Don Helinski
Unit: Sports informationTitle: Sports information director
Direct phone: (989) 774-1763
E-mail: donald.helinski@cmich.edu
Don is the guy whose job every sports fan would love to have - until they find out about the 80-hour work weeks.
Don grew up in Memphis, Michigan, in a sports family. Letting go of his dream to play in the NBA, he settled on the next best thing - sports
information director for CMU, his alma mater.
Under his direction, the sports information team travels around the country with CMU's teams getting out quick and accurate sports stats that
(for those of us who didn't grow up in sports families) make our heads spin.
Don is married to his high school sweetheart, Athena, also a CMU alum, and they have two beautiful girls. They also have a pair of black labs,
Chipper and Marley.
He counts among his top moments on the job: the 2003 men's basketball NCAA Tournament run; men's basketball wins at Purdue, Michigan and Notre Dame;
Casey Cunningham's national wrestling championship; softball defeating No. 1-ranked Michigan at home; the 2003 NBA Draft; and five softball NCAA
Tournament appearances.
Quote: "Happiness is being married to your best friend."