BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Olivet Nazarene University is pleased to announce the addition of John Alfes as Assistant Athletic Director for Communication. Alfes brings extensive experience in collegiate athletic communications, sports media and storytelling to the University’s athletic department.
Alfes joins Olivet after serving as Director of Sports Information at Hiram College, an NCAA Division III institution in Hiram, Ohio, from November 2022 to July 2026. During his tenure, he led the department’s efforts in hosting conference championships for golf, wrestling and men’s volleyball. He also served as the official statskeeper for the 2025 and 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Championships.
In addition to his event management responsibilities, Alfes provided extensive digital coverage of Hiram College athletics, including the softball team’s run to the NCAA Super Regionals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the men’s volleyball team’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Alfes also played an important role in Hiram’s transition from the North Coast Athletic Conference to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. He developed expertise in the college’s addition of men’s ice hockey, helping establish live streaming and live statistics capabilities at the program’s home rink. At the time, Hiram was the only NCAA Division III institution in Ohio to sponsor men’s ice hockey.
“We are excited to welcome John to our ONU athletic team. His experience, passion for college athletics and commitment to telling the stories of our student-athletes will be tremendous assets to our department,” said athletic director, Luke Ward. “He’s detail-focused, collaborative and brings an exciting vision for our teams, coaches and athletes.”
Prior to his work at Hiram, Alfes spent three years as a sports content researcher at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. In that role, he developed statistical content surrounding national sports storylines for ESPN’s television, digital media, radio and mobile platforms. His work included building graphics, writing scripts and assisting on-air talent for SportsCenter. He also contributed to ESPN coverage on location at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York, and the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Alfes earned a master’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports media from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 2019. He previously earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Communication from John Carroll University in 2018.
A member of the College Sports Communicators since 2022, Alfes has continued to invest in professional development and networking within the athletic communications industry, including attending the organization’s national convention in Las Vegas in 2024.
Alfes resides in Chicago with his wife, Josefina, their daughter and their dog.
For more information about the athletics program, visit ONUtigers.com
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— Republished from ONU Athletics 11/13/2026 —
