Mike Montoro has worked in the WVU Athletics Communications Office since 2007, first as the director of football communications, and was promoted to assistant athletics director/football communications in July 2021.
In his role, he is the primary publicist for the football program, handling the day-to-day media operations, supervising the dissemination of information, coordinating the press box and media operations on game day and overseeing the promotional award campaigns. He also is the publicity contact for the WVU Rowing team.
In 2023, he was honored with the Lester Jordan Award for exemplary service to the College Sports Communicator's Academic All-America Program and the promotion of the ideals of being a student-athlete. He has promoted six CSC Academic All-Americans, three National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes, three College Football Hall of Fame selections and three named to the AFCA Good Works Team.
In 2020, 2022 and 2024, the WVU Football Communications Team was dubbed with "Super 11" distinction by the Football Writers Association of America. The award honors departments and individuals who go above and beyond in getting their job done and were nominated by FWAA media members.
In his tenure at WVU, the football team won three Big East Championships (2007, 2010, 2011) and made 15 bowl appearances, including winning the 2008 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma and the 2012 Orange Bowl over Clemson. Montoro oversaw the promotional efforts for four players who finished in the top 10 for the Heisman Trophy, including Will Grier, who finished fourth in 2018. He promoted 12 players who were finalists for national awards, 35 players named to 132 All-America teams, including three Consensus All-Americans, He also promoted 14 players named for conference player of the year honors and 112 players who were named to all-conference teams. Also at WVU, he served as the media coordinator for the NCAA Morgantown Baseball Regional in 2019.
Prior to WVU, Montoro spent seven years at Southern Miss (2000-07), overseeing the media relations unit, starting as the director of media relations (2000-04), then as the assistant director of athletics for media relations (2004-06) and then associate director of athletics for media relations (2006-07). He served as the primary contact for the nationally-ranked Golden Eagle football and baseball programs. The Golden Eagles played in six bowl games during his tenure and made six NCAA Baseball regional tournaments. During his tenure at USM, the football team won the 2003 Conference USA Football championship and the baseball team won the 2003 conference championship. He promoted 51 football and 28 baseball players who were selected all-conference, six football players named to 24 All-American teams, 10 baseball players garnered 29 All-American selections, six football players and 10 baseball players named to freshman All-America teams. While at USM, Montoro served as the media coordinator for two Conference USA Baseball Tournaments and the 2003 NCAA Hattiesburg Baseball Regional and he has been the official scorer for five C-USA baseball tournaments.
His 39-year sports information career includes stints at Virginia Tech as an assistant sports information director (1999-00) and Liberty as a student assistant (1986-88), assistant sports information director (1988-92), sports information director (1995-97) and assistant athletic director for media relations (1997-99). He spent two years at West Virginia (1992-94) as a sports publications graduate assistant and one year at Brescia College (1994-95) as the sports information director. At Liberty, Montoro served as the media coordinator for two men's and women's Big South Conference basketball tournaments and at Tech, was the media coordinator for the 2000 men's and women's Atlantic 10 Tennis Championships and the 2000 NCAA Blacksburg Regional Men's Tennis Tournament. While at Brescia, he was the assistant women's basketball coach and helped lead the Lady Bearcats to their first national tournament appearance in school history (1995), finishing 23-8 and earning a spot in the "Sweet 16" at the NAIA National Tournament.
Montoro has been the editor or the assistant editor of more than 72 publications that have been awarded recognition from the College Sports Communicators (CSC), including 28 that were tabbed as best in the nation.
Montoro is a member of the College Sports Communicators, Football Writers Association of America and the National College Baseball Writers of America. He is currently serving his 30th year on CSC's Academic All-America committee, including the 12th year as a national chairman (Division I and II Football, Men's Track & Field). He is in his 10th year as a member of CSC's mentorship committee and has been on the executive board of the NCBWA since 2002, currently serving as the executive associate director. He was honored with the Wilbur Snypp Award in 2006 for outstanding contribution to college baseball, inducted into the women’s basketball hall of fame at Liberty in 1998 and was awarded his 25-year service award from CoSIDA in 2015.
The Westminster, Maryland, native received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Liberty in 1990 and his master’s degree in sport management from West Virginia in 1994.
