Pitt-Johnstown Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Mia Oterson has been honored as Speaker of the Year by the Pennsylvania Communication Association (PCA), an organization dedicated to promoting teaching, research, service, and development in all areas of human communication. The award was presented as part of the PCA's annual conference, held this year at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown.
 
Oterson earned the recognition for a speech exploring the connection between coaching and communication, arguing that the best coaches are, at their core, great communicators. In her remarks, she reflected on how the Sports Center gym gave her relationships that will last a lifetime, and taught her that coaching and communication go hand in hand.
 
"Pitt Johnstown athletics is so very proud of Coach Mia Oterson," said Abby Gearhart, Director of Athletics. "I have personally been afforded the opportunity to see Mia's transition from a student-athlete to staff member. She does an amazing job building relationships across the community and does so many wonderful things — not just for our institution, but for the Johnstown community as a whole. We are lucky to have someone who is passionate about what she does and has a heart for this institution and the student-athletes she serves."
 
Oterson extended her thanks to the PCA for providing a platform for people like her to share their experiences, and to the coaches, professors, teammates, and mentors who shaped her understanding of what real communication looks like — as well as everyone who attended and listened, calling them the whole reason the moment was possible.