The Aquinas College athletic program is full of tradition and success. Conference championships, national tournament appearances and numerous All-Americans are part of Aquinas’ athletic history. The games are played and won by student-athletes and coaches, yet there are others who contribute to the success of Aquinas’ athletic teams. One of these people is historian/statistician Mike Dean.

Those in attendance of an Aquinas baseball or basketball game have been lucky enough to experience the fun and unique pregame ritual of hearing Dean perform the National Anthem. Nowhere else can you hear the Star Spangled Banner performed on the harmonica, or be treated to harmonica music between innings.

Dean has been a member of the Aquinas College athletic program since 1985. His official title is Statistician/ Historian for the Sports Information Department, but he does more than just keep stats. Despite a busy schedule that includes writing the scoreboard section of the Grand Rapids Press Sports section and being the official statistician for the West Michigan Whitecaps, Mike finds time to announce, keep score and provide entertainment for Aquinas sports fans. On top of all of these duties, Mike has served as the official WHAC statistician since 2007, creating weekly statistical reports on all WHAC games.

The statistical knowledge and abilities of Dean have helped out Aquinas coaches and student-athletes for years. He has been able to provide coaches with statistical information and analysis vital to team success. His contributions have not gone unnoticed. Last year, Dean was named as the first ever WHAC SID (Sports Information Director) of the year, an award voted on by his peers. In recognition for his hard work and abilities, the award has been renamed the Mike Dean SID of the year award.

“Mike Dean is and has been an invaluable person in AQ sports lore,” said Hall of Fame baseball coach and current Athletic Director Terry Bocian.

Mike Dean has used his unique set of skills to benefit Aquinas College for over 20 years. He is an integral part of the Aquinas athletic family and has contributed to the success of Aquinas athletics.