Loyola University to Induct Ro Brown, Ed Daniels and Ken Trahan into its Den of Distinction

NEW ORLEANS – The School of Communication and Design will induct sports journalism legends Ro Brown, the late Ed Daniels, and Ken Trahan into its Den of Distinction at a reception May 5 from 6-9 p.m. at The Chloe, 4125 St. Charles Ave., in New Orleans.

Tickets to the reception are $75, and sponsorships are available. Proceeds from the event will support the Director’s Fund in the School of Communication and Design (SCD), which, in turn, benefits projects and programs for students and faculty in the school.

To purchase tickets or sponsor the event, visit https://spark.loyno.edu/2025-den-of-distinction.

Brown, Daniels and Trahan attended Loyola at the same time and remained close friends as each built a career focused on sports in New Orleans. All graduated from Loyola – Brown in 1978, and Daniels and Trahan in 1979 – with bachelor’s degrees in communications.

“Being inducted into the Den is our highest honor,” said Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, dean of the College of Music and Media at Loyola, noting that each of the men has made a positive impact in the community. “We are proud of all that Ro, Ed and Ken have accomplished. They represent the very best of who we are at Loyola.”

Brown, who spent a large part of his career at WDSU, was the first Black on-air sports anchor and reporter in New Orleans, and later served as the station’s sports director until his retirement. He spent 21 years at the station and received the lifetime achievement award from the Press Club of New Orleans this past summer.

“Loyola introduced me to individuals who were important to my career in journalism, placing me in professional circles that I would not have accessed otherwise,” Brown said. “Without Loyola, I would not have been blessed with a career that was never work, but a passion that delivered the opportunity for service to others.”

Daniels, who will be inducted into the Den posthumously, spent four decades in Louisiana television. He worked at KPLC in Lake Charles, WDSU and later served as the sports director at WGNO from 1993 until his death this past August.

Robin Daniels, Ed’s wife, said the two-time Louisiana Sportscaster of the Year knew from a young age that he wanted to be a sports reporter, and he understood that earning a degree from Loyola would help turn that dream into a reality.

“Loyola was more than just an educational institution,” Robin Daniels said. “It was a place that instilled the values of hard work and discipline, which became central to Ed's character. The stories he shared about his time at Loyola were always filled with great affection and pride. Ed would be deeply humbled and honored to join such a prestigious group of professionals. I know he is looking down from Heaven, proud to be inducted into the Den of Distinction.”

Trahan, too, has been a fixture in local sports media circles for 40 years, covering high schools sports and creating various sports websites, including the popular CrescentCitySports.com. He credits Loyola with having played an integral role in his career and life.

“I value my time and education obtained from Loyola in the highest esteem,” Trahan said, noting he formed lifelong friendships with Brown and Daniels at the university. “The communications school was a tremendous launching point for my career. I am honored to have followed my father to Loyola and for our son to have followed me to Loyola. We are three generations of the Wolf Pack, and it is truly one of the blessings of my life.”

The Den of Distinction – the school’s alumni hall of fame – honors individuals who have distinguished themselves by a lifetime of accomplishments or extraordinary achievement. Nominees are innovative leaders, set new standards of excellence and serve as role models for Loyola’s students, alumni and the greater community.

Since its inception in 2012, the Den of Distinction has inducted 22 outstanding alumni.

For a list of inductees into the Den of Distinction, visit https://www.loyno.edu/alumni-giving/alumni/alumni-awards-honors/den-distinction-inductees.