Tales from the Creek Podcast
A mainstay of the Campbell athletics department for 37 years, Stan Cole serves as Senior Director of Community & Alumni Engagement, Athletics.
In addition to serving as head writer and editor for GoCamels.com, Cole cultivates and maintains relationships with Campbell Athletics Alumni in particular and the community at large. He also is involved with the Fighting Camel Club in various capacities.
Cole leads the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame committee, nominating and reaching out to potential new candidates while maintaining relationships with current Hall of Fame members. He writes regular long form features for GoCamels.com while also hosting the “Tales from the Creek” podcast.
He continues to serve as the department’s primary communications contact for the men's and women's golf teams.
Over the last three years, the College Sports Communicators have recognized seven of Cole's feature stories among the best in the district and the nation.
His story on Woodrow Upchurch: Buies Creek to the big leagues and back tied for top national honors in the historical feature category of the 2025-26 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing contest.
Nearly 500 entries were submitted in seven categories in the 2025-26 contest. Each category was first judged on the district level, with the winners then advancing to national consideration. All national category winners were considered for National Story of the Year.
Two additional stories were chosen as Best in District 3 (which includes entries from all Division I schools in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia). Rochelle’s five home run day still a vivid memory was selected best in the General Feature/Blog category, Women's Empowerment Spotlight | Emily Pierce won the district award in the Social Justice/Diversity category.
His feature on Destiny Bailey-Perkins was judged as best in the nation in the social justice/diversity category of the 2024-25 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest. Duane Bock – A (Camel) Caddy’s life was selected as runner-up among District 3 entries in the general feature category.
Two of Cole's feature stories were recognized among the best in the district by the College Sports Communicators in 2023-24. His feature on Hajj Malik Williams was chosen as runner-up in the athlete profile category, while 14,556 Days was selected as runner-up in the historical feature category.
A 1987 Campbell graduate, Cole led CU’s communications efforts from 1989-2022. He was promoted to associate AD in 2007, and oversaw the publicity of Campbell's 21 NCAA Division I varsity sports.
The Raleigh, N.C. native structured and implemented media and public relations services for each of Campbell's varsity programs and oversaw a full-time and student staff for entire Athletics Communications Department, which includes media relations, publications, broadcasting, internet and social media services. He also assisted in on-campus and local promotions for events, game management, and in the operation of general athletics administration.
During his 34-year tenure in Athletics Communications, he worked with all of the 21 varsity programs, while coordinating publicity efforts for men's basketball, men's soccer and men's and women's golf. Cole has worked in a media relations role at a number of NCAA championships, including the 1990 and 2014 baseball regionals, 1992 men's basketball regional and 1995 women's golf national championship. He served as official scorekeeper at the NCAA Division I men's soccer Final Four from 1992-95 and 1999-2000, and in the same capacity at the 1997 and 1998 women's soccer Final Four. He was the host institution media coordinator for the 2013 NCAA Women's College Cup at Cary, N.C.
Cole was presented the 25-year award at the College Sports Information Directors of America workshop at the NACDA Convention in June 2014.
He also served as South Region Division I men's soccer statistics coordinator from 1990-95.
A 1987 Campbell graduate with a bachelor's degree in mass communication, Cole previously worked as a sportswriter for the New Bern (N.C.) Sun-Journal and also as an editorial assistant for Coman Publishing in Durham, N.C.
He is a member of College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA), and has been a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the United States Basketball Writers Association, the Association for Professional Basketball Research and the Society for American Soccer History. He served on the NCCSIA Board as president (2006-2008) and secretary.
In addition to his Athletics Communication responsibilities, Cole has also served as an adjunct professor in the Campbell University Department of Communication Studies, where he taught a sports reporting class.
Cole and his wife, Claudia - also a Campbell graduate, have two grown children, Catherine and Oliver.
A long-time fan of the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Colts, Cole enjoys reading, music, history, travel and working in the garden.
