Josh Kessler '04 heads into his 15th year as the Director of Athletic Communications at Saint Michael's with the 2025-26 school year. The longest-tenured director of athletic communications in College history and the longest-tenured current director at any college in the State of Vermont or the Northeast 10 Conference, Kessler manages a complete sports information and public relations program for the Purple Knights' 22 Division II varsity sports.
A member of the College Sports Communicators - formerly the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) - and the Eastern Athletic Communications Association (EAST-COMM) - formerly the Eastern College Athletic Conference Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA) - Kessler is the chair of the Saint Michael's Athletic Hall of Fame Committee and has also served on various campus search committees during his time at Saint Michael's. He hosted the 2018 EAST-COMM Workshop, helping bring it to Vermont for the first time, and has served as a member of the D2SIDA East Region Media Poll men's basketball voting committee since 2015-16.
During his time as an employee at the College, Purple Knight student-athletes have regularly appeared in their hometown media and Burlington-area media outlets, as well as being featured by ESPN, Vermont Public Radio, Sports Illustrated, and via the NCAA's social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), print (NCAA Champion magazine) and online (NCAA.com) accounts. Kessler oversaw four redesigns of SMCAthletics.com through PrestoSports and a move to SIDEARM in August 2023 and implementation of a new Instagram channel, and manages the Purple Knight social media accounts. He is the College's direct contact with streaming provider Northeast Sports Network (NSN).
Prior to serving as the first full-time sports information director at Division III Wheelock College in Boston in 2010-11, Kessler was the first full-time assistant sports information director at Division III Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., holding the position for five years, between 2005-06 and 2009-10. While at Wheaton, Kessler shared both the Vision of Service Award and the Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award with director Scott Dietz, recognizing his distinctive service to the institution and its student-athletes.
A Colchester native and Saint Michael's graduate, Kessler earned his degree in journalism and mass communication in 2004 before spending the 2004-05 academic year as the intern in the sports publicity office at Division I Dartmouth College. He served as primary contact for the Big Green's women's ice hockey team, which advanced to the Frozen Four.
As an undergraduate, Kessler served as a student assistant in the sports information office for four years, being recognized for his work with the 2003 George "Doc" Jacobs Award, presented annually by the College to a student who makes a truly outstanding contribution to Purple Knight Athletics, regardless of athletic ability. Kessler also received the EAST-COMM Bill Esposito Memorial Award that year and has worked locally with the baseball program at his alma mater, Colchester High School, since the 2000 season.
