Notre Dame hires Katy Lonergan, Sydney Sims to assist with football communications

Katy Lonergan and Sydney Sims have been hired by Notre Dame to assist with the football communications side of its athletics department, the university announced Thursday.

Lonergan will be the first woman to hold the title of Notre Dame’s assistant athletics director of football communications. Sims was named as the associate communications director and is responsible for football social media and the promotion of student-athletes.

The Fighting Irish Media team filled their remaining vacancies with the hirings. They join associate communications director Michael Scholl (football and championships), assistant communications director Claire Kramer (football, softball and swimming & diving), football producer Jon Cotton, art director Matt Taylor and graphic design and social media assistant Ian McFarland.

Per a release on the Notre Dame athletics website, Lonergan will “be charged with overseeing all aspects of day-to-day football media relations, strategic messaging and leading an internal content group.”

She had served as the director of football communications for the University of Kansas’ athletics department since 2011.

Lonergan worked at Ole Miss with a few sports before returning to her alma mater, Kansas, in 2007. She oversaw communications for the Jayhawks’ women’s basketball team and assisted with the men’s basketball squad until being promoted to her most recent role.

Sims comes from the United States Naval Academy. She oversaw social media and helped produce daily content for Navy's football program the last two seasons.

“At Notre Dame, (Sims) will be tasked with developing and executing a social media strategy for the football program that puts the student-athlete experience at the heart of the message,” the release read. “Additionally, Sims will be using her skills as an on-camera reporter to provide fans an inside look at the university.”

To read the full release, click here.