WHEELING -- John Antonik, the Senior Director of Athletics Content at West Virginia University and author of four sports books on WVU, has been selected the winner of the 2025 Morehouse Award by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.


The award is given for contributions to journalism and named for the late Marshall University sports information director and broadcaster Gene Morehouse, who died in the 1970 airplane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall football players, coaches, staff and fans. The award has been given since 1971 with a list of recipients on the wvswa.org website.


Antonik will be honored at the 78th annual Victory Awards Dinner on May 4 at the Bridgeport Convention Center.

"Although I was only two when the Marshall plane crashed," Antonik said, "I am well aware of Gene Morehouse and the importance of the Morehouse name in West Virginia sports journalism. I am also a big admirer of his son Keith's work in Huntington, so to be associated with the Morehouse name in any manner or form is beyond flattering. It's a great honor to receive the Morehouse Award and I am truly grateful to all those who would consider me for it."

A native of New Martinsville, and Magnolia High School graduate, he received a BSJ degree in journalism plus a master's degree in sport management from WVU.

He currently is responsible for editorial oversight, reporting and feature writing for the WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics website, WVUsports.com.

Antonik is a member of the WVU sports Hall of Fame committee and all-time team committees for men's basketball and football and is frequently consulted on WVU sports history. He serves as co-host on the Mountaineer Sports Network's football pre- and post-game shows and contributed to other live broadcasts, including home women's basketball games.

Antonik joined the WVU staff in 1991 after working one year as a graduate assistant and two years as a student assistant in the Sports Communications Office. From 1991-98, Antonik served as associate sports information director, helping coordinate the publicity efforts for WVU's 19 varsity sports, as well as working with the Mountaineer football and men's basketball programs. He earned several CoSida writing citations during his tenure as associate sports information director, including a "Best in the Nation" award for his work on the 1992 women's basketball media guide. In addition to publicity duties, he also directed WVU's community relations program.


In 1999, he became Director of Digital Media with the responsibility of promoting WVU's 17 intercollegiate sports through the world wide web. Antonik was involved in all facets of the department's web services program, including editorial oversight, site design and content development.

He has authored four books on Mountaineer sports: West Virginia University Football Vault, The History of the Mountaineers; Roll Out the Carpet. 101 Seasons of WVU Basketball; The Backyard Brawl on the WVU-Pitt football rivalry, which was a 2012 Foreword Book of the Year finalist in the sports category; and his most recent effort, Saturday Snapshots: West Virginia University Football, published in 2015.

In 2008, he received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Magnolia High School. and in 2010, he was the recipient of the Paul B. (Buck) Martin, presented by the WVU Alumni Association to an individual who has helped to preserve and maintain WVU's traditions.

He's a past member of CoSida, the W. Va. Sports Writers Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

A resident of Morgantown, he and wife Melinda have two children, daughter Sydney and son Jack.