many committees throughout the campus. His office is decorated withmemorabilia of the Mighty Oaks' sports teams.
Others have noticed Custer's impact as well. In 2020-21, he was named the "Teacher of the Year" at Oakland City. Earlier this school year, he was inducted into the Greater Evansville Athletics Hall of Fame.