MIAC Release | Augustin Award

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Mark Lewandowski, broadcaster for Saint John's University athletics since 1999, will receive the 2018-19 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Mike Augustin Award. 

The award is presented to honor outstanding contributions to the conference in the areas of media and sports information. The conference will honor Lewandowski with a formal presentation Saturday, Sept. 1, during halftime of the Johnnies' football game against Wisconsin-Stout.

He was voted the winner of the award at the MIAC Sports Information Directors' Council Meeting on Aug. 9. Frank Rajkowski, a sportswriter who covered SJU and the College of Saint Benedict athletics from 1998-2017 at the St. Cloud Times, earned the Mike Augustin Award in 2015.

"This award means so much because it comes from the sports information directors who I work with all year long, they are phenomenal," Lewandowski said. "I work with the Colonel (Ryan Klinkner '04, SJU's athletic media relations director) the most, but all across the MIAC, there are talented and dedicated people who do great, but sometimes under-appreciated, work. To be honored by them is one of the highlights of my professional career.  

"I would also like to give credit to my football crew: Bryan Backes and Mike and Charlie Carr. They are great people to work with and provide so much to our football broadcasts. We work very well together and hopefully that is evident to those who tune in.  I have worked with many different people in basketball, including Bob Alpers, Jim Smith and a number of former SJU players and have enjoyed every minute of it."
 

First awarded in 1999-2000, the Augustin Award is named in memory of the late Mike Augustin, a longtime sportswriter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Raised in Springfield, Minn., Augustin attended SJU and graduated from the University of Minnesota. His first newspaper job was at the St. Cloud Times, where he later served as sports editor before joining the Pioneer Press in 1969. He died after a sudden illness in December 1997.

"There is no one more deserving than Mark to be named the recipient of the Mike Augustin Award," SJU head football coach Gary Fasching '81 said. "In my opinion, Mark is one of the best play-by-play announcers in the business. He not only calls the games, but he lives the games.  

"He has been a tremendous supporter of our football program, and we are the envy of many people in our league because of the professional way that Mark goes about his job. Our football players and coaches, past and present, congratulate Mark on this prestigious honor."

A 25-year veteran in commercial radio, the 2018-19 academic year serves as Lewandowski's 19th football and 20th basketball season for SJU. A graduate of Edinboro University (Pa.), Lewandowski started his career in radio at the campus radio station WFSE and ascended to the position of sports director and "Voice of the Fighting Scots." His first job at a commercial station was at KLTF/KFML in Little Falls and included stops in Havre, Mont., and Scottsbluff, Neb. 

"Mark and his voice have become a part of the fabric of Johnnie Athletics," SJU head basketball coach Pat McKenzie '04 said. "We are very lucky to have him call our games and I feel very lucky to call him a friend."

Lewandowski is currently in his 13th year with WBHR-660 AM The Bear. Prior to The Bear, he worked at Spirit 92.9 FM. In addition to SJU basketball and football games, Lewandowski has also broadcast Johnnie baseball and wrestling events.

Besides his play-by-play responsibilities, Lewandowski also highlights SJU student-athletes and other members of the campus community on his Football Weekly and Johnnies Magazine shows.