Eastern has named Rich Moser the new sports information director effective June 15.

Moser, 34, comes from Gonzaga where he was the assistant sports information director for seven years.

He replaces David Kidwell, who is retiring after 34 years, and will direct media relations for Eastern’s 22 sport intercollegiate program.

Moser was hired after a search committee headed by James Tidwell narrowed the initial applicants from approximately 40 down to 10. The 10 remaining applicants then went through full interview process where the committee narrowed those 10 down to three.

Tidwell said Moser’s experience with big time media coverage at Gonzaga along with his strong background in technology was what the committee really liked about Moser.

“One area we really wanted to focus on was technology,” Tidwell said.

Moser gained experience working with ESPN, CBS and the NCAA tournament as the Gonzaga men’s basketball team has been in the national spotlight for the duration of Moser’s time there.

The move to become the sports information director brings Moser closer to family that he has in western Kentucky as well as fulfills a career goal of running media relations for a division I program.

“It should be a great opportunity,” Moser said.

Athletic director Rich McDuffie is happy with the hiring of Moser and is looking forward to the potential changes that Moser may bring.

Moser has already starting making plans on how to upgrade the Eastern athletics website.

“He seems to be up-to-date with new technology with the Internet,” McDuffie said. “He is very experienced.”

Aside from Gonzaga, Moser was the sports information director at Millsaps College for one and a half years. When he was a graduate assistant at Delta State, Moser was the media relations director for the NCAA Division II South Regional in softball.

Moser has worked with a couple of minor league baseball teams, the Port City Roosters and the Spokane Indians, as well as produced a nightly sports talk radio show for the Baltimore Orioles.

Moser was the media relations director for the 1995 Grey Cup champion Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League and is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America and National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America.